Top 20 Healthy Casseroles for Dinner

• Southwest Chicken Quinoa Bake
• Healthy Chicken Fajita Bake
• Light Taco Casserole Recipe
• Creamy Quinoa Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
• Skinny Mexican Casserole
• Skinny Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Stuffed Pepper Casserole
• Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
• Pepperoni Pizza Cauliflower Casserole
• Lemon Chicken Pasta Bake
• Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Alfredo Casserole
• Cheese Chicken Pasta Bake Recipe
• Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
• Easy Mexican Chicken Quinoa Casserole
• Good-for-you Meat and Potatoes Casserole
• Cheesy Cauliflower Bake
• Santa Fe Chicken and Lentil Casserole
• Caprese Quinoa Bake
• Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Rustic Polenta Casserole with Mushrooms and Swiss

From shepherd’s pie to lasagna, casseroles are a warm and tasty one-dish meal. 

There is just something so comforting and delicious about a hearty casserole. However, they are usually loaded with fat and calories, often making them an unhealthy choice. 

Simple swaps and techniques can help you make an unhealthy casserole into a delicious vegetable loaded, lower-calorie version. 

Today I wanted to share with you 20 of my favorite healthier casseroles.

Casseroles are a great way to get more vegetables and protein into your family’s diet and a simple way to get dinner on the table.

 

WHAT IS A CASSEROLE ANYWAY? 

A casserole is a one-dish meal made in a big, deep dish that is baked slowly in the oven. To make a casserole, you combine a few simple ingredients that bake together to form a delicious meal.

Casseroles became one of the quintessential american dinner dishes around the 1950’s. Think of casseroles as the “food trend” of the 50’s.

You can probably attest to the truth of this when you go to your grandparents house for dinner. I would guess that 8/10 times they make some sort of a casserole dish, right?

The typical casserole is seen as an unhealthier “comfort food” because they are full of cream, cheese, sour cream, butter, salt, and/or cream cheese. 

But with the right flavors and techniques, a casserole can be a healthier food as well. 

WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF A CASSEROLE? 

Casseroles typically consist of some type of meat, various diced vegetables, a starch component such as pasta, rice, or potatoes, and a sauce to bind it all together. These components are also called the base, the extender, and the binder. 

The base includes meat, poultry, or fish for the main texture and flavor.

The extender helps to thicken the casserole dish. This is the “bulk” of the casserole and typically the grain or starch component. Examples include bread crumbs, potatoes, pasta, rice, beans, etc. 

A binder is the liquid that holds the casserole ingredients together such as milk, broth, soup, eggs, or a sauce. 

Casseroles are an easy dish where you can throw together a few different foods you have in the fridge to create an amazing dinner meal. 

You can pretty much include all the main food groups in a casserole for a well-balanced meal for yourself or for your family. 

Again, you probably have heard it enough, casseroles are not the healthiest meal with all that fat and sodium. They are typically on the unhealthier side filled with fatty meat, creamy sauce, tons of cheese, and lots of salt. Not the healthiest meal when you are trying to eat right. 

With the right ingredients, your typically unhealthy “comfort food” casserole is transformed into a meal you can feel good about. 

Some tips to make casseroles healthier include finding simple ways to limit the fat and sodium. Try a healthy spin on your favorite casserole recipes by using less cheese, and filling it with more vegetables. 

Make your casseroles a healthier meal by loading up on the vegetables, using legumes like beans, choosing whole grains such as whole grain pasta or brown rice, and switching to lean proteins like chicken, turkey, fish, or leaner cuts of beef or pork.

And finally, don’t forget to lower the fat by decreasing the cheese, and using olive oil instead of butter (but use with moderation).

You can also look for recipes that call for a tomato sauce instead of a creamy sauce, and look for recipes that use milk instead of cream for the sauce. Many casseroles are topped with tons of cheese and breadcrumbs. Lower the saturated fat by using less cheese on the top as well as on the inside.

To make your casserole meal complete, add a side salad and dig in. 

I hope you like these healthy casserole recipes.