Best Casserole and Hotdish Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between a Hotdish and a casserole? ›

What Minnesotans — and some North Dakotans — call hotdish is a type of casserole, although its definition is somewhat narrower. A hotdish must be a main course, and almost always a hearty one that includes a protein, starch and at least some vegetables. It can't be a breakfast or side dish, for instance.

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

Stainless Steel Casserole

If insulated, it is ideal for keeping food warm for a long time and so it can be used as a hot box or a hot case. This type of casserole is also great for cooked food because: A stainless steel casserole is very durable and can last for a long time.

The dish originates in the Upper Midwest region of the United States, where it remains popular, particularly in Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and eastern Montana. Hotdish is cooked in a single baking dish, and served hot (per its name).

Only, if you're in the upper portion of the Midwest, it's not a casserole, it's a hotdish, as people from the region are quick to point out. A casserole can be many things. At its most simple, a casserole is a one-pot meal or side dish made from a starch or grain, a protein, and vegetables.

In general, you'll want to bake a casserole covered with aluminum foil for most of the cooking time. Covering the casserole helps lock in moisture and prevents it from drying out. If you don't cover the casserole or uncover it too soon, the casserole will dry out.

Try different herbs for added flavour: sage or lemon thyme work wonderfully well. For a meatier casserole, add chopped sausage or pancetta when cooking the chicken. Stir wholegrain mustard through the casserole at the end of cooking (to taste); this is especially good if you have sausage in the casserole.

Top tips for casseroles

Cut your ingredients, such as meat, potatoes and parsnips, into similar-sized pieces to ensure they cook evenly. Add any ingredients that cook quickly, such as broad beans, towards the end of cooking. To save time – and washing up – use a flameproof, ovenproof casserole dish.

casseruola. an earthenware casserole. the food cooked in a casserole. (cibo cotto in casseruola)

What do they call a casserole in Minnesota? ›

Casseroles were used as a means to stretch a leftover meal, which was especially important during the Great Depression and World War II. The term “hot dish” first appeared in a cookbook in 1930 by a Mankato, Minnesota church group called Grace Lutheran Ladies Aid.

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, ...

Make-ahead meals (especially baked casseroles) are terrific because you can completely assemble them in advance and bake them just before serving. They're the ultimate comfort food as they come bubbling hot and delicious straight from the oven to the table to the delight of family and friends.

Casseroles are at their best when the ingredients are able to meld, which is why they often taste even better the second day.

At this point, you can either bake it right away or refrigerate the casserole overnight and for up to 24 hours. During this time, the flavors mingle together and the bread has a chance to soak up some of the liquid and flavor.

According to Eater, the elements that are absolutely necessary to include in hotdish are a starch, protein, and vegetable bound together by a creamy sauce, usually cream of mushroom soup. It's all baked in one dish and served piping hot.

What makes a casserole a "hotdish"? To make it a hot dish, it must be topped with tater tots. So, you brown some ground beef, add some kind of can vegetable, that has been drained, add in cream of something soup, stir together, and maybe a splash of milk. Top with tater tots.

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, ...