19 Healthy Fall Casserole Recipes Perfect for Chilly Nights (2024)

Love casseroles, but trying to minimize the calorie count? Fear not. Our healthy casserole recipes are cheesy and rich, and they all clock in under 400 calories per serving. With classic fall dishes like green bean casserole and mains like baked ziti and macaroni and cheese, we've got you covered throughout the season. Just pop one of these healthy fall casserole recipes in the oven and enjoy.

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Healthy Baked Cavatelli

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19 Healthy Fall Casserole Recipes Perfect for Chilly Nights (1)

This hearty fall casserole recipe is called "healthy" for a reason. Packed with veggies, turkey sausage, and reduced-fat cheese, the bubbly dish offers a smart way to satisfy those cold-weather cravings. Did we mention it's only 254 calories per serving?

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Chicken Alfredo Cauliflower Rice Bake

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19 Healthy Fall Casserole Recipes Perfect for Chilly Nights (2)

This creamy, dreamy dish may not seem like a healthy casserole, but it is. The healthy chicken recipe is not only hiding a serving of cauliflower but also spinach, too. If you don't have time to prep the cauliflower rice, look for pre-shredded cauliflower rice at the grocery store.

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Caprese Casserole

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19 Healthy Fall Casserole Recipes Perfect for Chilly Nights (3)

Use the last of your fresh summer tomatoes and bake them alongside pasta, spinach, and chickpeas in this healthy casserole. The tiny tomatoes may remind you of summer, but this rich, cheesy casserole is made for a chilly fall night.

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Turkey Dinner Shepherd's Pie

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19 Healthy Fall Casserole Recipes Perfect for Chilly Nights (4)

Packed with Thanksgiving flavors such as turkey, green beans, and cranberries, this healthy casserole is hard to beat. Plus, we love the artfully piped mashed sweet potatoes on top.

Buy It: Pastry Piping Bag Set ($8, Walmart)

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Gnocchi and Meatball Bake

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19 Healthy Fall Casserole Recipes Perfect for Chilly Nights (5)

Loaded with Italian herbs including oregano, basil, and fennel, our homemade meatballs are full of flavor and low in fat thanks to lean ground beef. Store-bought potato gnocchi and light tomato sauce keep this fall casserole healthy and easy to make.

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Hot Chicken Salad Skillet Casserole

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19 Healthy Fall Casserole Recipes Perfect for Chilly Nights (6)

Chicken salad meets cheesy veggie goodness in this healthy baked dish—all made in one skillet. Rather than high-fat sour cream or full-fat condensed soup, we swap low-fat yogurt as the base of the sauce. Serve over steamed broccoli or cauliflower rice to complete your healthy meal.

Buy It: Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Casserole ($80, Walmart)

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Four-Cheese Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

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19 Healthy Fall Casserole Recipes Perfect for Chilly Nights (7)

Healthy macaroni and cheese is a real thing when seasonal butternut squash comes into play. Our recipe is under 300 calories per serving, and it's packed with vitamins and contains a good dose of protein. Its four-cheese blend isn't too shabby, either.

13 Healthy Chicken Casserole Recipes with Fewer Than 400 Calories

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Vegetable Lasagna

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19 Healthy Fall Casserole Recipes Perfect for Chilly Nights (8)

This easy vegetarian lasagna is so cheesy you won't believe it's actually healthy (but it is!). Plus, the mix of frozen and fresh veggies makes the prep time for this healthy fall casserole a cinch.

15 Creative, Alternative Lasagna Recipes with Layers of Flavor

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Vegetable-Loaded Pasta Bake

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19 Healthy Fall Casserole Recipes Perfect for Chilly Nights (9)

Cauliflower, carrots, and kale combine in this healthy baked dish. With seven veggies and less than 400 calories per serving, this easy fall dinner is a model for healthy casseroles.

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Beef and Vegetable Biscuit Bake

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Need a healthy fall casserole recipe that's ready in less than an hour? This 309-calorie wonder delivers. A savory mixture of autumn veggies and extra-lean ground beef forms a hearty (but low-cal) base for flaky, golden-brown biscuits.

Our Step-by-Step Guide to Making Homemade Biscuits

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Spinach, Butternut Squash, and Pasta Bake

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Nutty winter squash teams up with iron-rich spinach and spiral pasta for a comforting and healthy fall casserole recipe. A blend of Parmigiano-Reggiano and fontina cheeses adds a level of rich Italian flavor worthy of a gourmet meal.

Buy It: Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware Oval Covered Casserole ($130, Williams Sonoma)

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Fruited Multigrain Pilaf

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19 Healthy Fall Casserole Recipes Perfect for Chilly Nights (12)

Full of hearty grains like wheat berries, farro, and wild rice, our pilaf-style side-dish casserole has four grams of fiber and five grams of protein while staying under 200 calories per serving. Dried cranberries and chopped apples give this healthy casserole recipe hints of fresh sweetness.

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Cajun Shrimp and Corn Bread Casserole

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19 Healthy Fall Casserole Recipes Perfect for Chilly Nights (13)

Succulent shrimp and Cajun seasoning bring the taste of New Orleans to your kitchen, while veggies and corn bread dumplings give the dish a comforting touch of fall. Who says healthy fall casserole recipes can't be satisfying?

Cajun Seasoned Vegetarian Gumbo

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Creamy Green Beans with Crispy Shallots

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Rather than using store-bought mix-ins for creaminess, we made our own nutmeg-infused cream sauce to cut calories and fat from this traditional green bean casserole recipe. Crispy fried shallots top off this low-calorie take on a classic fall casserole.

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Cheesy Butternut Squash Cavatappi Bake

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This cheesy, bacon-studded casserole has fewer than 350 calories per serving. The secret? Creamy butternut squash lets you eliminate some of the cheese for a lower-fat but equally delicious healthy casserole recipe.

10 Mind-Blowing Ways to Add Bacon to Sweet and Savory Foods

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Sweet Potato and Rice Casserole

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Warm up on a chilly fall day with this healthy version of a sweet potato casserole. The flavor-packed recipe features a vitamin-loaded blend of sweet potatoes, edamame, spicy chiles, and fresh sage.

Buy It: Pyrex Glass Casserole with Lid ($13, Target)

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Tuscan Cheese Potato Bake

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Good thing this healthy fall casserole recipe is low-calorie because its contrast of creamy, cheesy filling and crispy panko topping with potatoes is impossible to resist. Best of all, this Italian-inspired dish has enough protein for a full meal. Serve with a side salad to complete your vegetarian plate.

10 Quick and Easy Vegetarian Dinners to Try Tonight

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Herbed Root Vegetable Cobbler

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If you haven't had a savory cobbler before, now's the perfect time to change that. This healthy casserole for fall features seasonal root veggies such as rutabaga, parsnips, and carrots. Aromatic herbs and fluffy parmesan dumplings bring tons of flavor to every bite. You won't believe there are only 235 calories per serving.

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Tuna and Green Bean Bake

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Enjoy the same nostalgic flavors of the tuna-noodle dish from your childhood—only healthier. This fall casserole packs healthy fresh veggies, including green beans, mushrooms, celery, bell peppers, and onions. The flavorful, creamy sauce keeps the calorie count down with low-fat cheese, condensed soup, and fat-free milk.

19 Healthy Fall Casserole Recipes Perfect for Chilly Nights (2024)

FAQs

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

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

Unless food will be frozen, it's safest and will provide the best quality product to start preparing most perishable foods no more than a day before a meal. For example, assemble a vegetable casserole a day in advance, refrigerate and then bake the day of your dinner.

What are the best casseroles to freeze? ›

15 Make-and-Freeze Casseroles for Time-Saving Dinners
  • 01 of 15. Tuna Noodle Casserole I. ...
  • 02 of 15. Pesto Chicken Penne Casserole. ...
  • 03 of 15. Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups. ...
  • 04 of 15. Baked Ziti IV. ...
  • 05 of 15. Ham, Potato and Broccoli Casserole. ...
  • 06 of 15. Hot Tamale Pie. ...
  • 07 of 15. Spaghetti Pie II. ...
  • 08 of 15. Crunchy Eggplant Parmesan.
Jan 29, 2021

Should you cover 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 are 5 components of a casserole? ›

So what's inside? Let's talk anatomy: A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese.

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, ...

Do casseroles cook better covered or uncovered? ›

In general, covering a casserole dish will cook the food faster. This is because the lid traps the heat that rises off the food instead of letting it dissipate into the oven. Covering also has the effect of moistening the food inside, like steaming, because any moisture that rises off the food is trapped by the lid.

Why put foil on casserole dish? ›

It protects your food from drying out or burning and helps keep in the heat and moisture, ensuring a perfectly cooked meal. Loosely covering your dish with foil can prevent uneven browning while baking. However, tightly sealing your bakeware with foil is the way to go for more steam.

How can I improve my casserole flavor? ›

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 casseroles do not freeze well? ›

Avoid freezing casseroles made with dairy products (especially soft cheeses with a high-water content like ricotta or cottage), eggs, starchy vegetables, and watery vegetables like lettuce and cucumber.

Do casseroles with potatoes freeze well? ›

Absolutely! Most casseroles freeze beautifully, and will last three to six months in the freezer. Beyond six months, the quality of the casserole might decrease, and frost might develop, but it will still be safe to consume.

Which casserole keeps food hot for long time? ›

Heat Resistance: A stainless steel casserole with two walls keeps meals hot and fresh for several hours. Features: Some casserole have added features such as insulated casseroles to keep food warm, airtight lids to lock in freshness, and non-stick coatings for easy cleaning.

What is the purpose of using a water bath when baking? ›

The hot water helps keep the temperature surrounding the food more consistent. This is particularly useful for recipes containing eggs, which can be quite temperamental in unmoderated temperatures. Delicate bakes using a custard or something similar (like cheesecake) will benefit greatly from the use of a water bath.

Do you have to brown meat before casserole? ›

If the meat will brown during baking, then, no, browning first is not important. If, by baking, you mean in a covered pot in the oven, then browning first would add flavor. Now if you are my wife, you never brown meat before baking, not even a a pot roast, and she doesn't need to.

How long should a casserole be cooked for? ›

The time a casserole takes to cook will vary from 2-2½ hours for chuck, blade and thick flank, up to 4 hours for shin, leg and neck. Pork cuts for braising and casseroling normally take 1½ hours, and lamb much the same.

What are three guidelines to follow when preparing casseroles? ›

Top tips for casseroles
  1. Cut your ingredients, such as meat, potatoes and parsnips, into similar-sized pieces to ensure they cook evenly. ...
  2. To save time – and washing up – use a flameproof, ovenproof casserole dish. ...
  3. Avoid adding flour after cooking or the raw flour taste will remain.

What are the 4 parts of a casserole? ›

Not every single casserole has all of them, but as a rule of thumb, here's what to look for: a starch, a binding agent or sauce, and a protein or vegetable. Many casseroles also have both vegetables and proteins, as well as a crunchy element to give some textural contrast, and cheese.

How can I improve my casserole? ›

Many casseroles seem to improve in flavour if kept overnight (cool them quickly and keep them in a refrigerator, by the way, once they're cold). This means it's quite possible to make two casseroles while the oven is in full swing, and keep one for the next day.

What are 3 possible advantages to preparing your own casseroles? ›

Why You Should Be Cooking More Casseroles
  1. They're versatile. For every set of tastebuds, there's a casserole to match. ...
  2. They can be nutritious. ...
  3. They're easy, from prep through cleanup. ...
  4. They feed a crowd. ...
  5. They're transportable and gift-able.

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