Cooking at home is one of the easiest ways to eat healthy and save money, but we’re not into that whole “spending hours in the kitchen” thing. So reach for your secret weapon and new best friend: the cast-iron skillet. Here, 51 of our favorite cast iron skillet recipes, from cheater’s white wine coq au vin to chicken tortilla pie. The best part? (Aside from a satisfying meal in next to no time) barely any dishes!
51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes
3. Chocolate Skillet Cake
We recommend eating it by the spoonful, straight from the hot pan.
7. Skillet S'mores Cookie
This cookie gives us all the melted chocolate and toasted marshmallow goodness we crave.
10. Easy Cherry Skillet Cake
We love this with cherries, but really, any fresh fruit would work well. Just be sure not to skimp on the whipped cream on top.
12. Blackberry-raspberry Skillet Cobbler
This cobbler recipe has all the summery-sweet perks of pie without so much effort.
15. Broiler S’mores
The ’mallows will be toasty and the chocolate melted just enough--without all the fuss. (You’re welcome).
16. Skillet Peach Cobbler
This is everything a cobbler should be—be still our summer-loving hearts!
17. Skillet Mac And Cheese
Crispy on the outside, melty on the inside.
19. Skillet Cornbread With Cheddar And Scallions
Our final words of wisdom? Eat it straight from the skillet.
20. Giant Cinnamon Roll
The only thing better than a freshly baked cinnamon roll? A giant freshly baked cinnamon roll.
25. Mini Skillet Funnel Cakes
They’re super easy to make at home (and the mini versions are just too cute for words).
29. Skillet Gnocchi With Sausage And Broccoli Rabe
This hearty and delicious dish is super simple, and it tastes like you spent all day making it.
30. Skillet Vegetable Fried Rice
Toss in shrimp or chicken for extra protein.
31. Healthy Balsamic Chicken Skillet With Pomegranates And Feta
This colorful dish is perfect for any night of the week.
32. Skillet Chicken Fajitas
Just add the tortillas and extra guac.
33. Ricotta Berry French Toast Casserole
You can make this in 30 minutes (homemade brioche and all).
34. Skillet Chicken Fajitas
Bonus: Since this is a one-pan meal, cleanup is a breeze too.
35. Turkey Cauliflower Caprese Skillet
This. Is. Genius. Plus it uses our favorite versatile veg: cauliflower.
36. Skillet Chocolate-chip Cookie
Why have a regular old cookie when you can have a skillet cookie?
37. Spiralized Sweet Potato Enchilada Skillet
Store-bought veggie noodles would work just as well.
38. Skillet Chilaquiles
Mmm, basically breakfast nachos.
39. Red Shakshuka
Don’t forget the crusty bread for serving.
40. Onion And Arugula Frittata
What’s so wonderful about a frittata? Well, you can make it with nearly anything.
41. Skillet Cherry Pie
Baking a pie in a cast iron skillet not only saves on dishes, but it also makes the crust delightfully crispy.
42. Green Shakshuka
Sick of scrambled eggs? Time to meet shakshuka,
43. Skillet Steak With Asparagus And Potatoes
Here's a one-pan dinner that looks (and tastes) fancy but is totally foolproof.
44. Skillet Pizza
All you need to make your own pizza is a tried-and-true cast-iron skillet.
45. Skillet Lasagna With Corn And Cherry Tomatoes
Corn and cherry tomatoes have the same cheesy goodness you crave (and then some), minus the hours of assembly time.
46. 15-minute Skillet Pepper Steak
Meet 15-minute skillet pepper steak, a simple adaptation of one of our favorite Chinese-American dishes.
47. Skillet Pasta With Summer Squash, Ricotta And Basil
Best of all, this one-pan meal is ready in half an hour.
48. Deep Dish Double Chocolate Pecan Skillet Pie
Crispy, decadent, delicious. You’ve earned it, baby.
49. Brussels Sprouts Skillet With Crispy Pancetta-garlic Bread Crumbs
The aromatic topping does double-duty, bringing that extra crunch we crave.
50. Cheater’s Skillet Paella
It isn’t officially summer until you’ve eaten paella (with a glass of white wine, of course).
51. Mini Skillet Pizzas With Mushrooms And Roasted Tomatoes
The surface of your trusty cast-iron skillet gets extremely hot, which is the secret to the crispy pizzeria-style crust.