Easy One-Pot Meals to Make in a Carbon Steel Pan

These simple recipes will bring out the best of your carbon steel pan.

3 min read

Jennifer Billock

Sep 12, 2022

Cast iron pans bring a unique joy to cooking meals. They hold heat well, help food cook evenly and brown everything to a uniform perfection. But did you know there’s another alternative? Carbon steel pans work just as well, with the added benefit of being lighter than heavy cast iron. Plus, they’re perfect for one-pot meals—especially because when you’re cooking with carbon steel, the pan can go right from the stovetop to the oven. That means you can easily crisp up the tops of dishes that need it (looking at you, hotdish), your frittatas will be perfectly cooked through, you can easily heat up leftovers in the oven, and your roasted meats will be flavorfully seared. It’s the ideal solution for busy days or those times when you don’t want to deal with much cleanup.

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Why Carbon Steel Pans are Just Better

When you’re cooking with a carbon steel pan, you’ll get all the same benefits that you’d get from cast iron. The pan seasons itself with every use (and if you use OXO’s pan, it’s already pre-seasoned), adding a flavorful boost to whatever carbon steel recipe you’re cooking—while keeping the pan non-stick. It’s easy to clean. Plus, you can also use it outside on a campfire—without the pain of lugging along a heavy piece of cookware.

How to Clean Your Carbon Steel Pan

It may seem intimidating, but carbon steel pans are super easy to clean. Use a small amount of soap and water, and scrub the pan with a non-scratch pad (like a latex sponge). Dry it immediately, and you’re ready to go. For an even easier method, fill just the bottom of the pan with water, and simmer it on the stove for a few minutes. Pour the water out, scrape off any residue and you’re done.

How to Season Your Carbon Steel Pan

If you need to re-season your pan (you’ll know because it will start to look dull), simply rub a layer of cooking oil onto the surface. Make sure to coat every part of the pan evenly.

Get started using your pan with these two carbon steel recipes. They’re easy, require only one pan and are ready quickly.

Bacon and Cheese Frittata

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Ingredients

Bacon and Cheese Frittata:

6 eggs

1/4 cup milk of your choice

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1 sprig parsley, chopped

5 basil leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

8 ounces cooked bacon, diced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat eggs, milk and herbs together.

Preheat pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Melt butter in heated carbon steel pan and pour in egg mixture. Cook until the base sets, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle cheese and bacon over the eggs.

Put pan into the oven and cook for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the eggs are set. Loosen the edges with a wooden spoon, turn out of pan and serve immediately.

Carbon Steel Margherita Pizza

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Ingredients

Carbon Steel Margherita Pizza:

1 pound pizza dough

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup prepared pizza sauce

4 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced

2 roma tomatoes, sliced

5 basil leaves, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 with carbon steel pan inside.

As oven preheats, roll out dough wide enough to cover your pan.

Carefully remove pan from preheated oven. Spread olive oil onto bottom and sides of pan.

Transfer dough onto pan, using a wooden spoon to push it into all of the edges.

Spread sauce over dough. Place mozzarella and tomatoes onto pizza.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with basil leaves.

Loosen edges with a wooden spoon, slide pizza out of the pan, and serve hot.

You don’t have to stop there. Interested in more recipes for your carbon steel pan? Sign up for OXO’s newsletter at the bottom of the Good Tips Blog page.