I love the convenience of using my slow cooker. With just a little pre-planning for dinner, you can just throw a few ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and come home to dinner being ready to serve. Just because I blog about food doesn’t mean I like to spend hours in the kitchen preparing dinner. But after a while of making primarily soups in the slow cooker, my family wanted something a little more hearty. So I present to you my collection of my family’s favorite slow cooker meals, including 2 hearty and delicious soups, a vegetarian side or main dish and 6 meaty dishes.
This BBQ is sure to please even the heartiest of appetites. Even making your own BBQ sauce, it requires less than 10 minutes of prep time.
We usually have baked or grilled pork chops because they are so easy to make and don’t require much effort. Well, these are even easier and were a nice, flavorful change. With less than 5 minutes of prep time required, I can definitely find time for that!
We eat a ton of Mexican food at my house and I love refried beans but don’t really want to eat something fried in lard. These “refried” beans don’t actually have any lard in them so are much healthier for you. These could be used for a side dish, nachos, bean dip, burritos or whatever else you would use refried beans for.
Salsa chicken is by far one of my family’s most requested meals. And I’m always happy to make it since it’s another 5-10 minute prep time. I get home from work, dinner is ready, and everyone raves about how good it is. Total win for me!
These pork chops are a little bit different. I don’t often use fruit in a main dish but the apples added a delicious new flavor. And considering the 5 minute prep time, it’s another winner for me!
Pot roast is a favorite at my house. I love that everything can be cooked together in pot and it makes the house sell amazing! And it makes plenty for leftovers too!
This was the first time we tried lentils and were really surprised by how good they were in this soup. Mr. Real Food especially loved it so it’s perfect for a big appetite.
This is another thick and hearty soup that’s sure to please even a big appetite. And it’s perfect comfort food during the cold months of winter.
My girls love Orange Chicken but I don’t fry anything ever so this was a great compromise. All the delicious flavors of orange chicken with none of the bad stuff!
How often do you use your slow cooker? What’s your favorite slow cooker meal?
I’m a featured contributor on Crock Pot Love! Check out the huge collection of slow cooker recipes they have!
Veronica says
August 10, 2014 at 9:08 pmThose look like amazing meals. And to think they were easy to make
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Carly from The Puzzled Palate says
August 10, 2014 at 9:36 pmI make a lot of those recipes. However, I have not made the majority of them in the crock pot! Thanks for sparking a simpler food prep plan!
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Brett says
August 10, 2014 at 9:38 pmi <3 crock pot time. i love love love it. i want to try refried beans!! YUM
fancygrlnancy (Nancy Partin) says
August 10, 2014 at 10:48 pmI’m always looking for some good slow cooker recipes. I like to make BBQ ribs in the slow cooker.
Shannon Gosney says
August 10, 2014 at 11:45 pmI love using my slow-cooker! These sound like some great meals!
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Kay Adeola says
August 11, 2014 at 4:46 amThese all sound really good to make but my favorite had to be BBQ Brisket that would go down really well in my house.
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Lindsey @ Redhead Baby Mama says
August 11, 2014 at 6:22 amI’m pinning this for my winter months. I love using my crockpot to be “lazy” for dinner!
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Betsy Mitchell says
August 11, 2014 at 9:04 amThe slow cooker is my best friend. Thanks for these great recipes!
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Amber Conaway says
August 11, 2014 at 9:22 amOh my gosh all of this looks SO yummy! First thing I want to try is the BBQ Brisket!! I had to put this on my bookmarks with school starting school I have a feeling my slow cooker will be my best friend lol
Erica says
August 11, 2014 at 10:50 amThese are some awesome slow cooker recipes! I have already pinned the post to come back to! Thanks!
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Chrystal @ YUM eating says
August 11, 2014 at 11:09 amWhat a great list of slow cooker recipes. I don’t use mine enough.
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Jaime says
August 11, 2014 at 11:43 amWe use our slow cooker weekly during the school year (especially in the winter.) School starts back again next week (with my husband going back later this week.) That salsa chicken sounds delicious!
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Mellisa says
August 11, 2014 at 12:38 pmThanks for the recipes. I love my slow cooker during the school year.
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Tracey says
August 11, 2014 at 12:57 pmI love slow cooker recipes so I was very excited to see this post today! Thank you!
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Debra says
August 11, 2014 at 1:43 pmI love using my slow cooker. That Lentil soup looks so yummy, I’ll have to try that.
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Melissa @ This Girl's Life Blog says
August 11, 2014 at 2:31 pmThese all look delicious. I love cooking pot roast in my slow cooker but I have never tried cooking pork chops in there.
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Carly Anderson says
August 11, 2014 at 2:48 pmThere’s nothing I love more than putting a meal in the crock pot and not having to worry about it! My favorite meal to make in the crock pot is definitely pot roast. It ends up so tender and juicy!
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Katrina says
August 11, 2014 at 3:05 pmThis is great! with back to school busyness coming I’ll be loving this round up!
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Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly says
August 11, 2014 at 4:07 pmI have never owned a slow cooker, but I have always wanted one, these recipes look delicious and I love the Tortilla Soup recipe for Fall/Winter! And I love Salsa Chicken also!
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Mary O'Malley says
August 11, 2014 at 4:14 pmThese all look absolutely delicious. I am definitely going to bookmark this page to come back to!
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Terry says
August 11, 2014 at 4:17 pmWhen cooler weather hits, I always seem to use my crock pot more often. Thanks for all the recipes. I love trying new one.
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Debbie Denny says
August 11, 2014 at 5:24 pmGreat list of meals. Love slow-cooker meals.
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Rosey says
August 11, 2014 at 5:27 pmThat chicken tortilla soup would have fit the bill tonight. Hubby wanted something hearty w/a little Mexican kick to it. They all sound good though.
Jeanine @ sixtimemommy.com says
August 11, 2014 at 6:25 pmOh boy! Salsa chicken and pot roast looks to die for! Yum
Anne @MidlifeBlvd says
August 11, 2014 at 6:28 pmI love my crockpot. I have a new one and an old one that was my mom’s. I still use both of them for different types of meals.
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Janell Poulette says
August 11, 2014 at 6:41 pmI love crock pot meals! I have created 35 crock pot freezer meals that saves me so much time!
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Marybeth Hamilton says
August 11, 2014 at 6:48 pmI love my crockpot but I don’t use it enough. I just might come back and try out one of these recipes to make my life easier 🙂
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Jessica (Savory Experiments) says
August 11, 2014 at 7:04 pmOh, I love this post! I’m always looking for new recipes for my crock pot!
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Kecia says
August 11, 2014 at 7:50 pmThere is little better than slow cooker pot roast! That picture of it above has me drooling. I could definitely use some new slow cooker recipes though!
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Kendra says
August 11, 2014 at 7:58 pmI have pinned it to my crockpot dinner board. Thanks for sharing these. I’m going to try the lentil soup for sure. I make a lot of chili and this could be a different mix.
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Emily says
August 11, 2014 at 8:17 pmI love slow cooker meals, especially in the winter time. My mom used to make this awesome beef stew!
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Amanda says
August 11, 2014 at 9:41 pmYummy! These look so yummy! I’m pinning this post for later!
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Felicia says
August 11, 2014 at 9:49 pmYou are speaking my language! I love my slow cooker.
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Beth@FrugalFroggie says
August 11, 2014 at 10:34 pmI love slow cooker meals. Definitely trying these out.
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Camesha says
August 11, 2014 at 10:44 pmNice! I want to try the salsa chicken recipe. Sounds yummy!
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Theresa says
August 12, 2014 at 12:28 pmSlower cooker recipes are great to have on hand, especially for the upcoming winter months. I really want to try the pork chops in mine, as that’s something that I have never made in a crock pot before.
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Virginia @thatbaldchick says
August 12, 2014 at 12:33 pmI haven’t made lentil soup in ages. I can’t wait for soup weather!
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Christie says
August 12, 2014 at 3:10 pmI love slow cooker soup recipes! Thanks for the lentil one!
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Dawn McAlexander says
August 12, 2014 at 3:33 pmWe use our slow cooker all the time. I am not sure that we could make it without it.
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Toni says
August 12, 2014 at 4:41 pmI love using my slow cooker. It’s such an easy way to cook!
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Ann Bacciaglia says
August 12, 2014 at 6:06 pmI love using my crock pot. Thanks for the new ideas.
Rachael says
August 12, 2014 at 6:24 pmThe Teriaki pork chops sound great. I haven’t cooked in a slow cooker in a long time. I need to make some.
Amy Desrosiers says
August 12, 2014 at 7:40 pmI really cant wait to break my crockpot out again! The pot roast meal sounds so amazing right now!
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Marina @ Mommy Snippets says
August 12, 2014 at 8:20 pmMmmm, these look good! And convenient, most importantly.
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Krystal's Kitsch says
August 12, 2014 at 9:15 pmI’d love the pulled pork. I love buffalo pulled chicken too. YUM!
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Cassie @ Southeast by Midwest says
August 13, 2014 at 3:13 amThese are all delicious looking recipes. I really like the look of the salsa chicken.
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Liz Mays says
August 14, 2014 at 11:34 amI’ve never made my own refried beans. I always use them from a can. I like the idea of trying!
Shirley Wood says
September 15, 2014 at 7:16 pmI have 2 Slow Cookers and I love using them! Pinned it to my Crockpot Cooking Board! Great list. Thank you for sharing with us at Home Matters Linky! Please come back this Wednesday and share again.
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Nicole says
September 16, 2014 at 11:18 amWe love Salsa chicken! That’s actually what we’re having for dinner tonight. Thanks for sharing in the #yuckstopshere link up. Please come share with us again.
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Shirley Wood says
October 4, 2014 at 6:23 amI absolutely love cooking this time of year in the crock pot. I cooked 3 meals in it this week 🙂 Great collection, the pot roast and veggies is my fav. Pinning to my Crock Pot board!
Thanks for sharing with us at Home Matters Linky. Please come again.
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