If you find yourself with buckets of leftovers after making your favorite casserole, just cut the recipe in half! We'll teach you how to convert that 9x13 recipe to an 8x8 pan.
How to Convert a 13×9 Recipe for an 8×8 Pan
Updated on Mar. 21, 2022
For the longest time, the 13×9 pan reigned supreme. It was the perfect vessel for a bubbly, cheesy, warming casserole, and using a large pan meant you could feed a small army. (Try these contest-winning recipes!) Today, it’s all about the 8×8: a baking dish designed for those of us cooking for one or two. Unfortunately, you have all those great casserole recipes in your collection! Never fear: we can scale back. It’s surprisingly simple to learn how to convert a recipe from 9×13 to 8×8 – even if you’re mathematically challenged!
Cut Your Recipe in Half
You’re really in luck when it comes to using an 8×8 pan: it’s almost exactly half the size of your larger casserole dish! A 13×9 pan measures 117 square inches of surface area, which will hold about 14 cups of food. The 8×8 pan’s 64 inches of surface area can contain up to 8 cups. And, because there won’t be a major difference in surface area or batter depth when you pack your halved recipe into the smaller baking dish, you won’t even need to adjust the oven temperature or the cooking time. Just cut all of the ingredients in your recipe in half. It’s almost too perfect!
What About Ingredients That You Can’t Halve?
There are some ingredients that are pretty difficult to cut in half (like a whole egg, for example). In this case, you can just use the entire egg. When you consider that there are about 8 cups of other ingredients in a savory casserole, the extra tablespoon or two of liquid from the egg won’t make that much of a difference. If you’re halving a baking recipe, on the other hand, you’d want to weigh your ingredients like the pros and use exactly half of everything.
Using Your Leftovers
If you can’t fathom the thought of doing all that math, never fear: casseroles are notoriously easy to store! You can split the original recipe between two 8×8 dishes and freeze an entire pan for later. Or, bake your recipe in the original 13×9 and cut out individual portions. Freeze them in airtight containers or freezer bags and they’ll be ready to thaw and pop in the microwave for a perfectly pre-portioned lunch.
Now that you know how to convert a recipe from 13×9 to 8×8, try it out on some of our favorite casserole recipes! Or, skip the conversions altogether and just follow the instructions for these 45 casserole recipes made in an 8×8 dish.
Recipes Made for an 8x8 Pan
This is a rich and surprisingly tasty rendition of all the Tex-Mex dishes molded into one packed, beautiful casserole. Best of all, it’s ready in no time! —Janet McCormick, Proctorville, Ohio
Need a new dish? Try the 8x8 nonstick pan from Taste of Home’s new line of cookware and bakeware!
Taco Salad CasseroleThis taco casserole recipe tastes like a taco salad and is a breeze to assemble. I crush tortilla chips to form a bottom layer, then spread on refried beans, a spicy meat mixture and cheese. —Rhonda McKee, Greensburg, Kansas
Kielbasa CasseroleKielbasa casserole is cozy and hearty, highlighting the rich, creamy flavors of Polish sausage and a mushroom-and-cheese sauce.
Ham & Veggie CasseroleI’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
Ole Polenta CasseroleWith plenty of ground beef and cheese, this layered bake goes over big on the dinner table. Adjust the amount of hot pepper sauce to suit your taste.—Angela Biggin, Lyons, Illinois
Ziti BakeMy children have frowned upon many of my casserole recipes, but they give a cheer when they hear we're having baked ziti for supper. I've tried to incorporate more meatless meals into our menus, which is how this recipe got started. No one misses the meat. They even like the leftovers! —Charity Burkholder, Pittsboro, Indiana
BLT Egg BakeBLTs are a favorite at my house, so I created this recipe to combine those flavors into a warm, cozy casserole. It was such a hit, I served it to my church ladies group at a brunch I hosted. —Priscilla Detrick, Catoosa, Oklahoma
BBQ Chicken and Apple Bread PuddingTo me, bread pudding is the epitome of comfort food and it's simply too good to reserve only for dessert. This sweet-and-savory twist on the classic is a delicious new way to enjoy an old favorite. —Shauna Havey, Roy, Utah
Sweet Corn and Potato GratinThis tasty potato gratin side dish combines great garlic and onion flavor, and kids love the nice crispy topping, too! —Jennifer Olson, Pleasanton, California
Overnight Ham and Egg CasseroleI love how easy it is to assemble this savory egg casserole. Putting it together the night before really frees up my time the next morning. —Jennifer Howell, Fort Collins, Colorado
Brussels Sprouts and Grapes au GratinRed grapes add pops of sweetness to this bubbly, cheesy veggie side. I make mine with Swiss, but if you're feeling fancy, try Gruyere. And if you have one on hand, toss in a sliced apple. —Lorie Durrant, Nashville, Tennessee
Beef Pot PieFor more than a dozen years, this has been the No. 1 dish to serve company at our house. So far, everyone has given it a thumbs-up rating. —Hannah McDowell, Penns Creek, Pennsylvania
Ramona’s ChilaquilesA dear neighbor shared this recipe. She used to make it from scratch, but my version takes a few shortcuts. —Marina Castle Kelley, Canyon Country, California
Fontina Chicken & Pasta BakeEat it tonight, or freeze it for later. This cheesy casserole is still awesome months after you make it. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Sausage & Apple Cornbread BakeI make a cornbread-style bake with sausage, maple syrup and apples when we want a hearty breakfast casserole. It’s sweet, savory and easy to make.—Stevie Wilson, Fremont, Iowa
Scalloped Sweet Corn CasseroleThis is my Grandma Ostendorf's corn recipe I grew up enjoying. Now a grandmother myself, I still serve this comfy, delicious side as a family classic. —Lonnie Hartstack, Clarinda, Iowa
Turkey Mushroom TetrazziniYour family will flip over this turkey and mushroom casserole. In fact, the creamy Parmesan-topped tetrazzini is so satisfying, no one will suspect it's lower in fat! —Irene Banegas, Las Cruces, New Mexico
Chiles Rellenos SquaresMy family requests this chiles rellenos dish regularly—it's easy to prepare and makes a nice hors d'oeuvre or complement to a Mexican or Spanish meal. A friend I worked with shared the recipe with me several years ago. —Fran Carll, Long Beach, California
Chicken Tater Tot CasseroleThis yummy chicken Tater Tot casserole makes a filling dinner everyone in the family will enjoy.
Zucchini and Cheese CasseroleMy daughter and I love zucchini, and this casserole uses plenty for a hearty fall side dish. For extra color, I add fresh diced tomatoes. —Rachelle Stratton, Rock Springs, Wyoming
Crescent Turkey CasseroleHow do you make a dinner of turkey and vegetables appealing to kids? You turn it into a pie, of course! My version tastes classic but doesn’t take any time at all. —Daniela Essman, Perham, Minnesota
Spinach-Parm CasseroleFor those who ignore Popeye and won’t eat their spinach, I find that spinach with garlicky butter and Parmesan helps change their minds. —Judy Batson, Tampa, Florida
Sausage & Swiss Chard LasagnaRustic and comforting, I found this rich and cheesy lasagna to be a great way to get kids to eat healthy greens—it's such a tasty casserole they'll never know the Swiss chard is there! —Candace Morehouse, Show Low, Arizona
Pastry-Topped Turkey CasseroleMy friends tell me this is the best potpie they've ever had. Hearty and full-flavored, my comforting classic never lets on that it’s also low in fat and a good source of fiber. —Agnes Ward, Stratford, Ontario
Cauliflower-Broccoli Cheese BakeOne of the first dishes my mom taught me is a tasty pairing of cauliflower, cheese and broccoli. It's absolutely my best side. —Devin Mulertt, Napa, California
Pear-Stuffed French Vanilla ToastMy handyman, who is originally from Nicaragua, shared this classic breakfast dish his mother used to prepare. He says he makes it frequently for his children and they clean their plates! —Gail Borczyk, Boca Raton, Florida
Summer Vegetable CobblerHere’s a comforting vegetarian main dish that uses a lot of garden produce. Try different squashes like pattypan and crookneck or zucchini. — Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Apple, Cheddar & Bacon Bread PuddingI had this dish at a bridal brunch many years ago. It was so delicious that I created my own version, and this is the result. Now I make it all the time. Enjoy! —Melissa Millwood, Lyman, South Carolina
Whole Wheat Pasta BakeWith a casserole this rich and saucy, it’s tempting to skip the crunchy topping and dip a fork straight into the skillet. But as one taster noted: “The bread crumbs on top make this one extra special.” —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Smoked Salmon-Potato Brunch BakeThe two different potatoes, fresh herbs and different textures make this savory brunch bake unique and special.—Victoria Johnson, Gilbert, Arizona
Cheesy Mexican Chicken AlfredoI was hosting a baby shower and wanted to serve something everyone would enjoy. I created this recipe on a whim, so I was totally surprised that it turned out to be such a hit. —Tia Woodley, Stockbridge, Georgia
Spicy Enchilada CasseroleChili powder, tortillas, cheese and ground beef combine for a winning Tex-Mex casserole. Choose a salsa that suits your family's taste—mild, medium or hot.—Julie Huffman, New Lebanon, Ohio
Never-Fail Scalloped PotatoesThis rich, cheesy take on scalloped potatoes is deceptively simple to make. It comes together in just 25 minutes and then you have an hour to relax (or make the rest of the meal) while it bakes.
Overnight Baked OatmealMy husband and I spent a long weekend at a bed-and-breakfast not far from our home. The owners shared this delicious recipe with me, which I made my own with a couple of simple changes. —Jennifer Cramer, Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Gobble-Up StrataI always look forward to making strata after Thanksgiving. We invite our neighbors, and they think it’s neat that I prepare another whole meal. — Bonnie Hawkins, Elkhorn, Wisconsin
Spaghetti Casserole BakeThis quick casserole makes great use of convenience products like canned spaghetti and jarred mushrooms, and the kids will love how cheesy it is. —Pat Richter, Lake Placid, Florida
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