Welcome to the ultimate guide to cooking the best slow cooker meal! Whether you're a seasoned pro or a novice in the kitchen, this article will provide you with all the information you need to create mouthwatering dishes that will impress your family and friends. With a slow cooker, you can effortlessly prepare a wide variety of meals, from succulent meats and tender vegetables to hearty soups and delectable desserts. So, let's embark on a culinary journey and explore the endless possibilities of slow cooker cooking!
Let's cook with our recipes!
THE BEST EVER SLOW COOKER POT ROAST RECIPE BY TASTY
This slow cooker pot roast only takes six ingredients to make thanks to a packet of onion soup mix. It gives the roast a ton of flavor without a ton of work, and no one will even know it's there. The best part? You just dump everything into the slow cooker, walk away for a few hours, and dinner practically cooks itself. Serve it over egg noodles or rice and dinner is good to go.
Provided by Hannah Williams
Categories Dinner
Time 8h
Yield 5 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Place the chuck roast in a 7-quart (6 ½ liters) slow cooker and season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the onion soup pack and top with vegetables and water.
- Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4-5 hours.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 633 calories, Carbohydrate 27 grams, Fat 18 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 89 grams, Sugar 4 grams
BEST OF ALL: SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW
I have tried many beef stew recipes from this site. This is the one! I took the best from each and got this no-fail version.
Provided by Bobbee Valentine
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Beef Soup Recipes
Time 7h45m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Whisk flour, garlic salt, and black pepper together in a small bowl; pour into a large resealable plastic bag. Place stew beef in bag, seal the bag, and shake to coat beef to coat completely.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; saute coated beef in hot oil until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Stir onion into beef; saute until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour beef and onions into a slow cooker.
- Stir beef broth, red wine, and Worcestershire sauce together in a bowl. Pour broth mixture into the same skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Transfer broth mixture to the slow cooker.
- Mix potatoes, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, beef stew seasoning mix, and paprika into beef mixture.
- Cook on High for 1 hour. Reduce heat to Low and cook until meat is tender, 6 to 7 hours.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 249.5 calories, Carbohydrate 21.5 g, Cholesterol 47.9 mg, Fat 8.2 g, Fiber 2.6 g, Protein 19.3 g, SaturatedFat 2.4 g, Sodium 636.8 mg, Sugar 2.5 g
BEST EVER SLOW COOKER ITALIAN BEEF ROAST
Best tender and juicy pot roast you've ever eaten! Also great sliced up and served on hearty rolls.
Provided by Teeann
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 6h10m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Place beef chuck roast into a slow cooker and scatter onion quarters around the meat. Pour the beef broth over the meat and sprinkle the au jus mix, Italian salad dressing mix, salt, and black pepper over the roast.
- Cover cooker, set on Low, and cook until meat is very tender, 6 to 8 hours.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 284.7 calories, Carbohydrate 6 g, Cholesterol 77.5 mg, Fat 18.8 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 20.7 g, SaturatedFat 7.5 g, Sodium 1108.8 mg, Sugar 2.4 g
THE BEST SLOW COOKER BAKED BEANS (DAD'S RECIPE)
This recipe was handed down from my dad. I adjusted it to go into the slow cooker. It's a lot easier. Just set it and forget it.
Provided by Sandy Lafleur
Categories Side Dish Beans and Peas Baked Bean Recipes
Time 17h10m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Place the navy beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Drain and transfer beans to a pot; add enough water to cover beans.
- Bring water to a boil, reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer until beans are slightly tender, about 1 hour.
- Mix 4 cups water, molasses, brown sugar, salt, mustard, and pepper together in a bowl until smooth.
- Mix beans, salt pork, and onion together in a slow cooker. Add molasses mixture and more water to cover beans if needed; stir well.
- Cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 374.3 calories, Carbohydrate 54 g, Cholesterol 12.2 mg, Fat 12.4 g, Fiber 13.9 g, Protein 13.5 g, SaturatedFat 4.3 g, Sodium 508.2 mg, Sugar 17.4 g
THE BEST EVER SLOW COOKER CARNITAS
What makes these carnitas different? They are crisped and browned on the stove after low and slow cooking in the crock pot. These are incredibly easy to make and have replaced traditional taco filling at our house. These carnitas or "little meats" are great in Tacos, Burritos, Enchiladas, Tamales or Nachos. When served with corn tortillas, they are also gluten free!
Provided by sellingsavannah
Categories Mexican
Time 7h40m
Yield 8-10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Mix cumin, garlic powder, oregano, coriander, kosher salt and ground black pepper together in a small bowl to make a dry rub. Pat the pork shoulder roast or boston butt dry with paper towels, and then cover roast with dry rub.
- Place the pieces of onion and the bay leaf in the bottom of your slower cooker, lay the roast on top. Carefully pour the chicken stock or the water around the roast, taking care not to wash away the dry rub. Cook on low for 6 hours or until the pork easily falls apart.
- Once the pork is easily falling apart, remove from slow cooker to cool. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Remove and discard the excess fat, shred the remaining pork.
- Place the reserved cooking liquid in a large non-stick skillet with shredded pork. Cook over medium high heat until the liquid is absorbed, tossing the pork occasional to coat.
- Once the cooking liquid is absorbed, add the oil and crisp up the carnitas to your desired doneness. We like our extra crispy, usually about 14-18 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite taco fixings, like corn or flour tortillas, cilantro, lime, shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, sour cream and cheese.
THE BEST SLOW COOKER CREAM CORN
This is the best, easiest slow cooker cream corn. It's very rich, not diet food, but is always such a big hit I have to tell everyone how to make it! You may want to half this recipe for a smaller family, but this is excellent leftover a day or even two.
Provided by mamamelton
Categories Side Dish Vegetables Corn
Time 3h5m
Yield 20
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a 6 quart slow cooker, combine the corn, cream cheese, butter, sugar, American cheese and milk. Cover and set to Low. Cook for about 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Cheese and milk burn easily, so I would not recommend cutting the time and using the High setting.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 332.4 calories, Carbohydrate 25 g, Cholesterol 70 mg, Fat 24.5 g, Fiber 2.2 g, Protein 7.4 g, SaturatedFat 15.1 g, Sodium 296.6 mg, Sugar 8.4 g
BEST SLOW COOKER PUMPKIN BUTTER
Dump everything in your slow cooker, walk away, and 3 hours later you will be rewarded with delicious pumpkin butter!
Provided by Yoly
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes Canning and Preserving Recipes Fruit Butter Recipes
Time 3h5m
Yield 30
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Spray the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Mix pumpkin puree, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl until well incorporated. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Cook on Low, stirring occasionally, until pumpkin butter has thickened to desired consistency, about 3 hours.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 77 calories, Carbohydrate 19.5 g, Fat 0.1 g, Fiber 0.9 g, Protein 0.3 g, SaturatedFat 0.1 g, Sodium 86.8 mg, Sugar 18 g
BEST SLOW COOKER WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
Hatch chiles and tomatillos take this white chili to another level. I like to make my own roasted salsa verde but you can always use jarred or canned. Cooked in the slow cooker for ease and convenience. Top with your choice of sliced avocados, shredded cheese, cilantro, or sour cream.
Provided by Yoly
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Chili Recipes White Chili Recipes
Time 4h
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Place tomatillos, onion, serrano pepper, and garlic in a hot cast iron skillet and cook until blackened, turning frequently, 7 to 10 minutes. Peel garlic cloves and transfer to a blender. Add the blackened vegetables, cilantro, and salt; blend until smooth.
- Place chicken broth, beans, chicken, cumin, and salt in a slow cooker. Pour in blended salsa. Cook on High until chicken is tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
- Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place Hatch peppers with cut sides down onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Cook under the preheated broiler until the skin of the peppers has blackened and blistered, 5 to 8 minutes. Place blackened peppers into a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow peppers to steam as they cool, about 10 minutes.
- Remove 1 cup beans from the slow cooker; mash and stir back in. Remove chicken breasts and shred using 2 forks. Stir into the slow cooker. Peel broiled peppers and dice flesh into 1-inch pieces; add to the slow cooker. Sprinkle in Jack cheese.
- Cook until chili is warmed through, about 30 minutes more.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 309.6 calories, Carbohydrate 41.9 g, Cholesterol 35.3 mg, Fat 6.2 g, Fiber 9.9 g, Protein 23.1 g, SaturatedFat 2.5 g, Sodium 1453.2 mg, Sugar 6.6 g
BEST CHUNKY APPLESAUCE (SLOW COOKER) QUICK & EASY
This is by far the best, most delicious and easiest way to make applesauce! This recipe is over 30 years old and has been a tried and true standby in my kitchen. Served warm with whipped cream or ice cream, your family will never want store-bought again. Make a double batch... it will go fast!
Provided by Family Favorites
Categories Fruit Breakfast
Time 8h15m
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- 1. Place all ingredients into crock pot. Cover and cook on low for approximately 6-8 hours.
- 2. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. We also like it served over oatmeal.
BEST EVER SLOW COOKER CARNITAS
A mouth-watering Mexican carnitas recipe with a special sweet addition, slow cooked for hours in a crock-pot and served with warm tortillas. After numerous attempts at perfecting the art of carnitas from scratch, this is my best recipe yet. A taste of Mexico in your very own kitchen!
Provided by SocialWorkChef
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 6h15m
Yield 8 meat-filled tortillas, 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Cut the 2 lbs of pork into roughly 2 inch squares and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Pour the stick of melted butter in the slow cooker coating the meat. Do the same with the 2 Tbs of oil.
- Break the one cinnamon stick in half and place to the sides of the meat.
- Peel 5-6 garlic cloves, cutting the tips off, and break 3-4 bay leaves in half. Place the leaves and the garlic in the slow cooker, evenly distributed among the meat.
- Add the 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp cumin, and 1 tsp (or more depending on taste) red pepper flakes, sprinkling evenly across the meat.
- Pour the 1/3 cup whole milk in the cooker, being careful not to wash away the spices from the meat.
- Add the Coca Cola, being careful not to wash away the spices from the meat. Add enough to just cover the top of the meat.
- Turn the slow cooker to the "Low" heat setting. Cook for 6 hours, stirring every few hours.
- Once cooked, remove meat from the slow cooker with a slotted spoon and place in a separate large bowl. Shred the meat using two forks, and add spoonfuls of liquid from the cooker to ensure meat is moist.
- Serve on warm tortillas, with pico de gallo, sour cream, and chopped jalapenos.
THE BEST SLOW COOKER CARNITAS, GREAT FOR TACOS!
These carnitas cook low and slow in the Slow Cooker or Crockpot and finish on the stove for a crispy and delicious filling for tacos, burritos or nachos. This is the new taco filling for Taco Tuesday at our house. My whole crew prefers this to traditional taco filling made with ground beef or ground turkey.
Provided by sellingsavannah
Categories Mexican
Time 6h30m
Yield 10-12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Mix the kosher salt, garlic powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, dried oregano and black pepper together in a small bowl. Coat the pork shoulder roast with the dry rub.
- Place the sliced onion and bay leaves in the bottom of your slow cooker, lay pork shoulder roast on top. Carefully pour water or chicken broth around the roast, making sure you don't disturb the dry rub.
- Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 6 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 3 hours.
- When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, remove and discard excess fat and shred with two forks. Reserve cooking liquid.
- Place shredded pork into a large skillet with 1 cup of reserved cooking liquid over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. Once liquid has cooked down completely, add canola or vegetable oil. Stir occasionally for 15-20 minutes or until the meat has reached desired crispiness.
- Serve in warm flour or corn tortillas with your favorite taco toppings. We serve ours cilantro, pickled red onions, salsa or pico de gallo, guacamole, sliced cabbage and lime wedges,.
BEST BAKED SLOW COOKER CHICKEN
This tastes like a rotisserie chicken. My family loves this and it is so easy to make. I make this a lot. **Please note: I have a big slow cooker and a seven pound chicken fits nicely in it. Please adjust cooking time if making a smaller bird.
Provided by bmcnichol
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 9h5m
Yield 10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Wad three pieces of aluminum foil into 3 to 4 inch balls, and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Season the chicken with the season salt, pepper and Tabasco, and place in the slow cooker on top of the aluminum foil balls. There is no need to add water; it will make its own juices.
- Set the slow cooker to High for 1 hour, then turn down to Low for about 8 to 10 hours, or until the pop up timer pops or the juices run clear.
- **Please note: I have a big slow cooker and a seven pound chicken fits nicely in it. Please adjust cooking time if making a smaller bird.
CYNDEE'S BEST SLOW COOKER ITALIAN POT ROAST
My family loves roast beef so I kept messing around with my own recipe until I came up with this one. My family says 'no more' trying to make the perfect roast. This apparently is. Serve with mashed potatoes and use the juices for gravy.
Provided by Cyndee S.
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 8h20m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Place the pot roast in a slow cooker. Add the onion, celery, red and green bell peppers, au jus mix, and enough water to cover the meat. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours, or until tender.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 503.8 calories, Carbohydrate 8 g, Cholesterol 161.4 mg, Fat 25 g, Fiber 1.5 g, Protein 57.7 g, SaturatedFat 9.8 g, Sodium 688.1 mg, Sugar 2.8 g
ANASTASIA'S BEST BAKED BEANS (SLOW-COOKER AND OVEN RECIPE):
Make and share this Anastasia's Best Baked Beans (Slow-Cooker and Oven Recipe): recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Seabreeze1116
Categories Very Low Carbs
Time 2m
Yield 1 casserole, 1 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 2
Steps:
- Anastasia's Best-Ever Baked Beans:.
- • 5 cans of pork and beans (15 ounce cans - VanCamps's Pork and Beans or similar).
- • 2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped (yellow or sweet onion, not vidalia).
- • 1 to 2 tablespoons butter (for sauteing onions).
- • 3/4 cup ketchup.
- • 1/2 cup molasses.
- • 3 tablespoons yellow mustard.
- • 1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar (use less for less sweetness).
- • 6 to 8 slices uncooked bacon, each cut in half or thirds.
- Preheat oven to 325* F. degrees f. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Saute onions over medium to medium-high heat in butter until onions are tender and translucent.
- Mix beans, sauteed onions, ketchup, mustard, molasses and brown sugar until blended well. Pour in prepared baking dish. Top with uncooked bacon in single layer (see photo above). Bake on middle rack of oven uncovered for 2-3 hours. Beans are ready when the top is dark and caramelized. Serve warm. Enjoy!
- TIP - Make in Slow Cooker.
- These can also be thrown together and cooked in the slow cooker set on low for 6 to 8 hours as well. It won't get that nice caramelize top, but it will still be delicious if you're in a pinch for time. Be sure to saute the onions first.
- BEANS FROM SCRATCH - If you want to make baked beans from scratch, head here for a great recipe - Boston Baked Beans - "A wonderful old-fashioned baked bean flavor. This recipe has served by family for 29 years and originally came from my mother-in-law. It tastes great served with fresh cornbread or biscuits and honey. Although you need to allow time for soaking and simmering the beans, this recipe is still quite easy.".
Nutrition Facts : Sodium 14.2
THE BEST SLOW COOKER CHICKEN SOUP
I have perfected this recipe to replicate my Hungarian grandmother's homemade soup. It's delicious, hearty, and healthy! For extra flair, try a squeeze of ketchup mixed into the soup for a tomatoey hint. Yum!
Provided by Bizzle
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Chicken Soup Recipes
Time 6h20m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Pour chicken stock and potato soup into a slow cooker; add chicken breasts.
- Cook on Low until chicken is no longer pink in the middle, about 4 hours.
- Remove chicken to a cutting board to cool slightly, shred, and return to the slow cooker. Stir water, celery, carrots, cabbage, and parsley into the soup mixture.
- Cook on High until the vegetables are tender, about 2 hours.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 136.6 calories, Carbohydrate 17.8 g, Cholesterol 23.3 mg, Fat 2.7 g, Fiber 5 g, Protein 11.3 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Sodium 1315.1 mg, Sugar 6.4 g
BEST SLOW COOKER BEEF STROGANOFF RECIPE - (4.4/5)
Provided by garciamoss
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Place onion, garlic, celery, and mushrooms in the bottom of the slow cooker pot. Slice the beef into thick strips. Mix cream of mushroom soup with wine, soy sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Pour over the beef and vegetables. Stir to combine all ingredients. Set the slow cooker on low and cook for about 6 hours. The beef should be easily pierced with a fork (it will even fall apart, it will be so tender). Stir in the sour cream. Let the mixture cool for at least 10 minutes to thicken. Serve over egg noodles.
Tips:
- Choose the right slow cooker: Consider the size and shape that best suits your needs. A larger slow cooker is ideal for big families or entertaining, while a smaller one is perfect for couples or small households.
- Prepare your ingredients: Cut vegetables and meats into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking. For vegetables that take longer to cook, like root vegetables, cut them into smaller pieces.
- Brown your meat: Browning meat before adding it to the slow cooker helps develop flavor and add richness to the dish. Brown the meat in a skillet over medium-high heat until it's browned on all sides.
- Use liquid: Adding liquid to the slow cooker helps prevent the food from drying out. You can use water, broth, or even a combination of both. The amount of liquid you need will depend on the recipe.
- Cook on low and slow: Slow cookers are designed to cook food at a low temperature over a long period of time. This allows the flavors to develop and the meat to become tender. Most recipes will cook for 8-10 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high.
- Don't overfill the slow cooker: Fill the slow cooker no more than two-thirds full. Overfilling can prevent the food from cooking evenly.
- Check the food periodically: Even though slow cookers are designed to cook food unattended, it's a good idea to check the food periodically to make sure it's cooking properly.
Conclusion:
Slow cookers are a convenient and versatile way to prepare delicious and hearty meals. With a little planning and preparation, you can create a wide variety of dishes that are perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends. So next time you're looking for an easy and delicious meal, reach for your slow cooker.
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