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  1. Southern Living
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  3. 23 Slow-Cooker Appetizers

23 Slow-Cooker Appetizers

Southern Living May 2021 Cover
By Southern Living Editors Updated July 29, 2021
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Artichoke and Crabmeat Dip
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Nothing compares to the convenience of a slow cooker when you're feeding a crowd. Not only are these appetizer recipes a breeze to pull together, they're also utterly delicious.Fire up the slow cooker for your next tailgate, cocktail party, or casual get-together. Our Crock Pot recipes run the gamut from classics like cocktail meatballs, to new standby's like Artichoke and Crab Meat Dip. We love the convenience of being able to fire up the slow cooker the night before the big game and then toting it to the tailgate the next day. Keep it simple, but don't forget the fresh toppings to elevate these slow-cooker appetizers to the next level. Crunchy celery sticks are the perfect accompaniment for Buffalo Chicken-Cheese Dip, while our Candied Jalapenos and fresh guacamole can't be missed atop oh-so-decadent Pulled Pork Nachos. If you're looking for even more ways to use your slow cooker, check out our Best Slow-Cooker Recipes and our Chicken Slow-Cooker Recipes.

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Corn and Jalapeño Dip

Corn and Jalapeño Dip
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Corn and Jalapeño Dip

This creamy and cheesy dip only includes eight ingredients and minimal prep time.

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Tomato and Feta Dip

Tomato Feta Dip
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Tomato and Feta Dip

If you prefer a creamier texture, you can substitute goat cheese for the feta.

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Hot-Sauce-and-Honey-Chicken Dip

Hot-Sauce-and-Honey-Chicken Dip
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Hot-Sauce-and-Honey-Chicken Dip

Use rotisserie chicken to bring this sweet and spicy dip to life.

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Chicken Enchilada Dip

Chicken Enchilada Dip
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Chicken Enchilada Dip

A tried-and-true weeknight dinner makes for a delicious appetizer. With only 10 minutes of prep time, this flavorful favorite is a hit.

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White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: White Chicken Chili

Pile ingredients into your slow cooker and get ready for a filling and flavorful pot of chili.

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Easy Enchilada Bake

Easy Enchilada Bake
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Easy Enchilada Bake

Enchiladas come together easier than ever in the slow cooker and never disappoint.

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Slow-Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs

Slow-Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs

This crowd-pleasing appetizer marries chili sauce and barbecue sauce for a dump-and-stir success.

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Slow-Cooker Ginger, Sweet Tea, and Whiskey Short Ribs

Slow-Cooker Ginger, Sweet Tea, and Whiskey Short Ribs
Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Ginger, Sweet Tea, and Whiskey Short Ribs

These short ribs have a summer spin thanks to the tangy sauce and fresh herb topping.

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Slow-Cooker Chipotle Brisket Sliders

Slow-Cooker Chipotle Brisket Sliders
Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chipotle Brisket Sliders

This BBQ brisket has garlic and chipotle chiles for added spice.

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Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip

Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
Credit: Skyler Burt

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip

This dip always hits the spot, especially when it's done in the slow cooker with minimal prep time.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken Lettuce Cups

Slow-Cooker Chicken Lettuce Cups
Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Lettuce Cups

This genius appetizer pairs the convenience of the slow cooker with fresh ingredients to make a riff on a taco that guests will love. For toppings, we chose green onion slices, sweet mini pepper slices, spicy pickles, and a sprinkling of dried crushed red pepper; but you can feel free to use whatever ingredients you like.

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Meatball Sliders with Tomato Sauce

Meatball Sliders with Tomato Sauce
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Meatball Sliders with Tomato Sauce

As the sauce simmers in the slow cooker, prepare the meatballs and refrigerate them on a baking sheet until ready to use. When you're ready, add them to the slow cooker but make sure they're completely submerged in the sauce.

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Artichoke and Crabmeat Dip

Artichoke and Crabmeat Dip
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Artichoke and Crabmeat Dip

Pick through the crabmeat to remove the fine cartilage, if you like, but take care to leave the prized chunks of lump crabmeat as intact as possible. A topping of coarsely crushed bagel chips gives a crunchy finish to this slow-cooker appetizer.

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Crawfish Dip

Crawfish Dip
Credit: Greg DuPree

Recipe: Crawfish Dip

We guarantee you won't have to worry about being the third person to bring this dip to the party. Step aside salsa and guacamole, there's a new favorite dip in town. Our recipe yields 10 appetizer-size servings, so feel free to double (or triple) if you'll be feeding a crowd.

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Slow-Cooker Beef Nachos

Slow-Cooker Beef Nachos
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Beef Nachos

If you have leftover beef, reheat and use in tacos for a quick weeknight meal. We topped our nachos with cilantro, avocado, and sour cream but feel free to use whatever flourishes you like.

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Asian-Ginger Wings

Asian-Ginger Wings
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Asian-Ginger Wings

Brown wings in the oven to give them a crisp and colorful skin before slow cooking for 4 hours. A sauce made with honey and teriyaki create the perfect salty-sweet combination. Kick up the heat by topping these flavorful wings with sliced red chile peppers.

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Slow-Cooker Beef Sliders with Pickled Peppers

Slow-Cooker Beef Sliders with Pickled Peppers
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Beef Sliders with Pickled Peppers

This is one of our favorite recipes to tote to the tailgate. Fire up your slow cooker the night before the big game, and the next day, pack it up, plug it in, and let your crowd build their own sliders.

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Chipotle-Barbecue Meatballs

Chipotle-Barbecue Meatballs
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Chipotle-Barbecue Meatballs

A favorite slow-cooker party appetizer has received a sweet and spicy makeover that everyone will love. The best part of this recipe is how easy and convenient it is to pull together in a snap. An ingredient list consisting of frozen meatballs, bottled barbecue sauce, and cherry preserves make prep a breeze.

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Buffalo Chicken-Cheese Dip

Buffalo Chicken-Cheese Dip
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken-Cheese Dip

This appetizer recipe is as close to dumping all the ingredients in a slow cooker as you can possibly get. The only additional work you'll need to do is sauté an onion for 4 minutes before adding it, along with the rest of the ingredients, to the slow cooker. Top with cheese for the last 30 minutes of cooking. We like serving this with celery sticks, but tortilla chips are also a great dipper.

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Baked Pimiento Cheese Dip

Baked Pimiento Cheese Dip
Credit: Photo Jennifer Davick, Prop Stylist: Missie Crawford, Food stylist: Toni Brogan

Recipe: Baked Pimiento Cheese Dip

Leave it to us to find another way to serve up this Southern staple. Serve this straight from your slow cooker if you're entertaining casually. For a slightly elevated affair, serve in a chafing dish. Pair with crackers.

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Pork Carnitas Nachos

Pork Carnitas Nachos
Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell

Recipe: Pork Carnitas Nachos

These slow-cooker nachos were made for game day entertaining.

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Spicy White Cheese Dip

Spicy White Cheese Dip

Recipe: Spicy White Cheese Dip

You can make this easy entertaining staple ahead of time and freeze it for up to one month.

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Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese

Uncle Jack’s Mac-and-Cheese
Credit: Hector M Sanchez

Recipe: Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese

Macaroni and cheese with half the work tastes twice as nice. This recipe will feed a crowd.

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    1 of 23 Corn and Jalapeño Dip
    2 of 23 Tomato and Feta Dip
    3 of 23 Hot-Sauce-and-Honey-Chicken Dip
    4 of 23 Chicken Enchilada Dip
    5 of 23 White Chicken Chili
    6 of 23 Easy Enchilada Bake
    7 of 23 Slow-Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs
    8 of 23 Slow-Cooker Ginger, Sweet Tea, and Whiskey Short Ribs
    9 of 23 Slow-Cooker Chipotle Brisket Sliders
    10 of 23 Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
    11 of 23 Slow-Cooker Chicken Lettuce Cups
    12 of 23 Meatball Sliders with Tomato Sauce
    13 of 23 Artichoke and Crabmeat Dip
    14 of 23 Crawfish Dip
    15 of 23 Slow-Cooker Beef Nachos
    16 of 23 Asian-Ginger Wings
    17 of 23 Slow-Cooker Beef Sliders with Pickled Peppers
    18 of 23 Chipotle-Barbecue Meatballs
    19 of 23 Buffalo Chicken-Cheese Dip
    20 of 23 Baked Pimiento Cheese Dip
    21 of 23 Pork Carnitas Nachos
    22 of 23 Spicy White Cheese Dip
    23 of 23 Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese

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