12 Beef Casserole Recipes That Make for Comforting Dinners
These hearty, warming meals include classics (like lasagna and shepherd's pie), as well as modern casserole recipes.
Cooler nights call for a comforting meal—on those days, try one of these beef casserole recipes. They're family-friendly, incredibly delicious, and often made with little more than just ground beef, vegetables, and herbs and spices. They're easy to prepare and can often be made in advance, then reheated just before dinner time. One of the most classic examples of a beef casserole is shepherd's pie. This warming dish features two layers—the bottom layer is generally made with a combination of sautéed ground beef or lamb, mixed vegetables like peas and onions, and Worcestershire sauce, then topped with creamy mashed potatoes. The casserole is then baked until everything is heated through and the potatoes are golden brown and bubbling. Not a bad way to end the day, right?
Another beef casserole recipe that everyone knows and loves is lasagna. While you may not think of this Italian dish as a casserole, its many layers of lasagna noodles, ricotta-mozzarella mixture, and meat sauce compose one massive casserole that will feed your whole family. We also have a healthy twist on this favorite recipe that uses more nutritious ingredients for those nights when you want a lighter dinner option.
We're even sharing a breakfast-inspired beef casserole recipe that combines meat with hash browns and cheddar cheese. While you can certainly make it for your morning meal, we love the idea of serving it as a breakfast-for-dinner option. We've also got a taco-inspired casserole recipe that layers everything you know and love about tacos—tortilla chips, canned beans, ground beef, jalapeño peppers, plenty of cheese, sour cream, and cilantro—in one convenient dish.
With these delicious beef casserole recipes in your back pocket, your dinner routine just got a whole lot more interesting.
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Cheddar, Beef, and Potato Casserole
Who could resist the topping of shredded hash browns on this beef casserole? It's an indulgent way to serve a stick-to-your-ribs combination of ground beef, sautéed onions, and peas.
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Taco Casserole
Instead of individual tacos, why not make this one-skillet recipe for your family instead? Tucked beneath cheesy tortilla chips is a mixture of sautéed ground beef and pinto beans, flavored with chili powder, oregano, cumin, and tomato paste.
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Shepherd's Pie
On a chilly night, there's nothing like digging into this absolute classic. Our recipe for shepherd's pie is distinguished by its beef and vegetable filling and creamy mashed potato topping.
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Lasagna with Meat Sauce
We're declaring lasagna a fan-favorite beef casserole recipe. Lasagna noodles are layered with a ricotta-mozzarella-Parmesan mixture and rich meat sauce for the ultimate Italian-American dinner.
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Sweet-Potato Shepherd's Pie
Swap out the usual russets or Yukon golds in favorite of bright orange sweet potatoes for a vibrant twist on this classic beef casserole recipe.
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Beef-Biscuit Pot Pies
Not your usual pot pies! These individual casseroles consist of a beef and tomato filling, which is spooned into ramekins and topped with rosemary-Parmesan biscuit dough.
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Summer Beef-and-Rice Casserole
Casseroles don't need to take hours and hours to make. In fact, this one-skillet recipe comes together in just 30 minutes thanks to pre-cooked meat sauce, thinly sliced summer squash, yellow onion, and a savory Parmesan breadcrumb topping.
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Meatball Casserole
Go ahead and have a ball with dinner: Handmade meatballs simmer in a large ovenproof skillet with basic pantry staples like red pepper flakes, garlic, parsley, and Pecorino.
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Cottage Pie with Vegetable Mash
More of a traditional "meat and potatoes" person? These two ingredients come together in one baking dish with this classic casserole recipe.
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Stuffed Cabbage with Beef and Rice
In this casserole recipe, crispy leaves of green cabbage are stuffed with a hearty mixture of onion, long-grain white rice, and (you guessed it) ground beef.
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Beef-and-Root-Vegetable Shepherd's Pie
Here's a hearty shepherd's pie that's worth every effort. Seasoned beef chuck and the topping can each be made up to five days in advance, and then easily assembled and baked at a moment's notice.
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Healthier Meat Lasagna
We swapped the usual indulgent ingredients for whole-wheat noodles, low-fat cottage cheese, and lean ground sirloin in this wholesome but still hearty take on lasagna.