After a month of holiday cooking, the last thing anyone wants on January 1 is a sink full of pans. That’s where the casserole earns its keep: one dish, most of the work done ahead, and enough to feed everyone who wandered over to watch the bowl games.
These ten casseroles from Fork To Spoon cover the whole stretch, from a slow, hands-off New Year’s Day brunch to game-day snacking to the cozy, budget-friendly dinners that carry you through January.
New Year’s Day brunch
Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole
The best breakfast after a late night is the one that cooks itself. Eggs, sausage, hash browns, peppers, and melty cheese get layered in the crockpot and left alone. The hash browns keep it sturdy, so it holds up well on a buffet.
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole
Air Fryer Crescent Roll Breakfast Casserole
Four ingredients, one buttery crust. Crescent dough goes on the bottom, then sausage, eggs, and cheese bake on top in two short rounds in the air fryer. It slices into neat squares, which makes it easy to serve a crowd.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Crescent Roll Breakfast Casserole
Air Fryer Breakfast Casserole (20-Minute Egg Bake)
Starting the year with a fresh-start goal? This one is keto-friendly and done in about 20 minutes. Fluffy eggs, sausage, and cheddar bake in individual ramekins, so everyone gets their own.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Breakfast Casserole
Ninja Crispi Easy Breakfast Casserole
Diced potatoes, bell pepper, onion, and browned sausage tucked under fluffy eggs. Make it on New Year’s Day, then portion the leftovers: it freezes for up to three months, so January breakfasts are covered.
Get the recipe: Ninja Crispi Easy Breakfast Casserole
Bowl-game snacking
Ina Garten’s Mexican Chicken Casserole
This is the dish that disappears by halftime. Shredded chicken, black beans, corn, onion, and cheese in a creamy sauce get spooned over a layer of crushed tortilla chips and baked until bubbly. Grab a rotisserie chicken and it comes together fast.
Get the recipe: Easy Ina Garten’s Mexican Chicken Casserole
Easy Mexican Street Corn Casserole
All the flavor of elote, none of the mess of eating it off the cob. Corn, mayo, sour cream, chili powder, and smoked paprika bake with crumbled cotija until golden. It’s in and out of the oven in 25 to 30 minutes.
Get the recipe: Easy Mexican Street Corn Casserole
Cozy January dinners
Barefoot Contessa Chicken Divan
A classic that never goes out of style. Chicken and broccoli are folded into a rich cheese sauce, then topped with buttery panko crumbs and baked until golden and bubbly. Let it rest a few minutes so it sets up before you serve it.
Get the recipe: Barefoot Contessa Chicken Divan
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan Casserole
All the comfort of chicken parm without the breading station. Pasta, marinara, shredded chicken, mozzarella, and parmesan go under a crunchy panko topping. Leftover holiday chicken or a rotisserie bird works perfectly here.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Barefoot Contessa’s Tuna Casserole
When the holiday spending catches up with you, this pantry dinner saves the day. Egg noodles, canned tuna, peas, and onion bake in a creamy sauce under a buttery crumb topping. It’s cheap, filling, and pure nostalgia.
Get the recipe: Barefoot Contessa’s Tuna Casserole
Pioneer Woman’s Corn Casserole
The easy side for your New Year’s Day ham and black-eyed peas. Whole kernel corn, creamed corn, and a box of Jiffy mix bake into a golden, spoonable casserole that’s sweet and savory at once. Plan on 40 to 45 minutes in the oven.
Get the recipe: Easy Pioneer Woman’s Corn Casserole
Make-ahead tips for a stress-free New Year
- Use what’s left from the holidays. Leftover chicken or ham slides right into most of these casseroles.
- Drain well. Rinse beans and drain veggies thoroughly so the casserole doesn’t turn watery.
- Rest before slicing. A few minutes out of the oven lets a casserole set so it cuts into clean squares.
- Freeze in portions. Breakfast casseroles especially freeze well, so you can reheat a single serving on a busy morning.
- Reheat in the air fryer. It keeps crusts and crumb toppings crisp, where the microwave leaves them soft.
Your New Year casserole plan
Slide a breakfast casserole into the slow cooker before bed on New Year’s Eve, set out the Mexican chicken and street corn for the bowl games, and keep the Chicken Divan, Chicken Parm, and Tuna Casserole in your back pocket for January weeknights. One dish at a time, the new year starts a little easier.
For more ideas, browse Fork To Spoon’s 31+ Casserole Recipes To Try This Week.
