- Recipes
- Desserts
Sheela Prakash
Sheela PrakashSenior Contributing Food Editor
Sheela is the Senior Contributing Food Editor at Kitchn and the author of Mediterranean Every Day: Simple, Inspired Recipes for Feel-Good Food. She received her master's degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy and is also a Registered Dietitian.
updated Nov 16, 2023
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Not a week goes by that I don’t reach for my trusty cast iron skillet. The simple tool helps get meals on the table easily and efficiently (plus, I get a little arm workout every time I pull the heavy thing out from the cabinet). While its main use in my kitchen is to churn out lots of one-pan dinners, it doesn’t get put away after the dishes are washed. It often stays put through dessert, since it works wonders at baking things like brownies and cakes, too.
These 25 recipes show just how versatile the cast iron skillet can be.
In This Article
- Vegetarian Skillet Dinners
- Meaty Skillet Dinners
- Sweet Skillet Desserts
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Vegetarian Skillet Dinners
Skillet Mac and Cheese
It’s hard to beat homemade macaroni and cheese, but while the process is straightforward, it can feel fussy when you’re dirtying a handful of dishes just to make it. This recipe streamlines the process to lessen your load. Consider this your weeknight-approved mac and cheese — the kind you can make after a long, hectic day without resorting to the boxed stuff.
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Skillet Ratatouille Cobbler
Throw that perfect trifecta of summer vegetables into a hot skillet, then scoop a thyme-scented drop biscuit dough right on top.
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Skillet Pizza on the Stovetop
Besides eliminating the need for a hot oven, stovetop pizzas are super fast and perfect for making just one or two personal pizzas.
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Put your cast iron skillet to work tonight — make this quick dinner, with its hearty mix of soft gnocchi, roasted sweet potatoes, earthy kale, and goat cheese.
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Meaty Skillet Dinners
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Jerk Chicken Skillet Dinner
From the crispy-skinned thighs to the rice tinged with coconut milk and vinegar, this jerk chicken skillet is all about big flavors and balance.
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Broccolini, Chicken Sausage, and Orzo Skillet
Turn chicken sausage, quick-cooking orzo, and broccolini into an easy one-skillet pasta dinner with this weeknight-friendly recipe.
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Fried Potatoes and Sausage SkilletGo to Recipe
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Simple One-Skillet Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Everything is done in the same skillet in this recipe — easy cooking and easy cleanup.
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Tuscan Chicken Skillet
Caramelized mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, tender white beans, juicy chicken: there's nothing but good flavor happening here. And all in one skillet!
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Weeknight Skillet LasagnaGo to Recipe
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One-Skillet Salsa Pork Chops
Pork chops are simmered in chunky salsa that's punched up with a splash of balsamic, so each bite is just the right balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy.
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Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Skillet
Meet your new dinner favorite — a one-pot pasta riff on a Philly cheesesteak sandwich.
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Southwest Skillet Ragu
Chewy pasta and gooey cheese are balanced out by a big helping of veggies with a little ground meat for protein in this one-pan meal.
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Sweet Skillet Desserts
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One-Bowl Caramel Skillet Brownies
These are brownies that satisfy like no other; they’re intensely chocolatey, chewy yet still fudgy, and made even more decadent with swirls of gooey caramel sauce and a healthy sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
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Upside-Down Strawberry Skillet Cake
What makes this cake so irresistible — aside from the lightly textured vanilla cake — is the spiced, sweet layer of strawberries that coats the top.
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Skillet Blueberry-Lemon Breakfast Cake
This breakfast-friendly cake has juicy blueberries and lemon, all in a light cornmeal batter. It’s a low-key way to get a sweet start to any day.
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Skillet Apple Crisp
Learn how (and why) you should bake your next apple crisp in a skillet.
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Nutella Skillet S'mores
A fast and fancy take on s'mores with nutty, creamy nutella.
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Blueberry Skillet Cobbler with Whole-Wheat Biscuits
Just short of eating a fruit by hand, a summer cobbler is on the short list of stunningly simple desserts. In this rendition, blueberries are cooked with both lemon and orange zest, and lightly spiced with nutmeg before being topped with fluffy whole-wheat biscuits.
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Dessert
dinner
One-Dish Meal
Recipe Roundup
stovetop
