20 Dutch Oven Recipes for Easy Family Dinners
A Dutch oven is one of the most versatile pots in my kitchen. From soups and stews to roasts, pulled meats, and even pasta sauces, this one pot can handle it all.
If I could only keep one pot in my kitchen, it would be a battle between my largest stock pot and my Dutch oven. While the stock pot helps with soups and pasta, both essential dinners in our house, the Dutch oven takes the lead on perfectly browned roasts and tender, shredded meats that can be used in countless dinners.
Over the years, I've built up a whole collection of recipes that take advantage of the best features a Dutch oven has to offer. If you're looking to brown meat, simmer soups for hours, or take a dish from stovetop to oven without transferring the pan, this is the tool you need.
Below you'll find my favorite recipes organized by category along with my take on which Dutch oven size you'll find the most useful in your kitchen.
When to Choose a Dutch Oven
Dutch ovens are the superior cooking vessel when you want to:
- Brown meats before gently simmering them
- Caramelize vegetables before building a soup
- Tenderize meats for slow cooked sauces and pulled meats
- Cook crockpot recipes in your oven
This is my go-to pot for cooking all kinds of soups, stews, roasts, and pulled meat sandwich or taco fillings.
The heavy-bottomed pot does an excellent job of browning and provides even heating for the dish as you cook. The tight-fitting lid traps in steam keeping your roasts tender and juicy.
Many of my crockpot recipes convert wonderfully for cooking in a Dutch oven. As a rule of thumb, you can take almost any 'low and slow' crockpot recipe and use a dutch oven in a 300°F oven for a similar time. Start checking for doneness around the halfway mark just to be safe.
Most Useful Sizes to Buy
I've owned and tested 7 different sizes and shapes of Le Crueset dutch ovens over the last couple of decades. I collected them through outlet sales and their famous Factory to Table sale when it came to our town.
The two sizes I find myself using over and over again are:
- A very large 7.25 qt round dutch oven: Perfect for large roasts and big batches of soup or stews.
- A medium 5.5 qt round dutch oven: Perfect for soups and sourdough bread. I actually have the discontinued 5.25qt deep round with taller sides but it holds the same capacity as the 5.5 qt. This is the dutch oven that lives on my stovetop and gets used weekly.
If I could only buy one Dutch Oven, I would choose the 7.25 qt round. Even though I use my smaller dutch oven so frequently, I wouldn't sacrifice the larger option because it makes incredible roasts and large batches of soup.
I recently purchased this 7qt wide dutch oven when it was on sale for just $150 for Mother's Day. I love the extra surface area for browning compared to the classic 7.25 Le Creuset. I can safely recommend this as an excellent budget-friendly option if you want to try out the larger size.
Dutch Oven Soup and Stew Recipes
There's nothing a Dutch oven does better than a big pot of soup or stew.
The heavy bottom means less scorching, and the tight lid keeps everything simmering low and slow.
I especially love to use it when it is a meat-forward soup with tender chunks of beef or chicken that need to brown before you add the stock and build the rest of the dish.
Beef and Barley Soup
This beef and barley soup is the perfect example of a Dutch oven soup because it involves chunks of beef seared in the pot before you build the soup. The tight-fitting lid helps the barley cook up nice and tender while thickening the broth.
Dutch Oven Chicken and Dumplings
This Dutch oven chicken and dumplings is my go-to comfort food. The tight-fitting lid is the secret to steaming perfectly fluffy dumplings on top of that rich, savory chicken soup underneath.
Matzo Ball Soup
Similar to the dumplings above, this quick matzo ball soup starts in a Dutch oven and you drop the matzo balls right into the hot broth to cook. Comfort food in a bowl!
Stovetop Beef Stew
This easy stovetop beef stew was one of the first recipes I ever cooked in a Dutch oven and totally sold me on always having one in my kitchen. The inexpensive cut of beef simmers down to the most delicate and tender chunks ever.
Tomato Bisque
This rich and creamy tomato bisque soup actually starts with softening vegetables on that heavy-bottomed pot. If you have an immersion blender, you can puree the soup right in your Dutch oven.
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Inspired by Ina Garten's chicken pot pie soup, my version features budget-friendly ingredients and a few handy shortcuts but keeps all the rich flavor. Serve it with fresh bread or make some puff pastry croutons for floating on top.
Italian Wedding Soup
You can brown the homemade meatballs for my Italian wedding soup right in the Dutch oven and then build the soup from there. The drippings add so much flavor to the broth.
Ground Beef Chili Bowls
This thick and hearty ground beef chili browns perfectly in a Dutch oven. Serve it as a chili bowl or use it as a topping for hot dogs or a pan of frozen fries to make quick chili fries.
Dutch Oven Roasts
A roast is where a Dutch oven really earns its keep.
You get a hard sear right on the stovetop, then the whole pot slides into the oven to finish, no dirtying a second pan required! This is my favorite kind of one-pot meal.
German Sauerbraten
I love to marinate this German sauerbraten every October for a full German feast with spaetzle and red cabbage. I marinate the beef right in the Dutch oven for a week before baking it off in the oven.
Roasted Pork in Applesauce
I have an oblong shaped Dutch oven for making these tender roasted pork tenderloins in applesauce but you could easily do it in the larger 7.25 qt sized oven too.
Crockpot Roasts You Can Cook in a Dutch Oven
For busy holiday meals I tend to rely on my slowcooker on the counter so I can fit lots of side dishes into my oven. But if you want to make a spiral ham or boneless turkey breast for a special family dinner during the rest of the year, a Dutch oven is an excellent choice.
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Dutch Oven Pulled and Shredded Meat Recipes
Pulled pork and shredded chicken don't need a Crockpot to turn out fall-apart tender.
Give a Dutch oven a few hours at a low oven temperature and it will work just as well.
BUT it has the added benefit of giving you perfectly browned and crispy edges which improves the flavor and texture of the final recipe so much.
Mojo Cuban Pork
When you want to spice up your Taco Tuesday offerings, this mojo Cuban pork is the zesty filling you need. Tenderized with citrus, it pairs really well with rice bowls or salads but I love to use it in Cuban pulled pork sandwiches.
Mexican Pulled Pork Carnitas
My family and I fight over the crispy edges on these utterly addictive Mexican pulled pork carnitas. Layer tender chunks in a tortilla or top a rice bowl.
Pulled Pork
For classic BBQ plates or sandwiches, my easy pulled pork recipe is the perfect base for your favorite barbecue sauce.
Apricot Chicken
Tender and juicy apricot chicken slow cooks in the oven and so delicious when spooned over an herb butter rice. The recipe includes instructions for both baking in the oven and the Instant Pot if you need it done faster.
Crockpot Shredded Meats You Can Cook in a Dutch Oven
I have several easy slowcooker recipes that can easily be adapted for cooking in your Dutch oven:
Dutch Oven Sandwich Recipes
Some of my favorite sandwich fillings start out in a Dutch oven.
Braise the meat low and slow with savory juices, then pile it onto bread for a meal that will stick to your ribs. This is a great way to cook a large roast to feed a crowd.
French Dip Sandwiches
French dip sandwiches are one of my all-time favorite family dinners. Who doesn't love dunking their sandwich into the au jus??
New Orleans Roast Beef Po'Boy
I love to cook this New Orleans roast beef po'boy for Mardi Gras, it's an easy weeknight dinner that makes plenty of leftovers you can freeze for later.
Crockpot Sandwiches You Can Cook in a Dutch Oven
So many of my slowcooker sandwich recipes can be modified to cook in a Dutch oven. You'll still get tender, shreddable meat from the oven with that tight-fitting lid.
Dutch Oven Pasta Sauce Recipes
A Dutch oven is my favorite tool for a sauce that needs to simmer for a longer while. The added time helps to break down meats and vegetables into a rich and savory sauce that melts in your mouth.
Bolognese Sauce
The best example of a Dutch oven pasta sauce is a hearty, meaty bolognese sauce. Brown the meat and soften the veggies before letting the rich flavors develop low and slow.
Tomato Pastina
My kids' favorite comfort food is this delicate tomato pastina with tiny star-shaped noodles. I soften the veggies and build the tomato broth in the Dutch oven before cooking the pasta right in the sauce.
Tuscan Chicken Pasta
You can cook this creamy Tuscan chicken pasta sauce in your Dutch oven instead of a crockpot. The best part is you'll have plenty of space for adding the pasta and tossing to coat right in your Dutch oven.
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