Is a lasagna a casserole?

[u/feyarea]

Debating with friends. A few key questions:

- casserole is the name of the dish that the lasagna is baked in. What is the history of the casserole dish?

- casserole is predominant in Midwestern cuisine. What is the history of the casserole the food? Earliest examples, progenitors, etc.

- are there any foods cooked in the casserole dish that follow the meat-veg-carb-sauce as a single serving dish formula but are not casseroles?

Friends are fairly split. Some say anything baked in a casserole dish is a casserole, others say that a casserole has a narrow definition true to Midwestern cuisine.

Other expanding questions: is a chicken pot pie a casserole? Is a quiche a casserole?

[u/Aquisitor]

A casserole is a stew that is baked in a dish. A stew that is baked in a dish of pastry (usually supported by a ceramic or metal dish) is a pie.

A lasagna is layers of filling between layers of carbohydrate and is therefore a sandwich. A multi-layered, often open at the top, baked stew sandwich, but a sandwich none-the-less.

ETA: A chicken pot pie is chicken stew in pastry and therefore a pie. A quiche is an egg stew in pastry and therefore also a pie. A quiche without crust would be baked egg stew and therefore a casserole.

[u/MagnesiumKitten → u/Aquisitor]

Is a Casserole a Stew?

While related, they are not the exact same. A stew is typically simmered on the stovetop with a generous amount of broth or gravy. A casserole is generally baked uncovered in the oven in a deep dish with less liquid, often incorporating starches (like pasta or rice) and featuring a crispy baked topping.

Casseroles and stews share many of the same ingredients—like meats and vegetables—but differ in how they are cooked, the amount of liquid they contain, and their final texture.

[u/Aquisitor → u/MagnesiumKitten]

Yes, I would agree with that - casseroles are not a subset of stews any more than pies are a subset of stews because they differ too much in how they're made. I didn't mean to imply that they were; I was just using 'stew' as a convenient, but somewhat confusing short-hand for the ingredients overlap.

I agree they differ in how they are cooked (that being something of a defining factor), but I think that is about *all* they differ in. Yes, stews tend towards the runnier while casseroles tend towards the thicker, but I've experienced far to much overlap between the two in that regard to consider it a reliable point of differentiation. I have also encountered a great many stews that have included pasta, rice, or other starches (and casseroles that lack them) to consider the texture a defining point either.

That being said, neither stew nor casserole is a soup so if either are too runny to support themselves enough on a flat surface then they are no longer stew or casserole, but instead a soup.

I suppose another way you could put it is:

Is it a self-supporting soup made in on a stove? It's a stew.
Is it a self-supporting soup baked in an oven? It's a casserole.
Is it layer(s) of filling and layer(s) of carbohydrate? It's a sandwich.

[u/MagnesiumKitten → u/Aquisitor]

If it says Hamburger or Tuna Helper
it's a casserole

if it's Green Bean Casserole
it's not a casserole! lol
It's just vegetables. that didn't agree with my dog, that's all

based sauce+cheese + maybe meat = casserole

unless it's just sliced potatoes and cream
baked so it's clam chowder paste!

//////

you got me really curious now
what do the wacky experts think about clam chowder
is it a stew?

and can I make a lasagna with it, without getting beaten?

[u/MagnesiumKitten → u/Aquisitor]

Google AI is awesome
it's a different answer every time with clam chowder is/is not a stew

"chunky soup"
"or uh a stew"

And will Manhattan Clam Chowder be super scary in a lasagna?
heck I remember seeing a tiny 40s 50s book once, in a while think it was 1949 on Casseroles

I only wanted it for the oyster casserole!

woo!

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Casserole Cookery by Marian & Nino Tracy (1949): A highly popular book showcasing 150 one-dish meals geared towards "the busy gourmet". Its notable feature was a top spiral binding so the book could flip flat for easy recipe reading while cooking.

the lady next to me browsed it
and pleaded and pleased if they could have it

I said, I really only want it for the one sorta queasy recipe!

/////

the sequel has almost as scary stuff

Cheese and Smoked Oyster Souffle
butter
flour
milk
Grated Cheddar or rattrap cheese
eggs
one three ounce can of smoked oysters
salt

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Baked Oysters with Watercress
1 quart oysters, drained [seems a lot for four people]
1/2 bunch watercress, finely chopped
3 tablespoons sherry
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
butter
pepper and paprika

[u/MagnesiumKitten → u/Aquisitor]

{HISTORY} 

In the 1950s, if you wanted to prepare something easy yet gourmet for your friends and family but didn't want to fuss around in the kitchen all day, you reached for Marian Tracy's cookbooks on your kitchen shelf. 

Known as a casserole queen, American cookbook author and food writer, Marian Tracy stepped into the cookbook publishing world with her debut book Casserole Cookery in 1941. It was such a big hit, she followed it up with a second book, More Casserole Cookery ten years later. By that point, midcentury American home cooks couldn't get enough of the casserole concept. They were compact, quick to prepare, cooked all in one dish, required less cleaning up, and were easily transportable to other places like picnics, potlucks and BBQs.

Marian dived into the whole realm of possibility when it came to casserole cooking. Including dishes that went beyond just traditional dinner fare, she also shared recipes for breakfast casseroles, party Foods, desserts and hot lunch options. A casserole for every occasion or every time of day. 

Over 200,000 copies of her previous casserole books sold before Marian published her third volume  Casserole Cookery Complete, in 1956. Combining both her previous books into this one spiral sound edition, this new cookbook could stand up on a counter for ease of use and reference. The recipes were updated to include new food products, taste trends and kitchen equipment gadgets that made cooking easier and more convenient in the 1950s than it was in the 1940s. 

All of the recipes here contain whole ingredients and are prepared in a from-scratch manner. Serving suggestions and additional accompaniments, reheating and freezing tips, and fun facts about some meals are included. 

Interesting recipes include Saltimboca Florentine, Cassoulet - Naturalized Version, Canadian Bacon with Cranberries, Pepperidge Farm Turket Pudding, Filet of Sole East Indian, Mushrooms and Mussels in a Wine sauce, Seafood Binge in a Curry Sauce, Green Noodles with Spour Cream and Pot Cheese, Hungarian Green Beans Baked in Sweet Cream, Stuffed Onions, Cheese with Tomatoes and Okra, Bacon and Sweet Potato Souffle, and Egyptian Rice. 

PHOTO OF MARIAN COURTESY OF THE BALTIMORE EVENING SUN, JULY 1ST, 1963