How to Choose the Right Dutch Oven for Your Cooking Style

A Dutch oven is one of those kitchen essentials you don’t realise you need … until you finally have one. Then suddenly, every other day you’re slow-cooking, braising, baking, and wondering how you ever lived without it.

But if you’ve started shopping around, you’ll know there’s more than one kind. Different sizes, shapes, and materials all play a role in how your Dutch oven performs – so how do you pick the right one?

Whether you’re cooking for a crowd, making weeknight dinners easier, or just trying to perfect your sourdough game, there’s a Dutch oven to suit your cooking style.

What’s the Best Dutch Oven Material?

Before we get into shapes and sizes, let’s talk materials. Dutch ovens come in a few materials, but cast iron Dutch ovens are the heavy-duty, heat-retaining workhorse of the kitchen.

If you love low-and-slow cooking, searing, baking, or even taking your Dutch oven camping, cast iron is unbeatable. It can handle anything from a bubbling ragu to a golden loaf of sourdough, and if you take care of it, it’ll last forever.

While other materials like ceramic, clay, and stainless steel exist, cast iron remains the gold standard for its durability, versatility, and ability to go from stovetop to oven with nothing but ease.

Oval vs. Round Dutch Oven: Does Shape Matter?

Short answer? Yes. The shape of your Dutch oven affects how it fits on your stovetop, in your oven, and even how your food cooks.

An oval Dutch oven is a great choice if you love cooking whole chickens, lamb shoulders, or big-batch meals. The longer shape gives you more surface area, so meats sit nicely without being cramped. It’s also a top pick for meal preppers – think slow-cooked curries, hearty soups, or anything you want to cook once and eat all week.

Oval dutch ovens are a top pick for meal preppers.

A classic round Dutch oven is the more versatile all-rounder. It fits better on most stovetops, heats evenly, and is perfect for stews, pasta sauces, braises, and baking bread. If you want one Dutch oven that can do just about everything, round is the way to go.

A round Dutch oven – the classic all-rounder.

Choosing the Right Size

Size matters too, especially when it comes to Dutch ovens. Too small, and you’ll struggle to fit your ingredients. Too big, and you’re left with a pot that’s heavy and takes up more storage than it should.

The Baby Dutch Oven (20cm, 2.3L) is perfect if you’re cooking for one or two. It’s great for side dishes, small soups, or a quick risotto, and because it’s smaller, it heats up faster and uses less energy.

A baby Dutch oven is the perfect size if you often cook for just one or two people.

The Classic Round Dutch Oven (26cm, 3.2L) is the sweet spot for most home cooks. It’s big enough to handle a family meal but not so oversized that it’s hard to manoeuvre. This is your go-to for hearty stews, slow-cooked ragus, baked pasta dishes, and even no-knead bread.

The Oval Dutch Oven (30cm, 6.2L) is for the entertainers, batch cookers, and anyone who regularly feeds a crowd. If you love making Sunday roasts, big pots of soup, or slow-cooked lamb shanks, you’ll appreciate the extra space.

The Shallow Casserole Dutch Oven (30cm, 3.2 L) is perfect for quick-cooking dishes. If you love creamy pasta, risottos, or shallow braises, this Dutch oven gives you maximum surface area for searing meats and reducing sauces. It’s also great for baking – think golden focaccia or a cheesy baked gnocchi dish.

The Verdict: Which Dutch Oven Should You Choose?

Still not sure? Here’s how to pick the right one based on what you cook most.

If you love a good Sunday roast…

The Oval Dutch Oven is the way to go. It’s got plenty of space for a whole chicken, slow-cooked lamb shoulder, or anything that needs room to cook evenly. If you like making big meals and having leftovers for the week, this one’s a great pick.

If you’re all about baking sourdough…

Go for the Classic Round Dutch Oven. Its deep walls and even heat trap steam inside, giving your bread that golden, crackly crust. If you’ve ever wanted to level up your home baking, this is your best bet.

If you love creamy pastas, risottos, and saucy dishes…

The Shallow Casserole Dutch Oven is your best bet. The wide base and lower sides make it ideal for reducing sauces, searing meats, and evenly cooking pasta dishes without them drying out. It’s also great for shallow frying and oven bakes.

If you’re cooking for one or two…

The Baby Dutch Oven is a great everyday option. It’s ideal for soups, pasta, risottos, or side dishes without taking up too much space. Plus, it heats up faster, which is handy when you just want to get dinner on the table ASAP.

If you love slow-cooked stews and curries…

Both the Classic Round and Oval Dutch Oven will work, but if you like cooking in big batches, the oval shape gives you a little extra room.

If you want a Dutch oven that does it all…

The Classic Round Dutch Oven is the most versatile. It’s big enough for family meals but not so oversized that it’s hard to use for everyday cooking. If you’re after one that can handle everything from soups to roasts to baking, this is the one.

Whatever you go for, a good Dutch oven is one of the best things you’ll ever buy for your kitchen. Ready to pick yours? Check out Crumble’s Dutch Oven range here.