27 Casseroles That Support Healthy Aging
27 Casseroles That Support Healthy Aging
Broccoli Rabe & Turkey Sausage Lasagna
This healthy broccoli rabe and turkey sausage lasagna recipe has plenty of vegetables and goes light on sausage, so it's lower in fat and calories than traditional lasagna recipes. The recipe makes enough for two 8-by-8-inch casseroles (four servings each)--have one for dinner tonight and freeze the other for a night when you don't have time to make dinner. Or, feel free to make one larger lasagna (in a 9-by-13-inch pan) instead of two smaller ones; just increase the cooking time a bit for the larger pan size. View Recipe
Creamy Mushroom, Chicken & Asparagus Bake
This comforting weeknight casserole recipe features plenty of mushrooms and asparagus combined with chicken and brown rice and a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce. Whip this up anytime you have leftover chicken or cooked brown rice to spare. View Recipe
Cheesy Mushroom Gratin
Earthy portobellos are roasted then smothered in cheese in this easy low-carb side dish. Enjoy this gratin alongside pork or steak, or add a salad and turn it into a delicious vegetarian dinner. View Recipe
Shrimp and Cauliflower Bake
This quick and easy seafood casserole gets bright flavor from fresh dill and feta cheese. View Recipe
Chicken, Quinoa & Sweet Potato Casserole
This protein-loaded chicken and sweet potato casserole dish is made with multicolored quinoa, a blend of white, red and black varieties, but any color will work. View Recipe
Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Strands of tender squash replace pasta for a more flavorful version of spaghetti pie casserole. Not to mention, spaghetti squash is a low-carb alternative to pasta and saves more than 150 calories per serving compared to a traditional recipe. A sprinkling of nutty fontina cheese melts into a gooey topping. View Recipe
Broccoli Casserole
The lightened-up luscious sauce elevates this easy casserole recipe over standard broccoli and cheese side dishes. View Recipe
Tamari-Ginger Meatball & Eggplant Casserole
Eggplant soaks up the flavors of ginger, garlic and tamari in this Asian-inspired casserole recipe. A hot pepper in the topping adds a bit of heat, but opt for sweet if you prefer. View Recipe
Gruyere, Asparagus & Pea Baked Pasta
This healthy casserole recipe contains tons of veggies alongside whole-wheat pasta for a satisfying dinner kids and adults will enjoy. View Recipe
Cheesy Beef Enchilada Casserole
This veggie-packed beef enchilada casserole is mild, so put out hot sauce and chopped jalape?os if you're feeding heat-seekers. The quick and easy dinner recipe makes extra cheese sauce--save it to make One-Pot Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower & Brussels Sprouts later in the week (see Associated Recipes) or serve it with steamed vegetables, such as broccoli, for an easy side dish. View Recipe
Vegetarian Shepherd's Pies
These mini vegetarian shepherd's pies feature lentils, carrot and corn, crowned with a velvety mashed potato topping. The recipe can also be made in a broiler-safe casserole dish. Serve with a spinach salad with oranges, walnuts and red-wine vinaigrette. View Recipe
Sloppy Joe Casserole
Like sloppy Joes? Then you'll love this sloppy Joe casserole recipe. This kid-friendly dinner has the classic sloppy Joe flavors kids love, while parents will like all the veggies that are packed in to make it a healthy meal. View Recipe
Roasted Garlic & Leek Bread Casserole
This stuffing-like vegetable-and-bread casserole recipe is inspired by the vegetable tians of Provence. The soaked stale bread binds leeks, nutty raclette cheese, abundant roasted garlic and thyme. Serve with roast chicken and a green salad to make a swoon-worthy meal. View Recipe
Zucchini Pizza Casserole
Got a bumper crop of zucchini? Try this crowd-pleasing casserole-meets-pizza dish, which can easily be made gluten-free. A layer of tender shredded zucchini is topped with all the classics: sauce, cheese, pepperoni and sliced bell pepper. Experiment with your own favorite toppings, but make sure you don't overload the crust or it will be too wet. View Recipe
Chicken, Peppers & Pasta Casserole
You can assemble this healthy chicken casserole before you leave for a party and pop it in the oven at the host's house. Or bake it at home and bring it along--it's delicious at room temperature too. View Recipe
Reuben Casserole
This Reuben casserole recipe has all the delicious elements of a Reuben sandwich with much less sodium and calories. Thinly sliced angel hair cabbage cooked with a splash of vinegar stands in for the sauerkraut, and lower-sodium deli turkey adds a rich, meaty flavor in place of the traditional corned beef. View Recipe
Root Vegetable Gratin
The rich flavor of Gruyère cheese brings out the nutty flavor of the roots in this creamy gratin. Any combination of roots works in this recipe, but if you use red beets, they will streak the gratin with bright color. A delightful side dish for any roasted meat. View Recipe
Smoked Turkey, Kale & Rice Bake
This hearty one-skillet dinner is loaded with celery, kale, tomatoes and quick-cooking brown rice. It's easy to make the recipe vegetarian by substituting smoked tofu for the turkey. View Recipe
Vegetarian Quinoa & Squash Casserole
An aromatic mixture of garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, allspice and cayenne flavors this vegetarian quinoa and squash casserole recipe. Frozen squash is a super-easy topping. View Recipe
Chicken-Spaghetti Squash Bake
In this version of a chicken-and-broccoli casserole, spaghetti squash takes on a creamy texture when baked with cream of mushroom soup. View Recipe
Seafood Chowder Casserole
New England seafood chowder inspired the flavors here, but we've enhanced them further with Gruyère cheese and a crispy crumb topping. We like the combination of shrimp, cod and crab, but feel free to experiment with other types of seafood--scallops, clams and mahi-mahi would also work well. View Recipe
Creamed Spinach Casserole
This creamy spinach casserole recipe is a more sophisticated cousin to creamed spinach. It's perfect for weekend entertaining or as a holiday side dish. View Recipe
Eggplant Tortilla Casserole
This layered casserole is inspired by classic cheese enchiladas, minus the fuss of rolling and stuffing individual tortillas. You'd never guess that within this comforting Tex-Mex casserole hides a layer of thinly sliced eggplant. The thin slices become tender when roasted and add a subtle savory note. View Recipe
Spinach & Tuna Noodle Casserole
Homemade mushroom sauce kicks the can of soup out of the picture in this veggie-centric, healthy riff on a classic tuna-noodle casserole recipe. Serve with steamed green beans. View Recipe
Zucchini, Corn & Egg Casserole
This healthy casserole is essentially a crustless quiche, brimming with fresh summer vegetables. Bake it up for an elegant summer brunch or a casual backyard barbecue. View Recipe
Cheesy Potato Casserole
The original version of this cheesy potato casserole stars canned soup, full-fat sour cream, a stick of butter and a crust of crushed potato chips. We lightened it considerably by using a homemade white sauce instead of canned soup and swapping nonfat Greek yogurt for the sour cream. Crushed corn flakes replace the potato chips. All in all, we slashed 200 calories, 25 grams of fat (12 grams saturated) and 170 milligrams of sodium per serving. Dig in! View Recipe
Skillet Green Chile-Chicken Enchilada Casserole
This 45-minute enchilada recipe is bursting with chicken, tomatoes, tomatillos, chile peppers, and cheese, and because it's a one-skillet casserole, cleanup is a breeze. View Recipe
Whether it's a main or side dish, these casseroles support a healthy aging diet. As you age, it's important to eat plenty of colorful vegetables and these casseroles are packed with produce. Recipes like Chicken, Quinoa & Sweet Potato Casserole and Cheesy Mushroom Gratin are nutritious, tasty and comforting.