40 Super Cozy Slow Cooker Recipes To Make This Fall

Slow-Cooker Peas-and-Greens Soup with Turkey Sausage
Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Slow cooker recipes are all about simplicity, which is exactly why we love them so—because every one of these fall Crock Pot meals means you'll spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your family and friends. Not only do these weeknight warriors show you how to use your slow cooker for making side dishes—hello, creamy crockpot mac-and-cheese and sweet potato casserole—but also standout main dishes that can feed a crowd or serve as tasty leftovers.

In fact, we're spooning up a whole roster of slow cooker soups and stews well into winter, from creamy tomato soup that's begging for a grilled cheese to hearty Texas chili that requires a slice of cornbread. From there, slow cooker carnitas, pot roast, and bolognese sauce (to name a few) will see you through the season.

Let these fall slow cooker favorites show you how to use your slow cooker to make dishes that feel as cozy and comforting as autumn does.

01 of 40

Slow Cooker Lentil Soup

Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Slow Cooker Lentil Soup

Tasty, filling, and meat-free, this comforting soup recipe is both simple and satisfying.

02 of 40

Slow-Cooker Pork Roast

Slow-Cooker Pork Roast
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pork Roast

Flavorful pork and tender vegetables make up a hearty meal that is easy for any weeknight.

03 of 40

Slow-Cooker Texas Chili

Slow-Cooker Texas Chili
Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Texas Chili

This chili makes the Lone Star state proud. It's got brisket in a spicy tomato-based sauce with tons of chiles and absolutely no beans. All in the ease of your slow cooker.

04 of 40

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast
Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

We'll take pot roast any day of the week, and this one is made even simpler in the slow cooker.

05 of 40

Meatball Sliders with Tomato Sauce

Meatball Sliders with Tomato Sauce
Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Meatball Sliders with Tomato Sauce

This fun dish is two recipes in one: delicious, easy meatballs and a slow-simmered tangy tomato sauce. If you have any extra sauce, toss it with your favorite green vegetable, spoon it over a bowl of creamy grits, or pair it with pork chops or other meats.

06 of 40

Slow-Cooker Chipotle-Tomato Soup

Slow-Cooker Chipotle-Tomato Soup
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chipotle-Tomato Soup

Pair this creamy soup with grilled cheese sandwiches and the whole crew will be in warm and cozy heaven.

07 of 40

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

We recommended serving this no-fuss shredded chicken on corn tortillas with fresh toppings like red cabbage, tomatoes, radishes, and cilantro.

08 of 40

Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese

Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese
Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese

Classic cafeteria-style goodness, this recipe yields enough to serve as a side for a crowd, or it could be dinner for a family of four.

09 of 40

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Caserole
Southern Living

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole

All the sweet comfort of the classic Thanksgiving casserole, but without having to fill up your baking dish.

10 of 40

Creamy Potato-and-Ham Hock Slow-Cooker Soup

creamy-potato-and-ham-hock-slow-cooker-soup
Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Creamy Potato-and-Ham Hock Slow-Cooker Soup

With chunky pieces of potato and chopped ham hock, this soup is every bit of delicious that you want on an autumn night.

11 of 40

Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti

Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti
Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti

Spend 20 minutes in the kitchen prepping this gorgeous, hearty sauce. Once the sauce simmers in the cooker, all that's left to do is cook a pound of pasta and serve.

12 of 40

Slow-Cooker Cowboy Beans

Slow-Cooker Cowboy Beans
Slow-Cooker Cowboy Beans

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Cowboy Beans

Flavored with bacon and delicious when served with rice, these cowboy beans are a leveled-up version of barbecue beans.

13 of 40

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
Antonis Achilleos

Recipe: Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

This traditional New England dish is basically a spicy brisket with cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. Bam—a whole dinner right out of the crockpot.

14 of 40

Chicken and Cornbread Dumplings

Chicken and Cornbread Dumplings
Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Chicken and Cornbread Dumplings

Make a classic chicken and dumplings recipe even more Southern by topping the vegetable-and-chicken-packed stew with cornbread dumplings.

15 of 40

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Bacon
Alison Miksch

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

Orange juice gives this dish a little sweetness, while pieces of crumbled bacon will give you something to savor and rosemary delivers an aroma all its own.

16 of 40

Slow-Cooker Short Ribs With Rosemary Potatoes

Slow-Cooker Short Ribs With Rosemary Potatoes
Greg DuPree

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Short Ribs With Rosemary Potatoes

This recipe is just fancy enough to serve when you have company—and no one will know that you threw it all in the slow cooker and forgot about it.

17 of 40

Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos
Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

Make taco night even more hands-free with this recipe for slow-cooked pork carnitas flavored with orange juice. Serve with all the fixings.

18 of 40

New Orleans Red Beans And Rice

New Orleans Red Beans And Rice
Southern Living

Recipe: New Orleans Red Beans And Rice

You read that right: Even classic red beans can be made in the crockpot, and this recipe is as authentic as it gets.

19 of 40

Spaghetti Casserole

Spaghetti Casserole
Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Spaghetti Casserole

All your favorite ingredients are featured in this easy slow-cooker version of spaghetti casserole.

20 of 40

Crock-Pot Salsa Chicken

Crock-Pot Salsa Chicken
Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Crock-Pot Salsa Chicken

Homemade burrito bowls are packed with protein, fiber, and flavor. Make a big batch of chicken and use it for days.

21 of 40

Hard Cider-Braised Pork

Hard Cider-Braised Pork
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Hard Cider-Braised Pork

Autumn calls for cider, and we're taking it from doughnuts to this wonderfully savory braised pork recipe with carrots, celery, and apples served over egg noodles.

22 of 40

Slow Cooker Goulash

Slow Cooker Goulash
Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Slow Cooker Goulash

Made with a boneless chuck roast, fire-roasted tomatoes, and aromatic vegetables, this goulash recipe lets the meat cook down until it makes a thick and flavorful sauce that doesn't need any additional broth.

23 of 40

Beef-and-Bean Chili

Pork Chili Verde
Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Beef-and-Bean Chili

This classic red chili has chunks of stew meat and ground beef along with tomatoes, red beans, and spices. Fire-roasted tomatoes add a note of smokiness to the mix. If you can't find fire-roasted, use plain tomatoes and add a pinch of smoked paprika.

24 of 40

Peppered Beef Soup

Peppered Beef Soup
Southern Living

Recipe: Peppered Beef Soup

Freeze leftovers in an airtight container up to three months. Add a bit of canned broth when reheating to reach desired consistency.

25 of 40

Slow-Cooker Bolognese Sauce

Slow-Cooker Bolognese Sauce
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Bolognese Sauce

This is a sauce that will impress any guests, and this recipe makes it way easier than it looks on the plate.

26 of 40

Beer-Braised Pot Roast

Beer-Braised Pot Roast
Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Beer-Braised Pot Roast

This is no ordinary pot roast. First, it's rubbed with coffee, then it simmers in dark stout beer and beef stock, yielding a deeply delicious gravy. Small carrots with tops and pearl onions elevate it further.

27 of 40

Turkey Breast and Herb-Cornbread Stuffing

Turkey Breast and Herb-Cornbread Stuffing
Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Turkey Breast and Herb-Cornbread Stuffing

This comforting slow cooker dish is perfect for Thanksgiving or an easy supper.

28 of 40

Mexican Stew

Mexican Stew
Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Mexican Stew

Classic posole, a delicious slow-simmered Mexican pork stew often reserved for special occasions, is typically a time-consuming labor of love. But this one gives you all the comfort and flavor of the old-world version made in your slow cooker.

29 of 40

Pork Chili Verde

Pork Chili Verde
Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Pork Chili Verde

Fresh tomatillos look like small green tomatoes wrapped in thin papery skin. Remove skin and rinse before chopping. If you can't find fresh, look for canned at the grocery.

30 of 40

Smoky Turkey-and-Sweet Potato Chili

Smoky Turkey-and-Sweet Potato Chili
Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Smoky Turkey-and-Sweet Potato Chili

Chipotle chiles add a kick, but sweet potatoes balance the heat. Adjust the spice in this homey chili by increasing or decreasing the amount of chipotle to suit your taste.

31 of 40

Shrimp-and-Sausage Gumbo

Shrimp-and-Sausage Gumbo
Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Shrimp-and-Sausage Gumbo

Enjoy a smoky and spicy classic that takes just a couple of minutes to prepare. When it's ready, serve over a bed of herbed rice.

32 of 40

Good Luck Greens and Peas with Ham

Good Luck Greens and Peas with Ham
Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Good Luck Greens and Peas with Ham

Spread the good fortune with this tasty dish, and don't forget to serve it with a skillet of cornbread on the side.

33 of 40

Spicy-Sweet Ribs and Beans

Slow Cooker Recipes: Spicy-Sweet Ribs and Beans Recipes
Southern Living

Recipe: Spicy-Sweet Ribs and Beans

Slow cookers don't brown food, so here we broil the ribs for extra flavor before adding them to the pot. Serve with cornbread and a simple green salad.

34 of 40

Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes

Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes
Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes

All you need is 20 minutes to get this dish in the slow cooker, then you have a hearty chicken and veggie supper waiting for you when you get home.

35 of 40

Pork with Apples, Bacon, and Sauerkraut

Pork with Apples, Bacon, and Sauerkraut
Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Pork with Apples, Bacon, and Sauerkraut

Thinly sliced pancetta (unsmoked Italian bacon cured with salt and spices) and a few quick twists of kitchen string turn an inexpensive pork loin into a party-worthy dish.

36 of 40

Slow-Cooker Cornbread Dressing

Slow-Cooker Cornbread Turkey Dressing
Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Cornbread Dressing

Spoon this fantastic casserole-turned-crockpot dish into pretty bowls, and top with fresh sage.

37 of 40

Slow-cooked Barbecued Chicken

Slow-Cooked Barbecued Chicken
Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: Slow-cooked Barbecued Chicken

Enjoy this slow-cooked chicken by itself or as a sandwich piled with Pickled Peppers & Onions atop Sweet Potato Cornbread.

38 of 40

Chicken Sausage and White Bean Stew

Chicken Sausage and White Bean Stew
Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Chicken Sausage and White Bean Stew

On a cold evening, come home to a simmering slow cooker filled with rustic white bean stew with chicken sausage.

39 of 40

Slow-Cooker Sloppy Joes

Slow-cooker Sloppy Joes
Southern Living

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sloppy Joes

With prep times of 15 minutes or less, these sloppy slow-cooked sandwiches are even better when topped with coleslaw.

40 of 40

Slow-Cooker Peas-and-Greens Soup with Turkey Sausage

Slow-Cooker Peas-and-Greens Soup with Turkey Sausage
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Peas-and-Greens Soup with Turkey Sausage

Lucky for any busy home cook, this recipe is substitute-friendly. You can swap out the turkey sausage for pork or chicken sausage, as well as use your favorite frozen pea or bean instead of the black-eyed peas.

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