Are you looking for dutch oven recipes? We’ve rounded up 30 of our favorite recipes to cook in a dutch oven that you can make right now.
Back in the day, a Dutch Oven was a preheated brick cooking oven where the heated bricks would help do the cooking.
It also referred to a large metal box that food could be cooked in next to open fire.
However, for the purposes of this post, we are referring to a large earthenware or cast iron pot with a tight-fitting lid that will trap steam which in turn keeps the food that is cooking from drying out.
Nowadays, it can refer to any large, heavy cooking pot, usually five to eight quarts in size, with a tight-fitting lid.
It is typically used for stews, meats, and casseroles.
They can be used on the stovetop, in the oven, or on the grill!
A Dutch oven distributes heat evenly across the bottom and up the sides and holds it longer.
It also allows you to start something on the stove and then seamlessly move it to the oven to finish.
So whether you are at home or camping, a Dutch oven can come in really handy.
Here are 30 recipes showing how a Dutch oven is quite versatile!
We’ve got gorgeous options for you ranging from Dutch Oven Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches to Yankee pot roast.
Plus, keep your eye out for #19: Dutch oven whole chicken for the win!
This Dutch oven recipe is used for making a delicious tomato sauce from scratch for this rigatoni arrabbiata on the stovetop.
Yes, it calls for 12 whole cloves of garlic!
Authentic Italian right there!
When using Dutch oven recipes you are wanting a uniform heating element that is perfect for this massaman curry which brings bold spices and colors but not the typical heat.
Recipes for Dutch ovens cover a wide range of foods!
Here skin-on, bone-in duck legs are the entree with a fancy glaze that is actually fairly simple to prepare.
The best Dutch oven recipe for ribs might be this one.
Only five ingredients and three hours for the most tender, fall-apart ribs you have ever tasted!
When you are camping or exploring for a day, recipes for Dutch ovens come in really helpful!
This chicken and potato meal has instructions for cooking on the grill with the tasty additions of bacon, onion, and garlic that really make the meal savory!
Eat it more like a stew or let the water cook off, either way, is great!
Who doesn’t love a fantastic BBQ sandwich while camping?
Dutch oven recipes are perfect here because the low and slow method results in the best tender meat.
All that’s needed is time and tummies to fill!
Soup recipes for Dutch ovens are as tasty as can be due to the all-around heat source.
Several steps here starting with chicken, then veggies, then tomato sauce and beans.
Simmer and serve!
This cast-iron Dutch oven recipe for a casserole has you prepare the rice and broccoli separately and then combine all the ingredients into the Dutch oven to bake!
This is a fantastic recipe to double and freeze half for another night!
The best Dutch oven recipe does not necessarily take a long time to cook.
Here is a savory satisfying soup that is ready in about 30 minutes.
The unique ingredient is the pasta choice of whole wheat orzo, along with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, tomatoes, stock, and seasonings!
The next Dutch oven recipe combines pork tenderloin, sweet potatoes, black beans, and tomato broth.
This is another quick soup with very different flavor profiles!
It also keeps well and tastes even better the next day!
Dutch oven recipes will have others admiring your work!
Here you can whip up a fabulous dinner with puff pastry, rotisserie chicken, and frozen veggies!
Fantastic does not mean difficult. Shortcuts win on busy nights!
Some recipes for Dutch ovens are used in the oven and some on the stovetop.
You may not believe it, but this lasagna recipe is actually made on the stovetop!
Still meat, noodle, and cheese layers but all in one pot!
If you get the hankering for a Mexican dish while you are out camping, the best Dutch oven recipe is here to meet that need!
Excellent instructions for cooking this on the grill.
These are veggie enchiladas so if you want to add beef or chicken, plan those as pre-cooked ad-ins.
I absolutely love how this cast iron Dutch oven recipe streamlines my cooking and mess-making all at the same time!
Meat, sauce, pasta, and cheese are all prepared in stages and assembled for single pot cooking, serving, and cleanup!
15. Yankee Pot Roast
Do you have memories of Sunday pot roast?
This Dutch oven recipe is all over that in spades!
Searing the sides of the roast in bacon grease is brilliant!
Talk about a splash of savoriness!
Three hours later, everything is done to perfection.
Chili is a fabulous choice when it comes to Dutch oven recipes!
It is hearty and meaty and great on its own or as a topping on something else!
The secret ingredient is salsa resulting in a thicker chili!
Mmmmm!
Occasionally recipes for Dutch ovens are similar but work better for different purposes.
This stew recipe is similar to the pot roast recipe above but with smaller cut veggies to be spoon-friendly and slightly different seasonings and steps.
Both are great!
There are lots of things you can do with barbecue pulled pork and here is a go-to best Dutch oven recipe to get you going.
Time is the secret sauce here so start this a good five hours before you want to serve it.
It’s going to be amazing!
When a whole chicken is what needs cooking, a cast-iron Dutch oven recipe is what will get the job done beautifully!
Clear step-by-step instructions to prep the veggies and chicken!
Allow at least three hours.
When lamb shanks are on the menu, consider Dutch oven recipes as a way to prepare them.
This one uses onions, balsamic vinegar, wine, garlic, and rosemary.
Chicken recipes for Dutch oven give a lot of options to vary preparation.
This one starts on the stove and moves to the oven.
It has a delightful sauce that will keep you coming back for more!
Fancy but easy is exactly what I look for in a cast-iron Dutch oven recipe.
This one uses arborio rice, butternut squash, mushrooms, red onions, spinach, and seasonings.
Pictures accompany the steps which are super helpful!
This German Dutch oven recipe will tickle that fancy you have for sauerkraut by combining boneless pork chops, sauerkraut, potatoes, apples and caraway seeds.
All that is needed is to brown the pork chops, add everything else and let it bake for an hour!
This is one of the best Dutch oven recipes for comfort food if I ever saw one!
It explains how to make simple dumplings as well as the sauce with chicken bites.
It only takes about an hour with most of that time being hands-on.
It is worth every minute!
Cilantro lime rice is one of my absolute favorite Dutch oven recipes, so when it is paired here with chicken, I knew it would be a winner!
Pan-sear the chicken first then add the rest of the ingredients to cook.
The key is to use enough oil so the chicken does not stick!
When you feel like going all out and want to test the capability of the recipes for Dutch ovens, that is when you pull out one by Julia Child!
Three sets of instructions for the beef, the onions, and the mushrooms!
It will keep you busy for a while, but when the mood strikes, it will be an adventure worth taking!
There may be many ways to make a shepherd’s pie and this best Dutch oven recipe has pictures to guide you as the meat is cooked, veggies added, potatoes prepared and pie baked!
Chicken and sausage gumbo just screams to be made with a cast-iron Dutch oven recipe.
Hailing from the southern bayou, it can consist of different meats or vegetables depending on where you’re from.
The flavorings are what make it unique as it typically includes some kind of creole seasoning.
Yes, you can make nachos in a dutch oven and you can even do it at a campfire.
How cool is that?
My advice to you is to do a bit of prep work. Go ahead and dice up your onion in advance.
It is only one step but it will help.
This recipe only requires the basic nacho ingredients but you can spice it up in any way that you like.
Personally, I like tomatoes on my nachos so I would suggest that addition.
This mac and cheese dutch oven recipe is made with four different kinds of cheese!
Now, that is how you know that it is a serious recipe.
Then it is topped with a garlic bread crumb topping.
Just the smell of this baking alone is a good enough reason to make it in your dutch oven.
The Bottom Line
Dutch oven recipes typically are handy for the fact that most of the preparation and cooking occurs inside them! Let me know which one you decided to try!
30 BEST Dutch Oven Mains 🥘
We have rounded up some of our favorite recipes to make in a dutch oven.
Ingredients
- Rigatoni Arrabbiata
- Chicken Massaman Curry With Wheat Beer and Potatoes
- 5-Spice Duck Confit with Pink Peppercorn Pomegranate Glaze
- Easy Country-Style Ribs Recipe
- Dutch Oven Chicken And Potatoes
- Dutch Oven Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
- Chicken Bean Soup
- Homemade Broccoli Cheese Casserole
- Italian Orzo Spinach Soup
- Pork Stew with Sweet Potatoes
- Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pie
- Dutch Oven Lasagna Recipe - Stove Top
- Dutch Oven Enchiladas - Camping Recipe
- One-Pot Ziti with Sausage
- Yankee Pot Roast
- Dutch Oven Awesome Chili
- Best Ever One Pot Beef Stew
- Dutch oven pulled pork
- Best Dutch Oven Whole Chicken
- Balsamic Braised Lamb Shanks
- Mustard Chicken Recipe
- Butternut Squash Risotto
- Pork and Sauerkraut (German Pork Chops)
- Dutch Oven Chicken and Dumplings
- One-Pot Chicken & Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe
- Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon
- Dutch Oven Shepherd's Pie
- Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
- Campfire Nachos Recipe
- Dutch Oven Mac And Cheese
Instructions
- Choose one or more options from our list of Dutch oven recipes here!
- Create your new favorite dish.
- Pat yourself on the back for making food at home for you to enjoy!
- Share and comment! Did you make any tweaks, so it’s all your own?