Translation guide
A baked dish, often a one-pot meal, or the pot itself. In Japanese, the concept is expressed through specific dish names or descriptions.
casserole (food)
casserole (dish)
A dish of meat, vegetables, and often a starchy binder, baked in a deep dish.
The most common Japanese word for a Western-style baked dish with a creamy sauce and often a browned cheese topping. It covers many dishes that English speakers would call a casserole.
I'm making a macaroni casserole tonight.
A direct loanword from English. It is understood, especially in cooking contexts, but less common than グラタン for the food itself. Often refers to the baking dish.
A descriptive term meaning 'oven-baked dish'. Can be used to explain what a casserole is, but not a common name for a specific dish.
That's a type of casserole.
A deep, oven-safe dish used for baking casseroles.
The loanword is the standard term for the baking dish, especially in recipes and cookware shops.
Grease the casserole dish with butter.
A general term for any heat-resistant container, including casserole dishes. Useful when the specific English loanword might not be understood.
Specifically a dish for making グラタン. It is a type of casserole dish, but the term is less general.
Put the macaroni in the casserole dish.
Traditional Japanese dishes that are similar to a casserole in being baked in a single pot.
Dishes cooked in an earthenware pot (土鍋). While often simmered, some are baked, resembling a casserole. Not a direct translation but a cultural equivalent.
Casserole-type dishes are popular in winter.
グラタン almost always refers to a creamy, cheesy baked dish. キャセロール can refer to the dish itself or a wider variety of baked one-pot meals, but it is less commonly used for the food. If you want to say 'I made a casserole', グラタン is usually the best choice unless you are specifying the cookware.
I covered the casserole with foil so it wouldn't burn.
In English, 'casserole' can be a broad category. In Japanese, グラタン specifically implies a white sauce or cheese. A baked pasta with tomato sauce might be called オーブン焼きパスタ or simply パスタ, not グラタン. Use descriptive terms if the dish doesn't fit the グラタン profile.
She brought a chicken casserole to the potluck.
This casserole dish is oven-safe.
This casserole is baked in the oven.
Put it in a casserole dish and bake it in the oven.