When autumn falls, animals go into hibernation with their stockpiles of fat and food. What do humans do? Cook a bunch of casseroles and freeze them up for weeks’ worth of dinners! There just isn’t anything that tastes quite as good as a deep dish full of warm food layers, especially as it grows colder outside. Food and Wine made a list of their favorite fall casserole recipes, and it inspired us to find our favorite dishes to fill up on in autumn. Here’s SEVEN of them to carry you through potlucks, weeknight dinners, and into the holiday season.

1. Mac ‘n’ Cheese Lasagna
   
   What's Cooking
   
   Lasagna is, at heart, a kind of casserole, but it gets even better – and more kid-friendly! – when combined with macaroni and cheese. The cheesy and easy dish from What’s Cooking is the kind of filling meal we all need in autumn.
2. Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
   
   The Kitchn
   
   For a lot of people, when you say “casserole,” they think of one of two things: sweet potatoes, or shepherd’s pie. This recipe from The Kitchn brings them together with lentils and mushrooms for the ultimate in hearty fare.
3. Cheesy Vegetarian Lasagna
   
   The Kitchn
   
   “Casserole” doesn’t have to mean “meat” at all. This fall, fill up on eggplant, peppers, mushrooms and more with this recipe from The Kitchn. Vegetarians and carnivores alike will be begging for more!
4. Egg and Sausage
   
   brandon schauer via Flickr
   
   You don’t have to wait until dinner to enjoy a filling casserole! This egg and sausage breakfast version from Allrecipes was designed with Christmas in mind, but we start craving it as soon temperatures start to dip.
5. Loaded Baked Potato and Chicken
   
   Delicious As It Sounds
   
   Fall holidays aren’t complete without baked potatoes, and they’re so good, we’re always tempted to make an entire meal out of them. So let’s go ahead and do just that! This recipe from Delicious As It Looks shows us how, and adds some chicken for good measure.
6. Tater Tots
   
   Allrecipes
   
   Kids aren’t always into casseroles, but they are huge fans of tater tots, making this dish from Allrecipes a perfect introduction to the deep dish stand-by. Plus, those tots are hiding vegetables, helping you sneak some health into their diet this fall.
7. Curried Cauliflower
   
   Food & Wine
   
   This dish is a healthy take on “cauliflower cheese,” a traditional English casserole usually made with béchamel sauce. Instead, this recipe keeps the cauliflower, adds a kick of curry powder, and swaps in Greek yogurt for a meal that’s hearty and heart-healthy.

Want even more casserole ideas? Be sure to check out Food and Wine’s list for their favorite fall recipes. What casseroles would be on your list? Which one on ours will you be trying first?