Vegetable Casseroles - Cooking Light

Photo: Charles Masters

Healthy Vegetable Casseroles

These warm and comforting veggie dishes are hearty enough to be the centerpiece of the meal, but also versatile enough to complement an array of flavors when served as a side.

First up: Here's a deliciously updated version of the classic, with fresh green beans and wine-infused mushrooms. We just had to keep the fried onion topping, which is arguably the best part.

View Recipe: Green Bean Casserole with Madeira Mushrooms

Photo: Charles Masters

Mashed Potato Casserole

The combination of buttery Yukon gold and fluffy baking potatoes offers richness and a nice contrast both in flavor and texture. We recommend using a food mill to ensure the potatoes are evenly mashed and, just as important, not overworked, so they won't get gluey. If you don't have a food mill, cream the potatoes and cooking liquid with a potato masher.

View Recipe: Mashed Potato Casserole

Photo: Johnny Autry

Cheesy Brown Rice Gratin with Zucchini and Eggplant

The walnuts in this gratin offer a crunchy contrast to the roasted vegetables and cheesy rice mixture, while the splash of half-and-half adds creamy richness. The rice mixture can be made ahead and refrigerated. When ready to prepare, bring to room temperature, spoon into the baking dish, and proceed as directed at the end of step 5.

View Recipe: Cheesy Brown Rice Gratin with Zucchini and Eggplant

Photo: John Autry

Broccoli and Rice Casseroles

This cheesy casserole is bound to be a new favorite. The individual servings are fun and perfectly portioned.

View Recipe: Broccoli and Rice Casseroles

Photo: John Autry

Baked Italian-Style Cauliflower

A delightful array of ingredients come together in a magnificent way under a baked topping of crispy bread and pecorino Romano cheese.

View Recipe: Baked Italian-Style Cauliflower

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Sweet Onion Casserole

Onions, rice, and a creamy cheese sauce make this casserole a winner in our book. We're fairly sure you'll agree.

View Recipe: Sweet Onion Casserole

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Potato, Turnip, and Spinach Baeckeoffe

Translated from the Germanic Alsatian dialect, baeckeoffe means "baker's oven," as it was traditionally a dish that was brought to the local baker to cook in his oven. Classic versions are loaded with meat, but our vegetarian riff is equally hearty and rich.

View Recipe: Potato, Turnip, and Spinach Baeckeoffe

Photo: Lee Harrelson

Easy Corn Casserole

Making the most of convenience products, this corn casserole comes together quickly as an ideal side dish for a weeknight meal or even a holiday gathering.

View Recipe: Easy Corn Casserole

Photo: Bob Esparza

Spinach-Cheese Bake

You can assemble the spinach and cheese casserole in less than 10 minutes by using preshredded cheeses. The casserole's spinach, cheese, and nutmeg ingredient combination produces a rich layer of flavor that everyone will love.

View Recipe: Spinach-Cheese Bake

Photo: Randy Mayor

Zesty Broccoli Casserole

This favorite casserole was revamped to include the same creamy tang of the original recipe, but with 26 fewer grams of fat. The water chestnuts add a surprising crunch, and the substitution of sharp Cheddar cheese for the milder Colby variety provides additional zing.

View Recipe: Zesty Broccoli Casserole

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole

A sprinkle of a buttery, brown sugar and pecan mixture over the top of the creamy potatoes in this casserole side dish make it sweet enough to be dessert.

View Recipe: Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole

$Tex-Mex Hash Brown Casserole$

Photo: José Picayo

Tex-Mex Hash Brown Casserole

This simple skillet dish uses shredded potatoes as a base. The potato mixture cooks on the stove top first to get it browned and crisp on the bottom. Use a cast-iron skillet to get the potatoes perfectly crusted on the bottom, then bake them with smoky chorizo under a blanket of gooey cheese.

View Recipe: Tex-Mex Hash Brown Casserole

Photo: David Prince

Potato Gratin with Duxelles

Duxelles is a flavor base primarily consisting of mushrooms, onion, and leeks. It is used in meat and fish stuffings, soups, stews, and pastas. Here, it gives earthy, aromatic notes to the potato casserole.

View Recipe: Potato Gratin with Duxelles