To those who love cooking and love trying out recipes to delight their appetites, buying a slow cooker is definitely a smart move. Slow cookers are now widely available in the market. Plus they are not so expensive. You can cook different dishes using the crock pot, from soups to meaty meals you can serve for a special occasion or an ordinary family dinner.
A slow cooker can take care of the cooking for busy moms and chefs at heart who are always on the go. Put your ingredients in and plug it up, and your meal will be done just in time when you get home. Plus, it makes meat—chicken, beef, lamb you name it—more delicious as it extracts all flavor and makes mean tender even if you use cheap cuts. Even juices from vegetables are retained with a slow cooker.
Here are some recipes you can try out so you can cook like a pro with your crock pot.
Related Article: Yummy Chicken Recipes
Slow Cooker Recipe Ideas
Shredded Chicken Mexican Pie
This recipe is done with chicken cooked in the slow cooker for 6 hours. This dish also has the goodness of sautéed vegetables and all the goodness of Mexican cuisine without too much carbs.
Osso Buco with Gremolata
Use your slow cooker to turn veal shanks into this fine veal and pasta dish. You can use the broth for stews and soups that you can also cook with your slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Quarters
Impress your dinner guests with these herb-marinated chicken leg quarters. The chicken needs to get browned first on a stove first before you put them in the crock pot. This adds more flavor and color to the meat.
Mediterranean Chicken
Tickle your tongue with the strong flavors of lemon, olive and tomatoes and the succulence of the chicken. The flavors even get stronger because of the magic of slow cooking.
Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes
Loaded Slow-Cooker Potatoes
Fill up on this all-veggie dish. The potato is cooked using the slow cooker, so you don’t have to worry about added fats and oils. You’ll also get vitamins and fiber from the mushrooms and broccoli.
Whole-wheat Penne with Eggplant-Tomato Sauce
This dish won’t make you worry about your health. You’ll get the nutrients and the same meatiness of the sauce with the eggplant, plus the benefits of fiber from the whole-wheat penne and lycopene from the tomatoes.
Best Slow Cooker Recipes
Slow-Cooker Coffee-Braised Brisket with Potatoes and Carrots
Even if you don’t use an expensive cut of beef for this recipe, the slow cooker will make it tender and chewable. The coffee also adds a different kind of kick to make your dish more delectable.
Chicken Enchilada Stack
You can also enjoy your tortillas when you cook them in a crock pot. Instead of rolling the tortillas, stack them like how you would for lasagna. This is perfect for pot luck dinners as you can easily prepare and bring them from your home.
Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
Slow-Cooker Sweet and Spicy Asian Pork Shoulder
Even if you have little time in your hands, you can still enjoy this flavorful braised pork. You also don’t need to buy premium meat for this recipe, so you can also save money.
Poblano Corn Pudding
If you are busy with work, you can whip up this recipe for a while and let it cook in your slow cooker. After 2 ½ hours, you have a tasty meal that you can store and heat up in the future.
Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes
Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili
Warm up for the rainy days with this vegetarian chili. You can sit back and cozy up while it cooks. After some time, you can enjoy hearty meal made no meat and only beans!
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers
Your children will love these stuffed bell peppers. This recipe uses beans for the stuffing, but you can also experiment with tofu as another healthy option.
Slow Cooker Soup Recipes
Hearty Potato Soup
Buy some bread bowls and lots of potatoes for you will love this recipe. Serve this hearty meal and cuddle up with your loved ones. You can even cuddle while your slow cooker cooks. You just have to put in all ingredients and let the crock pot do the cooking.
Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup
Cozy up with your cheeseburger. This recipe requires you to sauté first the ground beef before you put it in the slow cooker. Put some chicken and your favorite cheeseburger ingredients—pickles, cheese, mustard and ketchup.
Slow Cooker Beef Recipes
Beef with Red Wine Sauce
Serve your guests and impress them with the tender and savory beef. Match with some gravy and some bread or salad. First class and saucy, this dish is definitely a win.
Spiced Beef with Sweet Potatoes
Mix sweet and spice with the succulence of this beef dish. Season and cook the meat on a stove before putting it in the slow cooker with the sweet potatoes. After 7 hours, you have a cozy dish for the rainy season.
Pork Tenderloin Slow Cooker Recipes
Slow Cooker Pork Loin
You can make this simple recipe just in time for your dinner party even you have little time. You just have to marinate the pork loin and put it in the slow cooker. When done cooking, slice the meat and arrange carefully in a platter with some garnish.
Slow Cooker Orange Pork Tenderloin with Butternut Squash
With only 5 ingredients, you can serve this special dish to your family. The squash gives flavor to the pork as well as nutrients that are good for the body.
Low Carbs Slow Cooker Recipes
Chicken Tinga
This shredded chicken dish is perfect for filling tacos. The tinga gives adds an extra kick—without adding extra carbs.
Crock Pot Roast Beef
Want to cook something good for dinner? Prepare early and cook up this roast beef dish in your slow cooker. You’re family will surely love this inexpensive and easy to prepare dish.
Slow Cooker Pork Recipes
Cider Pork Roast with Apple Thyme Gravy
Match this with gravy and mashed potatoes. Your guests will enjoy this simple yet savory dish.
Slow-cooker Pork Tacos
Indulge in the flavors of Mexico with this tacos filled with tender pork dredged in chiles, chipotle, oregano and other Mexican spices.
Gluten Free Slow Cooker Recipes
Pepper Steak Slow Cooker Roast Beef
This pepper steak is perfect for the holidays or special occasions. The tamari sauce adds a unique flavor to the dish. Slow cooker enhances the tenderness of the cuts and locks all juices in. Garnish with vegetables of your choice and you have a tasty, balanced meal.
Chicken Soup for the Soul and Body
Relax and unwind with this dish cooked with your crock pot. The nutrients cabbage, squash and various herbs will surely heal anyone who will eat this comforting soup.
Ground Beef Slow Cooker Recipes
Pasta and Meatballs Meat Loaf
Cook up this meaty, delizioso Italian dish for dinner tonight. Make some garlic toast to pair with this scrumptious crock pot dish.
Beef and Bean Torta
Prepare this meaty (and bean-y) dish during the day so you can eat it for your movie night. You can serve this with sour cream, salsa, lettuce and tomatoes.
Whole Chicken Slow Cooker Recipes
Whole Chicken in Slow Cooker
Whatever the occasion may be, this simple recipe is a smart choice. All you need to do is season the chicken with spices and put it in the crock pot with some vegetables and voila!
Whole Chicken Crock Pot Dinner
End the day with this delightful whole chicken dish. During the day, dump the chicken with squash and sweet potatoes and forget it until it’s ready.
Beef Stew Slow Cooker Recipes
Slow-Cooked Provençal Beef Stew
Cook up this savory beef stew to warm up your dinner party guests. The slow cooker will preserve the natural flavor of the beef and at the same time let the meat absorb the zest of the orange and taste of fresh vegetables and mushroom.
Mediterranean Beef Stew with Rosemary and Balsamic Vinegar
Sautee up some onions and mushrooms with the beef. After that, put them in the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. After a few hours, you have a delicious, flavorful meal of tangy bite-size steak pieces.