A cast iron skillet is the kitchen equivalent of a good pair of jeans: It gets better with age, doesn’t need much fuss and looks right no matter what you’re doing with it. You can pull one out for pancakes in the morning, sear a steak at dinner and then wonder why you ever bothered putting it away in the first place.
These things seriously cook, as the kids would say. Cast iron gets super hot and holds onto that heat, which is exactly what you want when you’re trying to get a gorgeous sear on vegetables, chicken or anything else that deserves a little browning (that’s practically everything). It goes from stovetop to oven without blinking, too, so recipes that start with a quick sauté and finish with some oven time are right in its wheelhouse.
🍳 SIGN UP to get delicious recipes, handy kitchen hacks & fun food news in our daily Pop Kitchen newsletter 🍳
Crofton Cast Iron Mini Skillet, $6.99 at Aldi
Aldi
A well-used skillet develops a seasoned surface that becomes part of its history. Every meal adds to it. It isn’t pristine, and that’s the point. Cast iron is meant to be used, loved and passed around the kitchen until it becomes the pan everyone reaches for first, like this cute little Crofton Cast Iron Mini Skillet at Aldi.
This small cast iron skillet is a tiny workhorse with serious old-school charm. It has all the sturdy, substantial feel of a traditional cast iron pan, just shrunk down to an irresistibly cute size. The petite handles on each side and classic black finish give it a “straight out of Grandma’s kitchen” look, but its small size makes it especially handy for individual portions, little sides, baked dips or a personal skillet dessert.
Related: This Sweet and Spicy New Jam Packs a Ton of Flavor Without Added Sugar
And don’t let the word mini fool you into thinking it’s just for show. This is a real cooking pan that can go from oven to table, so you can actually make something in it and serve it right up. There’s something pretty fun about giving everyone their own tiny skillet of whatever’s for dinner or dessert.
I love that it comes with its own wooden trivet, making it truly an oven to table pan. No need for dirtying a serving bowl or platter. Just take it out of the oven, let it cool on the trivet and allow everyone to dig in.
Related: This Pink-and-White Aldi Throw Is Giving Halloween Hermès on a Budget
