7 Sensational 3-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Recipes

Slow-Cooker Apple Butter
Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

The slow cooker is a wonderfully helpful kitchen tool. Slow cookers comfort busy cooks with the fact that they, too, can get a delicious meal on the table on hectic days. In tribute to this handy appliance, we're having Grandma embroider our favorite new maxim—"set it and forget it"—on a couch pillow.

As you might imagine, these 3-ingredient slow-cooker recipes are as easy as dumping the ingredients into the slow cooker and letting it take over. But the even more exciting news? These recipes are budget-friendly, too. Whether you need a breakfast main or side dish for supper with our slow-cooker grits or you need to feed a crowd with our slow-cooker barbecue pork, these three-ingredient recipes have you covered. With these easy and creative ideas, you might actually have time (and money) to spend on yourself this week.

01 of 07

Slow-Cooker Grits

Slow-Cooker Grits
Southern Living

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Grits

Instead of sitting over the stovetop, let your slow cooker prep them for you. With a big batch of slow-cooker grits, you can have Smoky Sausage-and-Grits Casserole for breakfast and Gulf Coast Shrimp and Grits for dinner.

02 of 07

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

Four-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Pot Roast
Melina Hammer

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

Assuming you already have canola oil on hand, all you'll need for this recipe is chuck roast, one can of beer, and an envelope of Italian seasoning. Once you prepare this roast, your family can enjoy it plenty of ways, whether between hoagie rolls or served over roasted veggies.

03 of 07

Georgia-Style Boiled Peanuts

Georgia-Style Boiled Peanuts
Alison Miksch

Recipe: Georgia-Style Boiled Peanuts

You actually need just two ingredients, not even three, to make this Southern favorite road trip snack from the comfort of your own kitchen. To give your boiled peanuts some Cajun spice, add a package of boil-in-bag shrimp-and-crab boil and about a half cup of hot sauce to the slow cooker before cooking.

04 of 07

Slow-Cooker Caramelized Onions

Slow-Cooker Caramelized Onions

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Caramelized Onions

Who doesn't love the addition of caramelized onions to a dish? The only negative thing about them is that they take a lot of patience and time. Instead of spending time stirring and tending to them on the stovetop, let the slow cooker make your caramelized onions to perfection with a low and slow method.

05 of 07

Slow-Cooker Buttermilk Grits

Slow-Cooker Buttermilk Grits
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Buttermilk Grits

Since we know you have water and salt on hand, this recipe only requires you to grab grits, buttermilk, and butter (though we know you probably have those around, too). From there, you can top these creamy grits with colorful and fun ingredients that you might have in the fridge like fried eggs, sautéed spinach, and shredded cheese.

06 of 07

Slow Cooker Barbecue Pork

Slow-Cooker Barbecue Pork
Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Slow Cooker Barbecue Pork

You don't need a smoker to serve up pitmaster-level flavor at the family reunion. Simply toss a Boston butt, your favorite bottle of barbecue sauce, and a can of cola in the slow cooker, and you've got a winning main dish.

07 of 07

Slow-Cooker Apple Butter

Slow-Cooker Apple Butter
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Apple Butter

Apple butter is the fall condiment we're spreading on our biscuits.

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