A ham, cheese, and potato casserole in a large rectangular dish, on a red-and-white striped towel.
David Leite
1 of 5

Ham, Cheese, and Potato Casserole

This ham, cheese, and potato casserole is our new definition of decadent comfort food. Layers of cooked ham, thinly sliced potatoes, shallots, and gooey cheese are baked in a rich cream sauce until crispy and golden.
A chicken, sweet potato, and bacon casserole in an oval dish, topped with melted cheese.
Susie Cushner
2 of 5

Chicken, Sweet Potato, and Bacon Casserole

This chicken, sweet potato, and bacon casserole is comfort food personified. Herbed chicken breasts, sweet potatoes, bacon, sautéed red onion, and Gruyère cheese are mixed together and baked. Weeknights, weekends, dinner for company. It does it all.
Spaghetti primavera pie in a large dish--spaghetti topped with zucchini, tomatoes, onions, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
Ellen Silverman
3 of 5

Spaghetti Primavera Pie

This spaghetti pie is a cinch to put together. Cooked spaghetti is mixed with onion, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and then slid in the oven until it’s a gorgeous golden brown. And it’s like catnip for kids.
A finished croque monsieur casserole in a white baking dish with a spoon resting inside.
Cenk Sönmezsoy
4 of 5

Croque Monsieur Casserole

Croque monsieur—that perennial French classic—is the little black dress of the bistro set. Here we've given it a string of pearls, if you will, by making it a breakfast bake and using croissants. This is insanely rich, so a small piece goes a long way. (Or in our house, a not-so-long way.)
Spicy beef taco bake with ground beef, beans tortilla chips, chopped onions, and lettuce in a white bowl.
Carl Tremblay
5 of 5

Spicy Beef Taco Bake

The spicy beef taco bake is essentially a Taco Tuesday casserole. Beef and onions are sautéed and then mixed with tomatoes, beans, cheese, broken taco shells, and spices, and then the whole shebang is baked until bubbly. Utterly irresistible.



About David Leite

I count myself lucky to have received three James Beard Awards for my writing as well as for Leite’s Culinaria. My work has also appeared in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appรฉtit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and more.


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2 Comments

  1. That King Ranch Chicken Casserole is the BOMB! I tried a couple of others’ version, but THIS ONE is absolutely outstanding and the best of all!!! The only thing I swapped out was I used CORN TOSTADAS for the Tortillas. Only bc my husband didn’t care for the mushy tortillas that occur after baking. We even had family over (13 of us) last year and I made this and it was a HUGE hit!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe with us!