Are Casseroles The Ultimate Comfort Food?

Why casseroles are due for a comeback, along with my mom's Comfort Noodle Casserole recipe.

When you hear the word "casserole," what's the first thing that comes to mind? Is it a mishmash of creamy noodles in a gray sauce, assembled and served in a classic baking dish with blue or yellow flowers? I can't blame you. That specific version of casserole became popular in the 1950s when that classic dishware first hit the market, and the rise of canned food made casseroles a simple and affordable way for American mid-century folks (cough, couch—women) to feed their nuclear husband and 2.5 kids.  

The first casserole recipe is akin to what we now know as lasagna: layers of pasta, cheese, and spices dating back to 1250. Similar recipes made their way to the United States in the late 1780s, but it wasn't until the Great Depression that casseroles made their initial surge in popularity with the American public. I'd argue that casseroles are one of the earliest, if not the very first, comfort foods. We turn to them in tough times when we need to make ends meet, in our lowest moments, and during times when we must do more with less. Up until the new millennium, casseroles have been a staple on our dinner tables, providing nourishing hot meals for our families and ourselves. Yet, like many other popular mid-century classic cuisines, casseroles seem to have fallen off our radar.

Apart from being relatively affordable, depending on your recipe, casseroles freeze well, making them a quintessential comfort food gift for those dealing with bereavement, illness, or new parents who are too sleep-deprived to cook. When you're emotionally drained, a homemade freezer casserole from a friend can be a lifeline—a gift from a loved one in our times of greatest need.

For me, as a latchkey kid (a kid who was home before their parents came home from work), it wasn’t uncommon for my mom to ask me to “start dinner” once I got home from school, mom-speak for have dinner ready. Chicken noodle casserole was a family staple growing up, and it was the first dish my mom taught me to cook on my own at the age of 10. My mom's chicken noodle casserole was as simple as they come: one can of cream of chicken soup, milk, butter, frozen peas, egg noodles, canned chicken, and some salt and pepper. Sure, you could use fresh chicken, which would undoubtedly be healthier, but in my opinion, canned ingredients are a hallmark of casseroles. Today, canned meats can range from gourmet to economical, depending on your preference. 

As our society, economy, and overall global well-being continue to go off the rails, I predict another resurgence in the popularity of casseroles. I was talking to a friend the other day, and she commented that 2020 still feels like last year. How many of us are still stuck in the trauma from that year? I know there are times when I certainly feel like I am. And as a global community, can we truly say we're in a better place than we were a few years ago? I'm not so sure. But I am sure of this: during times of inevitable suffering, struggle, and pain, we still need to eat, and eating can be an act of self-love and comfort to ease our pain. This is the essence of comfort food at its simplest—a source of nourishment when we need to find solace. So show yourself some love and prepare a freezer casserole before the next news cycle that breaks your heart again. Even better, make one for a friend—a "just-because-I-love-you-and-want-you-to-have-a-wholesome-meal-when-times-are-tough" casserole. Chances are they will need it at some point, and when they do, they'll know they aren't alone because they have a loved one like you who cared enough to make sure they were fed with they didn’t have the energy or resources to feed themselves.

I'm sharing the instructions below for my mom's chicken noodle casserole. It's nothing fancy, perhaps quite similar to your family's noodle casserole, and easy enough for a 10-year-old to make. However, it has brought me comfort throughout my life, a staple I can always rely on when I need to feel the peace in my heart that only comfort foods can provide.

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Comfort Noodle Casserole

Ingredients

12 oz. bag large flat egg noodles

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 stick of cold butter cut into pieces

Milk

Chicken pieces, either two small cans (drained) or leftover chicken

salt and pepper (to taste)

Frozen peas

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350

Add noodles to boiling water.  Cook until just slightly undercooked.  Drain well.

Put hot, drained noodles into a large casserole dish

Add cubed butter to noodles

Empty cream of soup onto noodles

Add chicken to noodle mixture

Mix with a large spoon until the butter is almost entirely melted

Add salt and pepper

Fill ¾ of the empty soup can with milk and pour over the mixture until almost soupy

Taste to see if you have enough salt and pepper

Cover with foil or oven-safe lid

Put the covered baking dish on the center rack and bake until hot and bubbling.  Approximately 20-30 minutes.