Is it a stew or a casserole ?
By Traceyjayne
@Traceyjayne (6517)
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.
5 people like this
7 responses
@Traceyjayne (6517)
• United Kingdom
4 Nov
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 (111070)
• United States
4 Nov
@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/
@Traceyjayne (6517)
• United Kingdom
4 Nov
@porwest I think traditional maybe for your part of the world. We don’t put rice in ours, ever. Very few use soup or cream and we dont top with cheese.
Interesting to hear how things are cooked in other parts of the world.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (86924)
• United States
4 Nov
@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.
@Traceyjayne (6517)
• United Kingdom
4 Nov
So how is a different to a casserole ?
1 person likes this
@rusty2rusty (6771)
• Defiance, Ohio
4 Nov
Stews have bigger pieces of meat. Where cassaroles are normally smaller left overs turn in to a new dish.
@xFiacre (14052)
• Ireland
4 Nov
@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.
@Bhaskarjhborah (736)
• India
4 Nov
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!
