This collection features 26 easy casserole recipes — from cheesy chicken and classic tater tot hotdish to baked pastas, breakfast casseroles, and hearty sides that stand up next to a holiday ham. Most recipes bake in the oven or finish on a pellet grill; a few come together in a single skillet for minimal cleanup.
And yes, hotdish is a casserole — a Midwest favorite that delivers a complete one-dish meal.
Delicious Homemade Casserole Recipes
Many Traeger-style casseroles translate perfectly to a conventional oven. Just set the oven to the temperature listed in the recipe and bake for the same time — you’ll lose the smoky finish, but the flavor and texture remain excellent.
If you prefer a slow cooker, saucier casseroles are the easiest to adapt. Brown ground meats first, then let everything simmer low and slow. Avoid putting uncooked pasta into a slow cooker; it often becomes mushy. Instead, cook noodles separately and stir them in at the end.
Add shredded cheese in the final 15–30 minutes so it melts evenly. If you want a bubbly top, save extra cheese for the final stage. Breakfast casseroles and pasta bakes that rely on a browned, crispy top typically do better in the oven.
Easy Dinner Casserole Recipes
These main-dish casseroles are family staples: chicken, beef, ham, and plenty of cheese — many of them scalable for feeding a crowd or bringing to potlucks.
Traeger Tater Tot Hotdish
The classic Midwest hotdish, finished on the Traeger for added depth and smoky flavor.
Get the recipe: Traeger Tater Tot Hotdish recipe
Traeger Cheesy Chicken Casserole
Egg noodles with large chicken pieces in a creamy homemade sauce — no canned soup required. Ready in under an hour and uses just two dishes.
Get the recipe: Traeger Cheesy Chicken Casserole recipe
Traeger Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
A from-scratch bake with tender chicken, vegetables, wild rice, and plenty of cheese for a comforting family dinner.
Get the recipe: Traeger Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Traeger Wild Rice Hotdish
A hearty, no-condensed-soup casserole that comes together quickly and sticks to your ribs — deceptively simple and very satisfying.
Get the recipe: Traeger Wild Rice Hotdish
Grilled Broccoli Chicken Divan
A family-favorite broccoli and chicken bake finished on the pellet grill for a subtle smoky twist.
Get the recipe: Grilled Broccoli Chicken Divan
Traeger Steak and Potato French Onion Casserole
Steak and potatoes with French onion flavor — meaty and comforting. If you don’t have a pellet grill, the oven works well.
Get the recipe: Traeger Steak and Potato French Onion Casserole
Traeger Smoked Philly Cheesesteak Casserole
A crowd-pleasing, make-ahead casserole loaded with steak, peppers, onions, and melted cheese.
Get the recipe: Traeger Smoked Philly Cheesesteak Casserole
Traeger Meatball Sub Casserole
All the flavors of a meatball sub, baked as an easy, family-friendly casserole — perfect for a casual dinner night.
Get the recipe: Traeger Meatball Sub Casserole
Traeger Ham and Scalloped Potato Casserole
Tender, cheesy scalloped potatoes paired with leftover ham make a comforting, complete meal.
Get the recipe: Traeger Ham and Scalloped Potato Casserole
Stuffed Pepper Casserole
All the flavors of stuffed peppers without the fuss. Ground beef and pork, bell peppers, rice, and cheese cook together in one skillet in under an hour.
Get the recipe: Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Skillet Pierogi Casserole
A hearty, satisfying dinner ready in under 30 minutes — pan-fried pierogi-style comfort without a lot of prep.
Get the recipe: Skillet Pierogi Casserole
Instant Pot Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Salsa verde and shredded chicken layered like a Mexican lasagna — no rolling required and easily made in the Instant Pot.
Get the recipe: Instant Pot Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Easy Pasta Casserole Recipes
Baked pasta is one of the simplest dinners to pull together. These recipes use rotini, ziti, tortellini, rigatoni, and more for reliable, family-friendly meals.
Traeger Pizza Pasta Hotdish
Rotini with pepperoni and ground beef in a blend of marinara and pizza sauce for a playful pizza-pasta mashup.
Get the recipe: Traeger Pizza Pasta Hotdish
Pepperoni Rotini Bake
A kid favorite: rotini and pepperoni baked with marinara and pizza sauce for an easy, comforting meal.
Get the recipe: Pepperoni Rotini Bake
Cheesy Rotini Bake
A baked pasta dinner on the table in under an hour. Use homemade sauce or leftover spaghetti sauce — leftovers reheat beautifully.
Get the recipe: Cheesy Rotini Bake
Mock Lasagna
All the satisfying lasagna flavors without the layering: mafalde-style noodles make this a quicker, easier bake.
Get the recipe: Mock Lasagna
Traeger Baked Ziti
Ziti with marinara and melted mozzarella, finished with a hint of smoke from the pellet grill. Jarred sauce works in a pinch.
Get the recipe: Traeger Baked Ziti
Traeger Baked Tortellini
Cheesy baked tortellini with meatballs and marinara — an easy twist on a classic comfort dish.
Get the recipe: Traeger Baked Tortellini
Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Rigatoni
A twist on classic fettuccine alfredo with rigatoni, garlic cream sauce, chicken, broccoli, and lots of cheese.
Get the recipe: Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Rigatoni
Swedish Meatball Orzo
All the flavors of Swedish meatballs delivered via orzo for a simple, one-pot-style casserole without rolling individual meatballs.
Get the recipe: Swedish Meatball Orzo
Breakfast Casserole Recipes
Breakfast casseroles are ideal for holidays and lazy weekends. Most assemble the night before, saving time in the morning.
Breakfast Casserole with Ham
A great way to use leftover ham: French bread, eggs, milk, and cheese baked into a satisfying breakfast casserole.
Get the recipe: Breakfast Casserole with Ham
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Eggs, sausage, lots of cheese, and a crunchy tater tot topping — a family favorite for brunch or a hearty weekend breakfast.
Get the recipe: Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Traeger Biscuit and Gravy Casserole
Broken biscuits topped with homemade sausage gravy and baked until set — feeds a crowd and works equally well in the oven.
Get the recipe: Traeger Biscuit and Gravy Casserole
Casserole Side Dishes
These sides are rich enough to be served as a main for some — ideal alongside ham, brisket, or pulled pork at holiday meals or potlucks.
Traeger Loaded Hashbrown Casserole
A decadent side of homemade cheese sauce, sour cream, ranch seasoning, bacon, and shredded hashbrowns.
Get the recipe: Traeger Loaded Hashbrown Casserole
Traeger Hash Brown Casserole
A quicker, classic version using dried hash browns, a few dairy staples, and a can of soup for convenience — simple to assemble and great for feeding a crowd.
Get the recipe: Traeger Hash Brown Casserole
Traeger Corn Casserole
A slightly sweet, cheesy side made from canned corn, creamed corn, and cornbread mix — versatile and oven-friendly as well.
Get the recipe: Traeger Corn Casserole
Casserole Recipe FAQ
What is the difference between a casserole and a hotdish?
There’s no real difference — “hotdish” is a regional term used in the Midwest for what others call a casserole. Both describe a one-dish meal with a protein, a starch, and often a vegetable. Some hotdish recipes use condensed soup, while many modern casseroles use scratch-made sauces.
Can I make these casseroles in the oven instead of on a Traeger?
Yes. Use the oven temperature listed in the recipe and bake until the casserole is hot and bubbly. You may need to adjust timing slightly, so check a few minutes early.
Can you make a casserole ahead of time?
Most dishes can be assembled ahead. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake; a cold casserole will typically need a few extra minutes in the oven.
Can you freeze casseroles?
Pasta- and meat-based casseroles (like baked ziti or pizza pasta hotdish) generally freeze and reheat better than potato-heavy bakes, which can become grainy after thawing. Cool completely, wrap tightly, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for best results.
Which casseroles are best for feeding a crowd?
Crowd-pleasers include the Philly cheesesteak casserole, biscuit-and-gravy casserole, and large hashbrown or tater tot casseroles — all easy to scale and transport for potlucks.