The Best Casserole Dishes in 2022

Is there such a factor as a well-stocked kitchen that lacks a very good casserole dish? The reply, after all, isn’t any. These all-purpose, oven-safe dishes are usually created from glass, ceramic, enamel-coated forged iron, and even steel. Because the title suggests, they’re nice for casseroles and lasagnas, however you too can use them to bake brownies, crisps, crumbles, and extra. 

The most effective casserole dishes are available a spread of aesthetic types, however the materials may have an effect on your completed final result, like how rapidly your lasagna units. “Every materials responds in a different way to the circumstances of the oven,” says Fran Groesbeck, managing director, Cookware Producers Affiliation. “The colour and weight of the supplies can impression baking occasions. For instance, lighter colours can replicate the warmth for a slower bake, whereas darker colours will soak up or appeal to the warmth at a sooner price, dashing up baking occasions.” To see which casserole dishes actually made the lower, we baked macaroni and cheese in seven casserole dishes, testing for consistency, ease of use, ease of cleansing, sturdiness, and extra. Right here’s what we thought.

Our Prime Picks

Finest Total: Made In Gratin Dish

Kind of Materials: porcelain | Dimensions: 10 x 6.6” | Dishwasher-Protected: sure | Most Temperature: 650 levels

Why we selected it: A multi-functional, high quality piece that works for each cooking and baking

An oval casserole pan that works double responsibility as a good looking serving piece, this porcelain gratin dish is an distinctive all-purpose piece in your kitchen’s arsenal. Meals releases simply, it may well go in an especially scorching oven, and it holds almost two-and-a-half quarts of mac and cheese. Because it’s porcelain, you do have to deal with it with care, and the comparatively shallow dish signifies that it gained’t be the dish you employ for each single event. White porcelain can present put on over time.

Finest Worth: Amazon Basics Enameled Cast Iron Covered Casserole Dish

Kind of Materials: forged iron | Dimensions: 15 x 12” | Dishwasher-Protected: no | Most Temperature: 400 levels

Why we selected it: An inexpensive possibility for these in want of a high quality casserole dish.

This inexpensive spherical casserole dish, which is available in a bunch of various colours, gained’t break the financial institution–and it will get excessive marks for its efficiency out and in of the oven. Constructed from enameled forged iron, it retains warmth and can be utilized within the oven or on the stovetop. The accompanying lid is ideal for serving scorching gadgets (or retaining them scorching when you’re serving a buffet-style meal). There are a number of drawbacks right here, like the truth that you may’t put this pan within the dishwasher. The form, too, isn’t helpful for all the things. The producer advises a most temperature of 400 levels, so that you gained’t wish to use this dish when you’re broiling something.

Finest Coated: Le Creuset Stoneware Heritage Covered Casserole Dish

Kind of Materials: stoneware | Dimensions: 11 1/2″ x 7 3/4″ x 2 3/4″ | Dishwasher-Protected: sure | Most Temperature: 500  

Why we selected it: An iconic lined casserole dish from a legendary cookware producer.

Marrying the most effective of each worlds–an oblong casserole that additionally occurs to incorporate a lid–this dishwasher-safe dish, which is available in virtually each coloration underneath the solar, is a must have for the kitchen connoisseur. It’s oven-safe as much as 500 levels (the very best disclosed of the dishes we examined) and created from easy-to-clean stoneware. Some drawbacks to this coveted pan? It’s costly, considerably heavy, and might be difficult to retailer in smaller kitchens.

Finest Handmade: Outi Putkonen, Mugi Studio Handmade Ochre Lidded Casserole Dish

Kind of Materials: stoneware | Dimensions: 9 x 10 x 5” | Dishwasher-Protected: sure | Most Temperature: 450 levels 

Why we selected it: This lovely dish stands in as a serving vessel, too.

One of many extra beautiful dishes we sampled, this Outi Putkonen piece doubles as a serving piece, particularly across the holidays. It’s a lidded casserole and might face up to temperatures as much as 450 levels. Constructed from earthen stoneware, it may be cleaned within the dishwasher, an added bonus when you occur to be cooking for a crowd. Since this dish is on the smaller aspect, it really works higher for aspect dishes than it does for entrees.

Finest for Excessive Warmth: Serax Surface Cast Iron Covered Casserole Dish

Kind of Materials: forged iron | Dimensions: fluctuate by dimension | Dishwasher-Protected: sure | Most Temperature: 500 levels

Why we selected it: This versatile cookware is nice for high-heat cooking.

Deep, lidded, and dishwasher-safe, this casserole dish is nice for all the things from ratatouille to, sure, macaroni and cheese. It could go in an especially scorching oven and is designed to face the take a look at of time. Some drawbacks: this can be a heavy piece, and it may be troublesome to maneuver out and in of a scorching oven. A spherical dish will not be at all times helpful for all types of cooking, and, a lidded dish of this nature might be troublesome to retailer, at occasions.

Finest Retro: Dansk Round Casserole

Kind of Materials: stoneware | Dimensions: 8.25  x 5.50″ | Dishwasher-Protected: sure | Most Temperature: not specified

Why we selected it: The retro design and sturdiness make this Dansk piece a prized dish.

Within the Sixties and 70s, Dansk’s stone and enamelware casserole dishes had been king. The enduring model continues to create these eye-catching designs right this moment, and this beautiful spherical piece, which is dishwasher-safe, is a testomony to the model’s longevity. Constructed from enamelware, this casserole doubles as a serving dish. Dansk doesn’t disclose its warmth sturdiness, so we advise retaining it out of a brilliant scorching oven (and off of the vary). It will also be arduous to retailer, however such is the worth to pay for such retro magnificence and sophistication.

Finest Splurge: de Buyer Copper Oval Gratin Pan

Kind of Materials: copper, chrome steel, and brass | Dimensions: fluctuate by dimension | Dishwasher-Protected: no | Most Temperature: not specified

Why we selected it: Temperature management and sturdiness are the names of the sport with this showstopping piece. 

An open, oval gratin-shaped pan with a copper backside, this casserole is designed to benefit from your oven’s warmth. De Purchaser provides a number of dimension choices and all of those pans are wonderful for warmth retention and browning–each on the underside and prime of your dish. This pan is dear, which is why it’s our splurge purchase. It’s not dishwasher-safe, both, and, like all copper pans, it requires upkeep if you’d like it to retain its luster.

How We Selected These Merchandise

For testing, we repeated the identical recipe—baked macaroni and cheese— all seven pans. We evaluated how simple the pan was to position into and take away from the oven; the response to the fabric when positioned underneath the broiler; the browning of the meals on the backside of every pan; and, for pans with lids, how effectively the lid guarded in opposition to over-browning.

Options to Maintain in Thoughts When Searching for a casserole dish

Materials

Casserole dishes can be found in glass, stoneware, enameled forged iron, porcelain, and steel. Porcelain, forged iron, steel are capable of face up to the very best temperature, whereas glass and stoneware typically can not face up to warmth over 400 levels. Maintain this in thoughts when purchasing for a pan, as pans with decrease warmth capability can’t be positioned underneath the broiler or on the grill. “If you’re planning to make use of them underneath the broiler or within the freezer, you do wish to be sure that they’re secure for that since some cheaper manufacturers gained’t be,” says Ali Rosen, writer of Modern Freezer Meals. “It would say freezer-safe (and microwave-safe) whether it is.”

Dimension & Form 

Casserole dishes are available spherical, oval, sq., and rectangular shapes and might maintain anyplace from two quarts to 3 quarts. It’s possible you’ll discover that proudly owning a collection of various sizes and shapes is useful, notably when you plan to make use of these dishes as serving vessels as effectively. Shallower casserole dishes will yield meals that tends to prepare dinner extra rapidly, whereas deeper dishes–which is preferable for meals like lasagna–are for slower-cooking, bigger dishes. 

Lids

Lids on casserole dishes stop moisture from escaping and in addition maintain meals from browning prematurely. Though you could choose to make use of a lidless casserole dish on meals that you just wish to be browned, like stuffing or potato gratin, a lidded dish might be helpful on gadgets that are supposed to keep moist, like macaroni and cheese. “Lids are nice for storing and retaining warmth whereas cooking,” Rosen provides. 

Most Heating Capability 

Relying on the fabric used, most heating capability will fluctuate in casserole dishes. Stoneware and glass are usually secure to 350 or 400 levels, whereas extra sturdy supplies, like copper, forged iron, and porcelain, might be secure as much as 1000.

Ask the Consultants

Q: Can I bake a cake in a casserole dish? 

Sure, you may bake a cake in a casserole dish, says Ali Rosen–however you could not wish to bake in all casserole dishes. “I believe steel is healthier for desserts as a result of it conducts warmth higher,” she says. “That being mentioned, the one benefit might be that you would be able to prep and prepare dinner in a casserole dish if you wish to make your life simpler.” 

Q: Can I freeze casserole dishes?

Assuming you’re utilizing a freezer-safe dish, be happy to freeze your casseroles, Ali Rosen says. “Each glass and ceramic do nice, and normally it’s written on the underside whether or not it’s okay for the freezer or not,” she says. Freezer-safe casserole dishes can go straight into the oven, and infrequently don’t even have to be defrosted. For greatest outcomes, Rosen suggests cooling cooked meals earlier than freezing it, in order that it doesn’t develop ice crystals, which “can break the construction of what you’re making (assume soggy meals and freezer-burn!).”

Q: What number of casserole dishes do I would like? 

As many as you need, says Fran Groesbeck. “Critically, casserole dishes are very versatile,” she says. “They can be utilized for serving as effectively. So have enjoyable! There are such a lot of lovely shapes and colours on the market – use them to specific your self in your kitchen.”

Q: What shouldn’t I do with casserole dishes? 

Take into account the producer’s directions, Groesbeck says. “Be mild in storing them, particularly the glass lids,” she says. “Whereas very sturdy, they will nonetheless chip or crack if struck arduous sufficient. Additionally, clear totally after first use. For a lot of cookware and bakeware gadgets, you will need to clear the vessel totally. Foodstuffs left behind can impression the following dish you prepare dinner.”

Our Take

Sq., spherical, lidded, open, shallow, deep, earthenware, enamel: casserole dishes typically really feel just like the catchall class to explain the kind of pan that does all the things. However our favorites carried out effectively throughout the board and seemed good doing it. 

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