10+ Comforting High

Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking.

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, has been with EatingWell for three years and works as the associate nutrition editor for the brand. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes.

Seasonal vegetables like cauliflower, kale and cabbage make these casseroles the perfect dishes for a cozy fall dinner. From hearty stuffing with chicken to crispy layers of cheese and phyllo, these comforting, veggie-packed meals are sure to be a hit. These dishes also have at least 15 grams of protein per serving from foods like lean beef, pasta and beans to help promote satiety, injury recovery and immunity. Recipes like our Cabbage Roll Casserole and Smoked Turkey, Kale & Rice Bake are filling, satisfying and delicious deep-dish dinners you’re sure to make again and again.

Ground beef and cauliflower combine to create a hearty weeknight casserole that both kids and adults will love. Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream.

This flavorful chicken taco casserole is packed with veggies, chicken, cheese and crispy tortilla chips and baked to perfection, then topped with fresh tomatoes, crisp iceberg lettuce and creamy avocado—just like a classic taco. Make it your own by swapping out the black beans for pinto beans or adding pepper Jack cheese for some added kick. If you want to keep it mild, opt for a milder taco seasoning and skip the jalapeños.

Stuffing is not just for Thanksgiving, and this easy chicken and stuffing casserole is proof. It's packed with plenty of veggies, making this a healthy casserole you can feel good about serving year-round.

This casserole has all the elements of cabbage rolls—ground beef, onion and rice cooked in tomato sauce—and skips the fuss of rolling. The cabbage is chopped instead and layered with the saucy filling, then topped with cheese for a satisfying and easy casserole. Feel free to substitute other ground meats, such as turkey, for the ground beef—this recipe would also be great with a vegetarian meat substitute.

Creamed spinach and chicken combine in this crowd-pleasing, comforting casserole. Crushed red pepper packs some heat, so add less or leave it out completely if you want a milder version. You can cook long-grain brown rice ahead of time or look for packaged microwaveable brown rice to use instead.

This is a fun take on spanakopita, with a creamy feta-and-spinach filling and a crispy phyllo topping. Chicken and white beans pack in the protein. Any white beans, such as cannellini, garbanzo or navy beans, work well here. To keep the phyllo dough from drying out as you build the casserole, keep the unused sheets under a clean, damp towel.

With the combo of beef, cheese and bell pepper, this easy casserole hits the nail on the head when it comes to the flavors of classic Philly cheesesteak. It's sure to be a new family favorite that's quick enough to pull off on a weeknight. We love the flavor smoked provolone lends to the dish, but if you want a more traditional flavor, aged provolone works just as well.

This cheesy ground beef and broccoli casserole is comfort food the whole family can get behind. It's assembled and baked all in one skillet and finished in 30 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight meal.

This hearty one-skillet dinner is loaded with celery, kale, tomatoes and quick-cooking brown rice. It's easy to make the recipe vegetarian by substituting smoked tofu for the turkey.

This breakfast casserole is a natural make-ahead choice, as the egg mixture needs plenty of time to soak into the bread before baking. Plus, it's equally delicious hot, room temperature or cold, so guests can help themselves as they wake up.

This cheesy chicken and cabbage casserole is creamy and briny with plenty of savory flavors thanks to sauerkraut and kielbasa. Gruyère (or Swiss) cheese adds a nutty flavor to the dish, while rye breadcrumbs on top give it a hint of caraway and a nice crunch.

If you're looking for something cozy to eat, this casserole is a delicious choice! Instead of using a can of cream of mushroom soup, we make our own simplified version here. This hearty casserole is finished with perfectly tangy sour cream and buttery crackers, which add the perfect crunch.

Hotdish may be a Minnesota tradition but everyone, everywhere, should add this cheesy casserole to their fall dinner rotation.

Strands of tender squash replace pasta for a more flavorful version of spaghetti pie casserole. Not to mention, spaghetti squash is a low-carb alternative to pasta and saves more than 150 calories per serving compared to a traditional recipe. A sprinkling of nutty fontina cheese melts into a gooey topping.

This lightened-up creamy chicken casserole is packed with veggies. The sauce at the heart of this family-friendly casserole uses fat-free milk with a combination of fat-free Greek-style yogurt and a little mayonnaise to give it body.