What Size is a 2 Quart Baking Dish?

For casseroles, a 2 quart baking dish is commonly used. But what size is a 2 quart baking dish and how much volume does it hold?

The general rule of thumb is a 2-quart casserole dish holds 8 cups or 64 fluid ounces. Double what a 1-quart casserole dish.

If you have a casserole recipe that calls for a bunch of ingredients, the easy part is layering everything into the dish.

The hard part is finding out too late that you don’t have the right size pan to accommodate everything!

Talk about a quick way to make a mess that will require an entire roll of paper towels to clean up…

Well, hopefully this helps you avoid those types of kitchen mishaps and provides comfort knowing the amount a certain pan size holds.

2 Quart Baking Dishes

A typical two-quart casserole dish holds 8 cups. But that is saying that the dish has an exact two-quart volume.

I have standard size white ceramic dishes that I use all the time. But what about those fancy or decorative dishes with frilly edges or are a weird shape?

Some might say it’s a 2-quart dish but really it’s slightly smaller or larger than stated.

By the way, this is not the size I would use for large gatherings unless you have multiple dishes.

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Typical Casserole Dish Sizes and Quarts

Here are the quarts per casserole for various sizes of casserole dishes.

• 2 quart dish (8″x8″) square pan – holds 8 cups
• 2½”-quart dish (9”x 9”) square – holds 10 cups
• 3-quart dish (12” x 9”x 2”) rectangle – holds 12 cups
• 4-quart dish (12” x 10”x 2”) oblong – holds 16 cups
• 5-quart dish (11” x 15” x 2″) oblong – holds 20 cups

Should it be square, round, or rectangle?

There are so many different sizes and shapes for baking pans.

Truth be told, although most people use square or rectangular pan for casseroles, you can also use a round pan as well. The most important thing is to make sure the dish or pan is deep enough to hold the ingredients.

Depth for casserole dishes usually is between 2″ and 2 1/2″ inches deep.

Table of Casserole Dish Sizes and Volumes

Quarts	Inches	Cups
2 quarts	8×8 inches	8 cups
2 1/2 quarts	9×9 inches	10 cups
3 quarts	9x13x2	12 cups
4 quarts	10x13x2	16 cups
5 quarts	11x15x2	20 cups

Does it only hold two quarts worth of ingredients?

A casserole dish which 8″ wide by 8″ long and 2″ deep is the exact size needed in a two-quart sized casserole recipe. A rectangular casserole dish than 11.1 inches long by 7.1 inches wide by 1.7 inches high also holds two quarts.

So, that is why a 9 x 13 pan holds a little more volume, but if you are cooking a 2 quart sized recipe you have to watch out for the cooking time in the bigger casserole dish.

Can I use a cake pan?

A cake pan, also known as a baking pan, is a little different from a two quart baking dish. Cake pans and baking dishes are made for high heat and usually come in aluminum, but they can also be porcelain.

However, you can still use 8-inch square cake pans as a casserole dish, but be aware that they typically get much hotter, so you need to make sure not to burn your casserole.

One way to avoid that – use a larger pan with some water in it to place your smaller baking pan in.

You can also use a loaf pan. Just be sure to check the volume by adding cups of water to the empty pan to measure the volume available.

Is a quart casserole baking dish the same as a baking pan?

A two quart baking dish and a baking pan or cake dish are slightly different, but can be used generally interchangeably. However, an 8″ x 8″ cake pan has a smaller surface area and holds less volume of ingredients than a 9″ x 13″ three quart casserole dish.

So make sure you plan for that if you are adding ingredients for a recipe requiring a 3 quart baking dish.

What is the best material for a two quart baking dish?

Casserole dishes come in a variety of shapes, but also offer a variety of cooking surfaces. There are casserole aluminum tin foils, and cast iron pans.

You’ll find pyrex glass as well as glass enamel ones too. So which works best? Can you find a two quart baking dish in any type of material?

Of course cost is also a factor in deciding which to use as well.

The least expensive is an aluminum foil bake pan, which are easy to find in the dollar twenty five stores. Probably the grandparents and great grandparents used a cast iron one.

Nowadays, most stores stock the pyrex and enamel cast iron ones, but those get pricy. You can usually find any of these in a two quart baking dish size.

• Aluminum foil bake pan – super cheap to buy and disposable, available in different quart sizes, great for potlucks where you don’t want to leave a good pan.
• Cast iron casserole dish – Can be a cast iron round pan or usually a square casserole baking pan. Great if seasoned, but usually harder to clean.
• Pyrex and Porcelain – Not too expensive, and easy to clean, but I find these are more prone to burning the casserole unless you are careful.
• Enamel – Enamel casserole baking dishes can be pricy, but you can find ones in great shape at thrift stores for cheap too. These combine the best aspects of cast iron and pyrex, even heating and easy to clean.
• Le Creuset has a line of enamel coated cast iron that is best for baking.

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!

How big is a 2 quart baking dish and how much does the pan hold? It’s the perfect size or side dishes or delectable desserts!

My Favorite Dishes

• 2 Quart 8×8 Casserole Dish
• 2 Quart Dish with Lid
• 2.5 Quart Glass Oblong Baking Dish
• 9 x 13-inch Pan
• Bundt Pan

Casserole Recipes for 2-Quart Baking Dish

• Cheesy Corn and Rice Casserole
• Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
• Ultimate Chicken Casserole

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