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As the holiday season truly gets underway, most of us are spread thin on time and energy. Between decorating, shopping and wrapping, we could all use some shortcuts to help us simplify our busy schedules. That’s why we are loving this family-friendly ground beef casserole recipe from Back to My Southern Roots.
Made with just five ingredients, this ground beef casserole comes together in an hour, with most of that time being inactive baking time. So, once you whip up the ingredients, you can put your feet up and enjoy some Hallmark Christmas movies while your dinner cooks to perfection.
To make this five-ingredient ground beef casserole, you only need ground beef, canned mushroom soup, canned cheddar cheese soup, frozen diced potatoes and shredded cheese.
After browning and draining the ground beef, you just have to put the rest of the ingredients together in a casserole dish and let it bake for an hour. You can also modify the recipe to suit your family’s tastes or what you have available in your pantry: For instance, if you don’t have cheddar cheese soup, you can try using queso dip, or if you can use cream of chicken soup in place of cream of mushroom in a pinch.
You can also sneak in veggies like frozen corn or frozen peas to help make this casserole more nutritious with no extra prep time.
Find the full recipe at Back to My Southern Roots.
More Weeknight Casserole Recipes
Looking for other easy casserole dishes to help make weeknight dinner prep even simpler? We also love this recipe for Cheesy Chicken Noodle Casserole from Paula Deen. You can cut corners with this recipe by using a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, and then cubing or shredding a couple of cups of chicken meat from the bird.
You will also need butter, cheddar cheese, onion, milk, sour cream and cream of celery soup. You make a roux on the stovetop with the flour, milk and cheese, then add the sauce to the egg noodle mixture. Once that part is done, all you have to do is let your casserole bake.
This is another family-friendly meal that will suit even picky little ones, as it has simple, approachable flavors that will suit even young ones’ palettes. You can crumble saltine crackers on top for extra crunch. And, don’t be shy about adding in veggies like carrots or peas to give this casserole a healthier and heartier feel.
Check out the full recipe at Paula Deen’s website.
And here’s another casserole we love: Chicken Pot Tot Hot Dish. If your family loves tater tots, this recipe created by Food Network star Molly Yeh is a no-brainer that will quickly become a holiday favorite.
Made with chicken, peas, milk and chicken broth, this casserole is topped with tater tots to create a homey, filling dinner with Midwestern flair. Find the full recipe on Epicurious.
Healthier Casserole Options
Looking for something a bit more sophisticated and packed with vegetables? This recipe for Tomato Vegetable Casserole from Giada De Laurentiis is a five-star, highly-reviewed recipe on the Food Network website. The celebrity cook uses veggies like zucchini, yams, carrots and potatoes for her casserole base, and then she tops the dish with fresh tomatoes, grated Parmesan and Italian breadcrumbs.
This is a casserole that feels so grown-up and would be a perfect side dish at your holiday parties. Unlike most casserole dishes which can go heavy on the cheese or creamy sauces, this dish is light, crisp and fresh. Check out the full recipe at FoodNetwork.com.
In a similar vein, we also like this recipe for Crusty Baked Cauliflower and Farro from the Smitten Kitchen. Made with farro, cauliflower, capers and fresh sage, this feels like a restaurant-quality dish even though it’s easy to quickly whip up in your home kitchen. And instead of canned cheddar soup, you’re going to reach for fontina and ricotta cheese to add depth and creaminess to your casserole.
This recipe feels like an elegant, adult-take on the usual cheesy, carby casserole recipes, and it would be perfect as a holiday side dish. Find the full recipe here.
Brunch Casseroles
If you’re looking for a holiday brunch casserole to serve your family on Christmas morning, this recipe from Taste of Home is easy, stress-free way to please the naughty and nice alike. Made with frozen hash browns, sausage, biscuit mix, bacon, cheese, peppers, milk and eggs, this is a yummy brunch recipe that will soon become of your go-to pile.
You can modify it to suit your family’s tastes, such as swapping out the meat for veggies if you have herbivores in your clan, or making things a little spicer with a bit of red pepper or a can of Rotel.
If you’re seeking something extra sweet and decadent, this recipe for Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake Casserole from Celebrating Sweets is an epic breakfast to serve your family on Christmas or New Year’s Day.
Made with buttermilk, blueberries, lemons and vanilla and then topped with a crumb topping made of light brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and butter, this breakfast casserole dish will have Santa Claus walking right past the milk and cookies in order to get a taste of this deliciousness.
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