casserole: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Everyday, informal to semi-formal culinary contexts.
Quick answer
What does “casserole” mean?
A deep, heavy cooking dish or the food cooked and served in it, typically a combination of ingredients baked slowly.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A deep, heavy cooking dish or the food cooked and served in it, typically a combination of ingredients baked slowly.
A cooking method where food is baked slowly in liquid in a covered dish, or the resulting hearty, mixed dish, often used to create economical, one-pot meals.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'casserole' more commonly refers to the stew-like dish itself, while in the US, it can equally refer to the dish or the deep baking dish. The US usage for the dish often implies a baked pasta or rice-based dish with a creamy sauce and a crispy topping (e.g., tuna casserole).
Connotations
UK: Home-cooked, warming, winter food. US: Potluck dish, family dinner, comfort food, sometimes with retro or economical connotations.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties, but the prototypical image of the dish varies culturally.
Grammar
How to Use “casserole” in a Sentence
to make [DISH] a casseroleto bake/cook [FOOD] in a casseroleto serve [DISH] as/from a casseroleVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “casserole” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She decided to casserole the leftover roast with some carrots and onions.
American English
- I'm going to casserole these green beans with some cream of mushroom soup.
adjective
British English
- He brought a casserole dish to the party. (This is a noun adjunct)
American English
- She used a casserole recipe from her grandmother. (This is a noun adjunct)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in the hospitality/food industry (e.g., 'casserole sales increased').
Academic
Rare, except in culinary history or cultural studies.
Everyday
Very common in domestic and social cooking contexts.
Technical
Used in culinary arts to describe a specific slow-cooking method and the appropriate cookware.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “casserole”
- Using 'casserole' to mean any soup or stew (it must be baked).
- Confusing the food with the dish (e.g., 'Put the casserole in the casserole').
- Pronouncing it with a /z/ sound (correct is /s/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. While similar, a stew is typically cooked on the stovetop, whereas a casserole is assembled and baked in the oven, often developing a browned or crispy top.
Yes, though it's less common. It means to cook something in the style of a casserole (e.g., 'casseroled chicken').
A casserole dish is usually ceramic, glass, or stoneware and used primarily in the oven. A Dutch oven is a heavy, lidded pot (often cast iron) suitable for both stovetop browning and oven baking, making it more versatile for casserole-type recipes.
Casseroles are ideal for potlucks because they are easy to transport in their own dish, can feed many people, hold their heat well, and are often economical to make.
A deep, heavy cooking dish or the food cooked and served in it, typically a combination of ingredients baked slowly.
Casserole is usually everyday, informal to semi-formal culinary contexts. in register.
Casserole: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkæs.ə.rəʊl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkæs.ə.roʊl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Everything but the kitchen sink (can describe a casserole with many ingredients)”
- “A casserole for a crowd”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CASS-role. A CASS-eroLE plays a starring ROLE in a comforting family meal.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMFORT IS WARMTH / COMMUNITY IS SHARED FOOD (A casserole is a metaphor for bringing together diverse elements into a harmonious, nourishing whole, often shared socially).
Practice
Quiz
What is a key characteristic of a casserole as a cooking method?