A cocotte is a small, round, lidded cooking vessel, usually made of enameled cast iron or ceramic, used for slow-cooking stews, braises, and other one-pot dishes. In French, "cocotte" is a general word for a casserole or stewpan.
The vessel is rooted in French cuisine, where similar pots were historically used to cook stews and braises over open fires or wood-burning stoves before being adapted for modern ovens and stovetops.
Its tight-fitting lid traps steam and juices for even heat distribution and moisture retention, making it well suited to long, gentle cooking such as beef bourguignon, coq au vin, pot roasts, and baked mac and cheese. Its thick, even construction also makes it useful for baking dishes like cobblers.
Cocottes range from individual size up to 4-6 servings, with a non-reactive enameled interior and, on most modern versions, loop handles suited to oven-to-table serving.