10 best casserole dishes for stews, chillies and other wintry delights

As the name suggests, this pot may just be perfect. It’s an ideal casserole dish for anyone who wants to cut the clutter and introduce simplicity into their kitchen. Because as well as being a casserole dish, this pot will also boil, crisp, bake, steam, and strain.

Made using lightweight cast aluminium, it warms up very quickly, even on a low heat. In turn, this heat is distributed evenly, so you get perfectly cooked food every time. And because it’s so light, moving it from the countertop to the oven isn’t a struggle. Plus, the pot has a non-stick coating, so it is recommended that you wash it by hand, and we saw great results, even when food was baked on.

This pot is oven-safe up to 230C, which is a relief for anyone like us who cooks everything at 200C. It can also be used on all types of hobs, including induction. We really love the pot’s lid because it’s a modular design, meaning you can let off steam or you can lock it in, depending on what’s being cooked. The convenient built-in pouring spout is fantastic if you’re whipping up a soup, too.

The perfect pot comes in various vibrant colours, and it even has a nesting spatula, so you don’t dirty the countertops while cooking.

These are the most fun casserole dishes we have listed in our round-up. They’re Disney-themed and amazing for anyone on a budget. Not only are there two dishes which suit casseroles, they can also be used to cook other meals, too.

They’re a decent size and have two handles to make moving them from the oven to table simple. They’re also dishwasher-friendly, so super-easy to clean. There’s no lid, which is a shame, but nothing that can’t be solved by using some tin foil. And with a price of less than ?20 for the pair, it’s well worth the effort.

This casserole dish from Portmeirion will fit right in if you prefer a country garden look, thanks to its botanic design. Ideal for slow-cooking casseroles and stews, it’s ovenproof up to 200C, and although you can’t use the pot on the hob, it is microwave-safe for heating up any leftovers. This casserole dish is also freeze-proof, so ideal if you want to precook a meal and store it in the freezer.

The dish weighs just under 4lbs, so it’s not too heavy to manoeuvre around the kitchen. It has a 1.4l capacity, so great if you’re cooking for a couple or even a family. And because this set is made from ceramic, it means that it’s safe to pop in the dishwasher, too.

When it comes to casserole dishes, Le Creuset is often the first brand that comes to mind. And it’s no surprise that this is the market leader in high-end kitchenware because there’s very little you can’t do with one of its dishes.

We tested the 4.2l dish, which comes in 13 colours, from shell pink to deep teal, and a variety of sizes. It was perfect for making slow-roasted dishes such as casseroles, but we also whipped up a loaf of bread, which cooked evenly and with a nice, crispy crust. This is partly down to the lid, as it fits snugly and locks in the heat and moisture.

This dish can be used on all types of hobs, including induction, as well as under the grill and in the oven. It is heavy, weighing in at 4.3kg, but has two good side handles and one on the lid, which offer a great grip even when wearing oven gloves.

This casserole dish isn’t dishwasher-friendly – and you can’t use any kind of scouring pad either – but it was easy to clean, and any stubborn baked-on dirt came off easily when we left it to soak for a couple of hours.

If you want a casserole dish that’s made using eco-friendly materials, you’ll love the karipot. This zero-waste cooking pot is made using natural stone and clay, which can be returned to the earth when the time comes. The pot’s materials also enhance the food’s flavour by preserving the flavours and the oils in the ingredients.

The pot can be used in the oven and on both gas and electric hobs, although it won’t work on induction hobs. The generous and chunky side handles make it easy to move from oven to table and offer a good grip. And this is a dish that you’ll want to put on the table, because it has such a unique, rustic design.

It’s non-stick, thanks to the natural burnishing, and easy to keep clean. It has a 2.25l capacity, so this is a great option for preparing one-pot dinners and for slow cooking.

This stylish and robust casserole dish is ideal for cooking various dishes. The dish is cast iron, so isn’t light, but the handles make it easy to hold and we had no issues with moving it around the kitchen.

The dish has a shallow design, comes in blue or frost grey, and has a non-stick coating, which meant that we didn’t have to use much oil when cooking. This meant the dishes we made were a lot healthier. But also, the non-stick coating made this pan easy to clean after use. Plus, it can be used on all types of hobs, including induction, and is oven-safe.

This is a good casserole pan to help conserve energy, too, thanks to the tight-fitting lid, which keeps heat and moisture locked inside. You can turn down the temperature and still enjoy fully cooked food. The dish has a generous 3l capacity, so it’s a good option if you’re cooking for a family but also a great choice for roasting joints of meat.

This deep casserole dish is a must-have for any family kitchen. It has a large 5l capacity, so is perfect for stews, casseroles, and soups. It’s oven-proof up to 240C, and can also be used on all hob types, including induction. That said, just be aware that you’ll need to make sure you don’t use it on a ring that’s larger than the base, because it won’t work.

This dish is a great option if you have a small oven, as it’s deep but compact. The other good news is that it’s dishwasher-friendly, so you won’t have to worry about washing up after dinner.

The only slight let-down is the lid, which isn’t quite as tight-fitting as others we’ve tested, so if it’s more two-thirds full you risk liquid bubbling over. On the big plus side, this casserole dish is made using cast aluminium, making it incredibly lightweight and easy to move from the stove to the oven. The handles are also a practical size, so it’s simple to, well, handle.

This lightweight and stylish casserole dish is a practical pick for all the family. It’s made using aluminium, so it feels light, even if you’ve got food cooking inside. Plus, the dish has two well-placed handles to make moving it around the kitchen even easier.

This casserole dish can be used on a hob as well as in the oven, and there’s a tempered glass lid too so you can see how well your dish is cooking while keeping all the heat and moisture safely inside.

Another great plus is that this dish has a non-stick coating, so you won’t need to use much oil, if any, making it a much healthier way to cook too.

This 7.3l pot is huge, making it ideal for large families and those who like to host their friends. The dish is made from cast iron, so it has amazing heat distribution and cooks everything evenly. This casserole dish works on all hobs, including induction, and is even oven-safe to 260C.

At a whopping 6.9kg (and that’s before you’ve placed your ingredients inside), this is a heavy dish. However, the handles have cut-outs, making the dish easier to move around, despite its hefty weight. But our favourite feature has to be its self-basting lid, which locks in flavour and moisture.

This set of three insulated casserole dishes is brilliant for anyone who likes to pre-prepare their food. There are three different sizes (1.2l, 1.5l and 2.5l) of insulated pots with airtight lids, so you can take meals with you on the go.

You do have to cook your casserole in a separate pot, which means you have two lots of washing up. But, if you’re cooking early to be able to eat later or taking your dish to work, these are ideal. They kept the food hot without continuing the cooking process and were super easy to wash as well as being dishwasher-friendly.