An Elegant Dutch Oven for Easy One-Pot Meals

An Elegant Dutch Oven for Easy One-Pot Meals | Food & Nutrition | Stone Soup
Photo: Lagostina

Product reviewed: Lagostina Giada Stainless Steel 4-quart Covered Dutch Oven

Having heard great things about Dutch ovens, I have always been interested in trying one. More importantly, I heard you can use a Dutch oven to create tons of one-pot recipes that help reduce time and cleanup in the kitchen! As a busy mom to two toddlers, I am all about saving time and cutting down on dirtying dishes.

When I got the Lagostina Giada Stainless Steel 4-quart Dutch Oven, I was beyond thrilled to try it.An Elegant Dutch Oven for Easy One-Pot Meals - I love the contrasting copper and stainless-steel design – so shiny and beautiful. It also has a thick copper base for great heat conduction. As a food photographer, I knew I would be using this beautiful Dutch oven in several photography sessions!

Even though I was very excited to use my Lagostina Giada Dutch oven for the first time, I was a little skeptical. In my experience, stainless-steel cookware has not always held up well, which I was concerned would be the case. The only way to test my theory was to test this product. I decided to make a one-pot chicken and veggie dish that required using the Dutch oven on the stovetop and in the oven.

When using it on the stovetop, I was pleased that the handles stayed cool throughout the cooking process. I was able to pick up the Dutch oven and remove it from heat without issues. This is a great feature because I often pick up pans to drain excess grease and fat from food while cooking.

When sautéing, this Dutch oven cooked veggies perfectly. After removing the vegetables, I turned up the heat to sear chicken on both sides before placing it in the oven. Because I did not have enough oil in the pot, my chicken started to stick to the bottom, so make sure the pot is well greased when searing meat.

Once the chicken was seared, I added the veggies back into the Dutch oven, covered it and placed it in the oven preheated to 350°F. The durable copper lid helped cook the chicken, keeping it moist and tender. I wanted the chicken to get a little golden on top, so I removed the lid and broiled it for just a few minutes. This probably wasn’t the best idea. The manual says the Dutch oven is oven-safe up to 500°F, but I think my oven may have exceeded that temperature when set to broil on high. The Dutch oven held up, but it started to brown around the rim of the pot. Luckily, I was able to wash it and remove the discoloration.

I would definitely recommend the Lagostina Giada Stainless Steel 4-quart Dutch Oven. I love its versatility for everyday use: You can use it to meal prep for the week’s meals or make a nutritious dinner for your family. And because of its sleek design, you can place this Dutch oven right on the table during special occasion dinners!

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Andrea Mathis
Andrea Mathis, MA, RDN, LD, is an Alabama-based dietitian, mom and owner of Beautiful Eats & Things. Check out her website for easy, delicious recipes, health & wellness info, and DIY/lifestyle hacks! You can also connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.