Is it a stew or a casserole ?
By Traceyjayne
@Traceyjayne (6221)
United Kingdom
November 4, 2025 7:10am CST
I’ve just been watching a cookery video and there was a debate about what to call the meal.
Basically it was chunks of lamb, carrots, leek and potatoes covered in stock and cooked in the oven.
So would you call that a stew …..or a casserole ?
I wonder if there is a ‘ proper explanation ‘ of the difference. Or , is it just more about where you come from to whether you say stew or casserole …..
I would be interested to know what you think.
6 people like this
8 responses
@Traceyjayne (6221)
• United Kingdom
8h
Casseroles here don’t stick together and I have never heard of rice or noodles added. Casseroles have a liquid sauce.
2 people like this
@porwest (110628)
• United States
8h
@Traceyjayne The most traditional casserole is a meat and rice bake that uses rice of course, a meat, a cream soup, a dairy like sour cream, heavy cream or milk, a vegetable, usually topped with cheese melted on top.
Here are some classic ones.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/top-10-casserole-recipes/
@Marilynda1225 (86761)
• United States
5h
@Traceyjayne I always think stew is meat, veggies and stock of some sort. Whereas a casserole is more on the dry side say like macaroni & cheese or a pasta dish like lasagna.
@rusty2rusty (6771)
• Defiance, Ohio
4h
Stews have bigger pieces of meat. Where cassaroles are normally smaller left overs turn in to a new dish.
@Orson_Kart (7855)
• United Kingdom
8h
Casserole is simply the name of the dish used to cook stews in. It’s like hoover being used in place of vacuum cleaners.
@Bhaskarjhborah (736)
• India
8h
So, is it a stew or a casserole? ?? I'd say it's a casserole, but feel free to call it whatever you like – it's delicious either way!
@xFiacre (14580)
• Ireland
7h
@traceyjayne Casserole I think is just a fancy word for stew. I’d give anything for a really good mutton stew right now, packed full of flavour and goodness. Stews had in cafes are so anemic.
