Super Easy Mix & Match Empty-Your-Pantry Casserole Recipe (2024)

OMG! This easy casserole recipe guides you through using the ingredients you have to make your own dinner casserole even if you haven’t been to the grocery store in awhile. This simple casserole idea is the ultimate pantry recipe and gives you the solution of what to make for dinner. Create a quick and tasty casserole customized for your family even if you aren’t a great cook!

Super Easy Mix & Match Empty-Your-Pantry Casserole Recipe (1)

Empty Your Pantry Casserole Recipe

When I am falling short on groceries the first thing I think to make is an easy casserole. I love this mix & match ingredients casserole recipe. It is so versatile. You can make it with almost anything from the fridge and pantry.

This is a great way to use your leftovers and a great easy dinner recipe for beginners!

What’s A Casserole?

If you’ve never made a casserole you’re in for a treat. A casserole is a meal cooked in a deep dish that is usually hearty and a saucy, creamy, or cheesy dish. A lot of times there is also a meat and carb ingredient, though you have exceptions like sweet potato casserole.

Super Easy Mix & Match Empty-Your-Pantry Casserole Recipe (2)

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Casserole Ingredients Needed for Base

pick one option from each category below:

1. Sauce: Pick a Sauce For Your Casserole

  • Can of cream of mushroom soup, condensed — undiluted
  • Can of ounces cream of celery soup, condensed — undiluted
  • Can of ounces cream of chicken soup, condensed — undiluted
  • Can of ounces cheddar cheese soup — undiluted
  • Can of diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano — undrained
  • Caramelized onions or mushrooms in beef broth
  • 1 Cup of Sour Cream
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2. Vegetables: Pick a Vegetable to Add

You will need 2-3 cups of veggies. Choose from Green beans, sweet peas or corn, Asparagus tips, chopped spinach, frozen veggies, even kale or cabbage will work.

3. Protein: Pick a Meat or Protein Source

Use 1-2 cups of meat or protein. Some of our favorite easy meat/protein ideas are:

  • Canned white tuna in spring water — drained and flaked
  • Chopped cooked chicken
  • Diced cooked ham
  • Chopped cooked turkey
  • 1 pound ground beef — browned and drained
  • Lentils
  • Beans
  • Tofu — I will often cut into cubes and brown it first
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4. Starch: Add a starch of your choice

Or… cover with mashed potatoes, hash browns, biscuits, or a pie crust for a meat pie variation.

Related: Make your own egg noodles

Optional Ingredients to Make Your Casserole Recipe Even Yummier

  • 3 ounces canned mushroom slices — drained
  • 1/4 cup sliced black olives
  • 4 1/2 ounces chopped green chiles
  • 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper — or green
  • 2 cloves garlic — minced
  • 1 1/4 ounce taco seasoning mix
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion or scallions
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery
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Choose a Topping for Your Casserole Recipe

  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup herb-seasoned stuffing mix
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Gravy
  • 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
  • 1 cup round buttery crackers — crushed
  • 1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs

How to Make a Casserole

  1. Combine sour cream, milk, water, salt and pepper with your sauce choice (omit sour cream and milk when using tomatoes).
  2. Stir in vegetable, starch, protein, and, if desired, extras.
  3. Spoon into a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
  4. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
  5. Uncover and sprinkle with toppings; bake 10 more minutes.

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This recipe is adapted from theMix and Match Casserole from CDKitchen

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Sauce Starter:

  • 8 ounces sour cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Choose 1 Sauce:

  • can of cream of mushroom soup, condensed -- undiluted
  • can of cream of celery soup, condensed -- undiluted
  • can of cream of chicken soup, condensed -- undiluted
  • can of cheddar cheese soup -- undiluted
  • can of diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano -- undrained
  • caramelized onions or mushrooms in beef broth

Choose Vegetable (2-3 cups worth):

  • green beans
  • sweet peas
  • corn
  • asparagus tips
  • chopped spinach
  • frozen veggies
  • kale or cabbage

Choose a Protein

  • canned white tuna in spring water -- drained and flaked
  • chopped cooked chicken
  • diced cooked ham
  • chopped cooked turkey
  • 1 pound ground beef -- browned and drained

Choose a Starch (skip if choosing a starch-based topping):

  • 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
  • 1 cup uncooked regular rice
  • 4 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
  • 3 cups uncooked small pasta shells

Choose 1 or 2 Extras:

  • 3 ounces canned mushroom slices -- drained
  • 1/4 cup sliced black olives
  • 4 1/2 ounces chopped green chiles
  • 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper -- or green
  • 2 cloves garlic -- minced
  • 1 1/4 ounce taco seasoning mix
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion or scallions
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery

Choose a Topping:

  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup herb-seasoned stuffing mix
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
  • 1 cup round buttery crackers -- crushed
  • 1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
  • gravy
  • mashed potatoes
  • hash browns
  • biscuits
  • pie crust

Instructions

    1. Combine sour cream, milk, water, salt and pepper with your sauce choice (omit sour cream and milk when using tomatoes).
    2. Stir in vegetable, starch, protein, and, if desired, extras.
    3. Spoon into a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish. If using a starch-based topping, add it now.
    4. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
    5. Uncover and sprinkle with toppings; bake 10 more minutes.

This recipe was originally inspired from Mix and Match Casserole Recipe via CDKitchen.

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More Easy Casserole Recipes from Kids Activities Blog

  • One of my family’s favorite casserole recipes is King Ranch chicken casserole…mmmmm!
  • Try our easy chicken enchilada casserole recipe next time you want something new to try!
  • Try our Mexican chicken casserole with rotel!
  • Another family favorite meal is tortilla bake casserole.
  • Classic tater tot casserole is hard to beat for comfort food or try my family’s favorite Taco tater tot casserole! <–can y’all tell we live in Texas?
  • Grandma’s green bean casserole recipe is a must even if it isn’t a holiday meal.
  • Need an easy solution? Check out our easy no bake tuna noodle casserole recipe!
  • This easy breakfast casserole works later in the day too.
  • Mmmmm…let’s make chicken noodle casserole!
  • Here is a collection of 35 family casserole recipes that you will love.
  • Check out all the casseroles in our easy dinner ideas for kids!
  • check out these great chicken casseroles!

How did your empty the pantry casserole recipe turn out? What did you add to your casserole recipe?

Super Easy Mix & Match Empty-Your-Pantry Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the oldest known casserole? ›

Macaroni and cheese is the oldest written casserole recipe found in 1250.

What are the main ingredients of this casserole? ›

In the United States, a casserole or hot dish is typically a baked food with three main components: pieces of meat (such as chicken or ground meat) or fish (such as tuna) or other protein (such as beans or tofu), various chopped or canned vegetables (such as green beans or peas), and a starchy binder (such as flour, ...

Why is my breakfast casserole soggy? ›

Incorrect oven temperature - Casseroles that are baked at an oven temperature that is too low may not cook evenly, resulting in a soggy top and a firm or crunchy bottom. Too much liquid - Casseroles that have too much liquid may not be able to absorb all of the moisture, leading to a soggy top.

What is the key to making a good casserole? ›

  1. Choose the right baking dish. If you're all about the crunchy topping, use a shallow dish. ...
  2. Undercook your pasta. ...
  3. Drain your meat. ...
  4. Beware of mushy vegetables. ...
  5. Know your cheeses. ...
  6. Master the art of casserole assembly. ...
  7. Don't skip the topping. ...
  8. Make it now, but bake it later.
Nov 1, 2021

What is the oldest dish we still eat? ›

The World's 10 Oldest Dishes And Where They Are Today
  • Indian curry, circa 2200-2500 B.C. ...
  • Pancakes, circa 11650 B.C. ...
  • Linzer Torte, circa 1653. ...
  • Tamales, circa 5000 B.C. ...
  • Burgers, circa 100 century A.D. ...
  • Mesopotamian Stew, circa 2140 B.C., and bone broth, circa 400 B.C. ...
  • Rice dishes, circa 4530 B.C. ...
  • Beer, circa 3500 B.C.
Sep 2, 2023

Why is it called a John Wayne casserole? ›

In her pitch, she asked the stars to provide the recipe for their favorite dish. Wayne offered a simple concoction of egg souffle, cheese, green chiles, and tomatoes. His basic recipe became known as John Wayne Casserole, and it's now adored as a breakfast classic in many households.

What are 5 components of a casserole? ›

Let's talk anatomy: A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese. But making a casserole is not an exact science, and you can definitely break away from this formula. Check out some fun side-dish casseroles and desserts below!

Should you cover a casserole when baking? ›

The primary reason for covering a casserole as it bakes is to trap moisture inside the dish. This will not only keep the casserole itself moist, but it will also help get the casserole up to cooking temperature.

What ingredient is added to casseroles to thicken the dish? ›

The three main thickening agents for gravies are flour, cornflour and arrowroot. The first two are normally used in savoury dishes while arrowroot tends to be used in sweet dishes – that said, arrowroot will work in a savoury dish as it has no flavour.

How do you make a casserole less rich? ›

If your food is too rich...

Add an acid such as lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, or pickled vegetables (such as jalapeños).

Why add egg to casserole? ›

Eggs are an egg-sential part of breakfast casseroles, forming the foundation of the dish, and binding all of the other ingredients together. Whether you are making a hearty cheesy bacon egg bake or a spicy chile relleno egg casserole, there's one ingredient you shouldn't forget: dairy.

How can I improve my casserole flavor? ›

Balance Flavors

Casseroles can really shine when they achieve a harmonious balance of flavors. Sweet, salty, spicy, and acidic elements should blend well and complement each other. Add ingredients like caramelized onions, olives, or lemon zest to give your casserole a depth of flavor.

What is the best oven setting for casseroles? ›

Bottom heat symbol

Ovens with top and bottom heating elements are very versatile as the elements can be turned on and off separately. The lower or bottom heat symbol (a single line at the bottom of the symbol) is used for gentle, slow cooking of casserole-type dishes, and can also be used for reheating or crisping.

Should you cook meat before putting in casserole? ›

With this in mind, be sure to choose a dish that is the correct size for your ingredients.
  1. Par Cook Pasta and Vegetables. A common issue with casseroles is soggy overcooked pasta or vegetable components. ...
  2. Always Cook Meat Before Adding. Don't add raw meat to a casserole. ...
  3. Let It Rest.
Mar 2, 2023

Is it better to cook casserole the day before or? ›

Putting a casserole together a day or so before baking ensures that everything is ready to go when dinner time rolls around. That means no rushing at the last minute. Along with greater convenience, making a casserole ahead of time also results in a richer, deeper taste.

Who invented the first casserole? ›

And a piece by Langdon Reid in a Staunton, Virginia, newspaper says: “History tells us that a French Canadian immigrant Elmire Jolicour is credited with inventing the casserole, this wonderful dish of culinary breakthrough, in Berlin, New Hampshire, in 1866.”

What was the first food ever made? ›

Bread. Bread is one the very first foods made by mankind. It is believed that bread was first made some 30000+ years ago.

Who made the first recipe? ›

The earliest known written recipes date to 1730 BC and were recorded on cuneiform tablets found in Mesopotamia. Other early written recipes date from approximately 1600 BC and come from an Akkadian tablet from southern Babylonia. There are also works in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs depicting the preparation of food.

What do they call a casserole in Minnesota? ›

The term “hot dish” first appeared in a cookbook in 1930 by a Mankato, Minnesota church group called Grace Lutheran Ladies Aid. Also, a fun fact, in the 1950s, Ore-Ida needed a way to use leftover potato scraps, and thus behold came the tator tot. They marketed them as a topping for casseroles and they really took off.

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