Ovens on! It’s Italian dinner al forno.
These six Italian casserole recipes prove that Italians do incredibly good hearty baked fare. From eggplant parmesan to weeknight lasagna, your delicious oven-baked dinner awaits.Â
It’s time to bake one of these Italian casserole recipes for dinner.
Have a casserole pan, baking dish, or large skillet? You’re in luck! These tasty casseroles, from hearty and cheesy baked ziti and lasagna to simple vegetable sides, are about to make your dinner extra delicious.
Best of all, many of these only require simple ingredients, like cheese, onion, garlic, spaghetti sauce, pasta, salt and pepper, ground beef (or ground turkey or chicken) and basic vegetables. Bonus: It’s easy to prepare casseroles like lasagna and baked ziti in advance and store it in the freezer, wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic wrap for future dinner.
Lasagna With Cottage Cheese (or Ricotta)
Classic lasagna may be one of the best casseroles of all: layers of ground beef cooked with onion, no-bake lasagna noodles, and ingredients like a blend of cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley. You can substitute ricotta cheese if you want, but we love the flavor, texture, and creaminess of cottage cheese. Serve with a nice green salad, sautéed broccoli rabe, or all on its own.
Eggplant Parmesan Casserole
A real-deal eggplant parmesan, with fried slices of eggplant layered with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce and baked until bubbly, is a vegetarian Italian casserole dinner that everyone loves. Frying the eggplant slices may take little time, but pull that baking dish from the oven and the taste and flavor is oh so very worth it.
Italian Casserole Recipes: Classic Baked Ziti
Baked ziti ties with lasagna for the most satisfying Italian dinner ever. This classic baked ziti recipe is easy to make: just stir cooked pasta with the cheese mixture ingredients, top with tomato sauce, and bake until melted and bubbly. (Extra points for making these homemade meatballs to go with it!) You can also freeze baked ziti and make it in advance.
Italian Artichoke Casserole
An Italian-style casserole recipe can mean simple Italian vegetable side dishes as well. This artichoke casserole recipe is a perfect example of this: simple artichoke hearts topped with cheese and seasoned breadcrumbs, baked until golden.
Zucchini and Yellow Squash Casserole
This summery, satisfying yellow squash and zucchini parmesan recipe will help you enjoy summer squash in the best possible way.
Italian Sausage and Peppers
More of a “baked in a casserole” dinner than a true Italian casserole recipe, this Italian sausage and peppers recipe is too good to resist including. It’s the perfect dinner for a family or a crowd — as simple as cutting up some vegetables and sausage, tossing with olive oil and seasoning, and baking.
