What I love about cast iron skillet recipes is how simple they usually are – you don’t need a whole bunch of different dishes going on – you have everything you need for a meal in one place. PLUS it means making less dishes!
Top 5 reasons why you should be using cast iron skillets
Cast Iron is SO sturdy! They can take some serious abuse. They won’t break, they won’t scratch, and even if you break every cardinal rule in how to take care of them, you can almost always bring them back to their beautiful, shiny, glory!
Cast Iron has even heat distribution! When you are cooking on the stovetop, having the heat evenly distributed across your pan is super important. No one likes a pork chop that’s burnt on the right and raw on the left.
Cast Iron can take the heat! Not only can you use them on the stovetop, but they are also fantastic in the oven, on the grill, or in a campfire. Try that with your Teflon. Or…don’t…
Cast Iron are non-stick! When seasoned properly, you can cook pretty much anything on these, and it won’t stick!
Cast Iron are super versatile! You can cook pretty much anything in cast iron – you can beautifully sear a steak, fry some chicken, or bake cinnamon rolls. There isn’t much it can’t do.
If Cast Iron seems super intimidating to you, I highly recommend you check out my post “Cast Iron 101 – How to Care for & Maintain Cast Iron ” – It will seriously tell you EVERYTHING you need to know about caring for your cast iron!
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Chicken Fajita Pasta Skillet
This Chicken Fajita Pasta Skillet is an easy Tex-Mex inspired meal that is super quick, and the fajita veggies and creamy and flavorful sauce are pretty much lovely. And – the kiddos love it, too!
Filled with Indian flavors, sliced bell pepper, fresh plum tomatoes, healthy spinach and sunny little eggs, this South Asian Spiced Shakshuka is the perfect vegetarian option for a lovely brunch!
This easy greek meatball skillet with lemon orzo is a great family friendly weeknight meal. Greek spiced beef meatballs are cooked with orzo, diced zucchini and tomatoes and sprinkled with fresh dill and fresh lemon juice. This 30 minute meal is flavorful and easy!
Tender and juicy, whole roasted Mexican chicken with peppers, onions and carrots is loaded with flavor and is good enough for Sunday dinner but easy enough for weeknights.
These easy weeknight Thai meatballs are kid friendly and healthy! With a creamy red curry and coconut milk based sauce, these tender and flavorful Turkey Zucchini Meatballs are ready in about 30 minutes!
Try this Chimichurri Ground Beef and Rice Recipe for an easy dinner that is sure to become a family favorite meal. Made with ground beef and rice, this skillet recipe is served with a tasty chimichurri sauce. This easy dinner recipe for families is sure to be a big hit!
This easy Thai Stir Fry with Pork and Broccolini is a great weeknight meal your family will love! With tender, bite sized pieces of pork, packed with veggies like broccolini, sweet peppers and mushrooms, and with a slightly sweet and flavorful Thai inspired sauce, this 30 minute dinner is sure to become a family favorite recipe!
This Creamy Apple Cider Chicken Skillet is an easy, delicious Fall dinner with sweet and savory flavors. We loved this served with mashed red potatoes with the easy pan sauce spooned over the top.
Gallo Pinto is an easy and delicious breakfast from Costa Rica with loads of flavor! This easy 30 minute skillet meal is a great Costa Rican Rice and Beans Recipe that uses a combination of leftovers and fresh produce to make a lovely meatless meal for any time of the day!
This 30 minute skillet meal is the perfect fall comfort food – filled with pasta, cheese sauce, and so many great flavors, its something the whole family will love!
This easy Sweet and Sour Skillet Kielbasa is a family friendly weeknight recipe perfect for busy nights. With real ingredients and a homemade sweet and sour sauce, this quick kielbasa recipe is sure to become a favorite in your meal plan.
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Jenni, a resident of Des Moines, Iowa, shares her home with her amazing husband, three girls, two Golden Retrievers, two black cats, and two horses. She is the visionary behind The Gingered Whisk, the author of "Adventures in Meal Planning", and kids cooking instructor. She is super passionate about helping every member of a family learn to love great food. Jenni's profound dedication lies in the art of crafting delectable weeknight meals brimming with flavor, conquering the challenges of picky eating, and instilling the invaluable skill of cooking in children. Learn more about her at her about me page.
19 Comments
My favorite thing to make is tortillas. We actually only bought a cast iron skillet because we heard it was better for making tortillas.
My favorite thing to make is tortillas. We actually only bought a cast iron skillet because we heard it was better for making tortillas.
I like frying eggs and potatoes.
I’m crossing my fingers!!!!! Would be a lovely wedding gift to myself !!!
I love to cook meat in my CI and cornbread.
Haven’t had a cast iron skillet for years! Great for pancakes!
Skillet cornbread!
I have never had a cast iron skillet! But all of these recipes look yummy
My favorite has to be all sorts of eggs, mainly because that’s the only thing I’ve cooked in a cast iron skillet. But I would love to do more!!
I only have one cast iron skillet, so I think I need more, right?! I love making Indian food in it!
I love using my skillet for browning meats and then finishing them off in the oven.
I have never tried a cast iron skillet! That probably means I need one, right?
Cast iron is the best!
We like to use the skillet for browing meat.
I’ve never used nor have a cast iron skillet. Maybe it’s time to try?
i like making cornbread in mine
I love to use it to sear of my steaks and then finish them off in oven.
I love using it for a big breakfast. Home fries, ham, and eggs.
My favorite thing to make is lobster mac and cheese.
We love cooking fried potatoes and bacon and eggs in our cast iron skillet that we use at camp. It makes a regular breakfast taste so much better.