Stick-to-Your-Ribs Stews and Casseroles

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When the chill sets in, nothing beats the comfort of a hearty stew or casserole. These dishes are the definition of cozy, bringing warmth and flavor to your table with every bite. Whether you’re looking for a rich, slow-cooked stew or a bubbling casserole fresh from the oven, this collection has something to satisfy every craving. So, pull up a chair, grab your favorite serving spoon, and let’s dig into some serious comfort food.

Cioppino

A hand dips a piece of bread into a bowl of seafood stew filled with shrimp, mussels, and garnished with chopped herbs. The vibrant stew is served in a white bowl, with a basket of bread rolls and a bunch of parsley visible in the background.
Image Credit: Noshing with The Nolands.

This Italian-American Fisherman’s Stew, known as Cioppino, is a favorite of ours. It’s packed with seafood delicacies and served in a hearty, rustic tomato and garlic fish broth.

GET THE RECIPE: Cioppino

Farm to Table Thick Beef Stew

A pot of Thick Beef Stew beside a buttered roll and a bowl of stew on a serving tray.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

This Southern Farm to Table Thick Beef Stew is rich in flavor with the addition of dry red wine and whole grain mustard. A unique ingredient, added just before serving, enhances its depth and character.

GET THE RECIPE: Beef Stew

Beef Tips in Creamy Mushroom Pan Sauce

A dinner plate loaded with mashed potatoes and beef tips in brown gravy with mushrooms.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Explore this quick 30-minute recipe for Beef Tips with a Creamy Mushroom Pan Sauce, ideal for a swift and refined meal. The dish offers the heartiness of a stew, with tender beef simmering in a rich, creamy sauce that’s perfect for spooning over rice or mashed potatoes. If you’re eying the Cheesy Mashed Potatoes Casserole, yes, it’s worth it!

GET THE RECIPE: Beef Tips

Cassoulet-Style French Bean Stew Recipe

Bean stew with sausage and pork and beef.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

While spring and summer might seem an unlikely time for a bean stew, it’s actually perfect due to the abundance of fresh vegetables and herbs. A Cassoulet-style Bean Stew, enriched with smoked ham and sausages and bursting with fresh tomatoes, makes the most of seasonal produce to create a rich, flavorful dish.

GET THE RECIPE: Cassoulet

Authentic Dublin Coddle

A Dutch oven filled with Irish pork sausage and potato stew.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

For those seeking the warmth and satisfaction of a traditional Irish meal, the Dublin Coddle offers everything desired in a classic stew, all from the convenience of a single pot.

GET THE RECIPE: Dublin Coddle

Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe

A hearty beef stew served in a white ceramic bowl with handles. The stew contains chunks of beef, potatoes, carrots, and celery, garnished with fresh parsley. Perfect for an Instant Pot recipe, another bowl of stew is visible in the background amidst fresh vegetables.
Image Credit: Noshing with The Nolands.

This Instant Pot Beef Stew is the ultimate recipe! It’s simple, nutritious, and packed with flavor. With tender beef, a rich broth, and hearty vegetables like carrots and potatoes, it’s sure to become a family favorite!

GET THE RECIPE: Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe

The Best Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and dumplings in a bowl.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

My Best Chicken and Dumplings recipe, made with straightforward, wholesome ingredients, offers the perfect comfort meal for a family dinner. This quick and easy Southern-style dish, featuring hearty drop dumplings, is excellent for feeding a crowd during busy weeknights, providing a complete, satisfying supper in one dish!

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken and Dumplings

“Chicken on The Ritz” Casserole

A spoonful of chicken casserole with a Ritz cracker topping.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

This “Chicken on The Ritz” Casserole uses fewer than ten ingredients to create a velvety, creamy sauce that’s perfect for busy nights. Starting with a tender rotisserie chicken speeds up this easy, satisfying meal, ideal for a quick weeknight dinner.

GET THE RECIPE: Ritz Cracker Chicken

Sausage and Bean Stew

Two bowls of hearty bean and sausage stew garnished with pieces of toasted bread and fresh herbs are shown on a light surface. A hand is reaching with a spoon towards one of the bowls. A napkin and a small dish of fresh herbs are placed beside the bowls.
Image Credit: Culinary Hill.

Weeknights are perfect for Sausage and Bean Stew, a rustic French casserole that comes together in one cozy pot. Each bowl is filled with vibrant tomatoes, creamy white beans, and finished off with a topping of toasted bread.

GET THE RECIPE: Sausage and Bean Stew

Copycat Bob Evans Sausage Gravy and Biscuit Casserole

A plate of scrambled eggs and hot sausage biscuit and gravy casserole.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Prepare for breakfast casserole deliciousness as we recreate Bob Evans’ famous sausage gravy recipe! With just a bag of all-purpose flour and a skillet, we’ll whip up a batch of this savory delight. Then, we’ll layer it with biscuits to create a mouthwatering casserole that’s perfect for brunch, weekend breakfast, or even breakfast for dinner. Quick and easy to prepare, this dish will become a family favorite. Plus, it reheats beautifully for leftovers!

GET THE RECIPE: Biscuit and Gravy Casserole

Creamy Meatball Stew

A large pot filled with creamy meatball and potato stew garnished with fresh parsley and green peas. The pot rests on a woven mat, with a wooden spoon and forks nearby. A small bowl of sour cream and a bunch of green peas are also visible.
Image Credit: xoxoBella.

This Creamy Meatball Stew is the perfect comfort meal after a long day at work, and it’s just as delightful on a chilly evening. The meatballs are juicy and seasoned with herbs and spices, all nestled in a heavenly creamy gravy that smothers both the meatballs and tender potatoes.

GET THE RECIPE: Creamy Meatball Stew

Best Southern Corn Pudding

A spoonful of creamy baked corn casserole.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Southern Corn Pudding is farm to table fare, accompanying everything from grilled steak to the Thanksgiving dinner turkey! Baked until gorgeously golden brown, spoonsful of ‘creamy corn pudding bliss’ grace the dinner table in this classic southern dish. If serving as part of a holiday meal, it compliments everything from holiday ham and turkey to a green bean casserole!

GET THE RECIPE: Corn Casserole

Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

A green rectangular casserole dish filled with a baked spaghetti casserole topped with melted cheese and garnished with parsley. The dish is placed on a white and blue checkered cloth, and a serving spoon rests in the lower right corner of the dish.
Image Credit: Culinary Hill.

When it’s time to eat, this Chicken Spaghetti Casserole is the ultimate comfort food that everyone will love. This easy recipe brings together noodles, chicken, and red peppers in a creamy sauce, topped with plenty of melted cheese for a truly heavenly dish.

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

French Onion Noodle Casserole

A baking dish filled with noodle casserole topped with fried onions, a wooden spoon, a bowl of extra fried onions, whole onions, fresh parsley, and a plate with a serving of the casserole.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

This 6-ingredient French Onion Noodle Casserole is both quick to prepare and brimming with savory flavors, making it a standout dish.

GET THE RECIPE: French Onion Noodles

Beef and Sour Cream Noodle Casserole

Beef and noodle casserole in a baking dish.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Experience the ultimate in comfort food with this delicious Sour Cream Beef and Noodle Casserole recipe! Tender egg noodles are cooked to perfection and then smothered in a creamy sauce before being baked with ground beef and sausage for a hearty and satisfying weeknight meal. Your family will love this classic dish that’s easy to prepare and sure to please everyone at the dinner table.

GET THE RECIPE: Beef Noodle Casserole

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About Jenny deRemer

I am a Charleston, South Carolina-based culinary novice, an ardent authority on all things travel, a designer by trade, and the creator of Not Entirely Average. I have a weakness for farmers' markets, delight in adventures way off the beaten path, enjoy documenting my many moods through photography, and have been known to conquer the occasional yard sale with gusto!

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