Cheap and Easy Casserole Dishes // Meals with Maria

 Best Classic Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients
 

MEAT FILLING:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 1 lb. 90% lean ground beef -or ground lamb
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves -minced
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup frozen mixed peas & carrots*
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

POTATO TOPPING:

  • 1 ½ - 2 lb. russet potatoes -about 2 large potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter -1 stick
  • 1/3 cup half & half
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

MAKE THE MEAT FILLING.

  • Add the oil to a large skillet and place it over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onions. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the ground beef (or ground lamb) to the skillet and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Add the parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and and pepper. Stir well. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the meat is browned, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the flour and tomato paste. Stir until well incorporated and no clumps of tomato paste remain.
  • Add the broth, frozen peas and carrots, and frozen corn. Bring the liquid to a boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Set the meat mixture aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

MAKE THE POTATO TOPPING.

  • Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with water. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, 10-15 minutes.
  • Drain the potatoes in a colander. Return the potatoes to the hot pot. Let the potatoes rest in the hot pot for 1 minute to evaporate any remaining liquid.
  • Add butter, half & half, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mash the potatoes and stir until all the ingredients are mixed together.
  • Add the parmesan cheese to the potatoes. Stir until well combined.

ASSEMBLE THE CASSEROLE.

  • Pour the meat mixture into a 9x9 (or 7x11) inch baking dish. Spread it out into an even layer. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top of the meat. Carefully spread into an even layer.
  • If the baking dish looks very full, place it on a rimmed baking sheet so that the filling doesn’t bubble over into your oven. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.** Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

*If you can’t find frozen mixed peas and carrots, you could use ½ cup frozen peas and ½ cup frozen sliced carrots.
**Bake at 400° F.  Start preheating the oven after you make the meat mixture (listed in step 6).

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6th of the recipe | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 751mg | Potassium: 483mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2860IU | Vitamin C: 7.9mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 2.7mg

Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole

from: Southern Living

Ingredients

  • 2 (3.5-oz.) bags boil-in-bag rice

  • 2 ripe avocados

  • 3/4 cup salsa verde

  • 1 (4-oz.) can chopped green chiles

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

  • 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast

  • 1 (10 3/4-oz.) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup

  • 1 cup light sour cream

  • 1 cup (4 oz.) grated Monterey Jack cheese

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

  • Topping: chopped tomatoes

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare rice according to package directions.

  2. Meanwhile, cut avocados in half. Scoop avocado pulp into a medium bowl, and mash with salsa verde, chopped green chiles, and lime juice. Stir in hot cooked rice.

  3. Stir together chicken, soup, and sour cream in a small saucepan over low heat; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until blended and slightly heated.

  4. Spoon rice mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish; spoon chicken mixture over rice. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese.

  5. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Top with chopped tomatoes.

Oven Baked Chicken and Rice // cafedelites.com

INGREDIENTS

For Chicken

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons light brown sugar, (OPTIONAL. FOR KETO use a brown sugar substitute)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or dried parsley)
  • 1 teaspoon mild sweet paprika (or hot)
  • 1 teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 6 skinless chicken thighs, bone in or out

For Rice

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups hot chicken broth (or stock)
  • 1 1/4 cups hot water
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice

For Mushrooms (OPTIONAL)

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 14 ounces (400g) button mushrooms, quartered
  • 1/4 cup chives (or green onions), divided
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • In a shallow bowl, mix together the olive oil, sugar, oregano, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and coat each piece evenly with the seasoning. Set aside, allowing the flavours to absorb into the meat. If time allows, marinade overnight for a deeper flavour.
  • Spray a large baking dish (10-inch x 15-inch OR 25 x 35 cm) with nonstick cooking oil spray. Add the onion, garlic, oil, salt, pepper, HOT boiled broth, hot water and butter into the dish. Mix well to melt the butter and combine. Stir in the rice.
  • Arrange thighs in the dish over the rice, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, spray chicken with oil and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked right through to the bone and rice is soft. Change oven setting to broil to brown the chicken and crisp rice (only needs 3-5 minutes).
  • Remove chicken thighs, mix the rice through, then arrange the chicken back on top of the rice. Cover and allow it to rest for 10 minutes to set all of the flavours in the hot dish. The rice will finish off cooking while resting.
  • While chicken is resting, prepare mushrooms (OPTIONAL):
    Heat butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant (30 seconds) and add mushrooms; cook until softened. Stir in 2 tablespoons of chives and season with salt and pepper.
  • Transfer chicken onto a plate; fluff rice with forks, then mix the mushrooms through the rice. Arrange chicken back onto the rice in the dish, garnish with remaining chives and chopped parsley. SERVE and enjoy!

NOTES

  • Bone-in chicken thighs bake in the same time as rice, which makes them the perfect cut of chicken for this recipe. They also guarantee juicy chicken pieces without drying out. There's nothing worse than dry chicken.
  • Skin-OFF thighs work so much better when compared to skin-ON thighs. During testing, we found leaving the skin-on resulted in gluggy, sticky, half raw rice. Too much chicken fat seeped into the rice while baking.
  • You can use bone-in chicken breasts in this rice casserole. Cook time is the same as chicken breasts are thicker than chicken thighs.
  • Chicken drumsticks can be used with skin on or off. Both work well.
  • Arrange your chicken over the rice as the image above shows. We found chicken MUST be placed over the middle section of the rice to ensure the rice gets cooked. Leaving the middle uncovered resulted in a few raw grains.
  • Long grain rice is the best rice to use and cooks evenly. Basmati rice or Jasmine rice can be substituted with the same liquid ratio and cooking time.
  • Please do not use short grain rice, medium grain rice, risotto, paella or minute rice. 

FOR BONELESS CHICKEN THIGHS AND BREASTS

  • Add rice into the baking dish WITHOUT chicken. Cover with foil and bake rice in the oven for 30 minutes.
  • Remove pan from oven, uncover and arrange chicken over the top. Return to the oven, uncovered, for a further 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked though and the liquid has absorbed. Rice should be soft. Continue with the recipe. 

PREBOIL LIQUID

We tried and tested this recipe many times since posting as a few readers are having trouble comprehending the directions. We found adding boiled (hot) chicken broth to the rice allows the cook time to be reduced while giving you perfectly cooked rice.
Please pre-boil your broth while preparing the rest of your ingredients, ensuring hot boiling chicken broth is being added in Step 3.
If you don't have chicken broth, use 4 cups boiling water and mix in 4 teaspoons chicken bouillon or stock powder.

NUTRITION

Calories: 513kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 1205mg | Potassium: 691mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 575IU | Vitamin C: 12.4mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2.3mg

Poor Man’s Lasagna Recipe (Oven and Air Fryer Instructions) from: fabulesslyfrugal.com

INGREDIENTS

  • 12 to 14 ounces uncooked penne pasta
  • 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 16 ounces cottage cheese
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 24 ounce jar red pasta sauce
  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheese for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.
  • Boil the pasta according to instructions on packaging.
  • Meanwhile, brown the ground beef, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Stir in the Italian seasoning before the meat is done cooking. Drain the grease, if needed. Set aside.
  • Drain the water from the pasta and return it to the pot. While the pasta is still warm, add the cream cheese and cottage cheese and gently stir until combined.
  • Layer a 9x13 pan (or two 8x8 pans) with half of the pasta mixture, meat, and pasta sauce. Repeat. Add shredded cheese on top. (See below for freezer instructions.) Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, until warmed through.

  • Preparing for the Freezer:

    • Right after topping with cheese (and before baking), cover with few layers of plastic wrap. Then cover with foil. Label and freeze.

    Prepare after Freezing:

    • Thaw for about 24 hours in refrigerator, unwrap and bake as usual. Or keep frozen, unwrap, then re-cover with one layer of foil. Bake covered for about 30 minutes at 300°F/150°C. Remove foil and increase oven temperature to 350°F/175°C. Bake for about 30 more minutes, until cheese is melted and filling is bubbling and warmed through.

    Air Fryer Instructions

    • Make the recipe as written. But, make sure you use a 8x8 pan, or any oven safe dish that will fit in your air fryer basket. 
    • When you are ready to cook in the air fryer, first preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes at 400°F/200°C. Then, place the pan in the air fryer basket and let it sit in there for about 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is mostly melted. (This will make it so the cheese won't fly up into the heating element!)
    • Then, cook for 15 minutes at 330°F/165°C.

    After Freezing Air Fryer Instructions

    • When you are ready to cook the lasagna from frozen, remove it from the freezer and thaw for about 24 hours in refrigerator, unwrap and air fry as usual.
    • Or keep frozen, unwrap, then re-cover with one layer of foil. Air fry covered for about 30 minutes at 300°C/150°C. Remove foil and increase oven temperature to 350°F/175°C. Bake for about 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted and filling is bubbling and warmed through.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 610mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g

 

Cabbage Roll Casserole from africanbites.com

Ingredients

  • 3-4 tablespoons (42- 56 ml) cooking oil
  • 1 pound (454 g) ground beef
  • ½ pound (227 g) ground pork, (replace with beef)
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon (8 g) minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons (2 g) minced thyme
  • 2 teaspoons (8 g) Creole seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon (2 g) smoked paprika, (replace with paprika)
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup (185 g) uncooked long-grain rice
  • ¾ cups (178 ml) water
  • 2 teaspoons (11 g) Worcestershire sauce
  • 1-2 teaspoons (2-4 g) chicken or beef bouillon powder, (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 ½ heads of green cabbage, cored and chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 1-2 cups (113 - 226 g) shredded Jack cheese (cheddar cheese )
  • chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C). Spray a large casserole (13" x 10" or 13" x 9”) with a non-stick spray. The larger the better.
  • Heat a large skillet or saucepan on medium heat; add oil followed by ground beef and pork. Break it apart as it cooks until it's browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove browned meat and set aside.
  • In the same saucepan, add 1-2 tablespoons oil, followed by onions, and cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent about 4-5 minutes.
  • Add the minced garlic, thyme, Creole seasoning, and paprika, and cook about 2 minutes more.
  • Then return the beef mixture back to the pan together with the diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, rice, water, and Worcestershire sauce, and bouillon powder to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Bring to a boil and let it simmer until it’s slightly thickened, about 15-18 minutes.
  • While the sauce is simmering add oil, (about 1-2 tablespoons oil) to a large skillet or Dutch oven; add the cabbage and cook over medium-high heat until the cabbage is tender. It really doesn’t need to cook much as it will continue to cook in the oven.
  • Season cabbage with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Remove and layer in the bottom of the casserole dish. Place the meat and rice mixture over the cabbage, press down, if needed.
  • Cover the casserole tightly with foil paper and bake for about 35-40 minutes.
  • Using oven mitts, carefully remove foil paper and sprinkle on cheese over the casserole (if desired.)
  • Bake uncovered for an additional 7- 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
  • Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly and serve hot. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Tips & Notes:

  1. I have found that cabbage is more important than rice. A loose/overcooked rice is better than an undercooked/overcooked cabbage leaf. Remember to watch the cabbages as it cooks. This ingredient will give the overall impression of the dish 
  2. If you don’t eat pork, you can just replace it with beef. Or you can use leftover meat like this Pulled Pork HERE.
  3. No Worcestershire sauce? The easiest alternative is a mix of ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, and ¼ teaspoon lemon juice.
  4. You may swap Jack cheese with cheddar or parmesan cheese.
  5. You can freeze this casserole dish for 4 to 8 weeks. When you’re ready to cook the dish, let the casserole thaw before transferring to a greased baking dish. Bake for around 45 minutes in a 350 F preheated oven.
  6. Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only. Please keep in mind that it is a rough estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1slice| Calories: 485kcal (24%)| Carbohydrates: 37g (12%)| Protein: 24g (48%)| Fat: 28g (43%)| Saturated Fat: 10g (63%)| Trans Fat: 1g| Cholesterol: 73mg (24%)| Sodium: 587mg (26%)| Potassium: 939mg (27%)| Fiber: 7g (29%)| Sugar: 11g (12%)| Vitamin A: 971IU (19%)| Vitamin C: 74mg (90%)| Calcium: 229mg (23%)| Iron: 4mg (22%)

Chicken Ranch Pasta Bake // Life in the Lofthouse


Ingredients

  • 10 ounces dried penne pasta
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch pieces
  • 1 Tablespoon ranch seasoning/dressing mix
  • Sauce:
  • 2 Tablespoons salted butter
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons ranch seasoning/dressing mix
  • 1/2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Toppings:
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
  • 4 slices cooked bacon chopped
  • fresh chopped parsley optional

Instructions

  • In a large pot of boiling water, cook penne pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Drain.
  • Season chicken pieces with ranch seasoning. Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray.
  • Cook chicken in prepared skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink in center; about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and onto a large plate. Tent with foil to keep warm. Carefully wipe skillet clean so you can cook sauce in it.
  • Add butter to skillet and melt it over medium heat. Once melted, add garlic and stir until fragrant; about 1 minute. Whisk in ranch seasoning and flour. Cook for 30 seconds whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in heavy whipping cream. Continue to cook and stir for one minute or until mixture starts to boil. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese until it completely melts. Season sauce with pepper.
  • Add drained cooked pasta and cooked chicken to ranch sauce in skillet. Stir to combine.
  • Pour this mixture into a greased 9×13 inch baking pan. Top with Mozzarella cheese and chopped bacon. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F. oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling.
  • Remove from oven and let rest/cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Enjoy!

Leftover Pulled Pork Tater Tot Casserole Recipe

// Our Zesty Life

ingredients  

  • 1 small onion finely diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 2 cups mushrooms chopped
  • 6-8 cups pulled pork
  • 18 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup ready to eat, 1 can*
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1/8-¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1-1 ½ cups corn cut off the cob or nibs
  • 2 pounds tater tots

instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish.
  • In a large skillet, cook onion, green peppers, and mushrooms until onion is translucent and peppers and mushrooms are mostly cooked, about 10-12 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, mix together soup, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, chili powder, ½ cup cheese, salt, and pepper. Add pulled pork mixture once cooked, and mix through.
  • Add to casserole dish and spread along the bottom. Sprinkle with corn. Arrange tater tots on top of corn. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
  • Bake 35-40 minutes, until bubbling and cheese is browned.

notes

*Can replace with a roux, milk, or broth. Or use condensed mushroom soup with milk added to make 18 ounces.nutrition information Calories: 559 | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 25g | Saturated fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1938mg | Potassium: 483mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 567IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 216mg | Iron: 3mg



Cabbage Roll Casserole


  1. OVEN BAKED CHICKEN AND RICE

Best Classic Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

Best Classic Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

Best Classic Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

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