The Bestselling Casserole Dish on Amazon Is Also Perfect for One-Pot Pastas
With most of us cooking at home more now than ever before, there are a few patterns Kitchn editors have picked up on. There are certain pots and pans we’re washing at an alarming frequency, sourdough couldn’t be more popular, and you guys are looking for lots of casseroles and one-pot pasta dinners — meals that come together easily and are hearty enough to feed a hungry household. Which brings us to this gorgeous casserole dish.
Buy: Lodge 3.6-Quart Enamel Cast Iron Casserole Dish with Lid, $70
According to Amazon, people are buying the Lodge 3.6-Quart Enamel Cast Iron Casserole Dish in droves. (It’s the best selling casserole on the site right now.) Made of enameled cast iron, this skillet can broil, braise, bake, roast, sauté, simmer, fry, and more.
Beyond casseroles (and those other things), this pan is particularly well-suited for one-pot pastas. This seemingly magical cooking method has soared in popularity on Kitchn’s Instagram recently, thanks to our video series, With Grace, where Deputy Food Editor Grace Elkus walks followers through the mind-blowing process.
“One-pot pastas are unique in that the pasta cooks start to finish in the same pot — no straining necessary!” Grace explains. “As the noodles boil, the water reduces into a starchy binder, creating a sauce for the noodles to cling to. That’s why traditional vessels for cooking pasta, like a large pot, don’t work as well for one-pot pastas — they prevent the water from evaporating and can result in overcooked pasta. For this reason, shallow straight-sided skillets and braisers are much better suited for the one-pot pasta method.” In her videos, she often uses this pot, which is a lot more than $70!
If the lower price tag isn’t enough to convince you to go with the Lodge, let’s take a look at what some of the Amazon reviewers have to say.
“I own several very pricey brand name cast iron pieces, and this Lodge braiser has so far, performed equally in terms of cooking and ease of clean up. I’m so glad I ordered this pan instead of the more costly one I looked at. It is very attractive and has large handles, which make putting in and out of the oven easy. It has a nice, large, oven safe knob on top also.”
“Eggs, potatoes, pancakes, caramelizing onions, and more cook great and do not stick. It is fantastic for braising and browning on top of the stove as well as baking in the oven. This is a great pan to use all of the time and can be used to cook anything.”
“SUCH a great casserole; a joy to cook with. It is virtually non-stick, browns beautifully, and is very durable. I used it regularly for more than a year, and it still looks brand-new. We do hand-wash, because it’s just so easy, and I want it to last forever. It IS extremely heavy (which I knew beforehand) but is my favorite pan; large and roomy to make a meal now and freeze the rest for later.”
Do you have one pot or pan that you’re using for everything right now? Let us know in the comments below.