There’s something magical about a great one pot recipe. Breaking down the complex steps of those hearty stews and curries we all love into something so simple and yet incredibly delicious. Of course, if you’re going to deep dive into one pot cooking, you want to make sure you’ve got the best pot possible.
Our Choice for One Pot Cooking
For us, that’s a Le Creuset Dutch oven. But what is a Dutch oven
exactly? It’s a large and heavy pot made from cast iron. Though it’s best known as a Dutch oven
, what Le
Creuset
makes is technically a French oven because it’s been enamelled.
This triple enamel coating makes the pot more non-stick, unable to rust, and generally less reactive to things like acidic foods (just a few of the tricky elements of raw cast iron).
Why is this the preferred kitchenware
for one pot cooking then? It comes down to two main reasons: performance and versatility.
The Performance Advantages of Cast Iron Cookware
There’s no getting around it, a big Le Creuset dutch oven is likely to be the heaviest piece of kitchenware you’ll have lying around. But that weight translates into some real performance advantages. That thick cast iron forces heat to move through it more slowly and evenly, meaning you avoid the hot spots which so often lead to burning the bottom bits of your stews when you try one pot cooking in a thinner pot. What’s also worth noting is that Le Creuset has spent many years perfecting the thickness of their ovens to be as light as possible without compromising cooking performance.
Over 90 years perfecting the original French oven Credit: Le Creuset
You also can’t ignore the amount of heat coming through. Le Creuset
’s cast iron kitchenware
can get up to the high temperatures needing for browning meats. That makes them perfect for one pot cooking because it allows you to do the browning and the rest of the cooking in a single pot without any trouble. That brings us to the versatility aspect.
The Versatility of Dutch Ovens
Performance and versatility go hand in hand here. Besides the aforementioned ability to brown meat and then cook a stew or pasta in the same pot, you can also transfer Le Creuset cookware
to the oven to bake it.
This is great when you’re making a soup or stew and want to let it simmer for a long time without worrying about anything burning. Your oven lets you control the temperature with precision so you get consistent results.
If all of this is getting you interested in trying out some one pot cooking, here are our top recommendations.
Our Favourite One Pot Cooking Recipes
Chances are, if you've heard of one pot cooking, the recipe you associate with it looks something like this. It’s a not quite traditional pasta dish which foregoes the need for a pot for the water, a colander, and a pan. Instead, it’s all here from the fettuccine, spinach, onion, spinach, garlic, and feta cheese.
The result? A creamy, flavourful, and healthy meal which is dead simple to make. It’s perfect for kids or just a busy weeknight dinner.
If you’re looking for something to show the full range of possibilities when it comes to one pot cooking with Le
Creuset
, this is it. You start by browning the lamb at high heat before adding those amazing aromatics. The garlic, cinnamon, cumin, ground coriander, paprika, and saffron are sure to get your home smelling like a North African kitchen.
Then, you’ll finish the dish off with some time in the oven. Once it’s done, there’s nothing left but to enjoy.
Here’s another fantastic kid-friendly recipe idea. Chicken breast and broccoli bring great textures into this creamy dish. Lemon juice, garlic, and fresh basil then bring some great flavours to the table. If you still can’t get your little ones to go for the broccoli, well then there’s more for you.
One pot cooking can surprise and here’s the perfect example. We don’t normally think of kung pao chicken as an easy recipe, but this version simplifies things without sacrificing flavour. Chilli, garlic, soy sauce, crunchy peanuts, and red wine vinegar are just a few of the ingredients which make this dish pop. It’s perfect for a day when you need a bit of inspiration to get you going.
Invest in Le Creuset Cookware
All of this adds up to why it’s worth investing in quality cookware
that’ll take on all the tough jobs you’ve got. Take a look at how affordable a Le Creuset dutch oven can be and take the first step towards becoming a one pot cooking master.
