Cooking in a cast iron skillet may seem like a daunting task to people who are new to this craft. Just managing the upkeep on a cast iron skillet can require some learning, so, at first, cooking with one can be an anxiety-inducing task to undertake.
Although nervousness is a totally reasonable response, it’s possible to use a cast iron skillet to produce a huge variety of delicious dishes with even more ease than making the exact same food would require with so-called “normal” cookware would require.
Top 25 Best Cast Iron Skillet Recipes to Get Inspired!
- Iron Skillet Peach Crisp
Peach crisp is a classic Southern-style dish that’s absolutely perfect when baked and served in a beautiful cast iron skillet. This recipe incorporates unique ingredients to amp up the flavor-factor and titillate the taste buds in all the best ways.
Fresh peaches and lemon juice along with toasted pecans and the surprising use of garam masala make this peach crisp recipe truly divine. Baked with a cast iron skillet, this recipe has a fabulous flavor and maximum health benefits.
- Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Skillet
This cheesy chicken enchilada recipe is the best in town, made even better by the use of an iron skillet and this cookware’s ability to go from stovetop to oven with ease. Traditional Mexican ingredients and simple instructions make this recipe absolutely wonderful.
These cheesy chicken enchiladas require a few steps in the making, but all of the steps can easily be done with the same cast iron skillet. One 10- or 12-inch cast iron skillet is all you’ll need to make this delicious dish.
- Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Butternut Squash
Besides being super tasty, this chicken pot pie is also super simple and only requires the use of two dishes through the entire cooking process (and iron skillet and a small bowl). Rejoice in having fewer dishes to wash after making this yummy treat!
The incorporation of butternut squash into this chicken pot pie give the dish an enhanced flavor profile and the added bonus of being healthier than some other pot pies. Aside from this special ingredient though, this recipe is traditional and perfect for a cast iron skillet.
- Cast Iron Pan Pizza
Few would guess that it would be possible to make a pizza in a cast iron skillet, but lo and behold, the apparently impossible is now possible with this pan pizza. The cheesiest cheese, easy store-bought dough, and a piping hot cast iron skillet combine in the very best way.
Homemade pizza is a favorite for many families and single people alike, but the time that it can take is burdensome. This cast iron pan pizza takes approximately 30 minutes to prepare without compromising anything in terms of flavor or freshness.
- Skillet Phyllo Pie with Butternut Squash, Kale, and Goat Cheese
Pot pies are a spectacular way to use a cast iron skillet. This phyllo pie with butternut squash, kale, and goat cheese is wonderfully healthy and wonderfully tasty at the same time. Not interested in eating kale in a salad? Try it out in this iron skillet pot pie instead!
For the more creatively-inclined or for cooks that like a good challenge, working with phyllo dough and a cast iron skillet can be a complicated but satisfying endeavor. The results are amazing, and the work is well worth the resulting cheesy vegetable phyllo pie!
- Schmaltz-Refried Pinto Beans
A simple side dish or essential component of fajitas or enchiladas, these Schmaltz-refried pinto beans have a distinct flavor. The use of a cast iron skillet as well as of chicken fat in place of the usual lard make these beans a bit healthier and a bit more special than average refried beans.
A classic Mexican recipe, these beans incorporate the traditional chile de arbol but also use slab bacon to enhance the taste and add in extra protein and fat. This recipe for refried beans takes some time, but it’s low maintenance and has a minimum amount of effort.
- Skirt Steak Fajitas with Grilled Cabbage and Scallions
Fajitas are a nifty, entertaining “project” meal that combines the pleasures of finger food with the convenience of a build-your-own dish. These steak fajitas have an abundance of healthy spices and vegetables that add color and vibrance to this already sassy and spicy dinner.
A smoky flavor is ideal for fajitas, especially those with meat as the main star. Using a cast iron skillet as the cookware for this recipe helps lock in flavor and moisture as the meat cooks over the grill.
- Sweet and Savory Corn Casserole
Casserole is one of America’s favorite easy-to-make and flavorful dinner choices. This sweet and savory corn casserole artfully blends together traditional and non-traditional corn casserole ingredients in a delightful symphony of spices.
This recipe only requires the use of one cast iron skillet, and because the recipe is designed specifically to be used with this type of cookware, cooks can avoid having to use more than one piece of cookware. The casserole can go straight from the stovetop to the oven to the table!
- Crispy Baked Pasta with Mushrooms, Sausage, and Parmesan Cream Sauce
Pasta is a simple food to make on nights when you have little time or energy to prepare a more complicated meal, but what about those nights when you want to create a divine pasta dish? Look no further than this crispy baked pasta recipe for an earthy, rich, and creamy dinner.
The versatility of an iron skillet lends itself beautifully to this recipe. From the stovetop to the oven, this pasta dish runs the gamut and even despite the intricate ins and outs of the recipe, the cast iron skillet makes it simple, straightforward, and scrumptious.
- Rosemary Pork Chops
There’s nothing better than a perfectly good pork chop, and these Rosemary Pork Chops take the prize. Beautiful and flavorful, this dinner is a classic Southern dish with zest and allure unequalled by any other recipe.
Making these pork chops in a cast iron skillet makes this recipe especially easy to follow and implement. Plus, the short ingredient list includes foods that are, for the most part, to be found in every kitchen without any problem to make these pork chops are both beautiful and simple.
- Sage and Honey Skillet Cornbread
This list of the best cast iron skillet recipes wouldn’t be complete without cornbread. Southern cooking is known to use cast iron cookware regularly to create unique texture and taste, and with cornbread being a traditional Southern side, it pairs perfectly with cast iron skillets.
This Sage and Honey Cornbread recipe puts a special spin on the classic cornbread recipe by mixing in herbs and extra honey to develop a flavor profile that dances across the tongue. This is the perfect mix of modern and traditional blended into one perfect dish.
- One-Skillet Chicken with Buttery Orzo
One of the best feelings in the world is the feeling of making a fantastic dish with only a few simple steps and a few pieces of cookware. This One-Skillet Chicken with Buttery Orzo has an easy to follow recipe that produces a delightful dinner.
This combination of green veggies, pasta, and chicken legs is beautiful and flavorful, the perfect mix of fresh and fried. Meat lovers and veggie lovers alike will enjoy this dish for its diversity. And of course, this dish is made possible by the excellence of cast iron cookware.
- Raspberry Skillet Jam
Though perhaps surprising to some people, raspberry skillet jam can be made quite easily with a cast iron skillet. This recipe is made up of 3 ingredients and takes approximately 30-40 minutes from start to finish (including preparation and adjustments).
Jams and jellies are versatile condiments that can be used for anything from a PB&J sandwich to a sweetener in a cornbread to a crucial ingredient for the perfect barbeque sauce. Needless to say, this raspberry jam is an absolute essential. And now it can be made from home!
- Reuben Dutch Baby
For the meat lovers out there, this Reuben Dutch Baby is going to be a fast favorite. The rugged combination of a cast iron skillet with layers of pastrami and an abundance of cheese calls to any indulgent chef or inspired home cook.
And, even better, this is a one-skillet recipe! Amateur cooks or those without a lot of time need not worry, this recipe is a breeze. Making the meal beautiful may take time, but this Reuben Dutch Baby recipe creates a scrumptious and protein-filled result.
- Easy No-Knead Olive-Rosemary Focaccia with Pistachios
Focaccia is a type of Italian flatbread that is known for its moist, fall-apart texture and affinity for having heaps of fresh herbs and olive oil. This focaccia is made with a cast iron skillet and incorporates the unique ingredient of pistachios into the topping.
Of course, this focaccia recipe uses the traditional Italian ingredients of olives, rosemary, and olive oil as well as the somewhat more nontraditional pistachios. As a no-knead recipe, this further increases the overall simplicity of the recipe, as does the one-skillet aspect of the dish.
- Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae
Chocolate cake is a “must” to have on a best recipes list. Who doesn’t like chocolate cake? And now, with this recipe, it’s been made even better with the use of a cast iron skillet. The recipe strategically uses the cast iron skillets stovetop abilities along with its oven abilities.
Chocolate cake by itself is divine, but this chocolate skillet cake takes things to the next level with chocolate frosting and ice cream to make it decadent. Caramel sauce and whipped cream create a smooth, and “gooey” texture to the cake that any chocolate and sweet lover will adore.
- Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
Can you use a cast iron skillet to make a giant chocolate chip cookie? Of course! And, this recipe will teach you how. Skillet chocolate chip cookies are even better than regular cookies, because they require no dropping, no extra waiting, and no arguing over the last cookie.
Similar to a pie pan cookie, a skillet cookie uses almost the exact same recipe as regular drop cookies, only with a few alterations. And, this chocolate chip skillet cookie recipe incorporates both the stovetop and the oven to create the perfect flavor and texture.
- Caramelized Banana Bread Skillet Cake
This Caramelized Banana Bread Skillet Cake resembles an upside down pineapple cake in the way that it’s constructed and cooked. Cooked in a cast iron skillet, the final cake is fruity and bursting with flavor.
Caramelized banana bread cake is perfect when topped with a scoop of vanilla or caramel ice cream and sprinkling of cinnamon. The time involved with making this delicious dessert is worth the wait; Caramelized Banana Bread Skillet Cake comes highly recommended on this list.
- Graduated Grilled Cheese
Graduated Grilled Cheese puts a sophisticated spin on the classic grilled cheese sandwich to create a lunch or dinner that’s suitable for both casual and formal situations. And to add even more to the sophistication factor, this recipe makes use of a cast iron skillet.
Fancy and functional ingredients like sourdough bread and Swiss cheese make this grilled cheese impossibly delicious. And, a sandwich filling of sauteed vegetables mixed with fresh and dried herbs makes this Graduated Grilled Cheese beautiful, healthy, and flavorful.
- Seared Ribeye with Wilted Bok Choy
Only 7 ingredients and one (or two) dishes involved, this Seared Ribeye with Wilted Bok Choy is one of the absolute easiest cast iron skillet recipes on this list. Simple foods combine to create a tasty dinner that can be easily prepared in 20-30 minutes.
But besides being easy and fast, this cast iron skillet recipe for ribeye and bok choy is also bursting with flavor. A combination of hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and ginger gives the ribeye an Asian twist while butter and an iron skillet help bring out the natural taste of the bok choy.
- PB&C Oatmeal Skillet Cookie
“Unique” is a word that certainly defines this cast iron skillet recipe. It’s already surprising that a cookie can be made in a cast iron skillet, but an oatmeal cookie with cheese? That’s even more of a shock. But this recipe brings it all together in a wonderful mix.
This is one of the more complex dessert recipes on this list. There are many steps and many ingredients, but thankfully, the cast iron skillet helps make clean up simpler and contributes to the perfect final texture. Even despite the complexity, this is a cookie that’s worth waiting for!
- Skillet Chicken and Zucchini Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce
A flavorful spin on classic enchiladas, these skillet enchiladas have both traditional and unique ingredients that combine for a one-of-a-kind culinary masterpiece. These enchiladas require a medium level of effort to make, so they’re perfect for cooks who want a small challenge.
A tomatillo salsa combined with the zucchini filling makes these enchiladas super fresh. They pair beautifully with a warm summer evening dinner complete with agua fresca and a dessert of ice cream. For a cast iron skillet recipe that’s guaranteed to “wow”, this is a good choice!
- Spicy Tomato Poached Eggs
It’s generally agreed that poached eggs are healthier than fried eggs, and the incorporation of fresh vegetables like tomato, onion, and bell peppers makes this dish even healthier. Fresh herbs dominate the dish to give it a bite and also a freshness that’s hard not to like.
Besides being flavorful, this Spicy Tomato Poached Eggs recipe produces a colorful and vibrant meal. Mix that with the meal being cooked and served in a cast iron skillet and you get a beautiful dish that’s superior to all others.
- Skillet Granola
Have you ever wanted a snack but didn’t have any ready-made options to choose from? In that case, you have to make a snack and, most of the time, you don’t want to spend much time on it. Luckily, this Skillet Granola is fast and easy, perfect for an afternoon snack or as a topping.
The simple ingredients in this granola recipe can be found in almost any kitchen, which makes this snack even more accessible. A cast iron skillet is a perfect choice for this recipe because it’s able to go from the stovetop to the oven; in little time, this tasty snack will be ready to eat!
- Chocolate Dutch Baby
Absolutely delicious and amazingly rich, this Chocolate Dutch Baby recipe is sure to become a regular addition to your cooking repertoire after even just one making. Beautiful and dark, it’s impossible not to love this delightful cast iron skillet dessert recipe.
Although this recipe requires more supplies, time, and dedication than some other recipes, it’s still easy to follow and produces fantastic results. And after removing it from the oven, the Dutch baby is topped with coffee ice cream and chocolate sauce to make it even more fabulous.
Conclusion
The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to using a cast iron skillet in the kitchen. Easier cleanup, better tasting dishes, and beautiful cookware in which to showcase food makes this cooking style an absolute breeze.
From cookies and cakes to grilled cheese and pot pies, cast iron cookware can produce an incredibly diverse set of results. Now newbies and pros alike can revel in the awesomeness of the cast iron skillet as they peruse and try these amazing recipes.