34 Cheesy Midwestern Casseroles We Love
Updated: Feb. 13, 2024
Every Midwesterner appreciates the beauty of a cheesy, comforting casserole. Here are our favorites—straight from America's heartland.
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Tater Tot Casseroles
Ground beef, sausage and cheese make this tater tot casserole with green beans a crowd-pleaser. Cayenne pepper and hot Italian sausage give it a pleasant kick. —Ryan Jones, Chillicothe, Illinois
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Favorite Cheesy Potatoes
My family loves these potatoes. I make a large batch in disposable pans and serve them at all our get-togethers. The holidays aren't the same without them. It's also a wonderful recipe for Christmas morning brunch. —Brenda Smith, Curran, Michigan
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Chili Mac Casserole
This cheesy casserole uses several of my family's favorite ingredients, including macaroni, kidney beans, tomatoes and cheese. Just add a leafy salad for a complete meal. —Marlene Wilson, Rolla, North Dakota
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Bacon Cheeseburger Rice
My husband and I thought the original skillet dish lacked pizzazz, so we created this tastier version. I've had teenage nieces and nephews request the recipe after their first bite. —Joyce Whipps, West Des Moines, Iowa
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Pizza Noodle Bake
Here’s a family-pleasing casserole that comes together in a snap, making it perfect for a weeknight meal. Double the recipe and freeze one for later! —Bernice Knutson, Soldier, Iowa
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Cheesy Corn Spoon Bread
Homey and comforting, this custardlike side dish is a much-requested recipe at potlucks and holiday dinners. The jalapeno adds just the right bite. Second helpings of this tasty casserole are common—leftovers aren't. —Katherine Franklin, Carbondale, Illinois
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Chicken and Swiss Stuffing Bake
I love to cook but just don't have much time. This casserole is both comforting and fast, which makes it my favorite kind of recipe. I serve it with a green salad. —Jena Coffey, Sunset Hills, Missouri
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Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Tired of the same old side dish, I whipped up this new family favorite. We can't get enough of these loaded mashed potatoes at our house. Often, I'll prepare this casserole ahead and refrigerate it. Then I bake it just before serving. —Dawn Reuter, Oxford, Wisconsin
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One-Pot Mac and Cheese
This one-pot mac and cheese is a family favorite, and my 3-year-old is always thrilled to see it coming to the dinner table. We love to add sliced smoked sausage to this creamy mac recipe! —Ashley Lecker, Green Bay, Wisconsin
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Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup Bake
This casserole brings together two classic comfort foods: grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. There’s no need for your hands to get messy dipping bread into a bowl of hot soup! Best of all, my picky-eater husband devours every bite. —Megan Kuns, Perrysburg, Ohio
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Hash Brown Broccoli Bake
Here's a perfect dish for a potluck or holiday buffet. It goes well with fish, poultry, pork or beef. Cheddar cheese can be substituted for Swiss. Often, I double the recipe to serve a crowd. —Jeanette Volker, Walton, Nebraska
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Beef & Tater Bake
The entire family will enjoy this heartwarming, all-in-one dinner. Plus, it offers easy cleanup! —Mike Tchou, Pepper Pike, Ohio
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Monterey Spaghetti
I'm a working mother with two young boys. Our family leads a very active life, so I make a lot of casseroles. It's so nice to have a hearty side dish the kids will eat. Topped with cheese and french-fried onions, this tasty spaghetti casserole recipe is a hit at our house. —Janet Hibler, Cameron, Missouri
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2-for-1 Chicken Tetrazzini
A good friend shared a version of this recipe with me 35 years ago. I pay it forward by bringing the second casserole to friends when they are unable to cook. —Helen McPhee, Savoy, Illinois
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Bacon Cheese Potatoes
I received this recipe from a friend who's a wonderful cook. This goes great with any main course, but it's especially good with ham. —Bertha Jensen, Mooresville, Indiana
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Chicken Tater Bake
You'll please everyone in the family with this inviting and filling chicken Tater Tot casserole. It tastes like a chicken potpie topped with Tater Tots. —Fran Allen, St Louis, Missouri
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Cheesy Beef Casserole
This hearty casserole tastes like lasagna and makes a satisfying meal when served with a green salad and garlic bread. —Ardyce Piehl, Poynette, Wisconsin
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Sweet Potatoes au Gratin
This rich, sweet potato casserole couldn't be any easier to make—or more delicious to eat! —Patti Kirchhoff, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
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Party Potatoes
These creamy, tasty potatoes can be made the day before and stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to pop them in the oven (I often do that). The garlic powder and chives add zip, and the shredded cheese adds color. —Sharon Mensing, Greenfield, Iowa
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Quick Tater Tots Bake
I like to make this Tater Tot casserole when time before supper is short. If we have unexpected company, I just double the ingredients and use a 13×9-in. pan. I call it my Please Stay Casserole! —Jean Ferguson, Elverta, California
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Fold-Over Tortilla Bake
Here’s something a little different to shake up taco night. But don’t reserve this zippy dish for a weeknight—it’s perfect for potlucks and serving company, too. something a little different from the usual tacos. It's special enough for potlucks or dinner guests. —Deborah Smith, DeWitt, Nebraska
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Cauliflower Casserole
To dress up cauliflower, Mom used a delightful mixture of a cheesy sauce, bright red and green pepper pieces, and crushed cornflakes. We enjoyed this casserole so much that leftovers were rare. -Linda McGinty, Parma, Ohio
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Cheeseburger Stuffed Pasta Shells
You could call this a comfort food mashup made in heaven. Jumbo stuffed pasta shells are loaded up with cheeseburger goodness in a dish that will soon become a family favorite. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Chicken & Cheese Noodle Bake
This is the recipe my daughters and I often make for new parents when they come home from the hospital. With its creamy spaghetti filling and melted cheese topping, this casserole holds a nice cut and comforts hungry tummies. —Fancheon Resler, Bluffton, Indiana
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Church Supper Hot Dish
This recipe was in my mother's church cookbook, and now it's in my church cookbook! Apparently is was too good to miss a generation. I often make this dish to take along to potlucks...and it seems that if I don't, someone else will! It's hearty and so tasty! —Norma Turner, Haslett, Michigan
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Ham and Swiss Casserole
When I prepare this noodle casserole for church gatherings, it's always a hit. It can easily be doubled or tripled for a crowd. —Doris Barb, El Dorado, Kansas
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Corn and Broccoli in Cheese Sauce
Save room in the oven by making this savory side in your slow cooker. It is a standby in my house. My daughter likes to add leftover ham to create a hearty main course. —Joyce Johnson, Uniontown, Ohio
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Cheeseburger French Fry Casserole
Kids love this cheeseburger french fry casserole because it combines two of their favorite fast foods. And I like the fact that I can whip it up with just four ingredients. —Karen Owen, Rising Sun, Indiana
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Cheese Enchiladas
You won't bring home leftovers when you take these easy enchiladas to a potluck. With a homemade tomato sauce and cheesy filling, they always go fast. You can substitute any type of cheese you wish. —Ashley Schackow, Defiance, Ohio
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Makeover Slow-Cooked Mac 'n' Cheese
This recipe is a clear example of comfort food at its finest; it's rich, hearty and extra cheesy. And because it's made in the slow cooker, it's also extremely easy. —Shelby Molina, Whitewater, Wisconsin
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Baked Pumpkin Goat Cheese Alfredo with Bacon
This is a unique and delicious pasta, perfect for fall. I made this for my girlfriends, and everyone asked for the recipe! —Ashley Lecker, Green Bay, Wisconsin
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Perfect Four-Cheese Lasagna
Lasagna is one of my favorites, and this is the recipe I’ve been making since I was a teenager. It’s a tantalizing combo of pasta, meat sauce, cheese and more cheese that really lives up to its name! —Lauren Delaney-Wallace, Glen Carbon, Illinois
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Broccoli Tuna Casserole
When I was in the Navy, a co-worker's wife shared this recipe with me. I’ve tweaked it over the years, but it still brings back memories of my "family" away from home. —Yvonne Cook, Haskins, Ohio
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Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta
I try to make foods that are not only kid friendly, but are also easy to reheat since my husband works long hours and often eats later than our children. If you like, use reduced-fat cheese and ground turkey for a lighter version. —Melissa Stevens, Elk River, MinnesotaOriginally Published: July 23, 2020
