Summer is upon us. If you’re like us, then there is no occasion too small to have friends and family over to share a delicious meal and soak up the beautiful weather. While summer is most often associated with grilling and barbecuing, there’s no reason to leave your Dutch Oven to collect dust in your cupboard during the hot months. In fact, there is a plethora of dishes you can make in your enamelled cast iron Dutch Oven that will be right at home on the patio table next to the steaks or burgers.
To give you some inspiration, as well as showcase the endless versatility of Le Creuset’s Dutch Ovens, we’ve put together a collection of one-pot summer Dutch Oven recipes for you to try at your next summer gathering.
Benefits of Cooking with a Le Creuset Dutch Oven
The Dutch Oven has long been a staple in both professional and home kitchens — and for good reason! The construction of the Dutch Oven is the key to its popularity. Made from enamelled cast iron, the Dutch Oven holds up to daily wear and tear while being easy to clean without needing to season it. Moreover, it can handle high temperatures while providing even heat distribution for consistent results. The tight-fitting lid seals in moisture and flavour to enhance any dish. And with its high walls and large cooking surface, there are very few things you can’t make in a Le Creuset Dutch Oven.
The secret to consistent cooking, no matter the dish, is even heat distribution. Low quality cookware is commonly plagued by hotspots that result from either poor construction methods or cheap materials. Le Creuset’s Dutch Oven benefits from “buy-it-once-for-life” quality. The enamelled cast iron construction of all our Dutch Ovens produces exceptional heat distribution for perfectly cooked meals whether it’s on the first use or the hundredth.
Whether you’re slow-cooking or roasting, you want a way to keep all those juices — and flavours — locked in. Le Creuset’s Dutch Oven boasts a tight-fitting lid that creates the perfect internal environment for tender and juicy meals.
If you were only allowed one piece of cookware, an enamelled cast iron Dutch Oven would be a no-brainer. This piece of cookware's versatility and ease of use make it a kitchen staple. Its high walls, large cooking surface, and tight-fitting lid all lend well to a multitude of cooking techniques and dishes. Le Creuset’s Dutch Ovens are also oven-safe and durable enough to handle everyday use. Whether you’re roasting, braising, slow-cooking, or even baking, your Dutch Oven will help you create perfectly cooked meals for every occasion.
Easy One-Pot Summer Dutch Oven Recipes
With summer in full swing, many of us are probably gearing up to host backyard barbecues and park picnics. We’ve put together some summer recipe ideas to get you inspired. No matter the occasion, these one-pot Dutch Oven recipes are sure to have your guests lining up for seconds.
Summer Punch with Sorbet
Nothing beats the heat like a cold, refreshing drink. This Summer Punch with Sorbet recipe combines the fresh and vibrant flavours of summer berries and fresh herbs with the effervescence of prosecco to create this crowd-pleaser. Top it off with raspberry or strawberry sorbet and you have the perfect cocktail dessert combo.
Instead of using a punch bowl, serve this in your Le Creuset Dutch Oven to keep it cool even on the hottest day. And the tight-fitting lid is ideal to keep flies, wasps, and other summer pests from taking a bath in your punch before you’ve gotten the chance to enjoy it.
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Lemon-Coconut Salmon Curry with Glazed Bacon
This one-pot recipe for Lemon-Coconut Salmon Curry with Glazed Bacon is sure to impress your friends and family. The combination of bright lemon-coconut curry and smoky sweet glaze bacon elevates this easy to prepare salmon into a restaurant-worthy dish.
Cooking this dish in an enamelled cast iron Dutch Oven will make your life simpler, as the high walls will prevent any splattering as you sear the salmon. The tight-fitting lid will seal in all the moisture, ensuring that your salmon doesn’t dry out, as well as helping to absorb all of the nuanced flavours in the curry.
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Corn and Summer Vegetable Gazpacho
Unsurprisingly, cold foods are in high demand this time of year. If you’re a soup-lover, this filling and refreshing Corn and Summer Vegetable Gazpacho is likely to become one of your go-to summer Dutch Oven recipes. Made with sweet corn, zucchini, tomatoes, and other summer vegetables, this dish is a healthy way to cool off on the hottest days.
The enamelled cast iron Dutch Oven is the ideal cookware for this dish because you can both cook the gazpacho in it, and then once the soup has chilled, the enamelled cast iron will hold onto that cold temperature as you set the dish outside to serve.
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Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Pulled Pork Sandwiches are a classic southern staple that have only grown in popularity. These crowd-pleasers exemplify the best of slow-cooking, with their smoky barbecue flavours and fall-off-the-bone tenderness. Whether you plan to serve these as hors d'oeuvres or as the main course, there are an infinite number of ways to customize your sandwiches.
Le Creuset’s Dutch Oven is the ideal piece of cookware for this recipe, locking in heat and moisture thanks to its tight-fitting lid to tenderize the pulled pork to perfection. Featuring thick, enamelled cast iron walls, the Dutch Oven creates the ideal environment for this recipe to slow-cook in, distributing heat evenly until the pork shoulder is tender and full of flavour.
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Linguine with Herbed Shrimps in a Fresh Tomato & Garlic Sauce
Who doesn’t love a good seafood pasta dish? This summer recipe for Linguine with Herbed Shrimp in a Fresh Tomato and Garlic Sauce is a light and fresh meal perfect for a hot day. It combines garlic, Roma tomatoes, Italian parsley, and basil with shrimp to create a beautiful medley of flavours that are evident in every bite of this savoury dish. Linguine, or any long pasta of your choice, is tossed with the sauce until the noodles are coated perfectly all over.
Prepared in your Round Dutch Oven, this one-pot recipe is ready in under an hour. It comfortably serves 2-to-4 people, but can easily be scaled up for larger gatherings.
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White Bean and Kale Stew
You might not think of stew as an ideal summer dish, but this White Bean and Kale Stew is a hearty one-pot recipe that is both easy to prepare and deliciously filling. Ideal for rainy days, or when you don’t want to spend a lot of time slaving over a hot stove, this summer recipe is packed with protein and veggies for a well-rounded meal that won’t leave you feeling weighed down.
The ideal cookware for making any kind of stew is the enamelled cast iron Dutch Oven. Its enamelled cast iron construction boasts superior heat retention and even distribution, making it ideal for simmering. Le Creuset’s Dutch Oven’s high walls also prevent splattering and spilling while cooking, which cuts down on cleaning time.
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Beer Steamed Clams with Fennel and Tarragon
Delicious and easy to prepare, this Beer Steamed Clams with Fennel and Tarragon recipe is a great way to serve a healthy and more elevated meal for a group in no time. This summer recipe is designed to serve family-sized portions and can accommodate a gathering of 10+ people.
This entire recipe comes together in your enamelled cast iron Dutch Oven, making for easy clean up. Le Creuset’s Round Dutch Oven easily moves from sautéing the aromatics to slow-boiling the beer and clams. The tight-fitting lid and thick, enamelled cast iron walls are designed to lock in heat and moisture, steaming the clams until they open.
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Wild Rice Pilaf with Orange, Pomegranate and Crispy Shallots
If you’re looking for something light and filling to serve at your next family gathering, look no further than this Wild Rice Pilaf with Orange, Pomegranate and Crispy Shallots recipe. The wild rice and sweet potato are filling, and the orange and pomegranate provide a refreshing, citrusy twist that invigorates the palate.
Making this dish in your Round Dutch Oven will have your rice cooked to fluffy perfection. The tight-fitting lid will lock in moisture to infuse your rice with the rich flavours of your aromatics, as well as keep your rice warm while you prepare the rest of the dish.
See the recipeSummer Cooking with your Le Creuset Dutch Oven
Take your summer parties and gatherings to the next level with your Le Creuset Dutch Oven. Available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours, our Dutch Ovens are made from our legendary enamelled cast iron. Built to be resistant to chipping, peeling, and staining, this is cookware you can trust to hold up to everyday use and abuse.
These were just some of our favourite summer Dutch Oven recipes. For more tips, recipes, and inspiration, check out the rest on our blog. Or check out our piece on Summer Cookware Hosting Essentials.
