20 One-Pot Recipes That You Can Make in a Dutch Oven
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One-pot meals are simple and efficient ways to get food on the table. And one of our favorite ways to create a delicious dish is in a Dutch oven—consider this our love letter to the vessel. They are available in dozens of hues—stay classic with Le Creuset's "Flame" or make a statement in "Marseille" and "Berry" (from $155, lecreuset.com)—and the enameled cast-iron finish makes them so easy to clean. Plus, their large capacity (up to nine quarts) means they're the perfect piece of cookware for preparing dinner for your whole family or a group of friends. Here, we're sharing our favorite one-pot meals to make in a Dutch oven, such as Coq Au Vin, which is pictured here.
One of the best things about Dutch ovens is that they're safe to use over high-heat and can be put in the oven, too. They're especially great for low-and-slow dishes like stews and braised meats. Try cooking our Classic Beef Stew in a Dutch oven: Start by searing seasoned beef chuck in the heavy-bottomed pot, then add in onions, tomato paste, wine, and vegetables. The whole dish cooks together in one pot for nearly three hours. The best part, aside from its easy cleanup, is the pot's eye-catching and elegant style—you can feel comfortable setting it down on the table and serving the contents straight from the pot. Another one-pot recipe that we love to cook is chili. Our Easy Chile Verde uses pork instead of the traditional beef in this one-pot, Tex-Mex-inspired dish.
Whether you're building your collection of enameled cast iron or you own a Dutch oven that's been passed down for generations, these one-pot recipes are sure to bring you joy in the kitchen.
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Classic Beef Stew
On a chilly winter night, there is nothing like digging into a classic beef stew, which is arguably the ultimate one-pot meal. Our recipe is complete with carrots, Yukon Gold potatoes, peas, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and pearl onions.
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Vinegar-and-Garlic-Braised Chicken
A total showstopper, this flavorful chicken dish is a delicious one-pot meal. A duo of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks marinate in a combination of rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, bay leaves, and garlic, then everything simmers together in a Dutch oven.
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Easy Chile Verde
Many people like cooking chili in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, but a Dutch oven can also work wonders. This pork shoulder-based version cooks in one pot along with sliced onions, diced green chiles, and store-bought medium green salsa.
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Summer Smoked-Salmon Chowder
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.
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One-Pot Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Bacon
Bacon doesn't just shine in pasta carbonara. It's also a powerhouse in this one-pot pasta dish that's made with broccoli rabe, walnuts, and garlic.
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Easy Beef Chili
Two things make this one-pot, all-beef chili extra 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.
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Pulled BBQ-Chicken Sandwiches
Instead of the usual slow-cooker pulled pork, try this leaner, faster one-pot meal that can be made 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.
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Baked Beans with Bacon
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.
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Italian Pulled Pork
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.
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Korean Beef Chuck Roast
A myriad of Korean and Asian ingredients—minced ginger, sake, mirin, and gochujang (Korean pepper paste)—flavor four pounds of beef chuck in this one-pot meal. Carrots and shiitake mushrooms are added during the cooking process, completing the dish.
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Wine-Braised Brisket
Brisket is a staple on Jewish holidays like Rosh Hashanah and Hanukkah, but some consider it difficult to prepare. Not this one-pot version! Choose the "first cut" of beef brisket and cook it in a Dutch oven with grainy mustard, lemon zest, thyme, and garlic.
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Normandy-Style Chicken and Leeks with Creme Fraiche
There's a secret ingredient in this one-pot, 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.
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Chicken Fricassee
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: a Dutch oven.
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Beef Bourguignon
We're calling this the ultimate one-pot Dutch oven recipe. Make this French classic when you want a hearty meal that will feed a crowd.
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Arroz Con Pollo
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 day of the week.
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Chicken Breast Poached in Buttermilk
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.
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Chili Verde
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.
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Spiced Beef Stew with Carrots and Chickpeas
The smells of braised beef chuck mixed with berbere seasoning—an Ethiopian spice blend—red wine, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste will be absolutely irresistible. The stew simmers in a Dutch oven for about two and a half hours until the meat is tender and the whole dish releases its aromatic flavor.
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One-Pot Chicken and Rice with Swiss Chard
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, but just as delicious.