Dunelm's cast iron casserole dish is just like a Le Creuset, but a tenth of the price

If I didn’t tell you where I got this cast iron casserole dish, you’d clock the rich volcanic orange hue and brassy gold handle and immediately say, “Ah, a lovely Le Creuset!” The delicious truth is that it doesn’t cost £300. It’s actually £38 and it cooks an almost identical feast.

Dunelm has long been known for serving up quality on a budget, and their cookware is no exception. After being told by many (many, many) people that their dishes are some of the best cast iron pots you can buy, I finally caved and brought one into my kitchen.

Move over Le Creuset vs Staub debates, the Dunelm Cast Iron Casserole Dish is quietly stealing the show.

Dunelm Cast Iron Casserole Dish review

Who would the Dunelm Cast Iron Casserole Dish suit?

If we're really honest, with cast iron, looks matter. You want a dish that’s as presentable on the dinner table as the food you’ve lovingly stirred inside it. Colour, shape, style, they all need to work in harmony. Dunelm ticks every box. It’s curved, colourful, very chic, and absolutely dinner-party approved.

It’s a brilliant budget alternative for anyone craving that Le Creuset aesthetic without the eye-watering price tag. After putting it through a full suite of tests, I can confidently say it cooks beautifully. The heat distribution is wonderfully even, and my risottos and stews came together with minimal fuss, no sticking, no scorching, just smooth, simmering perfection.

The only note you might want to make is that this is a shallow casserole dish. This means its better suited to risottos and slow simmers rather than meals with high liquid contents that could bubble up and over the edges, such as a soup. Think of this as your paella pan.

Unboxing the Dunelm Cast Iron Casserole Dish

Dunelm keeps things simple and sustainable. The casserole dish arrives in a recyclable yet robust cardboard box. With premium brands, I usually suggest keeping the packaging for long-term storage, but that’s not really necessary here. Still, this box carried my casserole dish safely to the door, arriving unscathed and perfectly preserved.

What is the Dunelm Cast Iron Casserole Dish like to use?

Looks are one thing, but can it cook? I put every cast iron dish through the same standardised Woman & Home tests, so let’s take a look at the proof in the pudding (or, in this case, the onions).

When I’m testing any cast iron casserole dish, I always start with onions, they’re the humble foundation of so many recipes, and they reveal instantly how evenly a pan distributes heat. I warmed a little oil and tipped in a generous handful of diced onion, listening for that gentle, promising sizzle.

Within minutes, the Dunelm’s enamel base was heating consistently from edge to edge, softening the onions into a glossy, golden tangle without any patchy browning or burnt corners. The slightly sloped sides made stirring easy, encouraging everything to shuffle around the pot rather than cling stubbornly to one spot.

It’s a simple test, but like any good cook will tell you, if a pan can tame an onion, it’s already halfway to earning its place in your kitchen and this one passed with flying colours.

The Dunelm's slightly wider, gently sloping shape works brilliantly for risottos and paellas , so naturally, that was the next test. I softened onions with garlic, thyme, and seasoning, then added my rice and stock slowly, ladle by ladle.

As the grains plumped up, the simmer stayed beautifully consistent. Even when I nudged up the heat to speed things along, the pot stayed even and calm, no hot spots, no burning.

I expected some sticking, but the enamel acted like a natural non-stick, provided I kept things moving. A risotto that behaved itself is like a small miracle.

Next, working with a base of onions, paprika, garlic, cumin, and tomato paste, I had the building blocks of my go-to casserole recipe.

Casseroles are all about low, slow, steady heat and keeping moisture locked in. Despite its shallower build, once the lid was on, the Dunelm bubbled away happily for an hour, holding in steam and flavour. Yes, the finished dish was a touch drier than from deeper casserole pots, but it still delivered a rich, satisfying sauce. I’d absolutely serve it to guests (even the picky ones).

Cast iron isn’t typically known for speed, but it's useful to know whether your dish can handle quicker tasks. I heated sesame oil, which crackled within minutes, before crisping up tofu. Impressively, it cooked almost as quickly as a stainless steel pan.
Stir-fry vegetables followed, and the enamel kept everything sliding, no stubborn bits clinging to the sides. The end result was crisp veg, glossy noodles, and a dish that shines with faster recipes just as much as slow ones.

Because this casserole dish is oven-safe, I always test roasted vegetables for soups and wintery meals. This time, I tested my tomato soup recipe. The tomatoes burst and caramelised beautifully; garlic roasted into sweet, mellow cloves in just half an hour.

Blending, however, was trickier. The shallow depth doesn’t leave much room for a stick blender without risking the enamel, so I’d recommend transferring to another container before blitzing.

Where the shallow shape doesn’t suit blending soups, it absolutely excels at roasts. My roasted gnocchi, with mushrooms, sweet potato, sage, and chestnuts, cooked evenly, crisping at the edges and softening where needed. Thanks to the good-looking design, it went straight from oven to table without needing any garnish. A true one-pan wonder.

Cleaning the Dunelm Cast Iron Casserole Dish

As with all cast iron, this is a hand-wash only situation. A soft sponge and gentle washing-up liquid worked perfectly, and residue slid right off the enamel.

Dunelm’s enamel coating is one of the best budget non-sticks I’ve used, though the elegant cream interior is prone to showing scratches, something to keep in mind if you’re heavy-handed with metal utensils or scrubbing.

How does the Dunelm Cast Iron Casserole Dish compare?

This is one of the more shallow casserole dishes on the market, great for risottos, paellas, and roasts, slightly less ideal for brothier soups. This puts it in direct comparison with similar shallow models from Le Creuset and Salter.

Le Creuset’s dish is nearly ten times the price. Yes, you get prestige, a lifetime guarantee, and a gorgeously refined build. But for the average cook, Dunelm is genuinely impressive. It’s a touch heavier and the handles are smaller, but there’s very little else to critique.

Salter's all-cream option is stylish but far less forgiving with scuffs. Performance-wise, it's almost identical (down to the cooking times), so it really comes down to your preferred colour and your tolerance for marks.

Should you buy the Dunelm Cast Iron Casserole Dish?

If you love the look of Le Creuset but not the cost, this dish is a little gem. The Dunelm Cast Iron Casserole Dish cooks wonderfully, with even heat distribution and excellent retention. Its only limitation is its shallower depth, which makes it less suited to liquid-heavy recipes.

How we test casserole dishes

At woman&home, every casserole dish faces the same rigorous tests: frying onions, low-and-slow recipes including risottos and casseroles, high-heat stir-fries, and, where oven-safe, bread and roasted vegetables.
My goal is always to give you a true taste of how each dish behaves in a real kitchen. If you have more questions, feel free to email me, or take a look at our full guide to how we test cast iron casserole dishes.