Cast-iron skillets are an incredibly versatile kitchen tool for frying eggs, searing steaks, and even grilling brownies (yes, brownies!). In this roundup, we've gathered some of our favorite ways to use cast iron skillets, from making a wild mushroom Dutch baby for the ultimate brunch to whipping up a skillet fruit crisp that can be adapted for any season. These long-lasting pans can be used to make breakfast, dinner, and everything in between — start here with our favorite cast-iron skillet recipes.
01of 23
Sausage, Kale, and Potato Skillet Supper
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/fwcooks-oneskilletsausagekalepotato-ft-recipe201948-bec5d05a74cd4e4ea2c383406ed31b25.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (1)")
"This is a single-serving recipe, but it can easily be doubled — just use a bigger skillet so you have plenty of room," says Klancy Miller, cookbook author and founder/editor of For the Culture.
Get the Recipe
02of 23
Skillet Brownies on the Grill
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Skillet-Brownies-on-the-Grill-FT-recipe0619-d6ae9e98894a438fbee9a1c99c5f3638.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (2)")
These brownies take on a deliciously smoky flavor on the grill from "baking" in a skillet set over hot coals. After you're done grilling dinner, prepare to make brownies by adding a few more lumps of charcoal to maintain a grill temperature of around 350°F. Pull the skillet brownies when they're still a bit moist in the middle for a fudgy center and smoky brownie "bark" around the edges.
Get the Recipe
03of 23
Wild Mushroom-and-Swiss Dutch Baby
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Wild-Mushroom-Swiss-Dutch-Baby-FT-RECIPE0422-d903dda94bc04e26a69fc2a442ec661f.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (3)")
This puffy pancake gets an extra-savory touch from grated Swiss cheese and a hint of Dijon mustard, while a combination of mixed wild mushrooms, shallot, and arugula tops it off. Use room temperature milk and eggs to give the Dutch baby a higher rise than you'll get from fridge-cold ingredients.
Get the Recipe
04of 23
Strawberry-Rhubarb Cornmeal Skillet Cake
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/strawberry-rhubarb-cornmeal-skillet-cake-FT-RECIPE0521-516d1b6f83ea459abe0c83bd4d937e3e.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (4)")
Juicy strawberries and tart rhubarb stud the golden brown top of this simple skillet cake. The mix of all-purpose flour and fine cornmeal gives this dessert a pound-cake-like density, while goat cheese and buttermilk keep the crumb nicely tender and moist.
Get the Recipe
05of 23
Smoky Skillet-Grilled Chicken with Crispy Bread
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Skillet-Grilled-Spatchco*cked-Chicken-FT-RECIPE0521-7cdd7af6eb36490883df6287d798934e.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (5)")
This hybrid skillet-on-the-grill method lets you capture all the delicious juices that the bird gives off as it cooks, while still allowing the chicken to absorb plenty of barbecue flavor. Smoky charcoal, plus the rich, deep notes of smoked paprika and chipotle chile, add plenty of depth.
Get the Recipe
06of 23
Carrot and Spring Onion Toad in the Hole
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/carrot-and-spring-onion-toad-in-the-hole-FT-RECIPE0322-62b6c8180aa64da78da21bc75f747a20.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (6)")
The traditional toad in the hole consists of whole sausages cooked in an egg-and-flour batter. This recipe delivers a taste of the British classic but stars tender baby carrots and spring onions for a flavorful, vegetable-forward spring variation.
Get the Recipe
07of 23
Queso Flameado
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/queso-flameado-FT-RECIPE1221-c29a90c7823149cea6e8c24d0803a054.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (7)")
In this irresistible snack, charred poblano pepper and pureed cilantro and serrano chiles serve as a built-in salsa, layering spicy, garlicky flavors into the rich, melted cheese. Flaming it with tequila makes the whole thing a little extra. The pickled carrots on top add acidity and brightness.
Get the Recipe
08of 23
Latke Breakfast Hash
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/latke-breakfast-hash-FT-RECIPE1220-3bd7d7c1768d4d9eb16999f522bbc2ea.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (8)")
This eggy, savory breakfast is a terrific way to use up leftover latkes, however unlikely. Pastry chef Caroline Schiff loves to fry up latkes the way her great-grandmother did, using a dash of pimentón for extra depth.
Get the Recipe
09of 23
Skillet Chicken and Chorizo Paella
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/chicken-and-chorizo-paella-FT-RECIPE0221-3d6a72481b6a42d1ab64f440aae17b12.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (9)")
While Spanish paella is traditionally made in its namesake pan, this cast-iron variation is a great alternative — and it can also go straight from stove to table. The recipe builds layers of flavors as you saute aromatics in the same pan you've used to sear the chorizo and chicken.
Get the Recipe
10of 23
Spicy Peel-and-Eat Skillet Shrimp with Garlic
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/spicy-peel-and-eat-skillet-shrimp-with-garlic-FT-RECIPE0420-f3e861b69b18418c80daa8b2778207ae.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (10)")
Grill unpeeled raw jumbo shrimp by placing a large cast-iron skillet on the grates. The shells help insulate the delicate shrimp from the heat of the grill so they cook evenly without becoming tough.
Get the Recipe
11of 23
Mixed Berry Crisp with Matzo Streusel
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/matzo-berry-crisp-FT-RECIPE2018-f165d180b93f4354bba340a1ec8f5888.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (11)")
Sweet-tart berries, tossed with just enough sugar and lemon juice, get topped with salty-sweet crumbled matzosand baked in a large cast-iron skillet.
Get the Recipe
12of 23
Kimchi Cheese Jeon (Kimchi Cheese Pancake)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/kimchi-cheese-pancake-FT-RECIPE1120-51e0ce07815b4e4886bb5c8e0370d1bf.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (12)")
In her episode of Chefs at Home, chef Rachel Yang makes her own homemade Napa cabbage kimchi, and then shows how to use kimchi at varying stages of fermentation in a range of dishes. One of her favorites is this irresistible kimchi pancake, in which tangy, lightly spicy kimchi is balanced out by plenty of cheese.
Get the Recipe
13of 23
Quick Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Spring Vegetables
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/quick-skillet-roasted-chicken-with-spring-vegetables-FT-RECIPE0421-c0642d88cc6a4e8186b854308ae92c8f.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (13)")
Tender carrots, onions, turnips, and mushrooms simmer in a mixture of chicken drippings and butter in this simple, speedy dish.
Get the Recipe
14of 23
King Oyster Mushroom Steaks with Pesto and Almond Aillade
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/king-oyster-mushroom-steaks-with-pesto-and-almond-aillade-FT-RECIPE0920-c48b2324178040d49fe1b4b51fb3ee18.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (14)")
Chef Julia Sullivan employs a duo of cast-iron skillets to prepare the tender, crispy-edged mushroom steaks at Henrietta Red in Nashville; one for cooking the mushrooms, the other for pressing them flat so they cook evenly. Buttery roasted almonds balance the sharper notes of garlic and lemon in this rustic French sauce.
Get the Recipe
15of 23
Cheddar, Corn, and Jalapeño Cast-Iron Cornbread
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Cheddar-Corn-and-Jalapeno-Cast-Iron-Cornbread-Recipe-FT-RECIPE1023-b77aaa9aaf3f4fe98f5ce3839abd87b8.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (15)")
Chef Tiffany Derry's cast-iron cornbread combines sharp, tangy cheddar with a fresh jalapeño pepper for a kick that’s just right.
Get the Recipe
16of 23
Blackened Skillet Pork Chops with Beans and Spinach
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/blackened-skillet-pork-chops-with-beans-and-spinach-FT-RECIPE0319_0-abbfd559a0c94acd97276c81a836cdb6.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (16)")
A stellar homemade spice blend amps up the flavor of this super simple meal, which comes together using just one pan. You cook the pork chops in a cast-iron skillet until they're blackened, then remove them from the skillet to cook the beans and spinach. The finished dish goes perfectly with a smoky, dark-fruited Malbec.
Get the Recipe
17of 23
Platanos Foster
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/plantains-foster-FT-RECIPE0322-120d237fdfd34c7e9952f1af67803a5c.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (17)")
Pastry chef Paola Velez gives Bananas Foster, the classic flambéed dessert, a Caribbean twist by swapping out bananas for plantains and adding warm spices and coconut water to the caramel sauce. Rum raisin ice cream is the perfect accompaniment to the caramelized plantains.
Get the Recipe
18of 23
Crispy Skillet Latke with Kale
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/crispy-skillet-latke-with-kale-FT-RECIPE1220-1f99e30f6aa34173a5910ef1b447e82a.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (18)")
For Ashkenazi Jews, latkes are the heart and soul of Hanukkah. Instead of frying batches of traditional pancakes, here the whole lot of shredded potato batter is pressed into a sizzling frying pan and finished in the oven. The oversized pancake emerges golden with a tender center and crackly shoestring curls around the perimeter.
Get the Recipe
19of 23
Buttery Cast-Iron Shrimp with Winter Salad
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/buttery-cast-iron-shrimp-with-winter-salad-XL-RECIPE0218-9a169787285a48d39670ca77e329ffb5.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (19)")
Shrimp are seared and glazed in chipotle-honey butter in this warm seasonal salad from chef JJ Johnson. He serves the shrimp over gently sautéed radicchio and endive, which mellows the chicories' bitter edge without losing their color or delicate crunch.
Get the Recipe
20of 23
Cast-Iron Blackberry Galette with Whipped Mascarpone
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/cast-iron-blackberry-galette-with-whipped-mascarpone-XL-RECIPE2017-345a2ed50eb04943979e532461667904.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (20)")
This galette is great baked in a cast-iron skillet because it's easy to transport and serve. The secret to the sturdy crust is the buttery brown sugar oat crumble, which absorbs the jammy blackberries as they bake.
Get the Recipe
21of 23
Tater Tot Casserole
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tater-tot-casserole-XL-RECIPE2016-1c31ebd693db4290a2d9004398ea583d.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (21)")
The secret to this casserole is the layer of creamed spinach in the middle. It adds richness to the dish, as well as a nice contrast to the crispy, crunchy Tater Tot top.
Get the Recipe
22of 23
Phoenicia Diner's Breakfast Skillet
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/recipe1115-xl-phoenicia-diners-breakfast-skillet_0-8bc9e6d84a8a4cf99d689d783d58b868.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (22)")
Phoenicia Diner in Phoenicia, New York, offers an impressive list of breakfast “skillets.” This creamy egg scramble studded with smoked trout is meant for one, but it can be easily doubled or quadrupled.
Get the Recipe
23of 23
Porterhouse Steak
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/porterhouse-steak-XL-RECIPE0317-f6cb7ae046704ca3828c27e5b2cc6ca2.jpg "23 Solid Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes (23)")
For a perfectly tender and crusty steak, chefs and brothers Bryan Voltaggio and Michael Voltaggio salt their meat up to 12 hours beforehand and let it sit, uncovered, in the refrigerator.
Get the Recipe
