23 Dutch Oven Recipes That Make Delicious Dinners

They also happen to be one-pot meals.

wine braised chicken in a blue Dutch oven

If you're not already a fan, these Dutch oven recipes will make you fall in love with this trusty piece of cookware. It's reliable and versatile, goes from the stovetop to the oven, and looks good on the table, too. Plus, the thick, heavy walls of a Dutch oven retain heat and keep temperatures steady, making them especially great for low-and-slow dishes like stews, chili, and braised meats.

Whether you're building your own collection of enameled cast iron or you own a piece that's been passed down for generations, these one-pot recipes for the Dutch oven are sure to become your new favorite back-pocket meals.

01 of 23

Vegetarian Chili With Avocado Cream

Chili with Cilantro, Limes, etc.
Marcus Nilsson

Not your usual veggie chili, this extra-hearty version features black beans, black-eyed peas, and brown lentils—and the recipe makes 10 servings. Don't skimp on the avocado cream; it's a gorgeous finishing touch that we can't believe we didn't try before.

02 of 23

Irish Beef and Stout Stew

Irish Beef and Stout Stew

Make this on a cold St. Patrick's Day, and no one will be asking about corned beef. The two-step recipe starts with cubed beef, potatoes, and onions; broth and a rich Irish stout make up the liquid. Then, it just cooks in the oven for a few hours, and dinner is served.

03 of 23

Test Kitchen's Favorite Mac and Cheese

test kitchen mac and cheese
Armando Rafael

Why choose one cheese when you can have three (American, cheddar, and Parmesan)? To make this decadent mac and cheese, you boil the elbow macaroni in the same pot you make the cheesy sauce in—and for this recipe, we use a Dutch oven.

04 of 23

Vinegar-and-Garlic-Braised Chicken

Vinegar-and-Garlic-Braised Chicken
Marcus Nilsson

A total showstopper, this flavorful chicken dish features a duo of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks. You marinate them in a combination of rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, bay leaves, and garlic, then simmer everything together in a Dutch oven.

05 of 23

Easy Chile Verde

pressure cooker chili verde
Justin Walker

Many people like cooking chili in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, but a Dutch oven is definitely up for the job. Along with pork shoulder, this chili includes sliced onions, diced green chiles, and store-bought green salsa.

06 of 23

Summer Smoked-Salmon Chowder

summer smoked salmon chowder
Ren Fuller

Our favorite kinds of weeknight dinners are those that take less than one hour to prepare and can be cooked all in one pot. This 45-minute chowder hits all the marks and features summer vegetables, including zucchini, baby potatoes, and fresh corn.

07 of 23

One-Pot Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Bacon

med106155_1110_broccoli_rabe.jpg

Bacon doesn't just shine in pasta carbonara. It's also a powerhouse in this one-pot pasta dish that incorporates broccoli rabe, walnuts, and garlic.

08 of 23

Easy Beef Chili

easy beef chili with sour cream in bowl

Two things make this all-beef chili spectacular: a couple of tablespoons of Dutch-processed cocoa powder and a Dutch oven, of course. It gets plenty of heat from chili powder, jalapeño peppers, and fire-roasted tomatoes.

09 of 23

Wine-Braised Chicken

med102639wkd0_0107_brisedchick.jpg

Also known as coq au vin, this delicious chicken stew manages to be both humble and refined. Bacon and fresh thyme add wonderful depth, and it's one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day.

10 of 23

Pulled BBQ-Chicken Sandwiches

pulled chicken bbq sandwich

Instead of the usual slow-cooker pulled pork, try this leaner, faster version, which you can make in a Dutch oven. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs cook together with ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and lager beer for about an hour until the meat is tender and can be shredded.

11 of 23

Classic Beef Stew

classic beef stew
Con Poulos

On a chilly winter night, there is nothing like digging into a classic beef stew, arguably the ultimate one-pot meal. Our recipe is complete with carrots, Yukon Gold potatoes, peas, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and pearl onions.

12 of 23

Baked Beans with Bacon

baked beans bacon
Bryan Gardner

Skip the canned variety and make your own rich, smoky baked beans at home. Small white beans cook in a Dutch oven with Dijon mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, and chicken broth for about 70 minutes until the liquid has thickened and the beans are fork-tender. It's the perfect one-pot meal for summer.

13 of 23

Italian Pulled Pork

italian pulled pork
Linda Pugliese

Instead of traditional barbecue-style pulled pork, this one-pot dish is flavored with a variety of earthy spices such as fennel, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, and garlic. While this recipe calls for toasting the fennel seeds, feel free to do it right in the Dutch oven so that you don't need to dirty another pan.

14 of 23

Korean Beef Chuck Roast

Korean Beef Chuck Roast
Bryan Gardner

Some of our favorite Asian ingredients—minced ginger, sake, mirin, and gochujang (Korean pepper paste)—flavor four pounds of beef chuck in this one-pot meal. You add carrots and shiitake mushrooms during the cooking process to complete the dish.

15 of 23

Wine-Braised Brisket

Hanukkah Brisket
linda xiao

Brisket is a staple on Jewish holidays like Rosh Hashanah and Hanukkah, and this version is a snap to prepare. Choose the "first cut" of beef brisket and cook it in a Dutch oven with grainy mustard, lemon zest, thyme, and garlic.

16 of 23

Normandy-Style Chicken and Leeks with Creme Fraiche

vegetable book
Ngoc Minh Ngo

There's a secret ingredient in this French chicken dish that you'd never expect: hard apple cider. The sweet, carbonated beverage helps to keep the meat tender and adds fall flavor.

17 of 23

Chicken Fricassee

fricassee-052-mld109038.jpg
Tara Donne

It's the original French comfort food: simmered chicken with hearty vegetables in a rich, silky sauce. A fricassee is halfway between a sauté and a stew. A true classic, this recipe relies on humble ingredients and just one pot.

18 of 23

Beef Bourguignon

beef-bourguignon-124-d111289.jpg
Bryan Gardner

This French classic is both haute and humble. When you want a hearty meal that will feed a crowd (and make your house smell amazing), you can't go wrong with this beef-and-wine stew.

19 of 23

Arroz Con Pollo

Arroz Con Pollo
Bryan Gardner

Our take on the traditional Latin American dish is made with chicken thighs, short-grain rice, and pimiento-stuffed green olives. This one-pot meal comes together in less than an hour, so you can enjoy it any night of the week.

20 of 23

Chicken Breast Poached in Buttermilk

poached-chicken-212-mld110692.jpg
Romulo Yanes

While you may associate this combination of ingredients with buttermilk fried chicken, we're taking it in a whole new direction with this one-pot poaching technique. The chicken is dressed with a sharp sauce made from yogurt, shallots, cornichons, capers, and lemon.

21 of 23

Chili Verde With Pork Shoulder

chile-verde-034-med109951.jpg
Johnny Miller

This super-simple pork shoulder dish is made with just three other ingredients—yellow onion, green tomatillo salsa, and chicken broth—plus lime wedges and cilantro for serving. It's a fabulous one-pot option for game-day entertaining.

22 of 23

Spiced Beef Stew with Carrots and Chickpeas

Spiced Beef Stew with Carrots and Chickpeas
Con Poulos

The smell of braised beef chuck mixed with berbere seasoning—an Ethiopian spice blend—red wine, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste will be absolutely irresistible. This stew simmers in a Dutch oven for about two and a half hours until the meat is tender and the dish releases its aromatic flavor.

23 of 23

One-Pot Chicken and Rice With Swiss Chard

one-pot-chicken-rice-0911med107344.jpg
John Kernick

The perfect one-pot weeknight meal, this elevated chicken and rice dish comes together in less than one hour and will feed a family of four. It's also a great excuse to try cooking chicken legs, a more economical cut than breasts or thighs.

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