Do you get confused when a recipe calls for a dish and mentions the volume and not the dimensions? I find it easier to grab a 9×13 or an 8×8 dish. But when the instructions say use a 1-quart dish, I am left asking, “How big is a 1 quart baking dish?”
The quick and easy answer is a 1 quart baking dish holds 4 cups or 32 fluid ounces of volume. Typically an 8×4 loaf pan or an 8×8 baking dish is used.
Casserole Baking Dish Sizes
Even though I am always in the kitchen cooking, baking has a special place in my heart this time of year. There is something so nostalgic about the smell of warm brownies and casseroles filling the home in the fall and winter.
As baking season approaches, I want to review the basics of baking. Pan size can often be confusing because baking pans that hold the same amount of fluid ounces can come in so many different shapes.
There are also various dish sizes that can change the outcome of your dish. For example, brownies made in a larger pan will be crispier than some made in a smaller one.
The smallest and most common size baking dish is the 1 quart baking dish. Since many recipes use surface area to specify which baking pan to use, it can be hard to figure out how that translates to pan volume.
To help you with your baking, this guide outlines what exactly a 1 quart baking dish looks like.
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Is an 8×8 pan 1-quart?
An 8×8 pan is one of the most popular square pan sizes. Whether or not an 8×8 square pan equals 1 quart depends on its height.
An 8×8 square pan usually comes in 1.5 or 2 inches in height. An 8×8 square pan with 1.5 inches in height is equivalent to 6 US cups, or 1.5 quarts. One with 2 inches of height equals 8 US cups or 2 quarts.
An 8×8 round pan also typically comes in 1.5 and 2 inch heights and holds the same volume as the square dishes.
What size pan holds 1-quart?
One quart is equivalent to 4 US cups. A typical 1 quart dish measures about 8x6x1 ½ inches.
Other types of pans that equal 1-quart dish include:
- 9 x 1 ½ inch pie plate or pie pan
- 8 x 1 ½ inch round layer cake pan
- 7 ½ x 3 inch bundt pan
- 7 ½ x 3 inch loaf pan
How many quarts is a 9×13 baking dish?
A 9×13 inch pan holds about 3 quarts of volume. This size dish is one of the most called-for dish sizes, so it is a true kitchen essential.
Depending on the particular recipes, a 3 quart dutch oven can be used instead. Just make sure you’re using an oven-safe dutch oven.
How big is a 1 and 1/2 quart baking dish?
Baking dishes can come in different sizes while still being able to hold the same volume of liquid. A rectangular casserole pan, a square cake pan, and a jelly roll pan have the potential to all hold the same volume despite being different shapes.
Because pans with different dimensions have the potential to hold the same amount of liquid, it is important to pay attention to the volume of a baking dish. The volume is how much a certain dish can hold, regardless of its length and width.
That being said, typical 1.5 quart casserole dish size dimensions are about 8 inch x 8 inch x 1.5 inches.
Other dimensions that hold 1.5 quarts include the following size pans:
- 8 x 4 x 3 inch loaf pan
- 9 x 1.5 inch round pans for cake
- 11 x 7 x 1 ½ sheet cake pan
Baking Pans
Baking pans can be used for so many different recipes. I love making delicious breakfast casserole recipes like egg casserole, delectable desserts like brownies or sheet cake, and even tasty side dishes like potatoes or baked mac ‘n cheese.
Baking dish recipes yield the perfect size servings for large gatherings or for individual meal prep because a large portion of food can be made at one time.
These dishes also make great food storage for any leftovers. All you need to do is cover the dish with aluminum foil or a glass lid! Plus, already portioned smaller dishes reduce baking time.
Making sure you are using the right size baking pan is important to get the best results.
As this guide has shown, even if you have two pans that look like they might be different sizes, it’s important to double check how much the pan can hold. A larger pan may, in reality, not actually be larger in volume.
More Casserole Basics
Favorite Baking Dishes
- Pyrex Basics square baking dish set
- 2-quart dish
- 1 quart glass casserole dish
- Anchor Hocking glass baking dish
- casserole dish with lid
If you love this recipe as much as I do, pin this to your favorite casserole Pinterest board and share it on your favorite social media channels!
Come back to this guide next time you’re in the kitchen to help you figure out the perfect size dish you need to prepare all of your favorite recipes.
