Whether you want to bring comforting food to a friend or want to impress guests at a Christmas potluck, no other dish rises to the occasion like a casserole. Potluck casseroles exude gracefulness and ease, making them ideal for cozy, comforting meals. Plus, they’re large enough to serve a crowd.
Hungry friends and relatives wait for months for the annual Christmas potluck, so they can get a generous helping of their favorite cornbread dressings, cheesy pasta dishes, and chicken pot pies. These recipes are our best casserole dishes to bring to your next church Christmas potluck, or to enjoy whenever you crave some classic comfort food.
Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely, Food Stylist: Ana Kelly
For a brunch potluck, this cheesy potato casserole is the move. While many might bring a classic hash brown casserole to the party, tater tots are a fun twist on the format that kids especially love.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
A rich meat sauce and four kinds of cheese (yes, four!) make this comforting pasta dish worth a million dollars. And you’ll get a million rave reviews when you show up with it at the potluck too.
Credit: Photographer: Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Missie Neville Crawford
Think of this casserole as a loaded baked potato for breakfast. To make this tasty recipe faster, use a package of frozen hash browns. Just remember to pop them in the fridge the night before you plan to make the dish, so they have plenty of time to thaw.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
What really sets this chicken casserole apart from all the other ones out there (including our many other recipes), is the sour cream. It add the perfect amount of tang and creamy richness to the dish.
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Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This fancy-looking baked pasta will have everyone thinking you spent hours in the kitchen, when in reality it couldn’t be easier to throw together. And although we use jarred Alfredo sauce, we doctor it up with roasted red bell peppers, so no one will know it’s not homemade.
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Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
There are a lot of Christmas breakfast casseroles out there, but only this one earns ‘best’ in the title. Don’t just take it from us, check out all the five-star reviews it has.
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Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
We love a classic lasagna around Christmas, but this seasonal twist on the baked pasta dish makes it a little more festive, don’t you think? Plus, the beautiful orange color will make it pop in a sea of Pyrex dishes at the potluck.
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Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Torie Cox; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Croissants make the best breakfast casseroles (yes, better than brioche or sourdough). The flaky, buttery pastries soak up the cheesy, custard base beautifully and get so nicely crisp on top.
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Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Buffy Hargett
Italian sausage and pancetta give this hearty casserole a double dose of meaty goodness. But our favorite part of this recipe might just be that you can make it advance, which comes in handy during the busy holiday season when so much is going on.
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Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Chicken and rice is always a winning combination, and this recipe is not exception. When making this casserole for a potluck, try using toasted almonds and a mixture of long-grain and wild rice to enhance the presentation.
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Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke
Think of this comforting casserole as a deconstructed lasagna. It comes together in just 45 minutes using a list of basic ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand in your kitchen. It’s topped off with two layers of cheese, a cream cheese mixture and a layer of shredded Cheddar cheese, which alone tells you it’ll be delicious.
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In our opinion, the best dressing recipes start with cornbread. This dressing recipe freezes well, so feel free to prepare it in advance—you never know when you might need it. Fresh ingredients like sage, sweet onions, and celery make this a go-to side.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Glazed ham is a traditional dish on holiday menus, and this recipe turns it into a crowd-pleasing casserole that’s ideal for potlucks. Not only is it easy to transport, but it’s also simple to pull together. Chive-and-onion-flavored cream cheese is the secret to adding plenty of flavor with little effort on your part.
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Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
Not only is Pineapple Casserole a beloved casserole in the South, but it’s actually simple to make and calls for just a handful of ingredients. It’s one of those casseroles that’s welcome at any occasion year-round, and the potluck menu will feel incomplete without one on the table.
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Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
We wouldn’t recommend showing up to the Christmas potluck with a boxed mac and cheese. Luckily, this homemade macaroni and cheese comes together in just three easy steps, so it’s not much more effort than store-bought. Just make sure to shred you own cheese, never reached for the pre-shredded variety when going for gooey results.
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Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Torie Cox; Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
Chicken pot pie is a classic comfort food that’s welcome at any gathering. Try shortcuts like deli-roasted chicken and refrigerated piecrust when you’re in a pinch.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Showing up to the potluck with a warm casserole dish filled with Sweet Potato Casserole will ensure that you get invited back next year.
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Even at a potluck, the oven can become too crowded. Substitute your baking pan or Dutch oven for the slow-cooker with this recipe. Save the toasted toppings for right before serving.
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Cheesy broccoli and chicken is a fan-favorite casserole that hardly needs improvement. Add spinach and cheese tortellini, and you have your new signature dish. Everyone will request you bring it again. Chopped pecans are the icing on this casserole cake.
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Bacon cheddar biscuits? Yes, please. This chicken pot pie, topped with warm, flakey biscuits, has the makings of a Southern classic. The vegetable medley makes this casserole a more hearty dish, and the hash browns make it something you’ll want to eat for every meal of the day.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Just because summer is a distant memory doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the classic flavors of a cookout. This casserole channels all the flavors of a cheeseburger into a 9×13. Tater tots and bacon make this dish the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
For a brunch potluck, this easy-to-assemble French toast casserole is the perfect dish to bring. Since you must chill it for at least eight hours, it’s the perfect dish to make the night before. Kick this breakfast casserole up a notch by making bourbon maple syrup.
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Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
Covering anything in cheese instantly makes it comfort food. Adding rice, mushrooms, and broccoli helps to make this casserole a complete one-dish meal. It’s an excellent bake-and-take option for any occasion.
Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Start with frozen meatballs to make this dish an extra easy option to bring to any event. Our secret ingredients that take this casserole to the next level is adding orange juice and fennel.
Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Enchilada casserole is exceptionally versatile. If you’ve celebrated with one-too-many chicken casseroles lately, try substituting pulled pork, brisket, or even shrimp into this recipe.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
This savory casserole uses French bread as its base, and includes bacon, spinach, and roasted sweet potatoes. Need we say more?
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Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunnigham
This breakfast-inspired grits bake can be made ahead and frozen, making it the perfect way to reduce your morning stress when bringing something to an early morning church potluck.
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Kale is a superfood, but this cheesy casserole is a superhero. Enjoy this casserole on its own or as a side dish at your next event.
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Pancakes are hard to prepare for a crowd (a lot of flipping!), but this casserole version makes it easy. Like other breakfast bakes, prepare this pancake arrangement the night before and pop it in the oven in the morning.
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Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
This riff on a classic weeknight meal is topped with panko breadcrumbs and mozzarella cheese, making it a lighter version of the original. Pair this casserole with a side of pasta or garlic bread at your next potluck, and watch as it disappears quickly.
Dining and Cooking