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30 Recipes to Make In Your Cast-Iron Skillet

30 Recipes to Make In Your Cast-Iron Skillet

February 15, 2019

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Photo: Steven DeVries; Food Styling: Catherine Crowell Steele; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Don't get hung up on cornbread—when it comes down to it, the sky's the limit with a cast-iron skillet.

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Skillet PB&J Monkey Bread

Time Inc. Video Stuido

Skillet PB&J Monkey Bread Recipe

Ooey gooey peanut butter and jelly goodness! Kids and adults alike will go nuts for this sweet and decadent treat, which gets its chewy, light-as-air feeling from store-bought pizza dough.

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Skillet Fajita Pitas

Caitlin Bensel

Skillet Fajita Pitas Recipe

Cooking over high heat without stirring gives the chicken and peppers a smoky, charred crust.

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Single-Skillet Crispy Chicken Caprese Dinner

Double-Skillet Crispy Chicken Caprese Dinner image

Photo: Daniel Agee; Food Styling: Karen Rankin; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson

Single-Skillet Crispy Chicken Caprese Dinner Recipe

Building incredible flavor in a single skillet is one of the smart tricks pro cooks use to get food on the table fast. That said, you’ll actually need 2 skillets—a 12-inch nonstick for cooking and a 10-inch cast-iron for weight—to make this fabulous chicken-under-a-brick inspired dinner. The heavy cast-iron acts as your “brick,” which is essential to getting glorious crispy skin and helps speed up the cooking. You could also use a large brick or tile wrapped in aluminum foil for the same effect. The result is super juicy chicken, with ridiculously crisp skin, ready in a fraction of the time it would typically take to cook whole chicken breasts on the stovetop. And once you throw marinara saucy and melty mozzarella into the mix… well, you’ve got a weeknight recipe the family is going to beg for again and again. Serve the completed saucy-cheesy chicken over pasta or on toasted hoagie rolls.

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Cast-Iron Breakfast Pizza

Oxmoor House

Cast-Iron Breakfast Pizza Recipe

Pizza for breakfast is always a delicious possibility. This cast-iron pizza develops a warm, fluffy crust that surrounds a cheesy and bacon-topped interior. Using a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet eliminates the need for using extra oil which keeps this recipe as light as possible. As a tip, placing the pan over high heat on the cooktop before transferring it to the oven helps heat it up quickly and yields a perfectly crisp crust.

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Sausage and Kale Pesto Pizza

Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food styling: Karen Rankin

Sausage and Kale Pesto Pizza Recipe

Switch things up for family pizza night and enjoy a healthy pesto based option. Instead of the usual tomato sauce, this tasty deep-dish pizza is topped with a vibrant green pesto made with fresh basil and kale. This deep-dish pizza is made in your favorite cast-iron skillet. Don’t skip preheating the cast-iron skillet, which helps create a nice crisp crust.

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Easy Skillet Apple Pie

Photo: Luca Trovato; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Easy Skillet Apple Pie Recipe

Making an apple pie has never been so easy. Simply toss apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar, and spoon over a refrigerated pie crust in the cast-iron skillet. Top with the other crust and bake.

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Broccoli-Bacon Skillet Pizza

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Lindsey Lower

Broccoli-Bacon Skillet Pizza Recipe

Microwave-in-bag fresh vegetables help this meal come together lickety-split. A hot cast-iron skillet helps to crisp the bottom of the crust while the surface gets golden brown under the broiler--no baking required.

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Caramel Apple Blondie Pie

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Caramel Apple Blondie Pie Recipe

Buttery rich layers of tender cake and caramelized apples add up to one sweet combo. The secret to the crisp, flaky crust? Baking in a cast-iron skillet on a lower oven rack.

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Mediterranean Chicken and Bulgur Skillet

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Mediterranean Chicken and Bulgur Skillet Recipe

You’ll be delighted by the incredible results from this one-pot wonder: tender bulgur, creamy feta, and moist chicken. You don’t even need a sauce since there’s so much flavor in the pan. It’s a complete meal, though you could serve with a side salad if you’d like. Though you can swap dried oregano for fresh if you don’t have fresh on hand, we strongly urge you to stick with the fresh dill flourish at the end; it adds a burst of herbal goodness that you just won’t get from dried. If you don’t have a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, you can use any other medium-sized ovenproof skillet.

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Breakfast Shakshouka

Photo: Thomas J. Story

Breakfast Shakshouka Recipe

To scoop up every bit of this spicy egg and tomato dish, popular in North Africa and Israel, we brushed slices of pain au levain with oil, then toasted them on a grill pan set on a camp stove. After breakfast, we cleaned the cast-iron skillet by scrubbing it with hot water and a nylon wash pad (no soap). We set it back on the stove to dry and wipe with a thin film of oil. For more: sunset.com/cleancastiron.

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Chicken Potpie Skillet Pizza

Photo: Greg DuPree; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Chicken Potpie Skillet Pizza Recipe

Try this quick, playful spin to turn pizza night on its head—in a good way. You get all the creamy goodness of chicken potpie, in a fun, eat-with-your-hands way that kids will love. Grown-ups will dig it, too, especially if you offer hot sauce at the table. Cooking the pizza in a preheated cast-iron skillet makes the crust wonderfully crispy so that it doesn’t sog out when the creamy sauce goes on. Be sure to use only 10 ounces of dough (though you’ll likely have to purchase in a 1-pound or larger ball); save the remaining dough to make breadsticks the next night.

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Make Bialys at Home in a Skillet

Photo by Aubrie Pick

Make Bialys at Home in a Skillet Recipe
The Polish classic goes from deli to Delhi

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Kale and Mushroom Frittata

Photo: Jennifer Causey

Kale and Mushroom Frittata Recipe

Half the pleasure of a frittata is just saying it. Go ahead. Free-tah-tah. For molto fun, say it Italian-style: Stress the first syllable and roll the r. Fr-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-ee-tah-tah. Brava, bella. A cast-iron or carbon-steel pan is best here because it goes under the broiler, and high heat could damage nonstick skillets. Handy advice: If you set out to make an omelet but your pan won’t release the eggs and they stick to the bottom, just spread out the fillings, pop it under the broiler, and presto! Frittata. You can easily make this dish for 2 or 4 people using a larger pan and multiplying ingredients accordingly.

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Pan-Seared Skirt Steak + Chimichurri

Photo: Oxmoor House

Pan-Seared Skirt Steak + Chimichurri Recipe

Traditionally used as fajita meat, skirt steak is gaining popularity these days as a stand-alone meat. It’s my preferred cut of beef because it offers great flavor, tenderness, and affordability.

I like to pan-sear this all-in-one cut over really high heat in my cast-iron skillet to create a nice char on the outside of the meat (open a window or turn on the fan in the kitchen). Instead of wasting time on a marinade, I prefer to reverse the process by slicing the meat thin and pouring all of the chimichurri sauce over the meat prior to serving. Trust me, it’s a real showstopper when it comes to entertaining. Even better, this chimichurri sauce is super versatile. It also goes well on pork, chicken, and firm cuts of fish, such as shark and swordfish.

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Master This Frittata Formula Before Your Next Brunch Party

Photo by tvirbickis via Getty Images

Master This Frittata Formula Before Your Next Brunch Party Recipe
Frittata? You really oughta

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Italian-Style Semolina Pancakes That’ll Make Your Nonna Proud

Photos by Teresa Sabga

Italian-Style Semolina Pancakes That’ll Make Your Nonna Proud Recipe
Add a stack to your weekend

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Skillet Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables and Shallot Vinaigrette

Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables and Shallot Vinaigrette image

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Anna Hampton

Skillet Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables and Shallot Vinaigrette Recipe

This elegant single-skillet meal for two is deceptively easy to make. Ready in under an hour, this skillet chicken dinner includes your protein (perfectly golden-crisp chicken thighs), green veggies (peas and asparagus), a starch (baby Yukon gold potatoes), and a whole lot of vibrant flavor (hello, shallot vinaigrette). A great recipe for anyone cooking for one or two, this easy weeknight chicken dinner is one you’re sure to come back to again and again.

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Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms

Victor Protasio

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms Recipe

We’ve combined one of our favorite comfort foods with our favorite kitchen staple: a skillet. This Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms is creamy and flavorful. The chicken starts out in the slow cooker allowing it to develop rich flavors. Don’t forget reserve the stock from the chicken. It is the perfect addition to the creamy sauce for the pot pie.

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Pork Tenderloin and Collards Skillet

Caitlin Bensel

Pork Tenderloin and Collards Skillet Recipe

The Southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas and collard greens in the New Year is a delicious one, though not remotely quick enough for a weeknight. Until now, that is. Collards fair nicely in a quick sauté; slice into thin ribbons so they wilt quickly and stay tender. Canned black-eyed peas also save time. Pork is a natural pairing for greens and black-eyed peas. Here a lean, perfectly seared pork tenderloin is the star.

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Fast Skillet Chicken Cacciatore

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Fast Skillet Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

Lean chicken breasts cook quickly--in just 15 minutes compared to the hour-long braise in most cacciatore recipes. If you'd like more heat in the sauce, kick up the crushed red pepper to 1/2 teaspoon.

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Skillet Nacho Dip

Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine

Skillet Nacho Dip Recipe

We combined our favorite elements of cheesy queso dip and loaded beef nachos into one epic skillet dish.

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Skillet Ratatouille

Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine

Skillet Ratatouille Recipe
Instead of a sauce or side, we serve this Provençal dish as it was originally intended—a simple, humble stew. It’s a great way to use up a bundle of peak summer produce.

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Skillet Mushroom Mac and Cheese

Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Thom Driver.

Skillet Mushroom Mac and Cheese Recipe

Mushrooms and aged Gruyère cheese add heft and depth to this one-pan vegetarian main.

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Skillet Red Beans and Rice

Photography: Linda Pugliese; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Thom Driver

Skillet Red Beans and Rice Recipe

Look for trinity blend (a mix of onion, bell pepper, and celery) with the prepared produce. Or make your own with 3/4 cup onion, 3/4 cup celery, and 1/2 cup bell pepper.

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Southwestern Salmon Skillet Supper

Southwestern Salmon Skillet Supper Recipe

This simple, single-skillet supper is packed with bold flavor, but is quick enough for a busy weeknight.

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Mississippi Mud Deep-Dish Skillet Cookie

Photo: Alison Miksch

Mississippi Mud Deep-Dish Skillet Cookie Recipe

Mississippi Mud, a traditional Southern sheet cake filled with marshmallows and topped with decadent chocolate frosting gets a makeover in this skillet cookie dessert. Traditional Mud cakes sometimes add pecans, which would also make a great addition here for an added crunch throughout the warm, gooey center. Serve with a scoop of chocolate or vanilla ice cream for the ultimate dessert indulgence.

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Skillet Mixed Berry Jam

Photo by Kelsey Hansen / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey

Skillet Mixed Berry Jam Recipe
Braving the heat is worth it for this delicious jam.

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Skillet Chicken with Seared Avocados

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Skillet Chicken with Seared Avocados Recipe

The tiniest bit of sugar helps the avocado halves char in the pan, adding robust toasty flavor.

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Saucy Skillet-Poached Eggs

Photo:Alison Miksch; Food Styling: Catherine Crowell Steele: Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower

Saucy Skillet-Poached Eggs Recipe

If you've ever had Italian eggs in purgatory, this recipe makes a similar Israeli breakfast dish called shakshuka. If you need to stretch the meal, simply add another egg to the pan. Top with any herb, such as cilantro, chives, or oregano.

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Skillet Shrimp Chilaquiles

Photo: Steven DeVries; Food Styling: Catherine Crowell Steele; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Skillet Shrimp Chilaquiles Recipe
Crisp, freshly fried tortilla chips are the star of this dish and they are so easy to make at home.

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30 Recipes to Make In Your Cast-Iron Skillet

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Skillet PB&J Monkey Bread

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Skillet Fajita Pitas

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Single-Skillet Crispy Chicken Caprese Dinner

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Cast-Iron Breakfast Pizza

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Sausage and Kale Pesto Pizza

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Easy Skillet Apple Pie

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Broccoli-Bacon Skillet Pizza

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Caramel Apple Blondie Pie

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Mediterranean Chicken and Bulgur Skillet

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Breakfast Shakshouka

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Chicken Potpie Skillet Pizza

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Make Bialys at Home in a Skillet

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Kale and Mushroom Frittata

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Pan-Seared Skirt Steak + Chimichurri

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Master This Frittata Formula Before Your Next Brunch Party

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Italian-Style Semolina Pancakes That’ll Make Your Nonna Proud

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Skillet Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables and Shallot Vinaigrette

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Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms

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Pork Tenderloin and Collards Skillet

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Fast Skillet Chicken Cacciatore

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Skillet Nacho Dip

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Skillet Ratatouille

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Skillet Mushroom Mac and Cheese

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Skillet Red Beans and Rice

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Southwestern Salmon Skillet Supper

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Mississippi Mud Deep-Dish Skillet Cookie

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