25 slow-cooker recipes (2024)

Our slow-cooker meals include slow-cooked chicken recipes, healthy slow-cooked recipes (try coconut dahl) as well as more indulgent options, perfect for a dinner party. How about an all-in-one fragrant lamb curry? Easy baked bolognese sauce?

Check out our expert guide for how to use a slow cooker. For more easy recipes, discover our air-fryer recipes.

Easy slow-cooker recipes

Slow-cooker beef stew

This hearty stew is full of iron, protein and natural antioxidants. Pop beef shin, red wine and veggies into a slow cooker and leave for four hours.

More like this

Slow-cooked brisket with red wine, thyme and onions

Check out this simple slow cooker beef brisket recipe. This easy melt-in-the-mouth beef makes a perfect Sunday roast for when you have guests for dinner.

Slow-cooker gammon in cider

Try this hassle-free centrepiece for an impressive weekend lunch. Put the ingredients into a slow cooker and leave for four hours, then glaze for a sticky-sweet finish.

Slow-cooker pulled pork

Get perfect pulled pork every time with this easy recipe. Put the ingredients into a slow cooker and leave for eight hours to let the spices infuse.

Slow-cooker chilli

A bit of everything goes into this chilli to create the ultimate winter warmer – dark chocolate, lager and Worcestershire sauce along with plenty of herbs and spices. Throw all the ingredients into a slow-cooker and let the mince soak up the flavours for four hours.

Slow-cooker beef bourguignon

Achieve rich and deep flavours for your beef bourguignon by browning the meat well and caramelising the veg. Slow-cooking this dish allows the flavours to melt together, creating an intensely savoury end result.

Slow-cooker sausage casserole

Give your slow cooker some love with this winter warmer, packed with hearty ingredients including sausages, bacon and borlotti beans.

Lamb kleftiko

Check out these easy slow cooked lamb shanks with waxy potatoes. Kleftiko is a Greek dish of lamb and potatoes slow cooked with white wine, lemon and oregano. Serve with bread for mopping up juices, and a green salad dressed with red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Slow-cooker chicken curry

This creamy, aromatic curry is easy to make and is guaranteed to be a hit with the whole family. Put all the ingredients into a slow cooker and leave for four hours to let the spices infuse.

Slow cooker chicken stew

Check out our creamy chicken stew with peanut butter. Groundnut stew is a typically West African dish. Serve this slow-cooked chicken, with its mellow peanut butter and fiery ensemble of spices, alongside extra sliced red chilli for oomph.

Slow-cooker leg of lamb

This leg of lamb is slow-cooked with madeira, red onion, prunes and thyme, so it's rich and intense in flavour with a hint of sweetness.

Slow-cooker roast beef

Make this joint of beef in the slow cooker for a rich, tender centrepiece – miso provides an umami kick, adding depth of flavour to the beef and gravy.

Sausages with blackberries, bay and juniper

Check out our slow-cooked sausages with juicy blackberries, bay leaves and fruity juniper berries. Perfect for a midweek dinner, served with buttery mashed potatoes and dijon mustard.

Slow-cooker Irish stew

This hearty, traditional stew is just the thing for dinner as the winter months roll in. Put the lamb and veggies in a slow cooker and leave for four hours.

25 slow-cooker recipes (14)

Oxtail with orange, szechuan peppercorns and star anise

Check out our meltingly tender slow-cooked oxtail with Szechuan peppercorns, aromatic orange and star anise - the perfect weekend warming recipe.

Chickpeas with dates, turmeric, cinnamon and almonds

Check out our easy chickpea stew packed with dates, crunchy almonds and vibrant turmeric. Slow cooking chickpeas with a heady selection of spices really ramps up the flavour in this frugal dish. Try to get hold of the extra large, chubby chickpeas in jars for superior texture.

25 slow-cooker recipes (16)

Black bean and chipotle chilli

Check out our chilli with black beans and fiery chipotle chilli paste. This veggie one-pot is an easy, low calorie recipe the whole family will love.

25 slow-cooker recipes (17)

Slow-cooker dahl

Check out our healthy slow cooker recipe which uses lentils and split peas. This delicious slow cooker idea is sure to make a creamy dinner - it's a great weekend vegetarian warmer for those wintery months!

25 slow-cooker recipes (18)

Slow-braised Korean short ribs

This easy slow cooker recipe is worth the few hours of preparation it needs. Meaty beef ribs are cooked with gochuchang paste in a slow cooker to give a savoury, spicy umami rich dish. Looking for more inspiration? Check out our collection of best ever Korean recipes.

25 slow-cooker recipes (19)

Best-ever spaghetti bolognese

Looking for a quick slow cooker meal? We've honed our favourite spag bol recipe to give perfect results every time. This easy recipe is great to get ahead with the night before in your slow cooker, a healthy, low-fat method of cooking which doesn't require much time or effort.

25 slow-cooker recipes (20)

All-in-one fragrant lamb curry

This healthy slow-cooked recipe is totally fuss-free. Just bung all the ingredients in a slow cooker and it'll be ready to serve in only two hours - it's the perfect meal for a family night in.

25 slow-cooker recipes (21)

Slow-cooker sweet and sour chicken

Make this popular dish your next Friday night fakeaway, with extra instructions to make the recipe using a slow cooker. You can control the fat and sugar in this recipe, and it will taste fresher than any takeaway version.

Campfire stew

To recreate this campfire stew in a slow cooker, simply add all the ingredients together (after soaking the gammon) then cook on low for six to eight hours. Shred the meat and serve.

Slow cooker prawn and chorizo paella

Centuries ago, Sardinia was occupied by the Spanish. As a result, the island is famous for its paella, albeit with an Italian twist (orzo or fregola is used instead of rice). This version, with smoky chorizo, sweet tomatoes and juicy prawns, is a great reason to get that slow cooker out.

25 slow-cooker recipes (24)

Pepper, date and harissa tagine

This simple but flavour-packed veggie tagine makes a feature of meltingly soft peppers, but you could add any summery veg to the base sauce – chunks of squash or courgette would be good.

Advertisem*nt

Moroccan-style stuffed peppers

Adapt this vegetarian dinner to roast in the oven or in a slow cooker. The sweet flavour and soft texture of red peppers and pairs beautifully with chickpeas and rose harissa.

25 slow-cooker recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is good to cook in a slow cooker? ›

Slow cookers are great for cooking cheaper cuts like beef brisket, pork shoulder, lamb shoulder and chicken thighs. You can also use less meat, as slow cooking really extracts a meaty flavour that permeates the whole dish. Bulk up with vegetables instead.

What size slow cooker do you need for a family of 4? ›

A 3.5-litre slow cooker will usually feed a family of 4, depending on your portion sizes. You can learn more about slow cookers, their sizes, and their benefits, using this simple slow cooker guide.

Is there a slow cooker recipe book? ›

Your comfort cooking starts with these heartwarming recipes. From set-and-forget curries to falling-apart-at-the-bone stews and heavenly desserts, there are 100 inspiring and clever dishes to choose from.

What piece of meat is best for slow cooker? ›

The best cuts of meat for slow cooking
  • Chuck steak.
  • Round steak.
  • Blade steak.
  • Topside.
  • Silverside.
  • Skirt steak.
  • Shin (gravy) beef.
  • Sausages.

Which is better a crockpot or slow cooker? ›

If you're planning to cook your meals mostly when you're not home or overnight, then sticking to a Crockpot might be a better choice, since the heat distribution is more even and there is no need to stir at all.

What foods should not go in a slow cooker? ›

10 Foods You Should Never Make in a Slow Cooker
  1. Raw Meat.
  2. Seafood.
  3. Pasta.
  4. Rice.
  5. Delicate Vegetables.
  6. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts.
  7. Dairy.
  8. Wine and Other Liquor.
Jan 19, 2024

Why do you put a tea towel under a slow cooker lid? ›

Soak up the condensation

Taste user Jenny says she puts a tea towel under her crockpot lid to catch water and stop it thinning too much. This technique is also a favourite with taste's food editor Miranda.

Can you put raw meat in a slow cooker? ›

Can you put meat straight into a slow cooker? Meat can be added directly unseared and not browned. However, browning meat and caramelising the beef is a great way to add depth of flavour and improve the visual appearance of the final dish.

How many people does a full Crockpot feed? ›

What a Crock Portion-Based Recommendations
Number of PortionsRecommended Slow Cooker Size
Three PortionsUse a 4-6 quart slow cooker. 5 quarts is the optimal size.
Four PortionsUse a 5-7 quart slow cooker. 6 quarts is the optimal size.
Five PortionsUse a 6-8 quart slow cooker. 7 quarts is the optimal size.
2 more rows

What is the most popular size Crockpot? ›

The 6- or 7-quart models are among the most popular, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're the best choice for everyone. (By the way, here's our favorite slow cooker brand.) Find yourself among the descriptions below to learn which slow cooker we'd recommend for you.

Should the outside of a slow cooker get hot? ›

This is normal, especially after prolonged use. Therefore, do not touch the outside of the slow cooker, as this can cause burns.

How long do slow cooker meals last? ›

If you refrigerate, 3-days is recommended (to have some flavor). Slow-cooked meals will last as long as the same ingredients cooked any other way.

How do you mimic a slow cooker? ›

Opt for a heavy, oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid, like a Staub or Le Creuset Dutch oven, to mimic the moisture retention of a slow cooker. This ensures even heat distribution and prevents excessive drying out. Slow cookers are designed to trap moisture, leading to a self-basting environment.

Is cooking with a slow cooker cheap? ›

Slow cookers typically cost less to run than an oven. They won't necessarily save you money compared with using an induction hob, or even a gas hob. Making exact comparisons is difficult, because there can be lots of variables, such as the type of hob and how you use it.

What can you not put in a slow cooker? ›

10 Foods You Should Never Make in a Slow Cooker
  1. Raw Meat.
  2. Seafood.
  3. Pasta.
  4. Rice.
  5. Delicate Vegetables.
  6. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts.
  7. Dairy.
  8. Wine and Other Liquor.
Jan 19, 2024

What is a slow cooker good for? ›

One of the benefits of slow cookers is that you can use them in different ways. Depending on the model, you can use a crock pot to sauté, steam, bake and sear. In fact, there are slow cookers that double as pressure cookers, steamers, and even yogurt makers.

Is it worth using a slow cooker? ›

Slow cookers use less energy than traditional ovens and stovetops, making them an eco-friendly option for cooking. Considering the current state of the melting ice caps – that's a very good thing.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Zonia Mosciski DO

Last Updated:

Views: 6294

Rating: 4 / 5 (51 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Zonia Mosciski DO

Birthday: 1996-05-16

Address: Suite 228 919 Deana Ford, Lake Meridithberg, NE 60017-4257

Phone: +2613987384138

Job: Chief Retail Officer

Hobby: Tai chi, Dowsing, Poi, Letterboxing, Watching movies, Video gaming, Singing

Introduction: My name is Zonia Mosciski DO, I am a enchanting, joyous, lovely, successful, hilarious, tender, outstanding person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.