Skip to main content

6 healthy casserole recipes to make your dinner routine effortless

With the holidays behind us, it’s time to refocus on delicious family-friendly meals that you can easily make any night of the week while helping to stick to your New Year’s resolution to eat healthier. No need for fancy table settings or an assortment of side dishes; these recipes are simple one-dish meals your family will devour any night of the week.

Perfect for the cold winter months, casseroles make planning — and serving — dinner simple. These ideas are good for you, quick, and delicious.

Recommended Videos


Easy casserole recipes

Beef and potato zucchini boats

Any food that’s baked in a large, deep dish is technically a casserole. When it comes to a dish like these zucchini boats, it’s especially convenient because it eliminates any worry about the stuffed foods overflowing, while extra filling can be baked directly in the pan, as well. The zucchini boats are stuffed with a rich ’n’ hearty beef-and-potato marinara, and are a perfect standalone meal or side dish. Plus, they are low carb, gluten-free, and just 221 calories per serving.

Stuffed-pepper casserole

This cheesy stuffed-pepper casserole makes a generous amount, leaving plenty of leftovers for easy-to-pack lunches or quick reheated dinners. To make it lean and healthy, use ground turkey (although you can also use ground chicken or lean ground beef). Add a plethora of veggies to up the nutrient count, then layer on spices, and use brown rice to round out the meal. Tastes good and good for you, too.

Creamy chicken potpie

The phyllo crust on this chicken potpie is delightfully crisp and deceptively easy to achieve. You can even make a few extra personal-size pies to freeze and keep on hand for a quick, satisfying meal for any weeknight. Low-fat Greek yogurt stands in for fat-laden cream of chicken soup to give this casserole recipe a lighter touch. At just 396 calories per serving, you’re free to indulge in a timeless comfort food without the guilt.

Spinach-and-artichoke casserole with chicken and cauliflower rice

This high-protein chicken casserole helps you end your day feeling full and satisfied, but with its just 400 calories per serving, you can rest assured that you’re still on target for healthy eating. The combination of protein and vegetables are key to losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight. Cauliflower rice, spinach, and artichokes, paired with chicken, keep this dinner rich with fiber while still being light and filling, so you won’t be tempted to snack after dinner.

Tasty vegetarian casserole recipes

There are so many healthy vegetarian casserole recipes you can find online. These are two of our absolute favorites! 

Sweet potato mac and cheese

A healthier version of mac and cheese? This one features a cheese sauce made with a base of fiber-rich sweet potato. Its bright orange color mimics the orange in typical mac and cheese meals, but there’s only about half as much cheese as you’ll find in typical recipes. 

Pro tip: You can make your own crispy topping by trimming the crusts from whole-wheat bread, then tearing the bread into pieces and running them through a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Spread the crumbles on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 250°F until dry.

Slow-cooker green bean casserole with crispy onions

Something this tasty and just 133 calories per serving? Count us in! If you’re searching for a diet-friendly casserole recipe, your search has ended! With fresh green beans, a tasty homemade cream sauce, and crispy onion topping, this green bean casserole is healthier and even more tasty than traditional recipes using canned soup, beans, and onions. To save you time cooking on the stove, use your slow-cooker, but be sure to use fresh green beans, as frozen ones will become mushy during the cooking process.

Casseroles have long been a comfort-food tradition, but these revamped recipes give this classic dinnertime favorite a fresh ‘n’ healthy makeover. Easy to make, perfect for every day of the week, and a great way to cook ahead on weekends to simply reheat on workdays, healthy casseroles are perfect for today’s busy families. 

Editors' Recommendations

Kim Renta
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kim has written for Bloomingdales, Movado, and various e-commerce wine sites. When she's not writing about wine and…
6 easy Christmas desserts everyone will think are from a high-end bakery
Forget the Christmas cookies — here are some decadent desserts to ramp up your holiday meal
Chocolate lava cake with cranberries

You put so much care and attention into every last bit of Christmas. From the gift shopping to the wrapping and the decorating to the food -- no detail overlooked. Your Christmas desserts should be no exception. Not just the typical trays of homemade Christmas cookies, but the kind of elegant, beautiful Christmas desserts that wow you through the glass at your town’s finest bakery. But who has the budget left over for one of those pricey confections or the time to make a special trip into town on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

There’s no need to go into bakery debt! Today we've compiled six of the most elegant Christmas desserts around, each one an example of bakery-quality decadence and all surprisingly easy to make. Four are bake-at-home treats, two require no baking at all, and some you can even make ahead of time!

Read more
6 delicious Thanksgiving desserts to make if you kind of hate pie
Not a fan of pie? Try these holiday dessert alternatives this Thanksgiving
Autumn spices, pumpkin, and cinnamon

We admit it: We're big fans of all the fall flavors. And come Thanksgiving, many of those fall favorites are the highlight of the dessert table — whether you prefer apple or pumpkin, there's probably a pie to your liking. Of course, if you're not the biggest fan of pies (we don't judge), it can be disappointing to see this dessert dominate the Thanksgiving holiday.

The good news is that there is a variety of delectable, non-pie, fall-flavored Thanksgiving desserts that you can integrate into your Thanksgiving holiday meal. Whether you enjoy pumpkin but not the pie, or if you prefer something different altogether, you don't need to miss out on a delicious Thanksgiving dessert just because of your unique preferences! Here are some amazing Thanksgiving sweet treats that you can top off your meal with this year.

Read more
10 dumb Thanksgiving turkey mistakes that will absolutely ruin your holiday
Follow this guide for making the most delicious Thanksgiving turkey
Grandmother helping child with Thanksgiving turkey

If you’re hosting Thanksgiving, you understand the pressure of making the side dishes, baking the pies, setting the perfect holiday table, and most of all, delivering a perfectly cooked, juicy, golden-brown turkey. But getting the turkey from the grocery store to the serving platter can be a very daunting task. From knowing what size turkey to buy to understating the ins and outs of seasoning, roasting, and carving, there are so many opportunities to make a mistake that could ultimately ruin your Thanksgiving feast.

But fear not. We’re going to walk through the most common pitfalls of turkey roasting and provide all the tips and tricks you need to avoid them. Consider this your guide to becoming the host with the most fabulous Thanksgiving turkey on the block.

Read more