My best Dutch oven recipes from chili and pot roast to tacos, brats, and more for the hardest working pan in your kitchen!
Dutch oven recipes for fall and winter
If you could only have one pot in your kitchen, make it a Dutch oven. It’s the MVP of cookware, doing everything from deep-frying to bread baking like a pro, and it’s the pan that put one pot wonders on the map. So many of our favorite dinners start with a Dutch oven, or its close cousin, the cast iron braising pot~ here are a few of my family’s best Dutch oven recipes, they’re proven winners!
RELATED: BEST Dutch Oven Soup Recipes!
Table of contents
- Dutch oven recipes for fall and winter
- RELATED: BEST Dutch Oven Soup Recipes!
- THE RIGHT PAN
- Related: 11 Dutch Oven Chicken Recipes
- Patricia Wells’ Beef Daube
- Meatballs al forno
- Cider Braised Chicken with Sage
- Dublin Coddle ~ a quick cooking Irish stew!
- Stephanie’s Spiced Chili
- Wine Braised Short Ribs
- French Mustard Chicken
- Classic Sliced Pot Roast
- Clam Sauce Recipe
- Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Apples and Brown Cabbage
- Italian Sausage and Peppers in an Hour!
- Mexican Short Rib Tacos
- Homemade Corned Beef
- Tomato and Parmesan Risotto
- Apple Butter Pulled Pork
- Sauerbraten (German pot roast)
- Brothy Beans with Garlic Toast
- Chili Mac and Cheese
- Pasta with Radicchio, Bacon, and Walnuts
- Ina Garten’s Beef Bourguignon
- Steamed Mussels
- Apple Bourbon Smothered Pork Chops
- A Classic Moussaka Recipe
- Shrimp Scampi Fra Diavolo
- Easy Lentil Chili Recipe
- Our Favorite Salmon Coconut Curry
- Easy Cassoulet
- Baked Brats in Caramelized Sauerkraut
THE RIGHT PAN
My choice for a Dutch oven is enamel coated cast iron. You’ll want a pot that holds 5-7 quarts for a family of four. Light-colored interiors make it easier to monitor the browning or caramelization of food. When you’re sautéing or browning ingredients, it’s important to see the color changes, which can be challenging in a dark-colored pot.
Related: 11 Dutch Oven Chicken Recipes
Patricia Wells’ Beef Daube
This classic French stew made with beef and wine requires a long slow braise at a low temperature to ensure fork tender meat. A heavy duty Dutch oven keeps that low heat constant and steady.
Meatballs al forno
One more delicious reason to keep your Dutch oven at the ready ~ these juicy meatballs have got the reputation for being the best meatballs in the world. Take a bite, I think you’ll agree.
Cider Braised Chicken with Sage
This beautiful Dutch oven meal is definitely company-worthy.
Dublin Coddle ~ a quick cooking Irish stew!
This hearty Irish stew is a great way to feed a crowd.
Stephanie’s Spiced Chili
This Dutch oven recipe from a reader became an instant family fave.
Wine Braised Short Ribs
Wine Braised Short Ribs over creamy polenta is Dutch oven recipe with restaurant quality. Fork tender ribs cook in wine and aromatics to make the best gravy.
French Mustard Chicken
Fabulous continental flavor made right in your favorite cast iron pan.
Clam Sauce Recipe
A Dutch oven or its close relative a cast iron braising pan is perfect for steaming shellfish open for the best clam sauce!
Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Apples and Brown Cabbage
A Dutch oven dinner guaranteed to warm up the chilliest night.
Italian Sausage and Peppers in an Hour!
A classic Italian meal that’s always welcome at the table.
Mexican Short Rib Tacos
This Dutch oven recipe for tacos is the BEST ~ melt-in-your-mouth tender beef braised in a beer and guajillo chile sauce for Taco Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo, or just because!
Homemade Corned Beef
A foolproof Dutch oven recipe for homemade corned beef, from curing to cooking! Classic cured beef brisket is perfect for corned beef and cabbage, and deli sandwiches!
Tomato and Parmesan Risotto
When I’m not making risotto in my Instant Pot, I’m making it in my Dutch oven.
Apple Butter Pulled Pork
This Dutch oven recipe for pulled pork is versatile enough for the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
Sauerbraten (German pot roast)
The key to German sauerbraten is the marinade, and all the magic happens in a Dutch oven!
Brothy Beans with Garlic Toast
Proof that Dutch oven dinners can be light and healthy as well as cozy and comforting!
Chili Mac and Cheese
Chili Mac and Cheese is a hearty combo of meaty chili, pasta, and lots of gooey cheese and a Dutch oven recipe that’s perfect for Game Day or every day!
Pasta with Radicchio, Bacon, and Walnuts
A classic Dutch oven dinner with a complex flavor and that Italian flair for tossing together something incredible with very little. This 30-minute meal is a must try.
Ina Garten’s Beef Bourguignon
Ina is a master of Dutch oven recipes, and this is one of her best.
Steamed Mussels
Steamed mussels are an inexpensive 30 minute meal with a European flair. I’ll show you how to steam your mussels to perfection in a Dutch oven.
Apple Bourbon Smothered Pork Chops
Apple Bourbon Smothered Pork Chops cook low and slow and becomes fork tender in a rich gravy made with cider and bourbon.
A Classic Moussaka Recipe
Greek casserole is made with layers of ground lamb or beef and eggplant, all topped off with a luscious béchamel sauce.
Shrimp Scampi Fra Diavolo
Fast cooking and full of flavor.
Easy Lentil Chili Recipe
Dutch oven recipes don’t have to be meat based, this veggie chili is quick cooking and delish.
Our Favorite Salmon Coconut Curry
Salmon Coconut Curry is an easy weeknight Dutch oven dinner that’s on the table in less than 30 minutes. We’re talking big juicy chunks of salmon and fresh spinach in a light Thai inspired red curry sauce, yum!
Easy Cassoulet
Although this recipe was photographed in a cast iron skillet, it’s equally at home in a Dutch oven. It’s a wonderfully comforting dish for a winter night.
Baked Brats in Caramelized Sauerkraut
A Dutch oven works beautifully for this unusual and quintessentially “fall” meal.
Mine is a kind of related question – does anyone have the enamel inside the Dutch oven pot all stained brown from cooking all manner of food over time? It doesn’t affect the cooking, except maybe absorbing more heat because it is darker.
I have to admit I sometimes use a bleach spray but you’re not supposed to do that as it can weaken the enamel. Use Bar Keeper’s Friend or a baking soda and water scrub.
Please consider a second, related post — vegetarian main dishes made in a dutch oven. I feel sure there are many, but I’d welcome your recommendations!
Love that!