We all want to eat delicious meals at home, but who has time for complicated dinner prep? With the slow cooker, you can enjoy restaurant-quality dishes with minimal effort. Toss in the ingredients, let them cook slowly, and enjoy family time with less cleanup.
Check out these 15 slow cooker meals and make dinnertime stress-free! Just be sure to prep your ingredients for maximum time savings.
Cheesy Crockpot Mac and Cheese
Craving comfort food? Slow cooker mac and cheese is perfect for family meals or gatherings. With just 15 minutes of prep time, you can enjoy a delicious meal when it’s ready.
Cook elbow macaroni, then combine it in the slow cooker with butter, shredded cheddar, evaporated milk, eggs, and seasonings. Slow cook on the low setting for 3 hours.
Pro tip: Use a blend of three cheeses or add ground paprika for extra creaminess.
Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Slow cooker mashed potatoes are easy to make but tricky to master. Add cubed potatoes, cream, and water to the slow cooker, stir, then top with butter and salt. Cook on high for 3–3½ hours. Mash carefully for a creamy, chunky texture. Be careful not to scrape the bottom when mashing.
As a last touch, garnish with chives or adjust seasonings to taste.
Chicken Soup à la Slow Cooker
Best served warm, this cozy classic is perfect for rainy nights or sick days. Combine chicken (skin and bones removed), stock, and your choice of vegetables in the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Add quick-cooking vegetables near the end for the best results.
Add a side of crusty bread to make this soup heartier. You’ll thank me for it.
Slow Cooker Style Fried Rice
Turn leftover rice into a hearty dish! Traditionally cooked in a wok or frying pan, fried rice is made with day-old rice, fridge leftovers, and seasonings.
Just combine day-old rice, sautéed vegetables, scrambled eggs, soy sauce, and seasonings in the slow cooker. Mix well, cover, and let it warm until flavors meld.
Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce
Homemade spaghetti sauce beats store-bought every time. All you need is a 3-quart slow cooker (or larger) to mix all the ingredients of a good spaghetti sauce. Add balsamic vinegar for depth. Don’t worry—its strong flavor mellows out as the sauce cooks. Set to low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Stir, season, and serve.
Pro chef tip: If you want to add ground meat, brown it before adding it to the slow cooker to shorten the cooking time.
Creamy Slow Cooker Lasagna
Lasagna in a rice cooker is one thing. But in a slow cooker? It’s an interesting approach and surprisingly practical. Just stack all the ingredients in the slow cooker, but you have to prepare them separately first.
Start by layering the meat sauce, uncooked lasagna sheets, and cheese blend (mozzarella, cottage cheese, and Parmesan) in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours until the lasagna sheets are tender.
Italian Meatballs in a Crockpot
These versatile meatballs are great for pasta, sandwiches, or pizza. If you have leftovers, just add more sauce and layer it between Provolone cheese for a delectable sub.
Hand-mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, and egg in a separate bowl. Shape into meatballs and cook with sauce on low for 6 hours. You can sear the meat first to add more flavor and caramelization.
Mexican Tacos
Tacos might not be the first dish that comes to mind when considering slow cooker meals, but you can create flavorful taco fillings with this nifty kitchen tool.
Brown your protein (pork, beef, or chicken) in a skillet or the slow cooker. Add the spices before cooking them on low for 4-5 hours (8-10 hrs for beef) or until the meat is tender.
Serve on warm tortillas with your favorite toppings. Must-try: cheese, lettuce, and spicy sauce!
Boston Baked Beans
Tired of eating bland store-bought beans? If you have a slow cooker at home, whip up some baked beans Boston-style. For rich-tasting navy beans, soak them overnight, drain, and boil.
Whisk ground cloves, mustard, and molasses in hot water in a separate bowl. Then add the mixture with mustard and salt pork (or bacon). Cook on high for a few hours before reducing it to low until the beans are dark brown and tender.
Add water as needed. Quick tip: Season with salt and acid once the beans are tender so they don’t get chewy.
Slow Cooker Banana Bread
Slow cookers aren’t just for soups and stews; they’re for baking bread, too! You’ve gotta try banana bread, especially if you have overripe bananas.
Line the slow cooker with parchment paper and preheat it to high for 20 minutes. Then pour in the banana bread batter and mashed bananas to cook on high for 2 hours. Check doneness by inserting a skewer. If it comes out clean, it’s ready. If not, cook for another 15 minutes or longer.
Hearty Beef Stew
You know you’re eating a good beef stew if the meat melts in your mouth and the stew itself is delicious. The best way to hit both of these criteria? You guessed it—cook in a slow cooker.
For melt-in-your-mouth beef stew, sear the beef first. Then combine it with vegetables, herbs, and beef broth in the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker to low for 8-12 hours or high for 6.
Set-It-and-Forget-It Pot Roast
Pot roast is like beef stew, except that you add red wine and gravy to it. Sear the beef separately for added flavor. Then slow-cook with vegetables, red wine, beef broth, and seasonings for 6-8 hours. This ensures the beef is fork-tender.
Finish with rich homemade gravy and you’re all set!
Slow Cooker Roast Beef
You can never go wrong with this affordable Sunday dinner classic! Just place the roast beef over the vegetables in the slow cooker. Then add water or beef broth, herbs, spices, Worcestershire sauce, and mushroom soup. Cook on low for 10 hours for tender, flavorful results.
You can also start with a frozen roast but start slow-cooking on low the night before. Remove the fat layer in the morning and add the vegetables before letting it cook for dinner.
Earthy Roasted Chicken with Vegetables
For the health-conscious, roast chicken with vegetables is the perfect alternative to pot roast. Just slow-cook the chicken and vegetables on low for 6-8 hours until the meat is tender. Then rest the chicken for 15 minutes before carving.
Serve this with thick homemade gravy from its juices for that perfect bite!
Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs
Craving fall-off-the-bone baby back ribs? Traditionally, you have to bake, grill, or smoke the meat to make it tender. But with a slow cooker, you can simplify the process.
Cook the ribs in the slow cooker with seasonings for 8 hours on low. For a glazed finish, brush with sauce (like apricot preserves and BBQ sauce) and broil before serving.
