One Year Of Slow Cooking

Romulo Yanes

Over the years, the slow cooker has become a kitchen staple—and for good reason. By doing a little prep early, you can let a meal cook all the way through (without overcooking) and it's ready to eat as soon as you are. For those of us with busy weeknights, or who don't want to finish work and then figure out dinner, it's an absolute boon. And because the ingredients have had hours to cook together, it's almost always flavorful. And if you already have an Instant Pot, then you can slow-cook right in it! (Though it helps if you have the right lid, so that the food doesn't end up overly waterlogged.) To help you make dinner as simple as possible, we've rounded up the best slow cooker recipes right here that your whole family will love.

You'll soon find that the possibilities are endless with the following recipes that include slow cooker chicken, slow cooker beef, and even slow cooker vegetarian dishes. Not only can you serve these for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but you can also put these slow cooker recipes together year-round. Want to keep warm during winter? Bookmark one of the following slow cooker soup recipes. Looking to make more nutritious choices for dinner? There are plenty of healthy slow cooker recipes, too. If you need the perfect dish for your summer barbecue, we've also got plenty of summer slow cooker options. (Not to mention tons of slow cooker desserts!) No matter what time of year or day you plan to make these easy recipes, know that there's always one that'll fit your needs. Ready for a simple dinner? Just look through the following slow cooker recipes for inspiration.

slow cooker spinach and parmesan meatballs, broiled broccolini and capers

REN FULLER

1 of 92

Slow Cooker Spinach-and-Parmesan Meatballs

These easy meatballs are browned in the oven and then slow cooked in marinara until they're absolutely tender and perfect.

Get the recipe.

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gingery slow cooker chicken

Brian Woodcock

2 of 92

Gingery Slow Cooker Chicken with Cabbage Slaw

Supremely tender thighs cooked in a combo of apricot jam, ketchup, soy sauce, and ginger, pair perfectly with a crunchy slaw.

Get the recipe.

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vegetarian chili

BRIAN WOODCOCK

3 of 92

Chili with Grains and Beans

Packed with toothsome wheat berries, hearty beans and kicky poblano peppers, this chili is so flavorful you may not notice it's missing the meat. Let it burble away in the pot all day until you're ready to eat.

Get the recipe.

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slow cooker meatballs

Brian Woodcock

4 of 92

Slow Cooker Meatballs

Making this Italian favorite just got even easier! To make mini meatball sliders, top toasted dinner rolls with meatballs, provolone, and sliced sweet-hot banana peppers.

Get the recipe.

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cowboy brisket

Romulo Yanes

5 of 92

Dish, Food, Cuisine, Ingredient, Meat, Pork chop, Produce, Recipe, Vegetable, Leaf vegetable,

Ryan Liebe

6 of 92

Herbed Chicken With Beets and Brussels

Need something healthy and hands-off? Look no further than this easy-yet-impressive dinner that's sure to please your whole flock.

Get the recipe.

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slow cooker chicken tortilla soup

Becky Luigart-Stayner

7 of 92

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

spiced sweet potato and peanut puree

Becky Stayner

8 of 92

Spiced Sweet Potato and Peanut Puree

chicken and quinoa minestrone

Becky Luigart Stayner

9 of 92

Chicken and Quinoa Minestrone

black bean and chile soup

10 of 92

Black Bean and Chile Soup

Food, Cuisine, Dishware, Tableware, Dish, Meal, Ingredient, Recipe, Kitchen utensil, Cutlery,

Becky Stayner

11 of 92

Food, Soup, Cuisine, Dish, Tableware, Stew, Ingredient, Recipe, Meat, Spoon,

Becky Luigart-Stayner

12 of 92

Slow Cooker Red Wine Beef Stew

Food, Cuisine, Dish, Ingredient, Meal, Recipe, Tableware, Dishware, Leaf vegetable, Fast food,

Becky Stayner

13 of 92

Sausage and Tortellini Soup

slow cooker recipes beef tacos

Brian Woodcock

14 of 92

Smoky Slow Cooker Beef Tacos

Move over, ground beef: These shredded steak tacos might just be your new favorite. Just throw the meat in the slow cooker and let it do all the work for you.

Get the recipe.

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food, ingredient, cuisine, produce, vegetable, meat, dish, fast food, recipe, american food,

Becky Luigart-Stayner

15 of 92

Slow Cooker Roast Beef Sandwiches

Your slow cooker does all the work for these tender roast beef sandwiches. Add a tablespoon of horseradish or wasabi to the mayo for a little extra kick.

Get the recipe.

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dish, food, cuisine, ingredient, hamburger, slider, veggie burger, bun, sloppy joe, sandwich,

Kana Okada

16 of 92

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Cabbage Slaw

Food, Soup, Cuisine, Ingredient, Bowl, Dish, Tableware, Noodle, Noodle soup, Recipe,

Steve Giralt

17 of 92

Slow Cooker Turkey Pumpkin Chili

indian spiced chicken and cauliflower

Steve Giralt

18 of 92

Indian-Spiced Chicken and Cauliflower

slow cooker recipes ragu

Getty Images

19 of 92

sweet and sour chicken recipe

IAIN BAGWELL

20 of 92

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Make this classic chicken dish right in your slow cooker. If you have leftovers, you can even turn the dish into delicious lettuce wraps.

Get the recipe.

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slow cooker recipes short ribs

Coley Cooks

21 of 92

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs With Parsnip Celery Root Puree

Get all the beauty of a restaurant-quality dinner from the comfort of your own home by making some incredible fall-off-the-bone short ribs.

Get the recipe at Coley Cooks.

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slow cooker recipes jerk chicken

Cooking and Beer

22 of 92

Crispy Skin Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken

slow cooker bourbon orange bbq ribs

Courtesy Beautiful Eats & Things

23 of 92

Slow Cooker Bourbon & Orange BBQ Ribs

Grilled ribs may look beautiful, but the slow cooker turns tougher cuts of meat like these fall-off-the-bone tender without drying them out. And this bourbon sauce is incredible.

Get the recipe from Beautiful Eats & Things.

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slow cooker recipes chicken gravy

Dinner at the Zoo

24 of 92

Slow Cooker Chicken With Garlic and Herb Gravy

slow cooker black eyed peas

Courtesy Simply LaKita

25 of 92

Slow Cooker Black Eyed Peas and Pork Chops

Though they're especially lucky to eat for the New Year, black eyed peas are delicious any time of the year. Paired simply with some boneless pork chops, this easy-to-make dish is pure comfort.

Get the recipe at Simply LaKita.

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slow cooker recipes thai chicken curry

Cooking Classy

26 of 92

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Curry

Letting the flavors of this dish simmer all day long leaves a bold and flavorful taste that you'll love.

Get the recipe at Cooking Classy.

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apple pie slow cooker steel cut oatmeal

Courtesy Brown Sugar

27 of 92

Apple Pie Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal

Okay, so this is less about making dinner easier, and more about making mornings a snap. But it's so worth it! Not only do you get a filling, healthy breakfast, but you wake up to the whole house smelling amazing.

Get the recipe at Brown Sugar .

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slow cooker recipes baked potatoes

Lil Luna

28 of 92

Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes

Achieve the perfect baked potato that's fluffy inside its roasted skin for a flavorful side dish.

Get the recipe at Lil Luna.

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new orleans red beans and rice

Courtesy Cooks with Soul

29 of 92

New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

This is the ultimate comfort food meal: simple ingredients, slowly cooked, until they just explode with flavor.

Get the recipe at Cooks with Soul.

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slow cooker recipes macaroni and cheese

Show Me the Yummy

30 of 92

Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

As if mac and cheese couldn't get any better, now you can whip up a recipe that requires no effort at all. Was there ever an easier comfort food to make?

Get the recipe at Show Me the Yummy.

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