20 Dutch oven dishes perfect for a cozy night in

Ask the chef what their most prized dish is, and chances are they'll point it out Dutch oven. A high-end model like the Le Creuset is a serious investment, but for that much money you get a wonderfully versatile cookware that can be used for all sorts of things –to cook rice, to fry chicken, baking breadname it.

However, the Dutch oven's real vocation is making stews, steamed dishes and other one-pot dinners, so it is an essential accessory for preparing light, hearty, comforting meals on cold winter nights. The combination of their deep shape, generous size and the heat-retaining power of cast iron make Dutch ovens the best tools for browning meat and vegetables and then roasting them to the perfect tenderness. To help you appreciate your Dutch oven like any cook, we've rounded up 20 of our favorite Dutch oven dinners, from cacciatore and Portuguese caldo verde to Guinness stew and oven-roasted pork.