We’ve all got those busy nights where cooking dinner is impossible. Instead of hitting up the nearest drive-thru, plan ahead and pack your freezer with ready-to-bake casseroles.
These hearty, make-ahead meals are ready to pop into the oven whenever you need them, and they provide your family with a hot, homemade meal with almost no effort at all.
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
The chicken, broccoli, and rice in this dish are all coated in that classic casserole base: cream of chicken soup. Because you prepare and cook it all on the stovetop before it goes in the oven, you can freeze it before baking. Add the cracker topping in the last 10 minutes of baking.
Recipe: The Cozy Cook
Easy Cheesy Potatoes
Cheesy potato casserole goes by a few names (including the morbid funeral potatoes!), but everyone loves it no matter what you call this side dish. Freeze it without the cornflake topping, which you should add right before baking.
Recipe: I Heart Naptime
Make-Ahead Lasagna
Move over Stouffer’s, because pulling a homemade lasagna out of the freezer is so much better than store-bought. You don’t even need to cook the noodles before layering them with homemade meat sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella. Freeze this one unbaked.
Recipe: Culinary Hill
Smoky Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
Black beans and sweet potatoes make a wonderful pair, especially when they’re mixed with smoky, earthy spices like cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika in this recipe. Use your favorite canned enchilada sauce and plenty of cheese, then freeze before baking.
Recipe: Taste of Home
Swedish Meatball Casserole
Frozen meatballs are a time saver whether you plan to freeze the final product or not. Instead of the typical tomato sauce, these get a creamy stroganoff treatment. Don’t skip the allspice and nutmeg in the sauce because it’s what gives it that distinctive stroganoff flavor.
Recipe: The Recipe Critic
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Five-Cheese Ziti al Forno
Olive Garden doesn’t have anything on this version of one of its popular dishes. Marinara sauce is mixed with alfredo and five different cheeses for an indulgent casserole. It’s vegetarian, but you can add ground beef or Italian sausage if you like.
Recipe: Taste of Home
Ham Casserole with Broccoli and Rice
If your family enjoys classic broccoli, cheese, and rice casserole, this is a version that includes diced ham for some protein (it’s a great way to use up leftover ham!). Everything is cooked before going into the casserole dish, so just wrap it tightly before baking to throw in the freezer.
Recipe: The Cook
Chicken Spaghetti
Chicken spaghetti is a popular casserole made with a creamy sauce, bell peppers, shredded chicken, and cheese. This recipe includes a simple homemade sauce instead of using canned cream soup, but you could use it in a pinch.
Recipe: Spend With Pennies
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Taco Rice Casserole
The recipe for this Mexican-inspired taco rice casserole is written for two 9-by-13-inch pans, so you’ll have one for now and one for the freezer. Ground beef, beans, and corn are seasoned and layered on top of rice. Put out fresh taco toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream for everyone to add to their plate.
Recipe: Eating on a Dime
Easy Make-Ahead Cottage Pie
Cottage pie is just like shepherd’s pie, except it’s made with inexpensive ground beef instead of lamb. There’s tons of flavor in this thanks to Dijon mustard and worcestershire sauce, and it’s got a layer of creamy mashed potatoes on top. Freeze this one in the casserole dish before baking.
Recipe: Pudge Factor
Poppy Seed Chicken
Poppy seed chicken is a Southern staple casserole with shredded or cubed chicken in a creamy sauce with poppy seeds and buttery Ritz crackers on top. If you want to add a little zip, throw in some lemon zest and a little juice, too. Serve it with buttered egg noodles or rice and a salad.
Recipe: Southern Living
Make-Ahead Cabbage Rolls
This is a simple recipe for a favorite comfort food. Onions, celery, and a little lemon flavor the easy tomato sauce that the cabbage rolls simmer in. Since the beef in the filling is cooked, it works well to freeze before baking.
Recipe: Taste of Home
Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
This vegetarian version of a shepherd’s pie is made with carrots, mushrooms, pearl onions, green beans, and celery for a healthful take on the classic dish — and make meatless Mondays so much easier. The mashed potatoes are mixed with tons of sharp cheddar for extra flavor.
Recipe: Simply Recipes
Chicken and Biscuit Cobbler
This chicken and biscuit cobbler is a freezer meal that’s worthy of a holiday. White wine, garlic, and plenty of fresh herbs flavor the filling. On top, you dollop homemade buttermilk biscuits studded with bacon for an indulgent layer.
Recipe: Southern Living
Sour Cream Noodle Bake
Sour cream noodle bake is a classic, homestyle recipe that’s pure comfort in a casserole dish. Curly egg noodles are mixed with sour cream and cottage cheese, then topped with a simple tomato ground beef mixture and cheese. Freeze this one before baking.
Recipe: Food Network
Sausage Breakfast Casserole
Dinners aren’t the only meals with make-ahead casseroles. A hearty weekend breakfast is easy with this sausage, mushroom, and cheese strata. Because it contains raw eggs, you’ll want to freeze this one after baking, and then reheat in the oven.
Recipe: Simply Recipes
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
Both ham and chicken make this a protein-packed casserole. Broccoli and whole wheat pasta add fiber, and a creamy sauce made with Dijon mustard brings it all together. Assemble the casserole and then freezer before baking.
Recipe: Eating Well
Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
You may never want another potato again when you try this loaded cauliflower casserole. It’s got all the good stuff — bacon, cheese, and chives — mixed into a creamy cauliflower base. Bake this one before freezing for an easy future side dish.
Recipe: Small Town Woman
