5 Super Sturdy Cast Iron Cookware Pieces That’ll Last a Lifetime

Cast iron cookware.
iStock/Briagin

Add these droolworthy cast iron cookware pieces to your kitchen.

Once regulated to campfire cooking or something passed down to you from your great-grandmother, it seems like cast iron cookware is once again gaining in popularity. From cooking shows and online how-to videos to cooking magazine, cast iron is everywhere.

Why Cast Iron Cookware?

Whether cooking your morning eggs to roasting a chicken in the evening, cast iron cookware is the workhorse of the kitchen. There are a variety of benefits of cooking with cast iron cookware making it a no-brainer. Cast iron cookware is healthier for you and the environment. There are a variety of chemicals utilized in the manufacture of those ubiquitous nonstick coatings found on many types of cookware. These chemicals raise concerns about exposure (both for the people making the pans in the factory and when they are used in cooking). That’s also not to mention the durability of cast iron cookware. It is cookware that will last you (and your children) a lifetime making it a more sustainable choice. But most importantly to those who take their cooking seriously is cooking with cast iron produces amazing results!

Beyond the basics of a cast iron skillet and a cast iron enamel dutch oven, what are some unique cast iron cookware pieces to add to your kitchen?

Cast Iron Cookware Must Haves

Cast iron cookware.
Image Le Creuset

1. Le Creuset Cast Iron Heart Cocotte

This sweet, heart-shaped casserole dish is the perfect vessel to make a special dinner or dessert in. It’s also perfect to show off the next time you are invited to a covered dish supper.

Cast iron cookware.
Image via Lodge

2. Lodge Panini Press

Pair the Lodge Square Grill Pan and this Panini Press to make the most awesome grilled sandwiches ever. Both are available in red or blue enameled cast iron.

Cast iron cookware.
Image via Sur La Table

3. Cast Iron Tortilla Press

If you have never made homemade tortillas, you are missing out. While a tortilla press isn’t required, it sure does make the job a whole lot easier. Of course, if you plan on buying a tortilla press, you do want it to be made from durable cast iron.

Cast iron cookware.
Image via Staub

4. Staub Cast Iron Covered Fish Pan

Never wrap another piece of fish in aluminum foil again with this cast iron pan. Not only does it brown fish perfectly, but it will also help to keep your delicious fish from drying out.

Cast iron cookware.
image via Utopia Kitchen

5. Utopia Kitchen Cast Iron Wok

Believe it or not, but one does not make the best stir-fry with a nonstick wok. For a tasty treat, cook your next stir-fry in a cast iron wok and discover a trick that serious chefs have known for years. Plus, a cast iron wok can even be used on grills or campfires.

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Jen Wallace

Jen Wallace shares her indie life by writing about making, creating, cooking, learning, playing, decorating, and pretty much anything else that strikes her fancy from indie biz tips to the modern history of the American hemline.