Grandma's Favorite Fall Casseroles Are Basically Like A Warm Hug

Jul 06, 2023

No one can resist a second helping.

When it finally cools off during fall in the South, our kitchens have been stocked and ready. Spiced desserts, smoked barbecue for tailgates, warm apple cider, and of course, plenty of comforting casseroles are sure to fill our recipe lineup for the season. If there’s one person we happily look to for recipe inspiration, it’s Grandma. With vintage fall casseroles like Classic Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows and Old-Fashioned Apple And Cheese Casserole, these recipes will bring you right back to her table. Get more creative with this year’s leftover Thanksgiving turkey with one of Grandma’s favorite casseroles like Turkey Tetrazzini or Turkey-Noodle-Poppy Seed Casserole. No one can resist a second helping of these comforting casseroles that were made for cool autumns. Just like at Grandma’s house, no one will be leaving hungry when you serve one of these hearty, cozy casserole recipes this season.

Grandma isn’t just going to throw her leftover Thanksgiving turkey between two slices of bread. She’ll do you one better and make an entire comforting casserole with it.

When we say “old-school,” we mean it. This classic side dish is made totally from scratch (yes, without the “cream-of” soups).

Grandma knows how to feed a crowd a satisfying meal, and when she’s in a pinch, that means turning to convenient buys like jarred pasta sauce and rotisserie chicken and turning out something delicious.

Emily Laurae / Southern Living

We’ve developed dozens of sweet potato casserole recipes over the years, but the most nostalgic versions always include a marshmallow topping that reminds us of Grandma.

When it comes to Southern comfort food recipes, two is better than one, so we combined pimiento cheese and mac and cheese into the mashup of your dreams.

Cornbread dressing is one of Grandma’s specialty side dishes around the holidays, but it’s not quite filling enough on its own as a main dish. This hearty weeknight casserole solves that problem.

Grandma loves a casserole that “freezes beautifully,” and this dinnertime favorite falls right in that category. Keep it in the freezer for up to a month and pull it out on an extra-busy week.

Fred Hardy; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley

If you don’t want to take our word for it, simply read the five-star reviews for this comforting casserole recipe. “My teenager just proclaimed it ‘the best food I’ve ever eaten!’ Who doesn’t love chicken, bacon, ranch flavor, and cheese?! Super easy to make, using a rotisserie chicken. A new dish for ‘the rotation’ of dinners!” wrote one reviewer.

A baked potato bar is fun in theory, but with the grandkids, it can quickly become a nightmare for whoever is cleaning up after supper. Grandma combines all of that cheesy, starchy goodness into one casserole dish instead.

The reviews for this twist on classic Chicken Pot Pie are absolutely glowing. For example: “I made this last night for my family of very picky eaters, and everyone LOVED it. I would 10/10 recommend this recipe.”

Poppy seed casseroles are a staple in Grandma’s house, including this version that’s a great use for leftover Thanksgiving turkey. You can swap cooked chicken if that’s what you have on hand.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

This cozy pasta bake recipe starts with cooking a whole chicken, but you can use rotisserie chicken if it’s already in your fridge.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Whether at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this Hashbrown Casserole is always welcome on Grandma’s table. With just a few store-bought ingredients, Grandma can whip up this dish that we swear can turn a bad day around.

Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox

This isn’t Grandma’s original, marshmallow-topped recipe we talked about earlier, but this newer version is so delicious, it found a spot in her recipe canon.

A few things are always going to be found in Grandma’s kitchen: butter on the countertop, candies in a crystal dish, buttermilk in the fridge, and ground beef in the freezer. When she’s ready to use the latter, it’s likely to go in a casserole just like this one.

Grandma isn’t going halfway on game day food in the fall. Instead of setting out takeout wings, she takes it to the next level with a Buffalo Chicken Casserole that will leave everyone full.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Like a fall version of pineapple casserole, this fruit bake is surprisingly delicious. Though there’s nothing surprising about that if you’re someone who puts Cheddar cheese on your apple pie!

Stacy Allen; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower

French onion soup is a fall favorite, but it might not be filling enough for everyone around Grandma’s table. This casserole has all the flavor along with hearty chicken that will keep the family satisfied.

Grandma is an expert in kid-friendly recipes, including this ground beef casserole. “Delicious! My family went back for seconds AND thirds!” wrote one five-star reviewer.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Don’t let the name confuse you: This cheesy pasta won’t cost a million dollars to make (it’s quite budget-friendly), but it will make you feel like a million bucks.