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)

ByCarrie Madormo, RN

Taste of Home's Editorial Process

Updated: Jun. 21, 2022

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

    1/25

    Tuna Noodle Casserole

    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

    Go to Recipe

    2/25

    Baked Spaghetti

    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

    Go to Recipe

    3/25

    Taste of Home

    Crunchy Spinach Casserole

    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

    Go to Recipe

    4/25

    Biscuit Turkey Bake

    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

    5/25

    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

    Go to Recipe

    6/25

    Taste of Home

    Seafood Casserole

    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

    7/25

    Grandma's Rice Dish

    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

    8/25

    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

    Go to Recipe

    9/25

    Classic Cabbage Rolls

    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

    10/25

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

    Go to Recipe

    11/25

    Taste of Home

    My Mother's Mac and Cheese

    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

    Go to Recipe

    12/25

    Taste of Home

    Church Supper Spaghetti

    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

    Go to Recipe

    13/25

    Taste of Home

    Sausage Cheese Squares

    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.

    14/25

    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

    15/25

    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

    Go to Recipe

    16/25

    Church Supper Hot Dish

    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

    17/25

    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

    18/25

    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

    Go to Recipe

    19/25

    Loaded Spaghetti Bake

    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

    Go to Recipe

    20/25

    Spinach Beef Macaroni Bake

    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

    Go to Recipe

    21/25

    Grandmother's Corn Pudding

    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

    Go to Recipe

    22/25

    Polish Casserole

    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

    Go to Recipe

    23/25

    Pizza Noodle Bake

    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

    24/25

    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

    25/25

    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

    Go to Recipe

    Originally Published: October 29, 2019

    Author

    Carrie Madormo, RN

    Carrie is a nurse and health writer who has worked with Taste of Home for six years. As a former health coach, she’s written across a range of health publications and digital outlets and strives to translate the latest health and nutrition research into easy-to-understand information and actionable articles.

    Read More

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

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

    FAQs

    What is the oldest known casserole? ›

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

    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 most famous food 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 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 is the world's oldest recipe? ›

    Nettle Pudding

    Originating in 6000 BCE, England; it is the oldest dish of the world that's rich in nutrients. Nettle pudding is made with stinging nettles (wild leafy plant), breadcrumbs, suet, onions, and other herbs and spices. This dish is steam cooked until it attains a mousse-like consistency.

    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 did people snack on in the 1950s? ›

    They also barely snacked, and when they did, it was fruit, maybe a cookie, not a package, and not a jug of high fructose corn syrup. In the 1950s the fast food industry didn't really exist. People didn't eat out as much.

    Why was Jello so popular in the 50s? ›

    It was economical: A housewife could stretch her family's leftovers by encasing them in gelatin. And, since sugar was already included in the flavored mixes, the new packaged gelatins didn't require cooks to use up their household stores of sugar.

    Why was Jello so popular in the 70s? ›

    It's cheap, aesthetically pleasing (by the standards of the day), and relatively easy to prepare. This is when the still popular jellied salads began to appear.

    What food was served at the 1950s picnic? ›

    Often tinned hams, salads, breads and dessert would be served in a field. However, for an easier alternative make sandwiches and wrap them in greaseproof paper. Don't forget the hard boiled eggs as no picnic would be a picnic without one! Tea and lemonade.

    What did kids eat in the 1950s? ›

    Popular packaged foods included Kellogg's Frosted Flakes and Special K cereals, General Mills' Trix and Cocoa Puffs cereals, Star-Kist Tuna, Minute Rice, Eggo Waffles, Pepperidge Farm Cookies, Ruffles potato chips, Rice-A-Roni, Ramen Noodles, and Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream.

    Were TV dinners a thing in the 50s? ›

    By 1950, the company had produced over 400,000 frozen dinners. Demand continued to grow, and in 1952 the Bernstein brothers formed the Quaker State Food Corporation. They expanded distribution to markets east of the Mississippi. By 1954, Quaker State Foods had produced and sold over 2,500,000 frozen dinners!

    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Article information

    Author: Gregorio Kreiger

    Last Updated:

    Views: 6743

    Rating: 4.7 / 5 (77 voted)

    Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Gregorio Kreiger

    Birthday: 1994-12-18

    Address: 89212 Tracey Ramp, Sunside, MT 08453-0951

    Phone: +9014805370218

    Job: Customer Designer

    Hobby: Mountain biking, Orienteering, Hiking, Sewing, Backpacking, Mushroom hunting, Backpacking

    Introduction: My name is Gregorio Kreiger, I am a tender, brainy, enthusiastic, combative, agreeable, gentle, gentle person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.