Casseroles are delicious, but can you serve them to guests in the casserole dish you cooked them in? There are a few considerations to think about when deciding how best to serve your casserole. We've checked with what our experts had to say.
Casserole dishes are super for cooking up delicious creations. Though you may choose to plate the casserole individually from the kitchen, there are many suitable casserole dishes for direct serving. Just be sure you don't set a hot casserole dish directly onto your dining table surface, or it could permanently damage it.
Let's take a look at the clever and beautiful ways you can use your casserole dish to both cook and serve the casserole. We'll also investigate covers for casserole dishes, the best size of dish to use, and how to know if a casserole dish is good. So please keep reading for more detailed information.
Using Your Casserole Dish To Cook And To Serve
Who doesn't love a good casserole? Layers of meat, cheese, tasty vegetables, and rich sauce are typical flavor combinations. These recipes are passed down from generation to generation, taken as gifts when someone is ill, baked ahead, and kept in the freezer for quick meals. The other thing that makes them so handy is the ability to use the same dish they cooked in as your serving dish.
Really, the only con of serving straight from the casserole dish is that you shouldn't put a hot dish straight onto your table. Even if you're having a very elegant dinner party, there are solutions to disguise your humble casserole dish and turn it into something dignified.
Dressing Up Your Casserole Dish
If you want to dress up a plain pyrex casserole dish, you know the kind that can go from fridge to freezer to the oven to the table, we have some ideas for you.
Elegant Holder
Try a casserole caddy in silver-plate, sterling silver, or brushed aluminum. Caddys and holders like this are an elegant way to present your casserole. They also stand up off of the table, so you don't need to worry about the heat from your dish harming your table in any way. This one is tarnish-free and includes the 3qt Pyrex dish shown here. Click here for this on Amazon.
Woven Caddy
For something a bit more casual, look for a casserole basket. These baskets are made to fit a standard size casserole dish. The handles make it easy to carry a hot dish straight from the kitchen to the table, and the lovely woven basket looks polished and less casual than just plopping the Pyrex into the center of the table.
Click here for this on Amazon.
Seasonal Casserole Carrier
Here's another look for dressing up your simple casserole dish. Slip it into this lovely white ceramic dish and carry it by the pewter handles. The handles are inspired by nature and flowering blossoms. Perfect for a spring meal with family and friends.
Click here for this on Amazon.
Casserole Dishes Dressy Enough For The Dining Table
If you plan to serve from your casserole dish, you may want to start with dishes that are fit for serving. Nowadays, casserole dishes come in so many more varieties than the simple glass Pyrex bake dishes. You can find elegant stoneware and ceramic dishes that will move beautifully from the oven directly to your table. We've found a few of our favorites.
Colorful Porcelain
Simple porcelain casserole dishes in a solid color that works with your dining room decor are super. They work for cooking and serving your casserole, while at the same time, looking great with your home interior. This pack of 2 sizes comes in blue as shown, white, and a pumpkin orange color.
Click here for these on Amazon.
Patterned Cookware
These beautiful baking dishes will evenly cook your casseroles in the oven and look smashing on your dining room table. The pair are black and white (also available in blue) with reverse patterning from inside to out. The baking tray set is suitable for pizza, bread, spaghetti, chicken, meat, roasting, vegetables, storing and reheating, and casseroles. They're also dishwasher safe, which is super convenient.
Click here for these on Amazon.
Simple Convenience
Here's another set of rectangular baking dishes suitable for casseroles and other cooking needs. These three dishes come equipped with easy carrying handles (though you'll need oven mitts to take them from the oven and carry them). The baking dishes are made of high quality and Eco-friendly glaze. They are durable, high-temperature material, and are oven safe to 500°F. They can be used in the oven, microwave, refrigerator, and dishwasher.
Click here for this set of decorative casserole dishes on Amazon.
Other Things That Can Help When Serving Your Casserole Straight From The Casserole Dish
A few more things you want to think about when serving your casserole straight from the dish are as follows.
Trivets To Protect Your Table
You want to use some trivet to keep your dining table from ending up with scald marks. They are often made of metals like brass or iron but can also be found in lightweight rubber silicone like the set of 3 below.
Click here for these on Amazon.
Spoon Rests For Your Serving Utensil
Spoon rests allow for a place to put your serving utensil when it's not in use. If you set it back into your casserole, there's a risk of it clattering to the tabletop and spattering food. A spoon rest gives a designated place for the casserole spoon when it's not in use. It keeps from getting either your tablecloth or table surface covered with food remnants.
Click here for these spoon rests on Amazon.
What Can You Cover A Casserole Dish With?
Many casserole dishes come with lids now, which is great for easy covering. If you don't have a lid for yours, you can use aluminum foil in the oven, and it can also be used for storage. Plastic wrap can be used to cover-up room temperature or cold leftovers, but you don't want to use it over hot food.
You can also find baking dish covers with elasticized edges that will work with different sized dishes. You'll need to check and see how each of these is made to determine whether or not they're appropriate to use over hot food. This is made from 100% cotton fabric with elasticized edges and Food safe 50% polyurethane 50% polyester lining. It is not appropriate for baking but for storing leftovers.
Click here for this on Amazon.
What's The Best Size Casserole Dish For Serving?
Really the best size casserole dish is the one that works best for who you're serving. A standard-sized casserole dish for a group of 4-5 people is a 3-4 qt casserole. Probably the 9" x 13" casserole dish is the most common size for meals. Square casserole dishes, 9" x 9" or 8" x 8" are the most common for baked goods.
What Makes A Good Casserole Dish?
A good casserole dish can go from the freezer to the fridge to the oven back to the fridge. It can go in the dishwasher without worry and heat up to at least 500 degrees in the oven. You want it to be made of food-safe ingredients, and it doesn't hurt if it's attractive, too. Probably the most popular brand of casserole dishes is Pyrex (see link here: 25 Types Of Baking Dishes You Need In Your Kitchen), but Le Creuset is very popular as well.
This 3.5qt Le Creuset casserole dish comes with its own lid and is a beautiful blue color.
Click here for this popular brand on Amazon.
Serve Something Delicious
But what really makes a good casserole dish? What you put in it and the food you serve with love. If you loved this post here at Kitchenseer.com, please check out a few others we think you may be interested in below:
How To Clean A Burnt Casserole Dish [8 Effective Ways]
What Can I Use Instead Of A Casserole Dish? (5 Alternatives)
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