Casserole Tips and Tricks: How to Prevent a Bland Casserole
You’ve just pulled a warm, bubbly casserole out of the oven. But when you take a bite, the casserole has no flavor at all. No one likes to dig into a freshly-made casserole only to find that it is completely tasteless. There is nothing more disheartening than spending your time and energy on making a casserole that has no flavor! With our helpful guide, you will hopefully never have to endure another bland casserole.
One of the most important elements of cooking is to taste as you go. When making a recipe, it’s essential to taste what you are cooking, especially before you serve it. It’s also good to keep in mind that these tasty additions should be added in small amounts; you can always add more if it tastes good, but you can’t take back out!
With each spice suggestion, we have provided a recipe from AllFreeCasseroleRecipes.com to give you an idea of how these ingredients can be used. Remember: life is too short to eat bland casseroles!
Sauces - Since these ingredients are easy to keep on hand, these are quick fixes to fight blandness.
Philly Cheesesteak Casserole
Ketchup – It may seem unusual, but the classic condiment has the ability to balance the flavor in a casserole recipe. It is the perfect blend of rich, acidic, and sweet. Plus, you probably keep a bottle in your refrigerator at all times.
Cheesy One Pot Hamburger Casserole
Mustard – Depending on the casserole you’re making, there are many different types of mustards that would go well in a dish. Yellow mustard is a nice complement to ketchup if you’ve added too much ketchup, for example. Grainy Dijon mustard has a tang that will add a kick to a casserole.
Not-Your-Mom's Cheeseburger Casserole
Worcestershire Sauce – This special pantry ingredient adds plenty of savory flavor to hearty dishes. You will want to use this sauce sparingly as a little can go a long way.
French Onion Soup Casserole (shown)
Acids – Sometimes a casserole just tastes “blah”. To wake up your casserole, try adding an acid. These acidic ingredients can brighten up a “dull” casserole.
Alcohol – Sherry and white wine are great recipe additions because they create deeper, more complex flavors. Cooking with wine also adds a hint of sweetness. It’s worth a try!
Easy Red Wine and Herb Casserole
Vinegar – Depending on the type of casserole you are making, you will want to decide between white vinegar and balsamic vinegar. White vinegar has a strong flavor, whereas balsamic vinegar has a more subdued and rich flavor.
Dump-and-Bake Bruschetta Chicken
Citrus – Lemon or lime juice pair nicely with creamy dishes. However, be careful when adding citrus to a creamy dish—too much can cause dairy to curdle. When adding citrus juice, taste as you add. If you add too much juice, it may make the dish sour. Also, it is important to note that lime juice usually has a slightly bitter flavor as compared to lemon juice.
Best Chicken Broccoli Casserole (shown)
Herbs – For bright, fresh flavor, try adding fresh herbs to your casserole
Fresh herbs – add great flavor to casserole recipes. Parsley, rosemary, and basil are all great options. Dried herbs can also be used if you don’t have fresh herbs available.
Pull-Apart Stuffed Shells
Salt – You can’t go wrong with a standard table spice like salt. Salt enhances flavors that are already in a dish. No wonder it’s of the most widely used seasonings!
Seasoned salts – In addition to using basic salt, seasoned salts add even more amazing flavor. Depending on the type of casserole you are making, there are plenty of flavors to choose from. For example, garlic salt would be a great addition to a ground beef casserole. Celery salt could enhance the flavor of a chicken casserole and lime salt would taste incredible in a Mexican casserole.
Shipwreck Casserole
What’s your favorite seasoning for a casserole?
