15 Bake-And-Share Casseroles To Lend a Helping Hand

When things get tough, friends bring comforting casseroles.

When you think of taking a comforting casserole to someone who has had a baby, has experienced a loss, is having a rough time, or has moved in across the street, the first thing that comes to mind is lasagna, right? But if you've thought about making lasagna, there's a good chance that anyone else taking a meal has thought about lasagna, too.

I've gathered 15 other comforting casserole recipes to choose from so the recipient doesn't end up with 5 well-intentioned lasagnas. Bake these filling dishes (aluminum foil pans are often appreciated so the recipient doesn't have to worry about returning a casserole dish), allow them to cool, and wrap them in aluminum foil.

Trust me, your friend or family member will be grateful for a ready-to-heat meal, especially if you attach a list of ingredients just in case anyone has any allergies you're aware of and instructions to reheat or freeze, eliminating any guesswork.

Read More: How to Freeze Lasagna and Other Casseroles

Baked Ziti

Baked ziti is basically an easier-to-make lasagna, so if you'd normally take a lasagna but don't have the time to build one, this casserole will fulfill the same need for pasta, meat, sauce, and gooey cheese.

Get Recipe: Baked Ziti

Ham and Cheese Pasta Bake

Consider this casserole a jazzed-up mac-n-cheese. The sauce is full of seasonings, cream, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Combine it with cooked fusilli pasta and diced ham (go ahead and use leftovers from a baked ham) and bake in the oven until it's hot and bubbly. Make sure to mention in the heating instructions that adding a little milk when reheating can help loosen up the sauce.

Get Recipe: Ham and Cheese Pasta Bake

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Traditional shepherd's pie contains lamb, but this version was created for vegetarians to enjoy the savory filling and thick mashed potato topping. It's full of carrots, mushrooms, green beans, peas, and onions all in a sauce you make with vegetable stock. It's a comforting meal anyone would appreciate.

Get Recipe: Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Cheeseburger Casserole

This casserole has Hamburger Helper vibes, but it's made from scratch and tastes better. Combine seasoned, cooked ground beef, cooked elbow pasta, tomatoes, cream, and cheese in a casserole. Bake. Yum.

Get Recipe: Cheeseburger Casserole

Beef Enchilada Casserole

This comforting, family-friendly Tex-Mex casserole is delicious and a little easier to make than traditional enchiladas. Instead of rolling individual enchiladas, dip corn tortillas in enchilada sauce (homemade or store-bought) and layer with seasoned beef, black beans, and cheese.

Get Recipe: Beef Enchilada Casserole

Baked Blueberry French Toast Casserole

Switch things up and take a breakfast casserole. This French toast casserole is crispy on the top, custardy inside, and studded with blueberries throughout. Slices are easy to heat up in the microwave, making it easy for your recipients to feast on for a couple of days.

Get Recipe: Baked Blueberry French Toast Casserole

Zucchini Breakfast Casserole

This savory strata-like casserole is meant for breakfast but would make a welcome lunch or dinner. It's has eggs, ricotta, Parmesan, tomatoes, and zucchini mixed with day-old bread. It's a welcome dish in the summer when tomatoes and zucchini are at their best.

Get Recipe: Zucchini Breakfast Casserole

Chicken and Rice Casserole

This chicken and rice casserole is made from scratch—no canned cream of soups here! Flavorful chicken thighs, rice, and mushrooms mingle with a sauce made of stock, cream, sour cream, and herbs. It's basically a comforting hug to bring to your friends and family.

Get Recipe: Chicken and Rice Casserole

Chicken Noodle Casserole

All of the things that make chicken noodle soup one of the best comfort foods ever are also in this super creamy casserole. Egg noodles, chunks of chicken, veggies, and chicken broth are in there, but so are milk, cheese, sour cream, and chopped jar pimento. Go ahead and use rotisserie chicken in here to make it easy on yourself.

Get Recipe: Chicken Noodle Casserole

Walking Taco Casserole

Take a bag of Fritos and dump taco meat, cheese, and sour cream inside, and you have a walking taco. It's delicious and it's the inspiration for this non-portable walking taco casserole. Ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning, diced tomatoes, and pinto beans are the bottom layer. Cheddar cheese and Fritos make the top layer. Kids especially will love this dish.

Get Recipe: This Easy Walking Taco Casserole Is a Dinner Worth Sitting Down For

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Bread, cheese, tomatoes, ham, eggs, and milk combine to make a dish that's a savory bread pudding, breakfast strata, and casserole mash-up. It's simple to make, super tasty, and a great breakfast, lunch, or dinner dish.

Get Recipe: Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Chili Mac and Cheese

You could drop off chili. You could drop off mac and cheese. Or you could combine the two in this not-too-spicy, family-friendly casserole. It starts on the stove so between steps 5 and 6 (before adding the toasted breadcrumbs), transfer it to the casserole dish you'll deliver. If you want to let the grownups spice it up a little, add a bottle of hot sauce with your delivery.

Get Recipe: Chili Mac and Cheese

Potato and Sausage Casserole

This one is great for taking to a large family. Mix mashed potatoes, spinach, onions, garlic, and cooked Italian sausage with a creamy, cheesy (Gruyere or Swiss) sauce and bake. It's easy, tasty, and oh-so-comforting.

Get Recipe: Potato and Sausage Casserole

Brussels Sprouts, Mushroom & Goat Cheese Casserole

This vegetarian strata-like casserole has mushrooms and Brussels sprouts, sourdough bread, and goat cheese. It starts on the stovetop in a skillet that's supposed to then go in the oven. But if you put the skillet ingredients in a disposable 9x13-inch casserole dish between steps 5 and 6 (before you add the custard to the bread), you can finish it off in the oven.

Get Recipe: Brussels Sprouts, Mushroom & Goat Cheese Casserole

Cheesy Tortellini Casserole

This quick casserole has a lasagna vibe with a lot less work. It starts with boiled tortellini and a sauce made with mushrooms, greens, garlic, canned tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Top it all with mozzarella and Parmesan before baking. From start to finish, this casserole takes one hour versus the two hours it takes for a lasagna.

Get Recipe: Cheesy Tortellini Casserole

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.