casserole

American  

[kas-uh-rohl] / ˈkæs əˌroʊl /

noun

1. a baking dish of glass, pottery, etc., usually with a cover.

2. any food, usually a mixture, cooked in such a dish.

3. a small dish with a handle, used in chemical laboratories.

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verb (used with object)

casseroles, present (3rd person singular) casseroled, past participle, past casseroling present participle

1. to bake or cook (food) in a casserole.

casserole British  

/ ˈkæsəˌrəʊl /

noun

1. a covered dish of earthenware, glass, etc, in which food is cooked and served

2. any food cooked and served in such a dish

   chicken casserole

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verb

1. to cook or be cooked in a casserole

Other Word Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have casseroled
  perfect
• has casseroled
  perfect 3rd person singular
• is casseroling
  progressive 3rd person singular
• have been casseroling
  perfect progressive
• has been casseroling
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• am casseroling
  progressive 1st person singular
• are casseroling
  progressive
• casseroling
  participle
• casseroles
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had casseroled
  perfect
• were casseroling
  progressive plural
• had been casseroling
  perfect progressive
• was casseroling
  progressive singular
• casseroled
  simple
• casseroled
  participle

Future

• will casserole
  simple
• will have casseroled
  perfect
• will be casseroling
  progressive
• will have been casseroling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of casserole

First recorded in 1700–10; from French: “ladlelike pan,” equivalent to casse “small saucepan” (from Old Provençal cassa “large spoon,” akin to Medieval Latin cattia “crucible”; of disputed origin) + -role diminutive suffix

Explanation

A casserole is a large, deep baking dish that can be used both in the oven and as a serving dish. Casserole is also what you call the food baked inside it, which is often a complete, gooey, one-dish meal. You can use the word casserole for a ceramic, glass, or metal baking dish that goes right from the oven to the table, and you can also call the food that's cooked in it a casserole. Many casseroles are thick and warm comfort food, baked by thoughtful people in aprons. Cream of mushroom soup is a popular ingredient in a casserole. In French, casserole means "sauce pan," from the Latin root cattia, "pan" or "vessel."

Example Sentences

Our tasting panel devoured the Bettergoods Sweet Potato and Praline Casserole, which delivers four satisfying servings for $5.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 15, 2025

Most Likely to Bake a Mean Casserole would have tracked, too — even sitting in the middle of Manhattan, she emanated Midwestern normalcy and niceness.

From New York Times • Apr. 29, 2022

In the meantime, I'll take a stab at Ella Quittner's Breakfast Casserole and see if maybe I transform into someone who eats breakfast at a reasonable morning hour.

From Salon • Apr. 17, 2022

To try it yourself, here’s the "Skillet Green Bean Casserole" recipe from Quiche My Grits.

From Fox News • Nov. 23, 2021

Casserole Ramekin Here is the Americanization of a French original: In a deep casserole lay alternate slices of white bread and Swiss cheese, with the cheese slices a bit bigger all around.

From The Complete Book of Cheese by Brown, Robert Carlton