What Qualifies As A Casserole?

Comfort food comes in many shapes and sizes, but for many Americans, a one-pot casserole dish is especially iconic. There's a special kind of nostalgia for pulling out a warm pan from the oven and divvying out the mouth-watering, molten interior. The formula works for a dizzying range of ingredients, from a loaded beef taco casserole to the classic tuna filling, or even a breakfast rendition. So if you zoom out and inspect all the numerous options, the question arises: What qualifies as a casserole?

Well, aside from a few common characteristics, the dish is as malleable as they come. Though enjoyed globally for centuries, there's not a set-in-stone recipe nor commonly employed ingredients. Instead, a casserole is considered a one-pot meal that's prepared using baking. It all rests in using the right kind of dish — called by the same name — which can be made from materials like glass, ceramic, or cast iron. As long as you use an oven-safe casserole pan that can accommodate the entire meal and slow-cook it to delicious readiness, then it's fit for the casserole name.

To understand what can go into a casserole pan, it's handy to consider the food's history. It's believed casseroles started out as large pasta dishes, consisting of noodles combined with spices and cheese. The earliest recipes of such a type date back to the 13th century, but it wasn't until the 18th century that the word appeared in the English language, this time referring to a dish of beef and rice.

There are many types of foods that would fit the casserole template but don't carry that name. There's Jewish kugel, made with seasoned egg noodles, or Chilean pastel de choclo, which consists of corn and beef. Even lasagna fits into casserole criteria. Such wide-ranging formats melded into recipes in the U.S., which started to pick up at the end of the 19th century.

However it wasn't until the 1950s that American casseroles reached new heights. Pre-packaged, canned, and boxed foods were taking off, and their labels featured simple dish ideas for fast, hands-off cooking. The casserole vessel itself also became popular as part of a fad for oven-safe cookware. Casseroles entered their Golden Age, and creative pairings emerged, like cashew chicken casserole or a hamburger macaroni dish. Curiously, seafood casseroles also became extra trendy, with the history of the tuna casserole part of such a trajectory. So while not all recipes survived the decades, the casserole's imprint remains.

From a technical standpoint, you can toss in a wild medley of ingredients and call it a casserole, but American renditions do share certain qualities. They can be either a side dish or main meal, but they should be served in a casserole dish. Upon first glance, there's likely a crust: a crunchy addition like bread crumbs or chips that tops the bake. And inside, you'll find another satiating starch like pasta, noodles, rice, or chips, especially for when the dish is an entrée. To tie it all together, expect a thick sauce-like element, such as cheese, bechamel sauce, or cream of mushroom soup.

Popular centerpiece casseroles include dishes made with pasta, like a cheesy baked ziti or a tasty cheesy chicken parmesan spaghetti bake, as well as Southwest-inspired fare like corn chip pie or enchilada casserole. Meanwhile sides like green bean, sweet potato, or squash casseroles are now regular fixtures during holidays. And recipes like Minnesota's beloved hotdish involve the same template while also spinning off from casserole affiliations to establish its own rules. Niche creations aside, as long as you combine comforting elements in a casserole pan, a dish is worthy of being called a casserole.