50 Slow-Cooker Suppers You Can Rely On All Season

Recipe: Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

This slow-cooker chili recipe is as easy as it is delicious. Plus, it makes use of leftover turkey with minimal cooking prep required. Cornmeal helps thicken this chili, and adds a hint of toasty corn flavor. Choose fine, rather than coarse, cornmeal for the smoothest texture. This is a great chili to put together late in the morning. Let it simmer all afternoon, and it will be cooked to perfection when you are ready to sit down to dinner.

Recipe: Spaghetti Casserole

Spaghetti is great any way you cook it, but a great spaghetti bake or spaghetti casserole takes all that goodness and kicks it up a notch. All your favorite ingredients are featured in this easy slow-cooker version of Spaghetti Casserole. When you layer the ingredients, then let them cook for a few hours, you get a great combination of flavors that truly have time to blend together. Here, you will really appreciate the subtle, smoky flavors of the fire-roasted tomatoes and the aromas of the basil and the Italian seasoning. The Cheddar cheese will cook to a delicious crust, while the freshly grated Parmesan adds just the right amount of salty bite.

Recipe: Honey-Apricot-Glazed Chicken

This dish gets touches of sticky sweetness from both honey and from the apricot brandy that forms part of its delicious broth. Even after simmering for hours, this liquid forms the foundation for a reduction that is whisked with butter, then poured over the chicken just as it is served. When you add a base of basmati rice to this recipe, it complements the honey glaze perfectly. You're going to love the sweet and savory flavor combination in our delicious Honey-Apricot-Glazed Chicken. And best of all, the slow cooker is going to do most of the work for you.

Recipe: Soulful Chicken Soup

No dish is quite as soothing as a hearty bowl of chicken noodle soup. A slow cooker could not make the road to comfort food any easier: Simply toss in the ingredients, switch it on, and then walk away. You’ll savor this soup, seasoned with fresh parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, and a bay leaf. We love old-fashioned, wide egg noodles for this recipe. To make sure they aren't mushy and overcooked, don't leave them in the slow cooker for more than 10 minutes. Stir in a little lemon juice for a bite of citrus, which works wonders with the subtle flavors of the chicken soup, and enjoy.

Recipe: Peppered Beef Soup

Described by one online reviewer as “easy to put together,” this delicious Peppered Beef Soup is great on an autumn or winter dinner table, or perfect for that football-season lunch in front of the television. Made with a sirloin tip roast, it is full of beef in every spoonful. You’ll also love the rich vegetables. You can freeze the leftovers in an airtight container for up to three months. Be sure to add a bit of canned broth when reheating to reach the desired consistency. Scoop a bowl of this right out of the slow cooker, or for a pretty finish, serve in Toasted Bread Bowls.

Recipe: Beer-Braised Pot Roast

Described by one online reviewer as “by far the best pot roast I have ever had,” everyone agrees that the preparation required for this dish is well worth the effort. The true challenge with this dish is that it takes eight to ten hours of slowly cooking on low to become its fork-tender best, but your patience will be rewarded with a coffee-and-beer braised and basted delight surrounded by a bed of fantastic vegetables. We suggest you serve this with some hot, cooked grits to capture every delicious drop of juice from the sauce—you won’t want to let any go to waste.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti

It takes 20 minutes of preparation and eight hours of patience to fully enjoy this slow-cooker delight. And, that 20 minutes spent in the kitchen is all for prepping this gorgeous, hearty sauce, spicy with crushed red pepper and piquant with just a touch of white wine. Once the sauce simmers in the cooker, all that's left to do is cook a pound of pasta, and serve. You’ll love the flavors of shredded chicken, the rich, fire-roasted tomato sauce, and the bold, earthy flavor of the kalamata olives. Garnish your dish wish fresh herbs including basil and parsley, then top it with freshly shaved Parmesan cheese.

Recipe: Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese

In the South it is hard to beat the tastes of classic cafeteria-style goodness, and Uncle Jack’s Mac-and-Cheese certainly captures the taste in every single bite. Cooking this macaroni and cheese in a slow cooker is going to give it just the right baked-crust goodness that everyone loves. It is rich, creamy, and delicious, and gooey with the tangy taste of extra-sharp Cheddar cheese. This recipe yields enough to serve as a side dish for a crowd, or it could be the perfect dinner for a family of four. This fantastic recipe is by Pam Rawlinson, North Augusta, South Carolina. 

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Lettuce Cups

These lettuce cups pair the freshness of a salad with the heartiness of a taco. You can serve them as an appetizer, or dress them up for a light dinner. You’ll love the crispness of the Granny Smith apples, and the smoky crunchiness of the thick-sliced bacon. Think of the lettuce leaves as your healthy, edible taco shells. Top these with green onion slices mini pepper slices, or spicy pickles. If you want to bring a little more heat to ever bite, you can even sprinkle on some dried crushed red pepper, but go easy because you will want to savor the subtle tastes of this simple dish.

Recipe: Meatball Sliders with Tomato Sauce

This fun dish is two recipes in one: delicious, easy meatballs and a slow-simmered tangy tomato sauce. The secret here is the meat mixture—half ground chuck, and half ground pork. You can enjoy these bite-size delights with dinner rolls, or slider buns: whichever you prefer. Topped with half a slice of provolone cheese, each meatball is like a mini Italian cheeseburger. You will love every mouthful. If you have any extra sauce, you can toss it with your favorite green vegetable, spoon it over a bowl of creamy grits, or pair it with pork chops or other meats.

Recipe: Chicken Thighs With Carrots and Potatoes

For this recipe, you cook the chicken thighs on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker, keeping all of the richness and juiciness together in a delicious broth. All you need is 20 minutes to get this chicken thigh recipe in the slow cooker, then you have a hearty chicken and veggie supper waiting for you when you get home. After cooking low and slow, the vegetables will be done to perfection, and the chicken will be flavored with salt, pepper, and paprika, and infused with the flavors and aromas of garlic and thyme. This is the perfect slow-cooker meal for keeping you warm on a cool autumn evening.

Recipe: Tangy Slow-Cooker Pork Shoulder

Of all the Crock Pot recipes out there, this one will easily become your new go-to pork shoulder slow-cooker recipe, thanks to the sweet and tangy soy-and-vinegar flavor profile. Pull the pork, and serve it Southern-style over grits or sandwiched between buns, and ladle on plenty of sauce. You’ll simply love the flavors of the garlic—there are a dozen cloves in here—as well as the bay leaves, the onion, the brown sugar, and the soy sauce. It all goes to give this pork the perfect glaze. Once you have your first bite of this classic pork, you will understand why slow cooking it brings out the tender best in this cut.

Recipe: Brisket Tacos with Summer Salsa

Brisket can be a challenging meat to cook, and it takes time and attention to make this meat its magnificent best. Slow cooking a brisket helps to brings all its savory flavors to the fore making the meat tender and delicious. Seasoned with adobo sauce, garlic, cumin, honey, and Worcestershire sauce, these unique tastes will each combine and give the brisket a characteristic taste that is enhanced when you spoon it into the warm tortillas. You’ll love topping your tacos with more of this incredible, homemade sauce, then adding a spoonful or two of our Crunch Summer Salsa, creating a meaty, smoky delight.

Recipe: Slow-Cooked Cowboy Brisket and Beans

You’ll feel like you’re at home on the range and that your meals are being served right out of the chuck wagon when you dig into a plate of this Slow-Cooked Cowboy Brisket and Beans. This dish will be making your kitchen smell great for seven or eight hours until it is fork-tender and the meat literally falls apart. That’s when you know its’ ready. Serve this stick-to-your-ribs dish with garlicky slabs of thick Texas toast and a green salad to all of your cowpokes on the range; then take a bow as they tip their hats to the chef—and line up at the chuck wagon for seconds.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Beef Nachos

Beef nachos are a go-to, simple meal, and you can dress them up however you like. For this recipe, we take them to the next level by starting with a boneless beef rump roast rather than ground beef. Top your tortilla chips with the beef, cover it all with beans, tomatoes, onions, and cheese, and in a few minutes prepare to be amazed.

Recipe: Coriander-Coconut-Braised Ribs

Southerners love ribs, but that often means a slab or a rack slathered in whatever their preferred barbecue sauce happens to be. This recipe takes that idea to a new level, braising the ribs low and slow in coconut milk, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and curry paste, for delicious Asian-influenced flavors. Once these come out of the slow cooker, you’ll love the sauce reduction you can pour over the top. Fresh lime will give the sauce just that little extra bit of citrus bite. Serve these ribs over rice, and top with a few jalapeno slices. This aren’t your traditional barbecue ribs, but we guarantee you will love them.

Recipe: BBQ Brisket

The big, bold taste you get after slow-cooking this delicious cut of beef low and slow for several hours is more than worth the wait. The beef will cook in a vinegar barbecue sauce for about 8 hours before it's seasoned to perfection with chili powder, brown sugar, garlic, cumin, and Worcestershire sauce. The pan juices will make the meat even better, so spoon them over every serving just before putting them on the table for your family to devour. They will love every fork-tender mouthful. 

Recipe: Good Luck Greens and Peas with Ham

Southerners love to serve black-eyed peas, collard greens, and ham on New Year’s Day to bring good luck for the coming year, but we think that this combination is just as good for your luck—and your taste buds—any time of year. This slow-cooker recipe means you can relax to the savory smells of everything simmering in the kitchen, then grab a plate and enjoy it all when it is ready. The semi-boneless ham will be cooked to perfection, and you will love the taste and flavor you get when you cut it into thick, juicy slices. This goes perfectly with the greens, and a little fresh cornbread wouldn’t be too bad either. Seems like a lucky choice to us.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Green Chile Posole

The secret to flavorful Slow-Cooker Green Chile-Chicken Posole is browning the chicken in a skillet before transferring to the slow cooker. Browning it in a skillet before putting it in the pot simply brings out its delicate flavors and gives your meat a great color. Sit back and savor the aromas while this simmers, then grab a bowl and delight in the tastes of this Slow-Cooker Green Chile Posole. Serve it with some with fresh radish slices, cilantro, and avocado for the ultimate finishing touch.

Recipe: Chicken with Mushrooms and Wine

A elevated chicken dish can be the perfect main for dinner guests, and this recipes for Chicken with Mushrooms and Wine tastes as dinner party-worthy as it sounds. Since a slow cooker can’t brown meats, the key to this dinner-party-worthy dish is to be sure to brown the chicken before you put it into the pot. Once this step is complete, it’s simply a matter of prepping the bacon, mushrooms, carrots, and onion, then adding it all to your slow cooker.

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.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This comforting dish is  synonymous with Sunday supper for a good reason, but the convenience of a slow cooker makes it easy to enjoy this classic any day of the week. What’s even better is that you can make it in advance, or easily save any leftovers that you have. If you want to put this up for any length of time, be sure to freeze your pot roast in its cooking liquid—it preserves the juicy flavor and tender texture while guarding against freezer burn. Portion cooled meat into zip-top freezer bags, add cooking liquid, and freeze up to 1 month.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos with Fresh Tomato Salsa

This recipe will give you a great-tasting pork that you can use to fill tacos, creating an eat-by-hand, casual dinner delight. Start by seasoning and browning your pork shoulder before slow cooking. While the meat is cooking, prep a homemade salsa for an extra special touch. Then shred the meat and set out a taco bar full of fresh flavors, bright colors, and crunchy textures. You can't go wrong here. 

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Tomato-Basil Meatloaf

Made in the usual loaf shape, but prepared in a slow cooker, this savory meatloaf recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. This simple recipe uses one and a half pounds of ground chuck or round, and is seasoned with fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes, and ketchup. You will love the aromas as this cooks, and the slow cooker makes it to perfection. 

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Cornbread Dressing

Turkey and dressing is a comfort-food classic, and this recipe makes it easy to enjoy the taste of Thanksgiving during the festive season or at any time of year. This comforting slow cooker dish is a simple as it sounds. It achieves the same classic Southern flavor you crave with so much less effort. Full of chopped onion and celery, it tastes just like holiday meals of yesteryear. 

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

Sweet potatoes are a super side dish, and this recipe puts a spin on the classics. For sweetness, you’ll find a little orange juice, and crumbled bacon adds a savory crunch. Rosemary has its own delightful fragrance. Combined into one, this side dish is easy to make at any time, and perfect for a holiday table. What’s great is that you can get it going in your slow cooker and leave it to stew into a sweet-potato delight. When you’re ready to serve it, sprinkle the toppings over it: you’ll get fresh herbs and the right spices in every mouthful.

Recipe: Smoky Turkey-and-Sweet Potato Chili

This dish starts lean thanks to the ground turkey, but then it really gets going. 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. There is also just the right smoky undertone thanks to the paprika, and a hint of sweetness thanks to a little Mexican beer. Buy the large dried lima beans if you can find them because they cook up really well in the slow cooker. They also really look amazing and give the chili a decidedly Southern accent.

Recipe: Pork Chili Verde

Pork rib pieces are the savory meat that makes this Pork-and-Black Bean Chili so delicious. Then, we add in fresh tomatillos. These look like small green tomatoes wrapped in a thin papery skin. Remove this skin, and rinse them before chopping. If you can't find them fresh, look for them canned on the Latin aisle at the grocery. Once it is all ready, the pork, tomatillos, and some spicy poblano peppers are set to simmer for eight hours until everything has cooked to a rich and tender perfection. This is how a chili should be: spicy, savory, and delicious. Grab a spoon and savor every bite.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

Taco Tuesday just got easier than it's ever been before. Pork carnitas, the Mexican version of pulled pork, can also be used in enchiladas, sliders, and quesadillas, but we particularly enjoy this taco interpretation. 

Recipe: Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

Store-bought salsa has never been more versatile. Pile this slow-cooked, pulled chicken into a tortilla or on top of a Tex-Mex grain bowl for a supper so flavorful that the family might mistake it for restaurant takeout.