What’s brilliant about a casserole is that you can vary the ingredients as you choose. We’ve shared a classic cowboy casserole recipe above, but you don’t have to follow this exactly. Any type of ground meat will work in this dish, and you could use ground turkey in place of the ground beef if you’d like to make this during the holidays. Other vegetables like carrots and peas can also be a tasty addition to this dish, and of course you could add other seasonings and spices to the casserole if you like your recipes with more of a kick. Take care not to overcook any of your ingredients before assembling the casserole. For any casserole you’re making, you want to slightly undercook the ingredients before bringing them together and cooking in the oven to prevent the dish becoming mushy or soggy.
For a time saving tip, this dish can be prepped a day in advance and then stored in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it. It’s a great one to make on a Sunday when you have more time on your hands. Then it’s ready to put into the oven for a quick, and easy Monday night meal to start the week in the best way possible.
Cornbread is an accompaniment that’s often found served alongside casseroles, but you could actually bake it into the casserole for added texture and flavor to make a cowboy cornbread casserole, for a twist on the recipe that we’ve shared above.
How to serve it
Casserole can be enjoyed on its own as a filling dish, or you can try plating it up alongside a couple of delicious side dishes. For a lighter accompaniment, a fresh green salad can help to lift some of the flavors and balance out the indulgent richness of a casserole. Or, if you want to enjoy a comfort food dinner, then fresh garlic bread is perfect alongside a mouthwatering casserole. Steamed vegetables are also a classic side dish for a casserole, and bring even more vegetables to the table.
Storage
Any leftover casserole should be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. If you want to reheat it, cover the casserole with tin foil to make sure you don’t lose too much moisture from the casserole during the reheating process. If you want to store the casserole away for a much later date you can actually freeze it too. Store it in an airtight container, and you’ll need to thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.