A clay pot is a type of cooking utensil made with glazed or unglazed clay. It can be used on the stovetop or in the oven to cook a variety of dishes, such as rice, soup, stews, and more. It adds various nutrients to your food, neutralizes their acidity to make them easy to digest, and allows the heat and moisture to circulate evenly to infuse the dish with rich flavors and aromas.
If you have a clay pot at home, use it to make these wonderfully scrumptious clay pot recipes. Make sure you prep your cookware first to get it ready for cooking.
1. Chinese Clay Pot Rice
This classic Cantonese dish is a perfectly hearty meal for lazy evenings. Jasmine rice is cooked in vegetable stock and topped with tofu steaks, king oyster mushrooms, and blanched greens, all drizzled with a delicious homemade brown sauce to give you a mouthwatering flavor in every bite. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds before serving.
2. Chinese Clay Pot Rice with Sausage and Mushrooms
This ultra-comforting meal pairs plain long-grain rice with chicken wings and Chinese sausages (lap cheong) to create a filling meal. The rehydrated mushrooms add a wonderful earthy flavor to the dish, while the sweet and savory sauce will take your tastebuds on a flavor ride.
3. Clay Pot Rice
This clay pot rice recipe features a beautifully crunchy crust and a layer of juicy meats combined with the rice. In it, veggies, chicken, rice, sausage, spices, and seasonings come together to create a simple yet delectable meal. It is served with a garnish of sliced green onion and a fantastic mushroom sauce for an explosion of flavors.
4. Clay Pot Silkie Chicken Wonton Soup
A chicken wonton soup is a nutritious comfort meal that is made using only five ingredients — silkie chicken, napa cabbage, salted pork or bacon, water, and shanghai wontons. The chicken, cabbage, and salted pork are cooked together in the clay pot for about 45 minutes. The spatchcocked chicken infuses the soup with incredible flavors. Once done, add some green onions as garnish if you want, and serve with wontons.
5. Clay Pot Soup
Cooking soups in a clay pot is a great way to infuse it with more nutrients and add an earthy flavor to it. This soup is made with a combination of lamb meat, veggies, chickpeas, and various spices and seasonings. Although it has a long ingredient list, once you experience its amazing aromas and flavors, you’ll be tempted to make it again and again!
6. Vietnamese Caramelised Fish
Easy to make and ready in just 30 minutes, this clay pot fish recipe will make your mouth water. The fish fillets are coated in a turmeric marinade before cooking in a sauce made with a variety of spices and herbs to give the fillets a wonderful caramelization. Make sure you use mortar and pestle to grind the herbs for the marinade — the flavors will be otherworldly!
7. Duck Curry in Clay
Duck is one of those delicacies you cannot get enough of, and it’s even better when cooked in a clay pot! In this recipe, the duck is flavored with lots (and I mean, lots!) of spices, herbs, toasted red peppers, onions, moong dal, and other spices. You can serve it with Indian parathas, plain rice, or steamed rice noodles for a complete meal.
8. Hong Kong-Style Vegan Clay Pot Rice
This Hong-Kong style dish is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate. The fragrant and flavorful rice is topped with tofu, mushrooms, and bok choy, then tossed with a sweet and tangy sauce prepared with dark soy sauce, sugar, vegetable broth, and vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce. Finish it off with chopped scallions, and dig in!
9. Perfect Clay Pot Rice
Light and fluffy, this clay pot rice recipe will show you how to cook rice to perfection. It’s made with just three ingredients: floral and nutty rice, water, and flavorful green onions. You can serve it alone or turn it into a full dinner by adding vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu along with a sweet-savory sauce; the possibilities are endless!
10. Roast Clay-Pot Lemon Chicken with Garlic and Chilli
This recipe will quickly become a favorite with everyone who manages to grab a bite. It takes a long cook time, but it’s super easy to make. The meal is packed with a variety of delicious ingredients like protein-rich chicken, citrusy lemon zest, tangy and sharp dijon mustard, pungent garlic, and earthy and smoky red chili. You can serve it with potato mash or couscous for a complete meal.
11. Romertopf Clay Pot Chicken & Vegetables
This scrumptious clay pot recipe with veggies, mushrooms, and chicken is perfect for those on a whole30, paleo, or gluten-free diet. Made with clean, nutritious ingredients, this is a hearty, delicious, protein-packed meal. This oven-roasted dish is perfect for family dinners as well as to take to potlucks!
12. The Best Clay Pot Chicken Rice
This simple clay pot chicken rice is brimming with addictive flavors. Cook the rice first and then add chicken and shiitake mushrooms followed by Chinese broccoli. The chicken is browned first to make it extra crisp and tasty. To finish it off, add the oyster sauce on top and mix well to get juicy flavors in every bite!
13. Turkish Beef Stew
This stew will fill your home with wonderful aromas as it cooks. Make this flavor-packed dish with beef, veggies, and various herbs and spices for a warming meal that’s perfect for cold evenings. The slow-cooking process allows the beef to absorb all the flavors and cook to tender, juicy perfection. It’s also freezer-friendly, so you can cook a big batch and save some to enjoy on busy weeknights.
14. Turkish Shrimp and Vegetable Clay Pot Casserole
This show-stopping clay pot casserole will practically fly off your dinner table. The shrimp is flavored and cooked with onion, garlic, olive oil, Hungarian wax peppers, tomatoes, button mushrooms, tomato paste, and seasonings. It’s topped with a generous portion of grated cheese before letting it cook. Once the cheese is browned and bubbly, serve this casserole with crusty bread to mop up all the delicious juices!
