A Sip of Paradise

I’ve Cooked with Nearly Every Casserole Dish. Here Are My Favorites.

updated Jul 9, 2021

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Credit: Christine Gallary

Whether or not mac and cheese or tuna wiggle are in heavy rotation in your house, you need a casserole dish or two. A casserole is the mighty meal that can work for breakfast, lunch, or dinner ( these recipes prove it ). Plus, with more of us working from home these days than ever before, a casserole lends itself to quick heat-and-eat lunches to eat between Zoom calls.

A casserole dish is always oven-safe. You can find a fairly shallow one for baking a lasagna or an apple crisp, or deeper ones that can hold an indulgent French toast bake. Some are made of metal so they can also be used on the stovetop, and others are glass or ceramic so they can go in the microwave. What’s the best casserole dish to invest in? Here are some of my faves.

A Quick Note on All of These Picks

Every single one of these casserole dishes heats up evenly and holds heat well. I didn’t mention it in each listing because it’s just a given. Dishes that couldn’t do those things weren’t even considered past the first round.

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1. Corningware French White 4-Quart Oval Casserole

The Best Basic Casserole Dish

Regardless of your style, this classic white stoneware piece will fit right in with your table decor. It’s oven-, microwave-, freezer-, and dishwasher-safe and incredibly well-priced. The line comes in round, oval, and oblong shapes in a variety of sizes, with and without glass lids, but I vote for this 4-quart lidded casserole . It’s one of the largest, is perfect for a chicken stew like coq au vin, and will set you back a mere $30. You will, however, have to brown your poulet in a frying pan before simmering.

Second opinion : “I grew up with Corningware casserole dishes of all shapes and sizes (my mom still uses the same ones!), and when I moved into my first apartment, my mom bought me my own set,” says Food Edito, Kelli Foster . “They’re proof that your casserole dish doesn’t need to be fancy to get the job done. They’re classic white, which means they go with everything, and, best of all, these dishes come with a glass lid, which make storing leftovers a breeze.”

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2. Pyrex Easy Grab 2-Quart Oblong Baking Dish with Lid

The Best Glass Casserole Dish

There’s so much to love about glass casserole dishes. They’re cheap yet attractive and complement any type of food or decor. You can use them in the freezer, microwave, oven, and dishwasher. And they don’t react with foods — even acidic ones like tomato sauce (meaning your eggplant Parmesan won’t pick up a metallic tang, and the casserole won’t develop a pinkish hue).

If I’ve sold you on glass, Pyrex i s the brand to look for and, in particular, the Easy Grab collection with oversized handles that are, well, easy to grab. You can find Easy Grab in a covered 2-quart casserole and oblong dishes of all sizes. The one I turn to the most often is this 2-quart oblong baking dish , which comes with a lid for storage. I use it for ratatouille but also for roast chicken and coffee cake. Glassware holds in heat extra well and, therefore, sometimes you have to dial back the oven temp by 25°F. It’s easy to tell if your food is getting too brown on the bottom because, of course, glass is see-through.

A few cautions: Pyrex should only be put into a preheated oven, shouldn’t go directly from the freezer to the oven, and can’t be used on the stovetop or under the broiler. There are reported incidents of Pyrex shattering spontaneously. Most cases involve old glassware, which may have developed internal damage. Avoid subjecting your Pyrex to sudden temperature changes, and you can minimize the risk of breakage.

Second opinion : “I know that glass casserole dishes can shatter, but I’ve never had any problems,” says Lifestyle Editor Lauren Masur . “You just have to be careful not to expose it to drastic, quick changes in temperature. I love that it’s glass because it lets me see what’s happening and is easy to clean.”

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3. Le Creuset Heritage Rectangular Dish

The Best Stoneware Casserole Dish

If you’re looking for a splash of color, the Le Creuset stoneware line is the collection for you. You can choose from a bevy of shades, all of which are beautiful. In addition to the oven, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher, these pieces can be used under the broiler, which comes in handy if your potatoes au gratin aren’t quite brown enough or you want to crisp up the topping on your green bean casserole.

Most of Le Creuset’s stoneware pieces are fairly shallow and they range in price. The 9×12 size is perfect for baking stuffing, apple cobbler, or ziti. (You can also buy one with a lid !)

Second opinion : “I love this casserole dish because it’s gorgeous and I can take it from the oven to the table,” says our Features Director, Ariel Knutson . “You can see I did that in this story we shot for Kitchn. I also love how heavy it is, which seems like a silly thing, but seems important when I’m loading it up with ingredients and putting it in a hot, hot oven. The heavier (read: sturdier), the better!”

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4. Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Pro 5-Quart Casserole

The Best Casserole Dish for Serious, Chef-y Home Cooks

For giving the Brussels sprouts a last-minute sizzle on the stovetop rather than in the microwave, you’ll want a casserole that’s made of metal. These round, gleaming stainless steel pieces are gorgeous enough to bring to the table. I find the 5-quart size to be incredibly versatile and perfect for main courses or substantial sides.

Second opinion : Here’s what one reviewer has to say about it: “Have never owned a stainless steel pan before and did quite a bit of research before purchasing this one. I LOVE this pan — have used it for every recipe calling for a large skillet/pan since I purchased it.”

Why You Should Trust Our Gear Pro

For more than 30 years, I was in charge of testing and reporting on everything from wooden spoons to connected refrigerators at the Good Housekeeping Institute. I’ve walked the floors of every trade show and read every new product release for longer than most digital publications have existed!

My street cred? I also worked as a chef in New York City restaurants for seven years. And, at home, I make a fair amount of casseroles.

I’ve played with, tested, and used nearly every piece of kitchen gear (including casserole dishes) to come on the market for years. When it comes to gear, it takes a lot to impress me, and I know what actually works.

Picked by a Pro. Tested by Real Home Cooks.

I’ve tested what feels like every casserole dish on the market (at all the price points, low to high!) and these are my all-time favorites. But you don’t have to take my word and my word alone, either. Kitchn editors — a unique hybrid of professionals and home cooks, who develop and test great recipes in real home kitchens — and real Amazon shoppers weighed in on some of these picks too, testing my favorites in the context of their actual home cooking.

After all, when it comes to kitchen gear, what matters is that it works for a home cook — not just that a chef endorses it, or that it passed some high-flying bar in a sterile test kitchen. You want gear that is, above all, practical, long-lasting, and mindful of real cooks, real kitchens, and real budgets.

Do you have a favorite casserole dish? Tell us about it in the comments!

Sharon Franke

Contributor

Sharon Franke is the kitchenware maven. For over 30 years, she was in charge of testing and reporting on everything from wooden spoons to connected refrigerators at Good Housekeeping. In her free time, you’ll find her banging pots in her own kitchen.

Source : food