25 Vintage Casserole Recipes from the '50s That We Still Love Today (2024)

Home Recipes Casseroles

25 Vintage Casserole Recipes from the '50s That We Still Love Today (1)Carrie Madormo, RNUpdated: Jun. 21, 2022

    Feel like you're back around grandma's kitchen table with these comforting vintage casserole recipes.

    Tuna Noodle Casserole

    Go to Recipe

    Families are sure to love the creamy texture and comforting taste of this traditional tuna casserole that goes together in a jiffy. I serve it with a green salad and warm rolls for a nutritious supper. —Ruby Wells, Cynthiana, Kentucky

    Baked Spaghetti

    Go to Recipe

    Every time that I make this cheesy baked spaghetti, I get requests for the recipe. It puts a different spin on pasta and is great for any meal. The leftovers, if there are any, also freeze well for a quick dinner later in the week. —Ruth Koberna, Brecksville, Ohio

    Crunchy Spinach Casserole

    Go to Recipe

    Taste of Home

    Our holidays would not be the same without this family tradition. My mother made it every Thanksgiving when I was growing up; now I make it every Christmas as well, and my children and grandchildren absolutely love it! We triple the recipe because the kids can't get enough. —Sharon Scaletta, Johnstown, Pennsylvania

    Biscuit Turkey Bake

    Go to Recipe

    As a college student, I go for stick-to-your-ribs foods that are also easy on the budget. Here's one that fits the bill. I like to bake this casserole for friends' birthdays. —Stephanie Denning, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa

    Go to Recipe

    Taste of Home

    This is the recipe my daughters and I often make for new parents when they come home from the hospital. With its creamy spaghetti filling and melted cheese topping, this casserole holds a nice cut and comforts hungry tummies. —Fancheon Resler, Bluffton, Indiana

    Seafood Casserole

    Taste of Home

    A family favorite, this rice casserole is filled with plenty of seafood and veggies. It's hearty, homey and so easy to make. —Nancy Billups, Princeton, Iowa

    Grandma's Rice Dish

    Go to Recipe

    My grandmother often made this casserole when I was young. I forgot about it until one day I found myself adding the same ingredients to leftover rice. The memories came flooding back. —Lorna Moore, Glendora, California

    Go to Recipe

    Taste of Home

    It's nice to have an alternative to the traditional baked ham on Easter. This comforting casserole is always a crowd-pleaser. Using rotisserie chicken from the deli makes prep simple. —Christina Petri, Alexandria, Minnesota

    Classic Cabbage Rolls

    Go to Recipe

    I've always enjoyed cabbage rolls but didn't make them since most methods were too complicated. This recipe is fairly simple and results in the best cabbage rolls. My husband, Sid, requests them often. They're terrific to share at gatherings with our children and grandchildren. —Beverly Zehner, McMinnville, Oregon

    Go to Recipe

    The entire family will enjoy this heartwarming, all-in-one dinner. Plus, it offers easy cleanup! —Mike Tchou, Pepper Pike, Ohio

    My Mother's Mac and Cheese

    Go to Recipe

    Taste of Home

    I remember my mother sending me to the store for 15 cents worth of cheese. The butcher would cut off a slice from a gigantic wheel covered with a wax-coated cloth. Mother would then blend that cheese into this tasty dish. Today, the memory of her cooking is like food for my soul. —Phyllis Burkland, Portland, Oregon

    Church Supper Spaghetti

    Go to Recipe

    Taste of Home

    Because this recipe feeds so many, I often take it to church dinners and potlucks. This colorful dish also comes in handy when we have lots of help to feed on our farm. —Verlyn Wilson, Wilkinson, Indiana

    Sausage Cheese Squares

    Taste of Home

    My grandsons tried these savory morsels for the first time as youngsters and loved them. They're all grown up now, and instead of little appetizer squares, we make the servings breakfast-size. —Helen McFadden, Sierra Vista, Arizona.

    Go to Recipe

    Taste of Home

    I couldn’t say who loves this recipe best, because it gets raves every time I serve it! Occasionally I even get a phone call or email from a friend requesting the recipe, and it's certainly a favorite for my grown children and 15 grandchildren. —Maryalice Wood, Langley, British Columbia

    Go to Recipe

    Taste of Home

    Eat it tonight, or freeze it for later. This cheesy casserole is still awesome months after you make it. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

    Church Supper Hot Dish

    Go to Recipe

    This recipe was in my mother's church cookbook, and now it's in my church cookbook! Apparently is was too good to miss a generation. I often make this dish to take along to potlucks...and it seems that if I don't, someone else will! It's hearty and so tasty! —Norma Turner, Haslett, Michigan

    Go to Recipe

    Taste of Home

    My grandmother used to make this for parties and potlucks. It was loved by all back then, and it still is today. The classic combination of pasta, ham, cheese and a creamy sauce makes it irresistible. —Mary Savor, Woodburn, Indiana

    Go to Recipe

    Taste of Home

    On chilly days, I doctor up grits and top them with shrimp for a comfy meal. If you’re not a seafood lover, use chicken, ham or both. —Jerri Gradert, Lincoln, Nebraska

    Loaded Spaghetti Bake

    Go to Recipe

    Make this loaded pasta recipe your own, everyone loves it! It's also great made with leftover chicken from the previous night's dinner. You might prefer another hard cheese for the Parmesan…or just go with the cheddar and cornflake crumbs. —Marian Pappas, Lake Stevens, Washington

    Spinach Beef Macaroni Bake

    Go to Recipe

    This hearty casserole is great for a family reunion or church supper. I've also made half the recipe for family gatherings. It's become a special favorite of my grandson-in-law and great-grandson, who often ask me to serve it when they're visiting. —Lois Lauppe, Lahoma, Oklahoma

    Grandmother's Corn Pudding

    Go to Recipe

    My grandmother always served this pudding for holidays and family reunions. Everyone loves it. Corn pudding is a popular side dish on Maryland's eastern shore. —Susan Brown Langenstein, Salisbury, Maryland

    Polish Casserole

    Go to Recipe

    When I first made this dish, my 2-year-old liked it so much that he wanted it for every meal! You can use almost any pasta that will hold the sauce. —Crystal Bruns, Iliff, Colorado

    Pizza Noodle Bake

    Go to Recipe

    Here’s a family-pleasing casserole that comes together in a snap, making it perfect for a weeknight meal. Double the recipe and freeze one for later! —Bernice Knutson, Soldier, Iowa

    Go to Recipe

    I’ve paired ham with broccoli and cauliflower for years. To complete this casserole dinner, I pass around some dinner rolls. —Sherri Melotik, Oak Creek, Wisconsin

    Go to Recipe

    Taste of Home

    This quick, easy recipe is truly delicious. The succulent, melt-in-your-mouth seafood flavors and textures make for elegant comfort food. To make ahead, just assemble, cover and refrigerate, then bake when ready. —Jan Bartley, Evergreen, North Carolina

    Originally Published: October 29, 2019

    25 Vintage Casserole Recipes from the '50s That We Still Love Today (26)

    Carrie Madormo, RN

    Carrie is a health writer and nurse who specializes in healthy eating and wellness through food. With a master’s degree in public health from the Medical College of Wisconsin, she strives to translate the latest health and nutrition research into interesting, actionable articles. During her six years at Taste of Home, Carrie has answered hundreds of reader questions about health and nutrition, such as if pomegranate seeds are safe to eat, why pregnant women crave pickles and how much caffeine is in a shot of espresso. Carrie is also a former health coach and food blogger.

    25 Vintage Casserole Recipes from the '50s That We Still Love Today (2024)

    FAQs

    What was the most popular dish in the 1950s? ›

    As you can see from the decade's top recipes, the 1950s were all about the intersection of comfort food and convenience—casseroles and quick dishes like Chicken a la King and Welsh rarebit reigned supreme.

    What is the oldest known casserole? ›

    Macaroni and cheese is the oldest written casserole recipe found in 1250.

    What was the most popular food in 1954? ›

    Here's the most popular food the year you were born:
    • 1930s: Creamed Chipped Beef. The Great Depression meant dinner could be pretty lean. ...
    • 1940s: Meat Loaf. ...
    • 1950: Tuna Casserole. ...
    • 1951: Baked Alaska. ...
    • 1952: Salisbury Steak. ...
    • 1953: Chicken Tetrazzini. ...
    • 1954: Deviled Eggs. ...
    • 1955: Green Bean Casserole.
    Aug 31, 2017

    Why were casseroles popular in the 1950s? ›

    Casseroles provided affordable sustenance during the Depressions of the 1890s and 1930s and the shortage of food items during both World Wars. In the 1950s, the widespread use of oven-proof cookware and canned foods made casseroles a simple, quick and inexpensive way to feed the whole family.

    What was the typical daily menu in the 1950s? ›

    There was no such thing as the keto diet in the 1950s—meat and potatoes reigned supreme. You'd find hearty main dishes like Salisbury steak, beef stroganoff and meat loaf on a '50s dinner menu, plus scrumptious sides. Casseroles were also popular, particularly those featuring seafood or ham.

    Which classic 1950s dish won Dole's first recipe contest? ›

    In fact, a pineapple upside down cake won the first Dole recipe contest in 1926. By the 1950s and 1960s, the cake was at the peak of its popularity perhaps because of the ease of using boxed cake mixes, which were increasingly available in the post WWII years, says Bon Appetit.

    What was the favorite food in 1957? ›

    In 1957, beef stroganoff was a fancy and exciting Russian-French treat. Although the dish was invented in the 1800s, its popularity didn't sweep across America until the late 1950s, according to Bon Appétit.

    What was the most popular food in 1957? ›

    1957's Three Most Often Requested Recipes Were Casseroles; Paella, Jambalaya, Chicken Marengo Topped List - The New York Times.

    What was the most popular food in 1953? ›

    In addition to Coronation Chicken, Chicken Tetrazzini.

    What was the original casserole? ›

    Baked dishes have existed for thousands of years. Early casserole recipes consisted of rice that was pounded, pressed, and filled with a savoury mixture of meats such as chicken or sweetbread. Sometime around the 1870s the casserole seems to have taken on its current definition.

    What did people snack on in the 1950s? ›

    However, packaged snacks were not about to concede to the fast food trend. Peanut M&Ms, Atomic Fireballs, Certs Mints, Hot Tamales, PEZ candy, Pixy Stix, Smarties Candy Necklaces and Marshmallow Peeps were all candies developed during this decade.

    What foods were invented in the 1950s? ›

    Food Innovations of the 1950's
    • 1950. Minute Rice. Kellogg's Sugar Pops.
    • 1951. Ore Ida Foods (frozen potato products) Duncan Hines Cake Mix. ...
    • 1952. Kraft Cheese Wiz. Mrs. ...
    • 1953. Eggo Frozen Waffles. Star-Kist canned tuna. ...
    • 1954. General Mills Trix. ...
    • 1955. Kellogg's Special K cereal. ...
    • 1956. Imperial Margarine.
    • 1957. Pam nonstick cooking spray.
    Apr 11, 2014

    What food did people eat in 1950? ›

    Typical main dishes might have been a hamburger, tuna fish, chicken casserole, dried chipped beef in cream gravy over toast, fried chicken, mac and cheese, Spam, canned ham, spareribs, hot dogs wrapped in Bisquick, hot dogs with barbecue sauce, liver and onions or various bean dishes.

    What did kids eat in the 1950s? ›

    School lunches in the 50s were pretty much like the meat and two veg in diners at the time. There was only one lunch, no choice. Typically it would be a ham slice with pineapple, mashed potatoes and gravy amd green beans. Or turkey and dressing or Salisbury steak.

    What food came out in the 50s? ›

    Food Innovations of the 1950's
    • 1950. Minute Rice. Kellogg's Sugar Pops.
    • 1951. Ore Ida Foods (frozen potato products) Duncan Hines Cake Mix. ...
    • 1952. Kraft Cheese Wiz. Mrs. ...
    • 1953. Eggo Frozen Waffles. Star-Kist canned tuna. ...
    • 1954. General Mills Trix. ...
    • 1955. Kellogg's Special K cereal. ...
    • 1956. Imperial Margarine.
    • 1957. Pam nonstick cooking spray.
    Apr 11, 2014

    What was served in 50s diners? ›

    As well as being quicker to make, dishes served at diners were cheaper, too. Items like pancakes, sausages, meatloaf, burgers, and sandwiches were standard on diner menus, and still are today.

    References

    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Recommended Articles
    Article information

    Author: Reed Wilderman

    Last Updated:

    Views: 5910

    Rating: 4.1 / 5 (52 voted)

    Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Reed Wilderman

    Birthday: 1992-06-14

    Address: 998 Estell Village, Lake Oscarberg, SD 48713-6877

    Phone: +21813267449721

    Job: Technology Engineer

    Hobby: Swimming, Do it yourself, Beekeeping, Lapidary, Cosplaying, Hiking, Graffiti

    Introduction: My name is Reed Wilderman, I am a faithful, bright, lucky, adventurous, lively, rich, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.