Cookware

Baking Dish

Deep oven dish for casseroles, gratins, and bakes

A deep ceramic or glass dish for casseroles, gratins, lasagna, and roasted vegetables. It holds heat gently and goes straight from oven to table. A classic 9-by-13 size suits most family recipes.

A baking dish is the deep ceramic or glass vessel that takes casseroles, gratins, lasagna, and bubbling roasted vegetables from oven to table in one good-looking piece. Unlike thin metal, ceramic and glass heat gently and hold that heat, so the inside cooks through and the top browns without the edges scorching — and the dish keeps food warm long after it's served. The classic rectangular 9×13 inch size fits the most family recipes, while smaller squares and ovals handle sides and smaller bakes. Their one rule is to respect thermal shock: these materials crack if slammed from cold to blazing hot or splashed with cold liquid.

Types & varieties

Glazed stoneware/ceramic

Holds heat best and looks handsome at the table; heavier and pricier.

Tempered glass

Lets you see browning underneath, inexpensive, but most sensitive to thermal shock.

Oval gratin dish

Shallow and wide for maximum crusty top on gratins and crisps.

What to look for

Match the dish to what you cook most. A 9×13 covers lasagna, casseroles, and sheet cakes; an 8×8 is right for brownies and smaller bakes. Sturdy, grippable handles matter — a full glass dish straight from the oven is heavy and slippery in a mitt. Stoneware browns and retains heat best for serving; glass is cheap and lets you monitor the bottom crust.

How to use it (and avoid cracks)

Glass and ceramic crack from thermal shock, so never put a cold dish into a roaring-hot oven, never set a hot dish on a cold or wet surface, and never pour cold liquid into a hot one. Let a refrigerated casserole sit out while the oven preheats. Grease the dish for easy release, and remember these hold heat — food keeps cooking and stays hot for a while after it comes out.

Common uses

Lasagna and baked pastaCasseroles and gratinsRoasting vegetables and potatoesBaking sheet cakes, brownies, and cobblersBread puddings and stratasHolding a water bath for custards

Tips & pitfalls

Don't move a hot glass dish onto a cold or damp counter — set it on a dry towel or trivet
Let chilled casseroles come toward room temperature before they hit a hot oven
Stoneware keeps food hottest at the table for buffets and potlucks
Grease the corners well; baked-on cheese and sauce love to weld there