Do you ever wonder what the most popular Christmas casseroles are? Your family likely has nostalgic culinary traditions surrounding Christmas, cooking the same tried and true recipes every year for the holiday. Despite each community having its own favorites, certain casseroles are universally popular because of their comforting taste.
With so many delicious recipes online, we couldn’t help but wonder what the top casseroles actually are. After all, choosing a classic is always a safe bet when you want to please a crowd. So, we had to get to the bottom of it and conduct some research on what the most famous Christmas casseroles are.
And, just to be safe, we even took to Google Trends to see what users are searching for in relation to the term “Christmas casserole.” You might recall we previously discussed the most favored Thanksgiving casseroles. However, while some popular Christmas casseroles overlap with Thanksgiving ones, it’s understandable that Christmas has many breakfast casseroles that are perfect for enjoying on the cozy holiday morning.
1. Crescent Roll Breakfast Casserole
When searching Google for Christmas casserole recipes, it seems that every year, without a doubt, people are looking for a Crescent roll-related recipe. Although this casserole type is popular year-round, it trends in December because of its comforting essence.
The neat thing about Crescent roll breakfast casseroles is that they can be savory or sweet. Savory options typically include eggs, Crescent rolls, breakfast meat, cheese, and veggies. However, sweeter varieties can contain fresh berries, cinnamon sugar, nuts, icing, and other sweet components.
2. Green Bean Casserole
Green bean casserole is a popular choice for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, according to Timeout. This dish varies depending on where you are from. Typically, it is a convenient recipe since people use canned cream of mushroom soup with green beans as the primary components.
Of course, seasonings and other ingredients are added. Then, the silky base is balanced with a crunchy topping, whether it be crispy fried onions, Ritz crackers, or another breadcrumb topping.
3. Hashbrown Casserole
Google Trends shows that when people search for the perfect Christmas casserole, they also search for one that includes hash browns. When you wake up on Christmas morning, it is a delicious way to start your day with ingredients like ground meat, hash browns, cheese, bacon, and eggs.
Nevertheless, Hash Brown Casserole is so adaptable that you can eat it for brunch or dinner, too, making it the perfect Christmas meal to enjoy without strict time constraints.
4. Holiday French Toast Casserole
It doesn’t get any more classic than a French Toast Casserole on Christmas morning. Again, Google Trends shows how much people really adore this type of casserole. Rather than spending time making individual French toast pieces for your entire family, you can create it in casserole form, making it easy to whip up.
This dish typically contains bread pieces, eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and other baking spices. Often, they also include fresh fruit, and you can top them with powdered sugar or syrup to finish them off.
5. Corn Pudding Casserole
A Corn Pudding Casserole is a holiday classic, with people enjoying it for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s an incredibly old-fashioned, home-cooked type dish containing cornbread mix, corn kernels, butter, eggs, and cream.
They also typically have seasonings and sometimes other mix-ins, such as diced jalapenos or cheese. Also, many corn pudding casserole options omit the cornbread mix to make it gluten-free. This dish comes out extremely creamy, fluffy, and custardy, making it a perfect accompaniment for ham, turkey, and other Christmas entrees.
6. Lasagna
According to Taste of Home, classic lasagna ranks among the most popular Christmas dishes in the United States. You might not necessarily think of lasagna as a casserole, but it actually is one of the most famous casserole types of all time!
This dish is so appealing for Christmas because of its delicious layers of lasagna noodles, meat, creamy cheese, fresh herbs, and rich sauce. It’s perfect for making in large quantities, so it makes sense why people love it on Christmas. Of course, families can customize lasagna to fit their needs better, whether they prefer to use ground turkey instead of ground beef or white sauce instead of tomato.
7. Mashed Potato Casserole
Here is another casserole that comes out on top whether it is Thanksgiving or Christmas. People really seem to love it, and we don’t blame them. Rather than making mashed potatoes on the spot, you can easily make them the day before when you turn them into a casserole.
Not to mention, Mashed Potato Casserole can be topped however you like, whether you want to load it with cheese, scallions, bacon bits, or other toppings. Of course, the base is fluffy mashed potatoes full of butter and milk, giving a rich and creamy taste that is hard to beat.
8. Sweet Potato Casserole
Timeout states that Sweet Potato Casserole is one of the most popular Christmas dinner recipes, especially in states such as Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Tennessee. However, those are just some of the states where it is the casserole of choice!
This casserole contains mashed and seasoned sweet potatoes with a sweet topping to accompany it. Although sweet potatoes are subtly sweet, people typically make the dish even sweeter by layering marshmallows or pecan streusel on top. The casserole bakes until the marshmallows are roasted or the streusel topping is perfectly golden brown.
9. Sausage Breakfast Casserole
When enjoying a classic Sausage Breakfast Casserole, it doesn’t need to be Christmas. However, people seem to gravitate towards this dish for Christmas morning. Google Trends shows that users often search for this casserole when looking up food for Christmas!
Although Sausage Breakfast Casserole varies, it often contains ingredients such as bacon, breakfast sausage, milk, eggs, and a bread component such as biscuits, torn bread, or croissants. It is advantageous for Christmas mornings since you can pop it in the oven while everyone opens gifts. Many recipes even allow you to assemble it the night before.
10. Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
Broccoli casserole remains a favorite during the holiday season, especially on Christmas Day. There are different variations of this casserole, but all of them have one thing in common: broccoli as the base.
Certain versions pair the broccoli with cauliflower pieces, cauliflower rice, or white rice. Frequently, there is a creamy sauce to go with it, which coats the broccoli and introduces flavors of seasonings and cheese. This is an excellent vegetable side dish for Christmas main courses.
11. Pineapple Casserole
Eat This, Not That reports that each state has a Christmas dish they’re famous for. For Hawaii, that dish is Pineapple Casserole. However, this dish is widely appreciated since it is also a Southern delicacy.
It is a unique casserole because it has sweet and savory flavors due to the sweet-tart pineapple, cheddar cheese, butter, and crispy topping. People typically use Ritz crackers or panko bread crumb topping, which pairs with the fruity filling. This casserole is a holiday favorite, gaining traction at both Thanksgiving and Christmastime.
12. Christmas Egg Casserole
When users rely on Google to find the perfect Christmas casserole, they often want an egg casserole. This is another breakfast dish for Christmas morning that is a favorite among people across the U.S. Egg casserole can be as simple as eggs, milk, and potatoes.
However, frequently, it includes meat and veggies to make it more filling. Some include ham, bacon, or sausage; others include onions, peppers, and more. Nevertheless, the primary component in the dish is a fluffy egg base that is both satisfying and perfect for Christmas morning.
