12 Best Cozy Casserole Recipes for Weight Loss

3. Green Bean Casserole

Perhaps the most famous back-of-the-box recipe and Thanksgiving side dish ever, this home-cooked classic was invented in 1955 by the Campbell Soup Company, an ingenious way to get consumers to buy their Cream of Mushroom soup during a time when items like fresh mushrooms and green beans were tough to come by. Those days, of course, are now long gone, and the casserole is badly in need of an update so you can eat it all year long. So let’s take a crack at it, shall well?

In this version, we stay true to the flavors of the original green bean casserole recipe (onions, mushrooms, green beans bound in a creamy soup sauce), but we employ the use of fresh ingredients to create something with more texture, flavor, and nutrition far exceeding the original. It still works as a great side dish to bring out not only during Turkey Day, but also to any potluck or picnic for that matter.

NUTRITION: 110 calories, 2.5 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 310 mg sodium

SERVES 6

YOU’LL NEED

Salt
1 lb green beans
1 Tbsp butter
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup low-sodium beef or chicken stock
1 cup 2% milk
Black pepper to taste
1⁄2 cup panko bread crumbs, tossed with 1 Tbsp olive oil

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Season with salt and cook the green beans for about 3 minutes, until crisp-tender.
3. Drain and run cold water over the beans to help stop the cooking.
4. Preheat the oven to 475 ̊F.
5. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
6. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are very soft and translucent.
7. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned.
8. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then add the stock and milk, whisking to help prevent lumps from forming.
9. Add the green beans and simmer for about 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens and clings to the vegetables.
10. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
11. Pour the green beans into an 8″ × 8″ casserole dish and top with the bread crumbs.
12. Place on the middle rack and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the bread crumbs are golden brown.

4. Chicken Sausage Lasagna

This version of the chicken lasagna recipe represents the best of both worlds, blending the cheesy, tomatoey comfort of the American version with the meatiness and relative healthfulness of the Italian take.

There are two types of lasagna in this world. The Italian type is made with a rich meat sauce and covered with béchamel instead of cheese, and the American type is heavy on tomatoes, ricotta, and mozzarella—a delicious, if not altogether healthy, interpretation. This version of the chicken lasagna recipe represents the best of both worlds, blending the cheesy, tomatoey comfort of the American version with the meatiness and relative healthfulness of the Italian take. Perfect for large dinner parties and for freezing. The only thing better than lasagna? Leftover lasagna.

NUTRITION: 360 calories, 11 g fat (5 g saturated), 450 mg sodium

SERVES 8

YOU’LL NEED

1 Tbsp olive oil
3 links raw chicken sausage, casings removed
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups low-fat ricotta (Barilla makes a good no-boil lasagna that is widely available.)
1/2 cup 2% milk
16 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles
16–20 fresh basil leaves
1 cup chopped fresh mozzarella

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the sausage and cook for about 3 minutes, until no longer pink.
3. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
4. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Combine the ricotta and milk in a mixing bowl.
8. In a 9″ x 9″ baking pan, lay down a layer of 4 noodles.
9. Cover with a quarter of the ricotta mixture and a quarter of the sausage mixture, then a few basil leaves and a quarter of the mozzarella.
10. Repeat three times to create a four-layer lasagna.
11. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the pasta cooked through.
12. Remove the foil and increase the temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
13. Continue baking for about 10 minutes, until the top of the lasagna is nicely browned.