Healthy Recipes Main Dishes Casseroles 19 Cheesy Casseroles That Are Healthy & Comforting By Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Wimberly is EatingWell's Editorial Fellow. As a food and mental health blogger, Camryn explores how food and cooking can help improve mental health and also be an avenue to connect with one's culture and heritage. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on November 1, 2024 Close Photo: Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell If you love cheesy dishes, these casserole recipes will be right up your alley! These cheesy casseroles are packed with a variety of proteins, veggies and of course, plenty of cheese. Comforting options like our Creamy Chicken, Corn & Poblano Skillet Casserole and our Dump & Bake Pizza Pasta Casserole are so delicious, you’ll want to try all of them. 01 of 19 Creamy Chicken, Corn & Poblano Skillet Casserole Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling This zesty skillet chicken casserole is perfect for a busy weeknight. A creamy sauce coats the chicken, offering a flavorful bite with a nice level of heat. Poblano peppers are generally mild, but their heat can vary. For a milder version, you can substitute green bell peppers and omit the jalapeño. View Recipe 02 of 19 Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo Skillet Casserole Photographer: Stacy k. Allen, Props: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf This delightful one-skillet cheesy chicken Alfredo casserole combines penne pasta, tender broccoli and shredded rotisserie chicken smothered in a creamy sauce. To simplify the sauce, we opt for a pre-shredded Italian cheese blend. Though cheese blends vary, they typically contain Parmesan cheese, imparting the traditional Alfredo flavor. Seek blends with aged cheeses or blends that include sharp cheeses like provolone or Asiago for a richer flavor profile. View Recipe 03 of 19 Dump & Bake Pizza Pasta Casserole Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell This easy, toss-together casserole offers all the flavors of a pepperoni pizza, with fusilli pasta absorbing the rich tomato sauce while mingling with gooey melted cheese and meaty pepperoni slices. For a meatless option, simply replace the pepperoni with sliced mushrooms and frozen bell peppers. Pair it with a Caesar salad for a complete meal. View Recipe 04 of 19 Chicken Alfredo & Broccoli Rice Casserole Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell This cheesy, creamy rice casserole is full of flavor and exactly what you’re looking for when you need a delicious, quick meal with little to no effort. Packages of microwaveable rice help to expedite the cooking process, but leftover rice works well too as an easy swap. View Recipe 05 of 19 Creamy Chicken & Penne alla Vodka Casserole with Peas Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food stylist: Annie Probst, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco This cheesy chicken pasta casserole is perfect for a busy weeknight when you need a fast and easy dinner with minimal cleanup. Vodka sauce adds a creamy note to the sauce. If you don’t have vodka sauce on hand, add a few tablespoons of cream to regular marinara. View Recipe 06 of 19 Cheesy Beef & Black Bean Skillet Casserole Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Think of this creamy skillet casserole as a one-pan taco. The corn tortillas crisp up under the broiler, adding crunch to go with the creamy filling. If you enjoy a bit of spiciness, opt for hot salsa or chipotle salsa for some smoky undertones. Tomatillo salsa works well, too, adding tang and a fresh flavor to this easy skillet dinner. View Recipe 07 of 19 Spinach & Tortellini Casserole Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Lexi Juhl This tortellini casserole is comfort food at its finest. This easy-to-make dinner takes only 20 minutes to prep and is finished in under an hour. We use refrigerated tortellini, but frozen tortellini would also shine in this dish. If you’ve got leftover cooked vegetables, stir those into the mix or add chopped sun-dried tomatoes or olives for a boost of flavor. View Recipe 08 of 19 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, and we love the crunch from shredded fresh lettuce. View Recipe 09 of 19 Philly Cheesesteak Casserole Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayliss With the combo of beef, cheese and bell pepper, this easy casserole hits the nail on the head when it comes to the flavors of classic Philly cheesesteak. It's sure to be a new family favorite that's quick enough to pull off on a weeknight. View Recipe 10 of 19 Spanakopita-Inspired Chicken & White Bean Casserole Photographer: Carson Downing, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek 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. View Recipe 11 of 19 One-Pot Cheesy Pasta Bake Jennifer Causey; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas This easy skillet pasta bake is a surefire family hit. Pasta and meat sauce topped with mozzarella cheese will make everyone at the table happy, and the all-in-one-pot technique will have the cook smiling pretty. View Recipe 12 of 19 Caprese Casserole Sara Haas This healthy casserole comes together easily, making it the perfect choice for any weeknight dinner. Be sure not to overcook the pasta or it will turn mushy. And don't skip the balsamic vinegar at the end—it's a bright finishing touch. View Recipe 13 of 19 Beef & Black Bean Nacho Casserole Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Sue Mitchell Hominy adds a chewy texture in this healthy casserole, which draws flavor inspiration from nachos. Crushed corn tortilla chips add a crunchy layer to complete the dish. Mild, medium and hot green chiles all work well, so choose what you like best depending on your heat preference. View Recipe 14 of 19 Creamy Spinach-&-Feta Chicken Casserole Sara Haas Inspired by the flavors of spanakopita, here we put a spin on spinach pie and turn it into a casserole. Adding chicken provides protein, while plenty of garlic and onions add flavor. This recipe calls for 8 sheets of phyllo dough, so there's no need to cover them to keep them moist when assembling. If your sheets are larger than your dish, cut them or fold them in half so they fit. View Recipe 15 of 19 Nacho Cauliflower Casserole Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle 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. View Recipe 16 of 19 Creamy Lemon-Parmesan Chicken Casserole Brie Goldman 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. View Recipe 17 of 19 Philly Chicken Cheesesteak Casserole Diana Chistruga This Philly chicken cheesesteak casserole tastes just like the classic sandwich version but in casserole form. We swapped out the beef for ground chicken and added pasta to bring this quick one-skillet dinner together. View Recipe 18 of 19 Cheesy Meatball Casserole Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless This cheesy meatball casserole is a family favorite, with basil adding flavor to the meatballs and grated onion adding moisture. Melted mozzarella cheese tames the spice, but feel free to cut back or eliminate the crushed red pepper if you prefer a milder dish. View Recipe 19 of 19 Cheesy Chicken & Cabbage Casserole Diana Chistruga This cheesy chicken and cabbage casserole is creamy and briny with plenty of savory flavors thanks to sauerkraut and kielbasa. Gruyère (or Swiss) cheese adds a nutty flavor to the dish, while rye breadcrumbs on top give it a hint of caraway and a nice crunch. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit