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Food History

10 Classic Casserole Dishes People Hardly Make Anymore By Liana Hornyak Sept. 13, 2025 3:19 pm EST

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If you grew up in Middle America, you likely have fond memories of casseroles, even if you didn't call them that. In the upper part of the Midwest, for example, your favorite might be called a hotdish. Otherwise, you might simply refer to the meal as a bake (a breakfast bake, a pasta bake, etc.). If the recipe is cooked in a single pan in the oven, though, and especially if it's topped with a layer of melted cheese and/or breadcrumbs, it's a casserole — and, in the middle of the 20th century, it was all the rage.

The casseroles of the 1950s relied heavily on pantry and freezer staples, with the goal being to stretch leftovers and dollars

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