8 Delicious Casseroles For Fall

While there is no strict definition of what officially makes a dish a "casserole," it is generally understood to be a combination of ingredients baked in the oven in the type of dish for which it is named ("casserole" is actually the French word for pan or saucepan). Regardless of the specifics, everyone will agree that casseroles can be an easy and delicious way to get a meal on the table when you don't have much time to dedicate to cooking; whether you make a casserole ahead of time and have it in the freezer, ready to be baked on a busy night, or you choose a recipe that takes advantage of leftovers or premade ingredients, casseroles can be weeknight time savers. And, with the arrival of back-to-school and cooler temperatures, fall is a great time to get baking.

Click here to see the 8 Delicious Casseroles for Fall (Slideshow)

Some casseroles are especially convenient because they are essentially one-dish meals. By combining all the ingredients needed to make a well-rounded meal into a casserole dish, you reduce both the amount of time needed to prepare the meal and the number of dirty dishes created. Less prep time and less cleanup means more time to focus on things besides cooking.

And, casseroles can often be made in advance and stored in the freezer. In general, any casserole can be frozen before it's baked; those that call for a crumb topping should be prepared and frozen without the topping (it should be added immediately before baking the casserole). Freezing a casserole can alter the texture of certain ingredients like rice or pasta so it's important to make sure that your casserole is cool before you freeze it; this helps eliminate excess water, which can damage the texture of starchy ingredients.

Try any—or all!—of these eight delicious fall casseroles. They're reliable and really, really delicious.

Potato Bacon Casserole

(Credit: Shutterstock)
Whether you're planning brunch or are in search of a starchy side dish for dinner, this super easy casserole made with frozen shredded hash browns is a must-try. It calls for eight strips of cooked, crumbled bacon, but if you don't have any on hand, you can substitute cooked sausage or ham.
Click here for the recipe.

Nacho Chicken Casserole

(Credit: Shutterstock)
This is truly one of the easiest casseroles you can make; after combining lots of flavorful Tex-Mex ingredients like tortilla chips, green chili peppers, and sour cream, top the casserole with shredded cheese and bake until bubbly and delicious.
Click here for the recipe.

Click here to see more of the delicious casseroles for fall

Kristie Collado is The Daily Meal's Cook Editor. Follow her on Twitter @KColladoCook.