Do you love Le Creuset’s viral petite fruit pots as much as we do? Then you’ll be obsessed with Staub’s veg alternatives

This summer everyone (the Ideal Home Team included) seems to be obsessed with everything fruit and vegetable-shaped, whether it’s lemons or tomatoes, we can't get enough. One fruity homeware creation that has caused a big stir is Le Creuset’s viral fruit casserole dishes.

If you've been lusting after them, we are sad to say they are currently sold out all over the US and in the UK, and are available only at the brand’s Bicester Village outlet store. But fear not as we found just an adorable alternative in the form of the Staub vegetable casserole cocottes.

Both Staub and Le Creuset are known for making the best cast iron cookware, but they also make excellent oven and microwave-proof ceramic dishes, which is what all of these mini casserole dishes are made from. While Le Creuset’s hard-to-get Harvest cocottes come in fruit designs like the popular blueberry, raspberry and apple, Staub opted for the complete Vegetable garden set instead, including an heirloom tomato, two colours of peppers, an artichoke and pumpkins in two different colourways again.

And at £24.95 for each or £109 for a set of all six, we think it’s not a bad deal. They are actually cheaper than the Le Creuset Harvest fruit cocottes too, which retail for about £27 each.

Staub vegetable casserole cocottes

Last year, pumpkin casserole dishes became a trend that was popping up everywhere – and you could say that the likes of Le Creuset and Staub with its pumpkin cocotte cast iron casserole dish started the trend.

Our Digital Deputy Editor, Rebecca Knight, owns one of the full-sized Staub cast iron pumpkin beauties, ‘I love my staub pumpkin cast iron. It’s so pretty that it makes me smile every time I cook with it and it’s a talking point at every diner party I throw. Despite being quite pricey, I can’t complain about its cooking features which are flawless, from the perfect heat retention to its versatility as it can be used both in the oven and on the hob.’

You could say that the vegetable (and Le Creuset’s fruit) mini cocottes are a continuation from the pumpkin casserole dish trend. And owing to their cute petite design, they also don’t cost as much as the full-sized casserole dishes. But if you’re looking for an even cheaper option, then H&M Home’s tomato vegetable-shaped jar selling for £12.99 is just as cute – but we will warn that it’s not suitable for oven and microwave use like the Staub one is.

Just as Rebecca mentioned of her pumpkin casserole, these cocottes are bound to go down a storm at every dinner party you throw just the same. And that’s especially important as the al fresco hosting season is upon us. So whether you serve cooked or steamed side dishes, soups or warm salads, these are perfect for delivering perfect portions - boasting 0.5L capacity - in style.

Which one will you choose?