Food and Recipes Slow Cooker Recipes 38 Dump-And-Go Slow-Cooker Recipes That Are Too Easy To Mess Up By Southern Living Editors Updated on October 31, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Slow cookers are a lifesaver when you need to get dinner on the table with little effort. Yet, for all their time-saving benefits, some slow-cooker recipes can be deceivingly complicated, still require you to sauté or cook some of the components before adding them to the slow cooker. This additional work adds to your overall prep load and time spent in the kitchen. Because every moment counts when you're short on time, these dump-and-go slow-cooker recipes offer the perfect solution for busy weeknights. These recipes only require two steps: throw everything in the slow cooker and walk away. It's just that simple—no pre-cooking, browning, or using extra pots and pans. From there, all that's left for you to do is dig in! In addition to dinner, this roundup also includes easy dump recipes for sides dishes, appetizers, and even desserts. From Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken to Peach Cobbler, these recipes have you covered for every course. 01 of 38 Slow-Cooker Chipotle Brisket Sliders Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chipotle Brisket Sliders A new favorite for game day, the brisket comes together entirely in the slow cooker. You can even make your brisket up to two days in advance which means you can focus more on the game. 02 of 38 Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken Taco Tuesday has never been easier. With just five ingredients and virtually no hands-on time, this truly is a dream meal for busy cooks. 03 of 38 Slow-Cooker French Onion Soup Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Slow-Cooker French Onion Soup We take a hands-off approach to this French classic, making an elegant appetizer easier than ever to execute. You will get glorious, perfectly caramelized onions every time when you use this hack. 04 of 38 Soulful Chicken Soup Iain Bagwell Recipe: Soulful Chicken Soup No fancy pot or ingredients needed here, as the slow cooker brings this easy dish to life when you're craving a bowl of soul-soothing comfort. 05 of 38 Slow-Cooker Pot Roast Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pot Roast The convenience of a slow cooker makes it easy to enjoy this classic any day of the week. Make sure you cut your veggies into uniform pieces for equal cook time. 06 of 38 Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos Spice up dinner with this simple recipe that combines pork shoulder, chicken broth, orange juice, garlic, pepper, and salt in your slow cooker. 07 of 38 Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Dip Your favorite game day dip just became foolproof! This one step recipe is perfect for a tailgate or any type of celebration. 08 of 38 Slow-Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland Recipe: Slow-Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs We call these slow-cooker meatballs the king of the appetizer spread and for good reason. These little jelly-covered meatballs are a slight retro nod that your guests will love. 09 of 38 Slow-Cooker Black Bean Soup Southern Living Recipe: Slow-Cooker Black Bean Soup Since this simple soup lets you set it and forget it, you'll have plenty of extra time to set up a toppings bar. Different cheeses, tortilla chips, green onions, and avocados are some of our favorite finishing touches. 10 of 38 Four-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Pot Roast Melina Hammer Recipe: Four-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Pot Roast What's even better than an easy slow cooker recipe? One that only requires four ingredients. While some pot roasts are perfect for a Sunday supper, this recipe makes a mean sandwich. 11 of 38 Lemon Chicken Soup Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Lemon Chicken Soup There is almost nothing as warm or comforting as a bowl of homemade chicken soup. Luckily, this recipe makes it a breeze because all you have to do is place the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it create a delicious meal for you. 12 of 38 Ham-and-Bean Soup Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Ham-and-Bean Soup We always have a little leftover holiday ham, and this one of our favorite ways to use it. For the best results, we recommend cutting all of your veggies as uniformly as possible. 13 of 38 Apple and Pear Crisp Jennifer Davick; Food Styling: Vanessa Rocchio; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford Recipe: Apple and Pear Crisp With the slow cooker, this crumbly, fruity dessert comes together in a cinch. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. 14 of 38 White Chicken Chili Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: White Chicken Chili Pull out the trusty slow cooker and you're well on your way your way to an easy batch of chicken chili. We love a one-step recipe for busy weeknights, and we think your family will, too. 15 of 38 Slow-Cooker Cheddar Soup Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Slow-Cooker Cheddar Soup Deliver a delicious dinner with a hands-off approach thanks to the dynamic duo of pretzels and cheese. Cut a hole in the top of a pretzel burger bun for this cute and delicious presentation. 16 of 38 5-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Photo: Iain Bagwell Recipe: 5-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Cooking pork low and slow for 8 to 10 hours allows it to easily shred with a fork. This recipe calls for ingredients you probably have in your pantry, making it particularly easy to whip up on a moment's notice. 17 of 38 Slow-Cooker Lentil Soup Jennifer Causey Recipe: Slow-Cooker Lentil Soup Since lentils don't require soaking, you can simply toss your ingredients in a slow cooker before going about your day. You will get all of the veggies you need for a day with this hearty soup. 18 of 38 Easy Enchilada Bake Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Easy Enchilada Bake A hands-off, no-fuss approach to a cheesy and absolutely satisfying enchilada dish. Cook the filling for three hours and then add the cornbread topping and cook for another hour. 19 of 38 Lemon Bar Cake Jennifer Davick; Food Styling: Vanessa Rocchio; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford Recipe: Lemon Bar Cake Making this bright, citrusy dessert is as easy as whisking together a few ingredients and dumping them in the slow cooker. This treat is the lemon-flavored cousin to the beloved lava cake. 20 of 38 Navy Bean and Ham Soup Photo: Hector M. Sanchez Recipe: Navy Bean and Ham Soup Trust us, this filling ham and bean soup tastes like you worked much harder than you really did. Finish the dish with a sprig of thyme on top just before serving. 21 of 38 Peach Cobbler Jennifer Davick; Food Styling: Vanessa Rocchio; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford Recipe: Peach Cobbler Can you believe this was all prepared in the slow cooker, using fresh peaches and a box of cake mix? After two hours in the slow cooker, this bubbly, crispy, golden perfection will dazzle dinner guests. 22 of 38 Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder Fresh kernels are the star ingredient of this homemade chowder. Paired with bacon, potatoes, and onions, it's sure to become a go-to supper. 23 of 38 Chocolate-Cinnamon Latte Cake Jennifer Davick; Food Styling: Vanessa Rocchio; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford Recipe: Chocolate-Cinnamon Latte Cake Made with coffee, cocoa and cake mix, this easy dessert is perfect for coffee lovers. After the slow cooker does all the work, just add a dollop of whipped cream and serve. 24 of 38 Slow-Cooked Barbecued Chicken Becky Luigart-Stayner Recipe: Slow-Cooked Barbecued Chicken This recipe is proof that your slow cooker is all you need to make delicious barbecue chicken without a grill. The secret is a little bit of bourbon and splash of a cola. 25 of 38 Slow-Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Bacon Alison Miksch Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Bacon Save precious oven space this holiday season and leave the sweet potatoes to the slow cooker. The addition of garlic and bacon give this can't-miss side plenty of rich flavor. 26 of 38 Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs With Carrots and Potatoes Jennifer Davick Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs With Carrots and Potatoes We recommend sticking with bone-in chicken thighs to ensure this recipe is successful. Add a touch of elegance by using your favorite white wine like Sauvignon Blanc in the dish. 27 of 38 Slow-Cooker Vegetable Soup with Bacon Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Slow-Cooker Vegetable Soup with Bacon A slow-cooker veggie soup that calls for bacon? Fall suppers don't get much better than this simple, comforting recipe. 28 of 38 Corn and Jalapeño Dip Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Corn and Jalapeño Dip Cream cheese meets spicy jalapeños in this all-star appetizer, perfect for game day. We recommend serving this dish with corn chips for an unbeatable combination. 29 of 38 Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole Southern Living Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole No need to roast or boil the potatoes in advance with this simple recipe. Just peel, cube, and place them in your slow cooker along with brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. 30 of 38 BBQ Brisket Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: BBQ Brisket This recipe proves that almost anything can be made in a slow cooker. Brown sugar, Chile powder, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper make the perfect rub for this beloved BBQ main. 31 of 38 Berry Cobbler Recipe: Berry Cobbler The prep time is only 15 minutes, but this berry-filled dessert tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen. Put this recipe together right before a dinner party and by the time everyone has finished their main course the finale will be ready. 32 of 38 Apple Butter Jennifer Davick Recipe: Apple Butter You'll want to spread this sweet condiment on just about anything, from French toast to chicken sandwiches. It's sort of like applesauce, but better. 33 of 38 Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili Not sure what to do with leftover holiday turkey? Try tossing it in your slow cooker. This chili will use up your extra meat in no time. 34 of 38 Slow-Cooker Cornbread Dressing Vianney Rodriguez/Jason David Page Recipe: Slow-Cooker Cornbread Dressing When it comes to holiday favorites, cornbread dressing is at the top of nearly every Southerner's list. Just mix together the ingredients and keep the slow-cooker on low for four to six hours for this deliciously simple version, freeing up that all important oven real estate. 35 of 38 Lemony Slow-Cooked Salmon with Potatoes and Fennel Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Lemony Slow-Cooked Salmon with Potatoes and Fennel Yes, an elegant salmon dinner can be made in your slow-cooker. In just two steps, you will have a dinner that is sure to impress any guest. 36 of 38 Slow-Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Slow-Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage This dish is inspired by our friends in New England. If you are looking for a warm, inviting dish on a cold winter night, this dish is for you. 37 of 38 New Orleans Red Beans and Rice Southern Living Recipe: New Orleans Red Beans and Rice Capture the flavor of a New Orleans favorite with this hands-off supper. Complete the meal with a batch of homemade cornbread or biscuits. 38 of 38 Slow-Cooker Buttermilk Grits Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Slow-Cooker Buttermilk Grits Grits are one of our favorite ways to start a morning, and this recipe makes enough to comfortably serve six. Our slow-cooker rendition is perfect for holiday weekends when everyone is going to be at your house for breakfast. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit