Creative, delicious dinners don’t have to require hours standing over the stove top. And they surely don’t require piles of dishes overflowing from your kitchen sink. One pot meals are the saving grace needed to get dinner on the table without a daunting mess to tackle when you should be enjoying dessert.
These are a perfect match with our Xtrema Dutch Oven.
One pot meals can work well on any night of the week. Consider adding one of the following recipes to your menu rotation – and then take the rest of the night off.
1. Italian Bean and Pasta Soup
This dish is perfect for cozy weekends. You can fill your Dutch oven with all the tasty ingredients, then get back to enjoying your time while the comforting soup simmers.
- 8 ounces of dried cannellini beans
- 5 pieces bacon
- 2 small onions, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, mince
- 1 cup white wine or vegetable broth
- 2+ cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ pound dried pasta
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 10 ounces spinach
- 2 teaspoons salt
Cook the bacon in your Dutch oven until it’s crispy then take it out let the bacon drain on a paper towel. Add the chopped onion to the bacon grease in the Dutch oven over medium heat and let it cook for about 10 minutes or until onions begin to look translucent. Add the celery and garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Add the wine or broth to the pan to deglaze it, scraping the bottom to loosen up any brown residue. Rinse the beans and add them to the pot, adding the 2 cups of water to cover the beans completely. Add the bay leaf. Bring the water to a boil and then turn the burner to low and let cook with the lid on for about 1.5 hours.
Once the beans are cooked through add the crumbled bacon. Turn the burner up to medium high heat and pour in the pasta and thyme. Cook until the pasta is al dente; cooking time will vary depending on the pasta you choose. Add more water, if you need it, just to keep the pasta submerged.
Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs, then stir in the spinach. Once spinach has wilted into the soup, serve and enjoy.
2. Barbecue Pulled Pork
Pulled pork is an excellent choice for parties or big family meals. You can use the meat for tacos, soup or on top of nachos. This recipe uses a tangy barbecue sauce for tender, pulled pork sandwiches. You’ll surely enjoy the compliments when dinner guests get a taste of this simple yet delicious barbeque pulled pork recipe. (They’ll never know it was an easy, one pot meal.)
- A 3-pound pork butt or shoulder cut
- About 1-2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce
- 1 can of light beer or ginger ale
Season the pork with salt and pepper, then coat it in about ¼ cup of barbecue sauce. Place the meat in a plastic bag and let it sit in the refrigerator for about six hours.
Remove the roast from your refrigerator and preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Place the roast in your Dutch oven. Pour the beer or ginger ale over top. Put the lid on and cook in the oven for about five hours. Remove the roast and use two forks to finely shred it, placing it in a bowl once shredded. Toss the pork in the rest of the barbecue sauce. Serve on buns for delicious barbecue sandwiches.
3. Greek Vegetarian Casserole 
For those who prefer more vegetables and less meat, or no meat at all, here’s a delicious and healthy one pot meal to satisfy your taste buds. Get creative with this dish and try adding your favorite veggies.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 zucchinis or yellow squash
- Small red onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 14 oz diced tomatoes with juices
- 4-6 potatoes (Yukon gold or red potatoes)
- ½ pound green beans, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup feta cheese
- Dill for garnish
- Optional: 8 oz. chicken sausage
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Drizzle one-tablespoon of olive oil in the Dutch oven. Half the zucchinis crosswise and chop into half moons about a quarter inch thick. Add the zucchini and chopped red onion to the pot and stir till coated with olive oil. Mix in a few shakes of salt, pepper and garlic and then place the pot into the oven for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, trim the green beans and scrub the potato skins. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch wedges. Once the timer rings, slide the Dutch oven out and scoop the zucchini and onions to one side of the pot. Add the potatoes, lemon juice, green beans, tomatoes, oregano, garlic, and optional sliced sausage to the empty side of the pot. Drizzle the other one-tablespoon of olive oil over the potatoes and then mix everything together. Put the Dutch oven lid on and place back in oven for another 20 minutes.
After timer rings, take lid off and stir ingredients. Heat in oven for an additional 20 minutes. Garnish with dill and feta cheese.
4. One Pot Chicken and Rice
One pot meals don’t have to be based on chili or stew. If you’re looking for a more traditional dinner, look no further than this chicken and rice dish, complete with vegetables for a well-rounded dinner option.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 large onion, minced
- 2 celery stalks, minced
- 2 carrots, minced
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups of chicken stock
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup of rice
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in your Dutch oven. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add it to the pan, cooking until browned. Remove the chicken from the pan and add the onion, celery and carrots. Stir until softened. Add the white wine, deglazing the pan until all the brown bits are loosened from the bottom.
Add the chicken stock, bay leaf, rosemary and rice. Place the chicken back in the pan. Bring it to a boil and cover the dish before turning the heat off. Put the pan in the oven and let it cook for about 40 minutes. Check on it once to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan. The rice should be tender when it’s complete. Shred the chicken and serve.
5. Apple Cider and Red Onion Lamb Shanks
This dish incorporates the delicious flavors of fall in a dish that can be enjoyed year-round. Simmering the meat on the stove top makes the meat tender, and the sauce thick. If you feel like you can manage another dirty dish, whip up some mashed potatoes. You won’t regret it.
- 4 12-ounce lamb shanks
- ½ cup flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion, sliced thin
- 4 cloves of garlic, left whole
- 2 cups apples cider
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 3 Granny Smith or other tart apples, cut into wedges
Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Spread the flour out on a plate and dredge the meat on both sides until it’s well coated in the flour.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven and cook the lamb shanks until brown on each side. Remove the lamb from the Dutch oven and set it aside on a plate.
Add the red onion and garlic, cooking for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Pour in the apple cider and add the rosemary. Place the lamb shanks back in the pan and let it simmer, covered, for about 1 ½ hours. Make sure the meat is nearly covered by the cider during cooking time.
Remove the tender lamb from the Dutch oven and bring the remaining sauce to a boil. Add the apples and cook until tender – but not too soft. Return the lamb to the pot, then coat it in the sauce, ensuring it’s warm throughout. Serve with the sauce and apples.
6. Stuffed Bell Pepper Stew
A perfect recipe for those cold winter days! This sweet and savory stew is a great holiday favorite showing the Christmas colors of green and red from the bell peppers and makes enough to feed a family of ten.
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- 1 large white onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 29 ounces tomato sauce
- 28 ounces Italian style diced tomatoes
- 1 large red pepper, chopped
- 1 large green pepper, chopped
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 2 small beef bouillon cubes
- 3-5 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 5 cups water
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups Minute Rice
- Green onion to garnish
Add the ground turkey, chopped onions and garlic to your ceramic Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Put the lid on and let the meat cook for about 7-10 minutes stirring often to break up the meat and mix with the onion.
Once the meat has browned, add the remaining ingredients except for the green onion and rice. Bring to a light boil and then stir in the rice. Let the stew simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally.
Turn off the stove and let the stew sit for an additional 10 minutes before garnishing with green onion and serving.
7. Curried Beef Stew
While some home cooks are willing to put in the time needed to make their own curry paste, a store bought version is fine for this one pot meal. You can even go to your favorite Thai restaurant and often buy curry paste to take home. However you get it, add it to this stew.
- About 1/8 cup of curry
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into cubes
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon ground Thai chilies
- 9 cups beef broth
- 3 shallot, halved
- 3 carrots, cut into thick half moons
- Cilantro and Thai basil for garnish
Add a bit of oil to the bottom of your Dutch oven and bring it to medium-high heat. Add the curry paste, beef and soy sauce to the pan. Toss in the ground chilies and stir until the beef is well coated. Let it cook for about five minutes.
Add the broth and bring it to a boil before covering the pot and turning it to low, so it simmers. Let it cook this way for about two hours, or until the beef is tender.
Stir in the shallots and carrots, cooking an additional five to 10 minutes. Serve in large bowls and garnish with cilantro and basil.
8. Mexican Quinoa Casserole
Taco Tuesday has never looked so healthy or so easy. Use our Xtrema Dutch oven to make this one pot meal the whole family will love.
- 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 gloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon adobe seasoning
- 1 jalapeno, chopped
- 15.5 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 tablespoon Chile powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup salsa
- ½ cup Colby and Monterey jack cheese
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- Optional: sliced black olives
Sprinkle chopped chicken with adobe seasoning and place in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Let the chicken cook with lid on for 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno once chicken is halfway cooked. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the outside of the chicken looks completely cooked.
Push the chicken to one side of the Dutch oven and add a little olive oil to the empty side and place the quinoa on top. Mix the quinoa with the oil, while still keeping it separate from the chicken, until it begins to give off a popping noise. After one more minute, add the vegetable broth to the quinoa and chicken and mix it together.
Place the lid on and let cook for 10 minutes. Next, add the remaining ingredients except the cheese. Cook until all the liquid is absorbed by the quinoa. Sprinkle with cheese and place in oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Enjoy one pot meals with Xtrema cookware
Homemade meals shouldn’t require hours of cooking and clean up time. Plus, eating at home is a great way to eat healthier because it allows you to control your portions and your ingredients.
These one pot meals are just a few of the tasty things that can be created in a Dutch oven. Next time you make soup, chili or stew, think about investing in your Dutch oven or the variety of other Xtrema products.
