Recipes Made for Cast-Iron Cooking

By Jorie Nicole McDonald
Updated November 06, 2020
Credit: Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

A cast iron skillet is a prized possession among Southern cooks. Seasoned with years of cooking and loving care, heirloom cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens are as valued (and fought over) as Grandma’s china and sterling silver. A new pre-seasoned skillet also makes the perfect gift for a young cook. Browse our collection of delicious recipes utilizing cast iron. We all know how great fried chicken tastes hot out of the skillet, and we love how easy cast iron goes from oven to table with weeknight favorites including Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole and King Ranch Mac and Cheese. These cherished skillets are also great for party appetizers, like Cast Iron Salsa, and for impressive desserts, such as Pineapple Upside Down Carrot Cake. Great cooks know the more they use their cast iron, the better it gets. Keep your prized skillet on the stovetop and reach for it often.  

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Pimiento Pepper Jelly BLT

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Pimiento Pepper Jelly BLT

Crispy bacon fried in a cast iron skillet makes this Pimiento Pepper Jelly BLT something to rave about. 

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Smashed Fried Okra

Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Smashed Fried Okra

This fried okra recipe is nothing less than crispy-brown perfection thanks to a meat mallet. We suggest frying it in a cast iron skillet for an extra Southern flair. 

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Clementine-and-Collard Greens Salad

Credit: Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Clementine-and-Collard Greens Salad

We know what you're thinking: this recipe isn't technically made in a cast iron skillet. Hear us out. We suggest frying bits of cornmeal in a cast iron skillet for a delicious, homemade crouton topping. 

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Coconut Bourbon Spritz

Credit: Southern Living

Use a cast iron skillet to toast coconut flakes and create a delicious and festive rimmed glass. 

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Cast Iron Skillet Recipe Challenge

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There's Nothing Better Than a Meal Cooked in Cast Iron

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Cast-Iron Cowboy Steak

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Cast-Iron Cowboy Steak

Enjoy a restaurant-style steak from the comfort of your own home. Easy and delicious, this skillet dinner recipe doesn’t disappoint.

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Cast-Iron Skillet Pizza

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Cast-Iron Skillet Pizza

This one-dish wonder is the perfect meal for a causal movie night. Similar to a pizza stone, the skillet holds heat well, creating an excellent base for all your favorite toppings.

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Leek-and-Mushroom Grits Frittata

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Leek-and-Mushroom Grits Frittata

Give this leek-and-mushroom grits frittata a try next time you’re serving breakfast for a crowd. It has a little something for everyone.

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Easy Skillet Apple Pie

Credit: Luca Trovato

Recipe: Easy Skillet Apple Pie

Apple pie is a quintessentially Southern treat, and a trusty cast-iron skillet takes the timeless dessert to the next level.

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Rosemary Chicken Thighs and Vegetables

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Rosemary Chicken Thighs and Vegetables

This hearty skillet recipe is packed with fresh vegetables and savory rosemary chicken for an excellent dinnertime meal.

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Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie

Don’t wait until Thanksgiving to make this sinfully sweet dessert. This pecan pie recipe deserves a spot on the table all year long.

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Cheesy Beef-and-Spinach Ravioli

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Cheesy Beef-and-Spinach Ravioli

Perfect for kids, the foundation of this quick and easy cast-iron recipe starts with pre-made ravioli to keep things simple.

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Skillet Caramel Apple Pie

Credit: Photo: Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Skillet Caramel Apple Pie

Just as delicious as it is beautiful, this beloved apple pie recipe is sure to impress all of your dinner party guests.

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Skillet S'mores Dip

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Skillet S'mores Dip

Turn a classic campfire dessert into a decadent cast-iron skillet dip with this simple recipe.

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Ginger-Plum Slump

Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones

Recipe: Ginger-Plum Slump

There’s something about warm, flavorful fruit in a cast-iron skillet that makes Southerners jump for joy. This ginger-plum slump recipe puts a modern twist on a classic cobbler.

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Potato-Bacon Hash

Credit: Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Potato-Bacon Hash

Every Southern cook knows a good hash recipe or two, and you’ll be adding this one with russet potatoes, bell peppers, onions, and thick-cut bacon to your list. We suggest you top it off with a fried egg.

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The Big Cinnamon Roll

Credit: Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: The Big Cinnamon Roll

With this big (and we mean massive) cinnamon roll, you can serve a warm, homemade breakfast right from the oven.

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Classic Grilled Cheese

Credit: Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Classic Grilled Cheese

Sometimes you just have to stick with the classics, and this golden brown grilled cheese with American and sharp cheddar cheeses will never go out of style.

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Beef Stew with Buttery Garlic Bread

Credit: Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Beef Stew with Buttery Garlic Bread

Make this comforting beef stew on chilly fall and winter nights. Our favorite way to get the buttery garlic bread crispy is using our cast-iron skillet instead of the oven.

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Lighter Pan-Fried Chicken with Green Beans and Tomatoes

Credit: Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Lighter Pan-Fried Chicken with Green Beans and Tomatoes

This delicious dinner recipe proves that you don’t need a deep-fryer to get crispy, golden goodness.

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Ginger-Peach Shortbread Cobbler

Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Ginger-Peach Shortbread Cobbler

Put down your peeler: This brilliant dish is our easiest peach cobbler ever.

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Texas Skillet Cake

Credit: Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Texas Skillet Cake

If you love classic Texas sheet cake, you’ll be obsessed with this thicker, richer Texas skillet cake.

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Cast-Iron Pork Cacciatore

Credit: Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Cast-Iron Pork Cacciatore

This is the most restaurant-worthy 30-minute recipe you’ll ever serve. A tip from the test kitchen: Pork chops that aren’t too thick or thin are best in this recipe. Look for chops that are one inch thick—they will be meaty and filling without taking a ton of time to cook.

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Crispy Sweet Potato-Green Onion Cakes

Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Crispy Sweet Potato-Green Onion Cakes

This recipe blends the delicate flavor of sweet potatoes and green onions with the spicy zest of chopped red jalapeño peppers.

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Cast-Iron Chicken Piccata

Credit: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Cast-Iron Chicken Piccata

The best part of this chicken piccata is it only requires one dish to make, and we recommend a cast-iron skillet. It will heat more evenly than a nonstick pan, yielding a delicious cutlet that’s tender with crisp skin.

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Cast-Iron Salsa

Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Cast-Iron Salsa

Turn your skillet into a Mexican comal, aka griddle, by slowly charring onions, garlic, and peppers in a dry skillet. We like to use this traditional dry char technique because it coaxes sweet, earthy flavors from the vegetables and gives them just a hint of smokiness.

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Cornbread Focaccia

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Cornbread Focaccia

The inspiration for Cornbread Focaccia is Italian, but the taste is pure Southern comfort.

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Smoked Trout-Apple Hash

Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Smoked Trout-Apple Hash

Equally at home on your stove or over a campfire, this fragrant skillet breakfast pulls double duty for dinner with a green salad. Try substituting sweet potatoes for russets and your favorite tart apple for Granny Smith. Other smoked fish like bluefish or whitefish also work well here. If using thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into pieces and drape over hash just before serving.

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Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Brighten a wintry day with this combination of roasted root vegetables, mache, and a citrus-and-ginger-packed vinaigrette.

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