Easy Slow-Cooker Recipes

Slow-Cooker Open-Face Pulled-Pork Sandwiches With Tangy Broccoli Slaw

Coming home to a hot meal after a long day of work is the ultimate gift. And, thankfully for hard working people everywhere, it’s 2018 and slow cooking is all the rage.

But, with dozens of different slow cookers on the market which one will cook you the dinner of your dreams all day long? It all depends on what’s on the menu.

Big Batch Recipes: Elite Platinum 8.5 Quart Cooker

The oval-shaped Elite Platinum cooker not only looks great on any kitchen counter, but it’s also big enough to handle just about any meal. It can even cook a large roast or an entire chicken with ease. And it’s stainless-steel design means it never gets (too) messy either.

To buy: $46 at Amazon.com

Cooking for Two: Proctor Silex 1.5-Quart Slow Cooker

The small — but mighty — Protcor slow cooker is ideal for those short on space or simply cooking for themselves. It also makes it the perfect slow cooker for to-go meals, like bringing dip to the big game at the neighbor’s house, or a side dish at your next pot lock.

To buy: $20 at Amazon.com

High-Tech Slow Cooker: Crock-Pot Wemo 6-Qt. Slow Cooker

There’s an app for everything, including slow cookers. With Crock-Pot Wemo’s wifi-enabled slow cooker you can monitor your meal wherever you are, meaning nothing with ever be over- or under-cooked again.

To buy: $113 at Amazon.com

Multi-Purpose Cooking: Hamilton Beach Sous Vide & Slow Cooker

Sometimes you want to get fancy, other times you don’t. With Hamilton Beach’s two-for-one slow cooker and sous vide system, you can do both. The six-quart pot means you can choose from slow cooking easy meals like stews, or swap it out to evenly cook your next char siu. Either way, your dinner’s a winner.

To buy: $50 at Amazon.com

Ready to cook? Keep scrolling for our best slow cooker recipes.

Start Slideshow

Marcus Nilsson

1 of 26

Slow-Cooker Open-Face Pulled-Pork Sandwiches With Tangy Broccoli Slaw

Coat the pork with a mixture of tomato paste, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and Cajun seasoning to impart sweet, tangy flavors while it cooks.

Get the recipe.

Marcus Nilsson

2 of 26

Slow-Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

Just mix all the ingredients together and cook for a few hours; 20 minutes before dinner, make the spaghetti and toss with the sauce.

Get the recipe.

Slow-Cooker Lamb, Apricot, and Olive Tagine

Marcus Nilsson

3 of 26

Slow-Cooker Lamb, Apricot, and Olive Tagine

Paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and ginger give this delicious dish its Moroccan kick.

Get the recipe.

Slow-Cooker Sausages With Sauerkraut and Potatoes

Marcus Nilsson

4 of 26

Slow-Cooker Sausages With Sauerkraut and Potatoes

Serve these juicy brats with toast, butter, and mustard on the side.

Get the recipe.

Slow-Cooker Soy-Glazed Chicken With Stir-Fried Vegetables

Marcus Nilsson

5 of 26

Slow-Cooker Soy-Glazed Chicken With Stir-Fried Vegetables

Tender chicken gets an Asian spin with fish sauce, soy sauce, and ginger.

Get the recipe.

Slow-Cooker Coffee-Braised Brisket With Potatoes and Carrots

Sang An

6 of 26

Slow-Cooker Coffee-Braised Brisket With Potatoes and Carrots

This well-priced cut of meat does best when cooked low and slow. Don’t try to make it on the high setting or it may end up chewy and stringy.

Get the recipe: Slow-Cooker Coffee-Braised Brisket With Potatoes and Carrots

David Prince

7 of 26

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

The key to this dish is garam masala, a mix of spices often used in Indian cooking. It usually includes cumin, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, and nutmeg.

Get the recipe.

Slow-Cooker Chicken With Bacon, Mushrooms, and Onions

Susie Cushner

8 of 26

Slow-Cooker Chicken With Bacon, Mushrooms, and Onions

Smoky bacon, garlic, and rosemary flavor the tender, moist chicken.

Get the recipe.

Slow-Cooker Curried Chicken With Ginger and Yogurt

José Picayo

9 of 26

Slow-Cooker Curried Chicken With Ginger and Yogurt

If you like your curry spicy, turn up the heat by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Get the recipe.

Slow-Cooker Sweet and Spicy Asian Pork Shoulder

Jonny Valiant

10 of 26

Slow-Cooker Sweet and Spicy Asian Pork Shoulder

Chinese five-spice powder—typically made from cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns—wakes up the braised pork.

Get the recipe.

Slow-Cooker Cuban Braised Beef and Peppers

Quentin Bacon

11 of 26

Slow-Cooker Cuban Braised Beef and Peppers

This colorful stew is a take on the hearty Cuban dish ropa viejo.

Get the recipe.

Con Poulos

12 of 26

Slow-Cooker Soy-Braised Chicken

Serve with rice to soak up the delicious sauce made from apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar.

Get the recipe.

Jonny Valiant

13 of 26

Classic Pot Roast

There’s no need to add more ingredients during the cooking process with this recipe—just toss everything in your slow cooker and you’re good to go.

Get the recipe.

Slow-Cooker Chipotle Beef Tacos With Cabbage and Radish Slaw

José Picayo

14 of 26

Slow-Cooker Chipotle Beef Tacos With Cabbage and Radish Slaw

The meat cooks gently with onions, garlic, chipotles, and bay leaves until fall-apart tender.

Get the recipe.

Marcus Nilsson

15 of 26

Slow-Cooker Asian Short Ribs

Preparing short ribs may sound intimidating, but they’re a cinch to make in the slow cooker.

Get the recipe.

Susie Cushner

16 of 26

Slow-Cooker Bolognese Sauce

Adding tomato paste to the sauce gives it a deeper, richer flavor and thicker texture.

Get the recipe.

Hallie Burton

17 of 26

Chicken With Tarragon and Leeks

Mash a few potatoes into the cooking liquid to help thicken the creamy sauce.

Get the recipe.

Kan Kanbayashi

18 of 26

Slow-Cooker Pulled-Pork Tacos

Store-bought salsa is a quick fix to flavor the pork and sauce.

Get the recipe.

Slow-Cooker Asian Pork With Snow Peas, Red Peppers, and Soba Noodles

José Picayo

19 of 26

Slow-Cooker Asian Pork With Snow Peas, Red Peppers, and Soba Noodles

Add the raw vegetables right into the noodle cooking water to save time.

Get the recipe.

Kan Kanbayashi

20 of 26

Spiced Braised Beef With Sweet Potatoes

Meat and potatoes get a delicious upgrade with dried apricots, cumin, ginger, and cinnamon.

Get the recipe.

Ale-Braised Corned Beef, Brussels Sprouts, and Carrots

Quentin Bacon

21 of 26

Ale-Braised Corned Beef, Brussels Sprouts, and Carrots

Thinly sliced Brussels sprouts make a more elegant substitution for heartier, earthier cabbage.

Get the recipe.

Susie Cushner

22 of 26

Slow-Cooker Tuscan Pot Roast

Dry red wine and tomato paste give this dish extra depth and layers of flavor.

Get the recipe.

Slow-Cooker Barbecue Pork Sandwiches With Crunchy Coleslaw

Romulo Yanes

23 of 26

Slow-Cooker Barbecue Pork Sandwiches With Crunchy Coleslaw

The sweet, tangy, spicy pork matches well with the crisp, creamy slaw.

Get the recipe.

Susie Cushner

24 of 26

Slow-Cooker Spicy Country Ribs

Broiling the ribs before serving adds a tasty char.

Get the recipe.

Con Poulos

25 of 26

Asian Baby-Back Ribs With Udon Salad

These fall-off-the-bone ribs are coated in a succulent mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and cayenne pepper.

Get the recipe.

Replay gallery

Easy Slow-Cooker Recipes

1 of 26

Slow-Cooker Open-Face Pulled-Pork Sandwiches With Tangy Broccoli Slaw

2 of 26

Slow-Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

3 of 26

Slow-Cooker Lamb, Apricot, and Olive Tagine

4 of 26

Slow-Cooker Sausages With Sauerkraut and Potatoes

5 of 26

Slow-Cooker Soy-Glazed Chicken With Stir-Fried Vegetables

6 of 26

Slow-Cooker Coffee-Braised Brisket With Potatoes and Carrots

7 of 26

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

8 of 26

Slow-Cooker Chicken With Bacon, Mushrooms, and Onions

9 of 26

Slow-Cooker Curried Chicken With Ginger and Yogurt

10 of 26

Slow-Cooker Sweet and Spicy Asian Pork Shoulder

11 of 26

Slow-Cooker Cuban Braised Beef and Peppers

12 of 26

Slow-Cooker Soy-Braised Chicken

13 of 26

Classic Pot Roast

14 of 26

Slow-Cooker Chipotle Beef Tacos With Cabbage and Radish Slaw

15 of 26

Slow-Cooker Asian Short Ribs

16 of 26

Slow-Cooker Bolognese Sauce

17 of 26

Chicken With Tarragon and Leeks

18 of 26

Slow-Cooker Pulled-Pork Tacos

19 of 26

Slow-Cooker Asian Pork With Snow Peas, Red Peppers, and Soba Noodles

20 of 26

Spiced Braised Beef With Sweet Potatoes

21 of 26

Ale-Braised Corned Beef, Brussels Sprouts, and Carrots

22 of 26

Slow-Cooker Tuscan Pot Roast

23 of 26

Slow-Cooker Barbecue Pork Sandwiches With Crunchy Coleslaw

24 of 26

Slow-Cooker Spicy Country Ribs

25 of 26

Asian Baby-Back Ribs With Udon Salad

Share the gallery

Up Next

Share the gallery