5 Ways to Use Your Dutch Oven (Besides Braising)

While Dutch ovens are designed to do the tasks of browning meat and vegetables and then slowly braising them into deliciousness, they should be hauled out for more than just stews and soups.

If you own a Dutch oven, put it to work from morning until night. Here are five ways to get the most out of your Dutch oven — besides braising!

Since casseroles usually require stove and oven cooking, a Dutch oven is the perfect pot since it can be used in both places. When I make macaroni and cheese, I use the Dutch oven to cook the pasta first, then wipe it out and use it to make the sauce. I dump the pasta back into the sauce, stir it around, top with breadcrumbs, then slide the whole thing into the oven. No baking pan required!

• Chicken & Swiss Chard Pasta Bake
• Lighter Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Spinach & Red Peppers

I don’t deep fry often enough to warrant owning an actual deep fryer, so my Dutch oven works just fine on the rare occasions I need to do it. It has deep sides and retains heat well, so I just clip a deep-fry thermometer onto the side of the pot and fry chicken wings, fries, fish, or egg rolls.

• Southern Fried Catfish
• Korean Fried Chicken Wings
• Beer-Battered Cajun Fries

Making a loaf of no-knead bread at home is easy if you have a Dutch oven. Place the dough in a preheated Dutch oven, slide the lid on, and watch the dough turn into a perfectly round loaf with a crispy crust and soft interior.

• Whole Wheat No-Knead Bread
• No-Knead Multigrain Bread

If you don’t want to spend time stirring a pot of steel-cut oats in the morning, start your oatmeal in a Dutch oven, then place the whole thing in the oven to finish cooking. It’s a satisfying, easy breakfast that serves a crowd or makes enough to have leftovers for the rest of the week.

• Baked Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal

While some find the constant stirring of risotto appealing, others would rather have their hands and time free to do other things. If you fall into the latter category, use your Dutch oven to make a baked risotto instead! Stir in any manner of meat, seafood, or vegetables to make an easy, comforting dinner.

• Baked Risotto with Peas, Asparagus & Pancetta

What other cooking do you do in a Dutch oven?