Ree Drummond Just Shared One of Her Most Classic Casserole Recipes, and Fans Say It's Their Ultimate Comfort Food (2024)

With school back in session, football season on the horizon and temperatures just barely starting to dip, it's clear that autumn is almost upon us. When that fall chill arrives, the one thing we always crave is a plate of classic comfort food. (Seriously—here are just *some* of our many favorites.)

The good news is that Ree Drummond—also known as the Pioneer Woman—hopped on Instagram this week to share a casserole so comforting, folks were practically curling up with a blanket in the comments. Drummond's easy Chicken Spaghetti is truly an old standard in Ree's kitchen. It first appeared in her very first cookbook, way back in 2009, and fans have been head over heels ever since. "First Pioneer Woman recipe I ever tried, and I was hooked from there," one fan wrote in the comments of her recent Instagram post.

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In Ree's post about the recipe on the Pioneer Woman website, she says it's the only casserole recipe her husband will eat, and with tons of flavor in every bite, we totally get it. To copy it at home, you'll need some standard casserole ingredients: cooked chicken, spaghetti, cream of mushroom soup, grated Cheddar, diced green peppers, diced onion, diced pimientos, chicken broth, seasoning salt and cayenne pepper. The recipe is pretty much just dump and bake, once your pasta is cooked. Drummond breaks her spaghetti up into smaller pieces, cooks it according to the package directions and adds it back to the pot, which is now off the heat. Be sure to cook your spaghetti until just al dente—overcooking it could lead to mushiness later on when the casserole is baked.

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Ree Drummond Just Shared One of Her Most Classic Casserole Recipes, and Fans Say It's Their Ultimate Comfort Food (1)

If you pile your pasta back into an oven-safe pot, like a Dutch oven, you can simply dump in the rest of your ingredients and build the casserole in one dish. Just empty the cans, chopped veggies and seasonings into the pot and toss everything together with tongs to combine. Add some extra cheese on top and season to taste with salt and pepper, then pop it into the oven and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.

Of course, tons of folks in the comments mentioned that this recipe makes a great freezer meal to prep before giving birth or to drop off for a friend going through a tough time. Ree was quick to offer extra information for those wise, thinking-ahead chefs. One of these casseroles can be split up into two disposable 8-by-8-inch casserole dishes, then covered with foil and frozen for about six months. For those reheating the icy casseroles, Ree suggests thawing them in the fridge for 24 hours before baking at 350°F with the foil on for 40 minutes. Then take the foil off and let the casseroles bake for another 10 minutes.

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You can help make this recipe a little more heart-healthy by checking over your canned soup options carefully. Canned soups (like the cream of mushroom used in this recipe) can pack in lots of sodium into that little can. Look for cans that boast a "low sodium" label—that means that they have 140 milligrams of sodium or less per serving, according to the Food and Drug Administration. You could also check for "light in sodium" labels, which indicate that the soup has at least half the amount of sodium that the original version does. If you choose to use store-bought chicken broth in this recipe rather than the homemade stuff, consider choosing a lower-sodium option there as well. Or you can even choose options labeled "no sodium" or "sodium-free" if they're available, and then you can season as needed.

While sodium is a necessary nutrient and pretty necessary for a flavorful dish, folks with diabetes or cardiovascular issues, such as high blood pressure, would be wise to keep an eye on their intake. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that most adults aim for less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium each day, but 90% of Americans overshoot that amount, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC notes that consuming excess sodium has been tied to higher blood pressure and a greater risk of heart attack or stroke.

However you modify this recipe to suit your tastes, you're guaranteed a tasty plate of comfort food. Pair it with a cold glass of Orange-Earl Grey Iced Tea and welcome the fall deliciously.

Ree Drummond Just Shared One of Her Most Classic Casserole Recipes, and Fans Say It's Their Ultimate Comfort Food (2024)

FAQs

How many children does The Pioneer Woman have? ›

The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond has five kids — four of which she gave birth to, and one she and Ladd Drummond adopted much later in life. Alex Drummond is 25, Paige Drummond is 23, Bryce Drummond is 20, Todd Drummond is 19, and their adopted son, Jamar, is also around the age of 20.

How old is The Pioneer Woman? ›

Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman, is a blogger and TV host. The 54-year-old Oklahoma native is an American blogger, author, food writer and TV personality, best known for her work under the brand, The Pioneer Woman.

Who is the new pioneer woman on Food Network? ›

Ree is a writer, photographer, ranch wife and mother of four. She is now host of Food Network's hit show The Pioneer Woman.

What is Ree Drummond doing now? ›

The Pioneer Woman has been busy transforming the space where her and Ladd reside now that they're officially empty nesters. But despite things being a little quieter these days, Ree is ensuring that her home is just as full of life—and good memories.

Did Pioneer Woman get a divorce? ›

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After 26 years of marriage, Ree and Ladd are still going strong. A lot has changed since the night they first met in that smoky bar, but they still enjoy the simple things in life.

Is The Pioneer Woman a billionaire? ›

What is Ree Drummond's net worth in 2024? Ree Drummond's net worth in 2024 is estimated at $50 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. This doesn't include the wealth from her husband, Ladd Drummond (more on that below).

How did The Pioneer Woman lose so much weight? ›

She simply exercised regularly, added more protein and vegetables into her diet, cut out alcohol and kept an eye on how many sweets she was consuming. While daily walks with her dogs help her stay active, she credits a rowing machine for building her tone and muscle.

Did The Pioneer Woman's daughter get married? ›

The Pioneer Woman star Ree Drummond's oldest daughter looked back on some special memories from her May 1, 2021 wedding that took place at the family's Oklahoma ranch.

How many acres does the Drummond family own? ›

Ree Drummond, 48, and her husband Ladd own a whopping 433,000 acres of the Sooner State, making them the 23rd largest landowners in the country, according to the Land Report 100.

Is Ree leaving the food network? ›

Despite rumors circulating that Ree was looking toward starting a new chapter in her career, she has not made any official announcement about leaving Food Network. The beloved TV personality did make one huge change in her personal life — moving out of the home she raised her kids in.

Why is Ladd Drummond worth so much? ›

Ladd has built his net worth working as a cattle rancher. He is the co-owner of the Drummond Land and Cattle ranch together with his brother Tim. Ladd Drummond's family is ranked among the largest landowners in the US. The ranch is roughly 433,000 acres.

How much does Ree Drummond get paid? ›

Drummond's salary is not public knowledge, but she reportedly makes between $8 million and $25 million a year, based on the earnings of fellow Food Network stars.

Who inherits the Drummond Ranch? ›

Today, Frederick F. Drummond's namesake and grandson monitors his ranching empire from the third-story office of Pawhuska's historic First National Bank building. At 72, the lifelong rancher has handed over most of the cattle operations to his only son, F. Ford Drummond.

How tall are the drummonds? ›

It might be hard to tell on The Pioneer Woman show, but the Drummond family is pretty dang tall. Almost all of Ree's kids stand above 6 feet, with only Alex falling a bit short—pun intended! Still, at 5 feet 10 inches, she's technically taller than the average woman.

What happened to The Pioneer Woman's son? ›

Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond is officially an empty nester after her youngest, Todd, left for college this fall. She and her husband, Ladd, seem to be holding up OK but she did decide to visit her youngest at school last weekend. Todd, 19, is a football player at the University of South Dakota.

Does Ree Drummond still have a foster son? ›

PIONEER WOMAN star Ree Drummond recently opened up about her foster son, Jamar, who is now 18. “That's really the first time that I've introduced Jamar to the world,” the celebrity chef said, referencing his inclusion in her new book of essays, Frontier Follies. “He's been living with us for about a year and a half.”

Did the drummonds adopt Jamar? ›

Jamar joined the Drummond family in 2018, when Ree and her husband Ladd became his foster parents.

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