35 Best Dutch Oven Recipes in 2024
LOOKING FOR THE BEST DUTCH OVEN RECIPES?
You have come to the right place!! We have traveled and lived in our camper since 2010 and grew up cooking with a Dutch oven. Dutch ovens are a fantastic way to prepare meals, especially if you have a small kitchen or love spending time outdoors like we do.
They are incredibly versatile and spread heat evenly, allowing your food to cook well even when using an open fire. Dutch oven cooking is an art that many people love but if you are looking for the best recipes keep reading for 35 of the best mouth watering and fantastic Dutch oven recipes the internet has to offer.
Dutch Oven Dinner Recipes
1. Dutch Oven Chili
The Dutch Oven Chili is a delicious dish that combines rich flavors of tender meat, beans, various vegetables, and aromatic spices. This chili goes well with crusty bread of warm cornbread, making it perfect for family dinners and gatherings.
To feel more adventurous, you can kick start the taste and texture with additional ingredients like dried tomatoes and a splash of your favorite hot sauce.
You can also make slight modifications to this recipe and cook it in a crockpot if you will have access to power or a power station.
2. Ragu Alla Bolognese
The Ragu Alla Bolognese sauce is a flavorful Italian dish you can easily prepare quickly. When making this hearty meal, the aromas of the savoy herbs and browned ground beef will create an irresistible fragrance in your home campsite.
Cooking this sauce in a Dutch oven means that every ingredient will cook to perfection due to even heat distribution, giving you a thick sauce with deep flavors.
3. Hearty Dutch Oven Beef Stew (Without Potatoes)
Everything about this delicious Dutch Oven Beef Stew is comforting and flavorful. It’s an excellent dish to enjoy during cold winter days or chilly camping evenings.
Since this recipe doesn’t use potatoes, you can serve the hearty Dutch oven stew with dinner rolls, dumplings, garlic bread, or any bread you love to make it more filling.
4. Easy No-Knead Olive Bread
Are you looking for tasty and easy-to-make bread for family dinners or parties? This Easy No-Knead Olive Bread is a perfect match; you won’t have to knead anything.
It’s a great recipe when you feel lazy or don’t have much baking experience and still want a fresh loaf of bread to feed your family or friends. Once the dough is ready, your Dutch oven will do the magic!
5. Dutch Oven Shredded Beef Barbacoa
Originating from Mexican Cuisine, the Dutch Oven Shredded Beef Barbacoa is a mouthwatering dish perfect for gatherings or dinners.
The slow-cooking process in the Dutch oven leads to a soothing meal with well-blended flavors and a tender texture. You can prepare it at home or outdoors and serve it with tacos, rice, burritos, salad, or lettuce leaves for an amazing presentation.
6. Dutch Oven Carnitas
You won’t get enough of these juicy Dutch Oven Carnitas. The cumin and citrus blend well, giving you the best child-friendly Mexican taste.
What I love about this dish is that it requires less preparation time and allows you to cook everything in one pot, a Dutch oven. You can brown a small portion of the pork shoulder to elevate the flavor and get the best results.
7. Loaded Mac and Cheese
Stuffed with caramelized onions and bacon bits, this Loaded Mac and Cheese dish is super creamy and cheesy. It uses a blend of Gouda, gruyere, cream cheese, and cheddar, but you can use other types of cheese to adapt the taste to your liking.
8. Simple Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread
Another incredible recipe to prepare in a Dutch oven is the No-Knead Bread, a simple recipe that uses only four ingredients: flour, salt, yeast, and water.
If you dislike plain bread, add any preferred spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, or dried rosemary leaves. Then pair your freshly baked Dutch oven bread with meatballs and tomato sauce or your family’s favorite soup for dinners.
9. Fork Tender Cabbage and Corned Beef
When you make this the Fork Tender Cabbage and Corned Beef, you’ll realize why it remains a favorite among the Irish-Americans on St. Patrick’s Day.
While the original ingredients were bacon and ham, corned beef and cabbage boast a deep umami flavor with mild sweetness, making it an irresistible dish, especially when using a slow cooker like a Dutch oven. However, if you don’t like cabbage, you can substitute it with potatoes.
10. Camping Tacos
These hearty and filling Camping Tacos are fun and easy to make on coals from a campfire. They are perfect for camping, as you can prepare most ingredients beforehand.
The recipe is flexible, so you can use any ground meat and beans to suit your taste when creating the taco layers. Then add all your favorite toppings, from chopped tomatoes to jalapenos, to make layers of flavor.
11. Honey Cornbread
This Honey Cornbread recipe results in a moist, mildly sweet bread, perfect for pairing with beef chili during cold winter days or chilly evenings while camping.
It’s easy to make this bread in a Dutch oven in no time with only a few ingredients and hot coals from a campfire.
12. Dutch Oven Pot Roast
This Dutch Oven Pot Roast is a classic family dinner loved by many. It packs tender beef roast and vegetables like celery, potatoes, onions, and carrots.
It’s very easy to make this one-pot dish as all you have to do is chop the vegetables and sauté them for a few minutes before adding broth and the seared chuck roast. Then cook everything slowly in a Dutch oven.
13. One Pot Chicken and Rice (with Chickpeas and Lemon)
Seasoned with fragrant Mediterranean spices, this Chicken and Rice with Chickpeas and Lemon are perfect for one-pot enthusiasts.
It’s easy to prepare this meal for dinners or family gatherings since all you have to do is sear your seasoned chicken in a Dutch oven, throw in rice and chickpeas, and garnish with fresh herbs once everything is ready.
14. Dutch Oven Pork Roast
Are you looking for comforting Sunday dinner ideas? This savory Dutch Oven Pork Roast will leave everyone in your family wanting more.
You can easily prepare it with your favorite vegetables in a Dutch oven within an hour. The best pork cut for this recipe is the top loin, also known as the center cut.
15. Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese
The Dutch oven Mac and Cheese recipe is perfect for families looking for a cozy meal at home or outdoors. The cheese melts on the pasta, resulting in a gooey and indulgent dinner with a crispy crust and a creamy texture.
What many outdoor enthusiasts love about this recipe is that you can easily double it to make enough food and satisfy your entire camping crew.
16. Hearty Vegetarian Chili
Are you in search of healthy Dutch oven recipes for camping? This Hearty Vegetarian Chili packs loads of nutrients from vitamin C to dietary fiber, and it’s delicious enough to satisfy even the most avid meat lovers.
It uses fun and easy-to-find ingredients like beans, onions, mushrooms, garlic cloves, and sundried tomatoes.
17. Dutch Oven Potatoes
These simple Dutch Oven Potatoes will cook perfectly, even for those with less experience with outdoor Dutch Oven Recipes.
For this recipe, it helps to season your potatoes well before tossing them in the Dutch oven as you get a crispy and tasty exterior. You can pair your well-baked potatoes with any steak, beef chili, salad, soup, or sauce, and remember to garnish with fresh herbs.
18. Campfire Dutch Oven Nachos
These Campfire Dutch Oven Nachos are a must-cook for campers who love make-ahead meals for easy food preparation while outdoors.
They are super easy to make, as you can prepare the veggies and pack your cooked ground beef in a freezer bag. Once the campfire is set, toss everything into a Dutch oven and let it do the magic, giving you lots of time to relax or enjoy some outdoor games.
19. Guinness Beef Stew
This slow-cooked meal features huge beef chunks and vegetables like carrots, turnips, and potatoes. The Beef Stew uses Guinness stout, giving you a rich and complex flavor.
If you feel the beef stew is too thin, mix a few tablespoons of cornstarch in beef broth or water and stir the mixture into the pot. Then cook the meal for about five more minutes before garnishing it with parsley, rosemary, or scallions.
20. Braised Short Ribs
Beef Ribs are slow-cooked with garlic, herbs, vegetables, and a spicy sauce in a Dutch oven until they become tender and juicy.
The meat from the chuck section is usually tough but easily softens when simmered in a Dutch oven. The result is a flavorful stew that satisfies your family when served over mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, green vegetables, or polenta.
21. Yankee Pot Roast
The Yankee Pot Roast is a flavorful and satisfying meal. It’s usually made by searing a large beef chunk to create a brown crust and then simmering it in a savory liquid (red wine and beef broth) and delicious vegetables. Additional ingredients like bacon can make the dish taste even better.
22. Easy Ratatouille Recipe
If you are looking for a rustic and healthy Dutch oven dish to entertain your camping crew, this Easy Ratatouille Recipe is for you. It combines exciting vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, bell peppers, and herbs to make a delicious one-pot meal.
You can serve your colorful Ratatouille as the main meal or as a side dish with rice, pasta, salad, sourdough bread, or your favorite grains. Then add some freshly shredded cheese for a nice flavor boost when serving hot.
23. Campfire Dutch Oven Pizza
Made entirely in a Dutch oven, this Campfire Pizza is extremely cheesy and tasty, with a crispy crust that is hard to resist. The pizza recipe uses sliced pepperoni and shredded mozzarella, but the toppings are adaptable, so you can always go for whatever your family loves.
Dutch Oven Chicken Recipes
24. Dutch Oven Chicken Casserole
Indulge your taste buds with this tantalizing Dutch Oven Chicken recipe. When your Dutch oven works the magic, it gives you tender chicken thighs with a nutty flavor, thanks to the poppy seeds.
Sprinkling a mixture of butter and crushed crackers over the chicken before baking will enhance your casserole and ensure an amazing flavor and texture.
25. Dutch Oven Whole Chicken
It’s hard to resist this Dutch Oven Whole Chicken recipe when you picture that the result is a tender chicken, perfectly seared in a harmony of aromatic vegetables and a rich sauce.
Cooking a whole chicken in a Dutch oven at home or outdoors ensures that all the flavors meld and intensify properly, resulting in an elegant and tasty dish.
The secret of this recipe is seasoning the chicken and removing the lid for the last thirty minutes to ensure a crispy crust that will carry you to a world of culinary ecstasy.
26. Dutch Oven Chicken Marbella
If you are looking for an easy Dutch oven chicken recipe, you might love the sweet and savory Chicken Marbella.
With ingredients like chicken thighs, chopped prunes, olives, garlic, and more, the saucy chicken Marbella will surely give you and your camping crew unforgettable camping meal moments.
You can serve it with over rice, potatoes, or quinoa, and the Marbella will become a favorite for your family when camping. What I also love about this recipe is that it’s an easy recipe to double or scale up when camping with more friends.
27. Chicken and Chorizo Jambalaya
Combine chicken, chorizo sausage, vegetables, and rice in a Dutch oven to make a perfect Chicken & Chorizo Jambalaya.
The good thing about Jambalaya is that it’s extremely versatile, so you can always use your preferred ingredients and adjust the flavors to suit your taste. For example, you can add shrimp and your favorite vegetables to make a unique variation your crew will love.
While this yummy recipe cooks over the fire, you can enjoy some fun campfire games with your family and friends!
Dutch Oven Soup Recipes
28. Creamy One-Pot Lazy Lasagna Soup
This one-pot lasagna soup is just one of the most satisfying and delicious Dutch oven recipes we have for you. You can easily prepare it in a Dutch oven with simple ingredients like pasta, tomato sauce, cheesy filling, and ground beef.
If your family has big foodies, you can make this creamy soup and enjoy it with garlic bread during busy days or while camping. It’s best served with more cheese toppings and parsley garnish.
29. Smoked Turkey Soup
Do you have any turkey leftovers? You can make a comforting Smoked Turkey Soup with a few other ingredients in a Dutch oven. You only need to fine-tune the seasonings to your liking.
You can serve your smoked turkey soup with a loaf of bread, a camping dish of wild rice or noodles, then garnish with fresh thyme, scallions, or parsley. A squeeze of lemon will also revitalize the flavors to let you enjoy the meal even more!
30. Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
You can make the best Chicken Noodle Soup in a Dutch oven with some leftover chicken. And it doesn’t require many ingredients, making it a perfect option for camping enthusiasts. You only need noodles, shredded chicken, and vegetables like carrots, onions, celery, and bell peppers.
The good thing about this recipe is that you don’t have to cook the noodles separately. Instead, toss them into the pot towards the end of the cooking time to prevent overcooking.
Dutch Oven Dessert Recipes
31. Dutch Oven Apple Crisp
The Dutch Oven Apple Crisp is a perfect dessert after any meal. A blend of tender spiced apples and a crunchy top beautified with whipped cream makes it an irresistible treat that every apple lover will cherish.
For this Dutch oven dessert recipe, go for apples that retain their structure while baking to avoid extremely mushy results. This way, you’ll enjoy every bite of a firm yet soft and delicious apple crisp. This is a perfect treat to enjoy after your campfire games with your family.
32. Blueberry Dump Cake
Bake a simple Blueberry Dump Cake with no eggs in a Dutch oven to enjoy a perfect dessert after your camping lunch or dinner.
Your camping crew will love this damp cake since it’s extremely delicious. The blueberry sweetness combines merrily with the lemon flavor, resulting in a delightful treat.
Along with flavor, the blueberries add to the cake’s juiciness to ensure the treat feels soft and rich with every bite. Don’t forget your cooler to store the delicious leftovers.
Breakfast Dutch Oven Recipes
33. Dutch Oven Breakfast Bake
This enjoyable Dutch Oven Breakfast Bake is perfect for families that love camping. You can prepare the ingredients before heading out for easy cooking in the morning.
The one-pot breakfast bake is as simple as it can get, and it is super easy to make. You only need cheddar cheese, bell peppers, tater tots, and eggs. This is a great and easy hearty breakfast the family will love.
34. Dutch Oven Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon Rolls are a great choice for camping breakfasts as you can prepare them at home for easy and quick cooking at the campsite. And in this case, baking them in a Dutch oven is the sure way of getting the best results.
Remember to give the dough time to rise before baking the rolls while out there. You can remove the dough from the cooler before you start the campfire to give them time to return to room temperature.
35. Overnight Dutch Oven French Toast
If you love bread, you’ll enjoy this French Toast Casserole prepared in a Dutch oven for breakfast. It’s super easy to make, as you can prepare everything the night before, store it in your cooler, and bake your French toast casserole in the morning.
When cooking this recipe, I recommend lining your Dutch oven with parchment paper to make for easy cleanup.
Best Dutch Ovens to Take Camping
Cooking over a campfire can be daunting, especially if you lack the right equipment. If you want to prepare the best meals when spending time in the wild, the best thing to do is to invest in a high-quality Dutch oven.
Below are the three best Dutch ovens to take camping for effective and efficient outdoor cooking:
Lodge L10CO3 Cast Iron Dutch Oven
The L10CO3 Cast Iron Dutch Oven is a high-quality cookware by the renowned Lodge brand. It’s available in varying sizes, from 2 Quart to 10 Quart, to suit different cooking needs.
Its affordability, sturdiness, and ability to distribute heat evenly guarantee the best value for your money, as it will last for many years and serve you all your Dutch oven cooking needs.
You won’t need to bring loads of cookware since this Dutch oven is suitable for baking, sautéing, broiling, searing, frying, and brailing different foods when camping.
➡️ SHOP Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Camp Chef 12 Quart Deluxe Dutch Oven
The Camp Chef Deluxe Dutch Oven is an excellent choice for campers looking for a high-capacity multi-purpose pot for their camping adventures.
This Dutch oven boasts a heavy-duty design that uses a true cast iron pot. It comes while already seasoned to ensure top-notch performance and durability. The featured lid has legs, so you can use it as a skillet/griddle to prepare stir-fries or fast-cooking dishes.
What you’ll enjoy most when using this Dutch Oven is its ability to retain heat and keep your food warm after cooking. Its balanced heat distribution ensures that your food cooks perfectly, even when cooking on an open fire.
➡️ SHOP Camp Chef 12 Quart Dutch Oven
Overmont Camp Dutch Oven
The Overmont Camp Dutch Oven is a great option for campers who want a sturdy camping pot without breaking the bank.
This Dutch oven has an excellent design and allows you to use the lid as a cast iron skillet by turning it upside down. This is super handy when you want to fix quick stir-fries, and all you have in your camping kitchen is your Dutch oven.
I use this Dutch oven to prepare different kinds of camping meals, from casseroles to vegetable soups, and it has never failed to impress me with great results. The food is usually well-cooked and flavorful, thanks to the pot’s even heating.
➡️ SHOP Overmont Camp Dutch Oven
Dutch Oven Accessories
Lid Lifter
A lid lifter is essential for safe and efficient cover removal when cooking in a Dutch oven. It will help you check on your food when needed while still keeping your hands safe.
Gloves
Your cooking gloves should be heat-resistant to ensure safety when handling a Dutch oven. Remember, a Dutch oven uses heavy-duty material that can get very hot and retain heat for a long time, so it’s easy to burn your hands when operating without heat-resistant gloves.
This is an essential RV kitchen accessory in terms of safety!
Tripod
You may need to invest in a tripod to camp in areas without grates for campfire cooking. This tool will let you hang your Dutch oven over the fire and adjust it easily when needed, making it a great gift for that RVer who you can’t ever seem to think of anything for.
Chimney Starter
Another essential tool when camping with a Dutch oven is the chimney starter. It will help you light your coal quickly and effortlessly instead of struggling with lighter fluid or some other campfire starter.
Liners
Liners are an effective way to simplify your cleaning work when camping. They also make it easier to bake different foods in the Dutch oven. You can buy pre-cut Dutch oven liners or make your own using parchment paper.
All in all, checking the recommendations and instructions for your Dutch oven model is vital, as the accessories may vary in different brands.
➡️ SHOP Liners
FAQs: Dutch Oven Recipes
What Should You Cook in a Dutch Oven?
You can cook various foods in a Dutch oven, from velvety soups to hearty chili and chicken casseroles. If you want simple Dutch oven recipes, cook mac and cheese or your favorite creamy sauce. You can also bake cinnamon rolls or easy no-knead bread with only a few ingredients.
What Should You Not Cook in a Dutch Oven?
While Dutch ovens are incredibly versatile, they are usually not ideal for cooking foods that require swift changes in temperatures of accurate heat control due to their extended heat retention. These include delicate desserts, seafood, and foods that require deep-frying.
Dutch ovens retain heat for longer, meaning your food may continue to cook even after removing the pot from a heat source. So, it may not be suitable for foods that overcook easily.
It’s also crucial to note that highly acidic ingredients like lemon juice, tomatoes, and vinegar can ruin your Dutch oven. When cooking meals with large portions of such ingredients, you should line your Dutch oven with parchment paper.
When cooking in a Dutch oven, you should always remember that the pot is heavier than regular instant pots and use the appropriate holders or oven mitts to avoid burns.
Overall, Dutch ovens are extremely durable and versatile. They can serve you well, provided you know the appropriate recipes.
Why is Cooking in a Dutch Oven Better?
Cooking in a Dutch oven is better than other cookware as it distributes heat evenly, ensuring that each part of your food cooks properly. While the cooking process can be quite slow, Dutch oven meals are more delicious and flavorful since you can toss everything in the pot and let the flavors meld to give you impressive results.
Conclusion: Dutch Oven Recipes
Whether you love sautéing, steaming, baking, or simmering your foods when camping, a Dutch oven covers all your cookware needs. You can cook pretty much anything in a Dutch oven and get great results. This is why Dutch oven cooking is a great way to cook.
Just invest in the right Dutch oven size and quality for easy and enjoyable outdoor cooking. It’s a worthwhile investment since you can still use the Dutch oven at home to make hearty meals for your family.
We hope that you found our list useful and inspiring, and don’t forget your charcoal briquettes. We may have done this before. It is also important to make sure where you are going, you can cook with charcoal. Some places during different times of the year do not allow this type of cooking. Feel free to let us know about your personal favorite recipes.
