Stews vs casseroles: the difference between these two one-pot winter favourites

Stews and casseroles are without a doubt ultimate winter comfort dishes. We love them because they are comforting, easy to cook, filling and versatile, but what exactly is the difference between the two?

A traditionalist would say that a casserole goes in the oven, heating the dish from all directions, while a stew goes on the stovetop and is heated solely from the bottom.

What is a casserole?

“Casserole” is the name given to an oven-safe pot used for cooking, so technically speaking anything that is cooked in the oven and served in the same deep cooking dish can be considered a casserole.

Traditionally, any good casserole has three important components: some sort of protein, a bulk of bite-sized prepped veggies, and a starchy ingredient that serves to bind everything together wonderfully.

Here are four casserole recipes we adore:

Chicken enchilada casserole

Sloppy Joe casserole

Chicken and leek casserole

Veggie and meatball casserole

What is a stew?

A stew is a one-pot wonder dish composed of protein that generally requires a longer period of cooking, a variety of vegetables and a substantial amount of liquid to aid in the slow-cooking experience. A stew is, therefore, a delicious combination of tender-cooked solid foods and a flavoursome gravy.

Here are four stew recipes we adore:

Tomato and wors stew

Creamy samp and beef stew

Chickpea and almond stew

Oxtail stew