30 Christmas Casseroles That Will Wow a Crowd

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, special occasion-worthy 
• Serves: 6

Canned pumpkin is the star of this festive pasta bake. "It's creamy, comforting and big enough to feed a crowd," former PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen explains, "but still feels modern, thanks to dollops of ricotta and plenty of spinach." It also freezes beautifully—though leftovers are unlikely with this one.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
• Serves: 8 to 10

"A gratin is a dish that's topped with breadcrumbs (or cheese, or both) mixed with bits of butter, then baked until brown, bubbling and crisp," Gillen explains. "It’s decadent, but the fresh, licorice-y bite from the fennel reminds you it counts as a vegetable."

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6 to 8

"It's just as crowd-pleasing, but a little more modern (and much less cloying) than that mashed casserole everyone is familiar with," Gillen asserts. "To up the rosemary factor, I used rosemary olive oil to cook the sweet potatoes, but any good-quality oil will do." Roger that.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
• Serves: 10

"I've been making green bean casserole from scratch for a few years now, cooking down tons of mushrooms with cream instead of using the canned stuff," recipe developer Jake Cohen explains. "By wrapping up the casserole in a flaky pie crust, you’ll get a savory galette that gives new life to a classic."

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, vegetarian 
• Serves: 6

Festive winter favorites like butternut squash and sweet potato make fine stand-ins for white spuds in this slightly healthier (but still sinfully cheesy) twist on potatoes au gratin. Spiralizing the produce makes for an unexpected texture and presentation.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly 
• Serves: 8

This non-traditional Christmas casserole relies on frozen ravioli and hearty meat sauce to make a flavorful, lasagna-inspired dish that delivers holiday comfort the whole family will enjoy. Even picky kids will have no complaints. Make it a fun kids' activity by letting them help layer the ravioli and sprinkle the cheese—it’s an easy and mess-free way to involve them in the holiday meal prep.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, kid-friendly, high protein 
• Serves: 6

You might be thinking, “Oh, look, cauliflower is pretending to be pasta again.” Nope. Here, the versatile veggie is a satisfying add-on to the classic combo of macaroni and cheesy, nutmeg-spiked sauce. The end result tastes just like your favorite baked mac…only better.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy 
• Serves: 6

Make it an Irish Christmas by serving a riff on shepherd’s pie, a mouthwatering dish of richly flavored beef stew under creamy mashed potatoes that are broiled until golden on top. This casserole is comfort food at its finest, and it’s basically a main and a side dish, so all you need to worry about is what veggies to serve with it.

• Time Commitment: 8 hours and 35 minutes (includes chilling time)
• Why I Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, make ahead 
• Serves: 6

Here, melty leeks, crusty bread and hearty kale mingle in goat cheese and Dijon cream sauce to make a savory bread pudding that’s decidedly more sophisticated than your standard holiday stuffing (and vegetarian to boot). 

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

I love a good gratin. (Who doesn’t?) This Christmas, make yours with two different cruciferous veggies and you’ll be rewarded with a dish that has more visual appeal (i.e., it’s not monochromatic) and a more complex flavor profile than your go-to gratin.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly  
• Serves: 6

It’s not all about Christmas dinner, friends. Once the gift opening dies down and stomachs start rumbling, you'll be grateful to have this cheesy hash brown, bacon and egg casserole at the ready. Best of all, it requires almost no prep and takes three hours in the slow cooker, so you can set it and forget it until the brunch guests arrive.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <500 calories, low carb 
• Serves: 6

Healthier than baked ziti (and prettier, too), this low-carb twist on the classic baked pasta boasts the same beloved mozz-and-tomato flavor combo, plus an undeniably festive, on-theme presentation of red and green zucchini rosettes.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy 
• Serves: 6

Acorn squash, stale baguette and cheddar cheese are the key ingredients in this savory bread pudding. Serve it at Christmas brunch or dinner for a swoon-worthy, oh-so-decadent, seasonal side dish that’s more than the sum of its parts.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead 
• Serves: 8

Christmas morning can be chaotic, particularly if you have kids, which is why I suggest you get a leg up on the festivities. This easy breakfast casserole requires only ten minutes of active cooking time and yields eight servings of fluffy French toast. In other words, all you have to do is remove it from the oven and watch it disappear. 

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

If you serve Thanksgiving-style stuffing on your Christmas Eve dinner (and I recommend you do), you can turn the leftovers into the star of Christmas morning by simply adding eggs. Just be sure to watch them very carefully and remove them slightly before you think they're ready, as they'll continue to cook from the residual heat— and a runny yolk is absolutely key. 

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, low carb, high protein 
• Serves: 6

Spaghetti squash, ground turkey, bell peppers and cheese get a flavor boost from both fresh and dried herbs in this perfectly festive one-pan meal. If you prefer a casual Christmas dinner to a laborious ten-course feast, this one fits the bill. 

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, special-occasion worthy 
• Serves: 6

Decadent, comforting and less fussy than lasagna, this polenta ragu checks all the boxes. Serve it as a main dish with some simple veggie sides for an easy Christmas dinner, or go whole hog (or cow, as it were) with juicy prime rib for a meal that will win the heart of every carnivore at the table.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly 
• Serves: 10

Mac and cheese is one of those cold-weather dishes that can be enjoyed whenever and always makes an impression. If you need proof, look no further than this show-stopping recipe, which is crowned with a blanket of gorgeous phyllo rosettes. (I know you’re tempted to reach for breadcrumbs, but don’t be intimidated: The topping is far tastier, and the impressive presentation is surprisingly easy to pull off.) 

• Time Commitment: 42 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <500 calories, special occasion-worthy 
• Serves: 5

Pillowy, store-bought gnocchi and a silky tomato cream sauce combine to make a hearty side dish that’s bursting with flavor. The cooking process is a breeze and the finished dish pairs beautifully with pork, chicken and beef alike (or veggies).

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make-ahead, kid-friendly 
• Serves: 12

Give yourself a break on Christmas morning (you deserve it) and whip up this crowd-pleaser the night before. Everyone’s sweet tooth will be satisfied and your minimal effort will be rewarded with, well, just what you’d expect from a cinnamon roll breakfast—namely, sugar, spice and everything nice.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients 
• Serves: 8 to 10

This savory bread pudding has the light and fluffy texture of a soufflé, but you don’t need to be a French culinary master to get it right. It’s packed with ham, Swiss and thyme (the recipe calls for dried, but you can spring for fresh). Bottom line: When it comes to Christmas casseroles, this one is a shoo-in for brunch.

• Time Commitment: 8 hours and 15 minutes (includes chilling time)
• Why I Love It: make-ahead, beginner-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 8

At first glance, this recipe looks a lot like the ham and cheese bread pudding described above. Take a closer look and you’ll see that it combines bell peppers, cheddar and Canadian bacon for a totally distinct flavor profile. My suggestion? Try 'em both and pick your poison. (And definitely keep that crunchy cornflake topping in the back of your mind for other casserole dishes, too.) 

• Time Commitment: 9 hours and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy 
• Serves: 4

Yet another breakfast Christmas casserole (or strata, if you’re fancy) that's earned its spot on my list. Here, the bright acidity of cherry tomatoes harmonizes beautifully with sweet onion, while providing a welcome counterpoint to the rich, cream-soaked bread and Gruyère.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <500 calories, low carb, one pan 
• Serves: 6

Essentially a frittata in a casserole dish, this spinach and artichoke number includes a splash of almond milk for a lighter finish that allows the veggies to shine. Serve this one-pan wonder on Christmas morning and everyone will be scrambling (pun intended) for seconds. 

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <500 calories 
• Serves: 7

OK, it's not exactly carbonara…but it does riff on the classic Italian sauce by calling for eggs to be added to a crispy bacon-and-pea mixture that's poured over cheesy noodles. Call it what you want, but know that this doubly decadent twist on a classic will make you weak at the knees.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser 
• Serves: 8

The last time you made potatoes au gratin, the spuds were hard and the cheese was black—oops. Enter this foolproof method that's delightfully colorful and just as cozy. Nix the oven, bust out the Crockpot and pat yourself on the back, because those cheesy, scalloped potatoes will be impeccably cooked.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly 
• Serves: 8

Let’s be honest: The classic sides (mashed potatoes, roasted winter vegetables, etc.) are as overplayed as Christmas carols. If you agree, I suggest freshening up your holiday menu with a white lasagna that pairs the bright flavor of basil pesto with the umami-rich profile of wild mushrooms.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

This all-American side dish, featuring creamy condensed soups, cheese, rice and broccoli florets, might not be the most elegant part of your holiday menu, but it's stood the test of time for a reason. (Namely because I can guarantee that every guest will be vying for the last serving.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy  
• Serves: 8 to 12

Another holiday classic, this green bean casserole gets a major boost from replacing canned soup with homemade mushroom Alfredo sauce. Yes, there’s more work involved, but the sauce is a heavy-lifter in the flavor department, so I think a freshly-cooked version will be well worth the effort. 

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, crowd-pleaser, <500 calories 
• Serves: 8

Thanks to a hearty combination of lentils, pine nuts and roasted seasonal vegetables, this vegan-friendly Christmas casserole is filling enough to be the main dish for vegetarians at your holiday feast. It also has the added benefit of harmonizing seamlessly with any protein you can imagine.