20 High-Protein Casseroles for the Mediterranean Diet
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Lexi Juhl
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Serve one of these flavorful and satisfying casseroles for dinner tonight. Each dish offers at least 15 grams of protein from ingredients like poultry, seafood and legumes to help you stay full for longer. Plus, this collection features other delicious foods like dairy, herbs, whole grains and unsaturated fats like olive oil that also fit the Mediterranean diet, one of the most sustainable and nourishing eating patterns around. Recipes like our Anti-Inflammatory Lemony Salmon & Orzo Casserole and Pesto Tuna Noodle Casserole are nutritious and tasty meal options any night of the week.
Chicken & Quinoa Casserole
This aromatic and flavorful dish feels like veggie pizza in casserole form with fresh basil, herb-spiked diced tomatoes and ooey-gooey melted cheese on top. If you can't find fresh mozzarella ciliegine, buy a larger ball and tear it into pieces. Preheating your baking sheets helps encourage caramelization of the roasted veggies, which adds layers of flavor to this savory dinner.
Anti-Inflammatory Lemony Salmon & Orzo Casserole
This lemony salmon and orzo casserole is a one-dish dinner that's packed with omega-3 fatty acids—a polyunsaturated fat in salmon that can help tame inflammation and may even help lower blood pressure. Here, omega-3-rich salmon sits on top of an orzo mixture that bakes in the oven, instead of boiling on the stovetop, absorbing all the bright and lemony flavors while it cooks.
Tamari-Ginger Meatball & Eggplant Casserole
Eggplant soaks up the flavors of ginger, garlic and tamari in this Asian-inspired casserole recipe. A hot pepper in the topping adds a bit of heat, but opt for sweet if you prefer.
Our Pesto Tuna Noodle Casserole Tastes Better Than Your Grandma’s
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Lexi Juhl
A creamy pesto sauce with sweet shallots and wilted spinach gives a light and bright spin to classic tuna noodle casserole. Albacore tuna is an ideal choice, as it holds its texture well once mixed in, although any water-packed tuna will do the job. For the best results, we recommend using refrigerated pesto for its fresh flavor which enhances the overall dish.
Chicken Taco Casserole
This flavorful chicken taco casserole is packed with veggies, chicken, cheese and crispy tortilla chips and baked to perfection, then topped with fresh tomatoes, crisp iceberg lettuce and creamy avocado—just like a classic taco. Make it your own by swapping out the black beans for pinto beans or adding pepper Jack cheese for some added kick. If you want to keep it mild, opt for a milder taco seasoning and skip the jalapeños.
Shrimp and Cauliflower Bake
This quick and easy seafood casserole gets bright flavor from fresh dill and feta cheese.
Chicken Piccata Casserole
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist Jennifer Wendorf
This protein-packed chicken piccata casserole brings all the flavors of classic chicken piccata together in one dish. It’s the easiest piccata you’ll ever make—no dredging or sauce required! Cooking the lemon slices in butter mellows their bite and helps jump-start the lemony flavor of the dish while helping the butter get a little brown, bringing some nuttiness to the dish.
Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole
Known as Tuna-Pea Wiggle to some, this family-friendly tuna noodle casserole tends to be made with canned soup and whole milk, which means high fat and sodium. We remedy this by making our own creamy mushroom sauce with nonfat milk thickened with a bit of flour. Look for whole-wheat egg noodles--they have more fiber than regular egg noodles (but this dish will work well and taste great with either).
Lemon-Garlic Chicken Casserole
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist Jennifer Wendorf
This chicken and rice casserole packs in the protein plus offers plenty of fiber from brown rice and broccoli for a well-rounded meal in one pot. Chicken thighs are meaty and tender, but feel free to swap them out for chicken breast if you prefer.
Quick Shrimp Enchilada Bake
Shrimp enchiladas offer a taste of coastal Mexican cuisine but some versions contain so much cheese, butter and sour cream that they can pack a whopping 50 grams of fat per serving. Our version has vibrant flavor and only half the calories and 6 grams of fat per serving, plus we use precooked peeled shrimp so you can get the dish on your table fast enough for a weeknight supper. The addition of refried beans helps makes these enchiladas an excellent source of fiber as well.
Cheeseburger Casserole
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
If you love a classic cheeseburger with all the fixings, you’ll love this family-friendly cheeseburger casserole. Rotini pasta picks up all the flavors of this comforting dish, but any shape pasta you have in your pantry will work well. We love the crunch shredded fresh lettuce offers, but feel free to mix it up with another green like spinach or kale, or top your casserole with Swiss cheese and sautéed mushrooms for a different spin.
Spanakopita-Inspired Chicken & White Bean Casserole
This is a fun take on spanakopita, with a creamy feta-and-spinach filling and a crispy phyllo topping. Chicken and white beans pack in the protein. Any white beans, such as cannellini, garbanzo or navy beans, work well here. To keep the phyllo dough from drying out as you build the casserole, keep the unused sheets under a clean, damp towel.
Stuffed Pepper Casserole
You won't be stuffing any peppers for this stuffed pepper casserole, but you will be enjoying the sweet and smoky combination of flavors coming from bell peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes, smoked paprika and ground beef. You can use precooked rice from the package or leftover brown rice if you have it. If using leftover rice, you will need about 1 1/2 cups.
Creamed Spinach & Chicken Casserole
Creamed spinach and chicken combine in this crowd-pleasing, comforting casserole. Crushed red pepper packs some heat, so add less or leave it out completely if you want a milder version. You can cook long-grain brown rice ahead of time or look for packaged microwaveable brown rice to use instead.
Salmon Noodle Casserole
This salmon noodle casserole is filled with creamy pasta, chunks of salmon and plenty of vegetables for a well-rounded meal. Dijon mustard flavors the dish, complementing the salmon and asparagus.
Chicken Fajita Casserole
This chicken fajita casserole combines classic fajita veggies and chicken thighs with corn tortillas and spices in one skillet for an easy dinner. Chicken thighs are tender and flavorful, but chicken breast or leftover chicken will work well too. Serve this easy casserole topped with your favorite fixings, like sour cream, avocado, salsa and/or chopped tomato.
Cheesy Black Bean & Quinoa Skillet Casserole
This Southwestern-inspired one-skillet casserole is stuffed with quinoa and plenty of fresh vegetables. Sharp Cheddar cheese flavors the filling and adds a layer of ooey-gooey melted cheese on top.
Slow-Cooker Chicken & Pinto Bean Enchilada Casserole
This slow-cooker meal is comfort food at its best: the layers of tortillas, cheese and sauce meld together into a cozy casserole inspired by the flavors in enchiladas. The top tortilla layer gets beautifully crispy in the slow cooker. We use pinto beans, but you could easily swap in black beans.
Creamy Lemon-Parmesan Chicken Casserole
This creamy chicken casserole recipe pops with lemon and savory Parmesan cheese. It's also loaded with vitamin C-packed broccoli. Using whole-wheat orzo ups the fiber content in this healthful and comforting dinner.
Nacho Cauliflower Casserole
This cauliflower casserole is inspired by nachos and stuffed with tender roasted cauliflower, sweet red pepper and brown rice. Salsa helps bind the ingredients together, along with melted cheese. Crushed tortilla chips on top add crunch. Serve with the suggested garnishes, or add your own favorite toppings to complete the dish.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
