10+ Crock Pot Recipes for Easy and Delicious Meals

Using a Crock-Pot makes it so much easier to get dinner on the table. You just toss in your ingredients and let the slow cooker do its thing.

A Crock-Pot saves you time and gives you hearty, flavorful meals that are ready when you are.

If you’re new to slow cooking (or just want low-effort dinner ideas), these recipes should fit right into your busy days. Some are super simple, and some will feed a whole crowd.

The point? Cooking should feel less stressful and a lot more enjoyable.

1) Classic Slow Cooker Pot Roast

A slow cooker makes pot roast almost effortless. Just add a beef chuck roast, then toss in carrots, celery, onions, and garlic.

Season everything with salt and pepper. Butter gives the dish a rich, cozy flavor.

Let it cook and do its thing. By the end, you’ll have fall-apart meat and soft veggies in a savory broth.

Ingredients

• 3-4 lb beef chuck roast
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 4 tbsp butter

Cooking Instructions

1. Place the roast in the slow cooker.
2. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic around the roast.
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper over everything.
4. Dot the butter on top.
5. Cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until the meat is tender.
6. Remove roast and veggies before serving.

2) Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Chicken tacos in the crockpot? Yes, please. Just add chicken and seasonings, then let it cook until the meat’s tender.

Spices like chili powder, cumin, and paprika give the chicken a nice kick. Shred with forks and toss in some fresh cilantro or onions if you want.

Warm up tortillas and pile on the toppings—salsa, cheese, lettuce, whatever you’re into. So easy to customize.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Cooking Instructions:

1. Place chicken breasts in the crockpot.
2. Mix tomato sauce and all spices in a bowl, then pour over the chicken.
3. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours at about 200°F / 93°C or 300°F / 149°C.
4. Shred chicken with two forks and stir to combine with sauce.
5. Serve in tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.

Find more on slow cooker chicken tacos.

3) Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff in the slow cooker couldn’t be easier. Just toss in beef, mushrooms, onions, and a few other basics.

Let it cook low and slow. Afterward, add sour cream for that creamy finish.

Serve over egg noodles or rice for a classic, filling dinner. Round steak or stew meat both work, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce adds a little extra flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef stew meat or round steak, cut into cubes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Place beef, onion, mushrooms, soup, broth, and Worcestershire sauce in the crock pot.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
3. Stir in sour cream just before serving.
4. Serve over cooked egg noodles or rice.

For more details, see slow cooker beef stroganoff recipes like this one.

4) Creamy Butter Chicken

Butter chicken in the crock pot? It’s a game changer. Rich spices and a smooth sauce come together with barely any work.

Start by adding chicken, garlic, ginger, tomato sauce, and spices to the slow cooker. Drop some butter on top and let it melt in.

You can use coconut milk or yogurt for extra creaminess. Serve with rice or naan and you’ve got a seriously comforting meal.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 can (14 oz) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup coconut milk or plain yogurt
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar

Cooking Instructions

1. Place chicken, garlic, ginger, tomato sauce, curry powder, salt, and sugar in the crock pot.
2. Give it a quick stir.
3. Scatter the butter on top.
4. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours.
5. Stir in coconut milk or yogurt during the last 30 minutes.
6. Serve warm with rice or naan.

For more details, see this slow cooker butter chicken recipe.

5) Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Pulled pork sandwiches take almost no effort in a crock pot. Just start with a pork shoulder, add some broth or water, and toss in your favorite spices or barbecue sauce.

Let it cook until the pork is super tender. Shred the meat and mix with barbecue sauce, then pile onto buns.

Coleslaw or pickles on top? Totally up to you. This recipe is great for weekends or when you want a hot meal with minimal prep.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds (1.8 kg) pork shoulder
• 1 cup (240 ml) broth or water
• 1 cup (240 ml) barbecue sauce
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Hamburger buns

Cooking Instructions

1. Add broth or water and liquid smoke to the slow cooker.
2. Place the pork shoulder in the crock pot.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Cover and cook on low for 8–10 hours or high for 5–6 hours.
5. Remove pork and shred with forks.
6. Mix shredded pork with barbecue sauce.
7. Serve on buns and enjoy.

For more options, check out this slow cooker pulled pork recipe.

6) Slow Cooker Chili

Chili in the slow cooker is a no-brainer. Toss in ground beef, beans, and spices, then let it simmer all day.

The flavors meld together while you do, well, anything else. Top with cheese or sour cream for extra comfort.

Try this easy slow cooker chili for a stress-free dinner that tastes great and warms you up. For a detailed recipe idea, check this slow cooker chili recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 can kidney beans, drained
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef in a pan, then drain off the fat.
2. Add beef, beans, tomato sauce, onion, garlic, and spices to the slow cooker.
3. Stir everything together.
4. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.

7) Stoner Tots

Stoner Tots are just plain fun. Layer frozen tater tots, cheese, and your favorite toppings in the crock pot.

Add ground beef, taco seasoning, beans, and salsa for a Tex-Mex vibe. Cook until the tots are golden and the cheese is melty.

Perfect for lazy nights or sharing with friends. Not exactly health food, but hey, sometimes you just need comfort food.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1-2 bags frozen tater tots
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 can black beans (drained)
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cooking Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef in a pan and drain the fat.
2. Mix the beef with taco seasoning, beans, and tomatoes.
3. Layer half the tater tots in the crock pot.
4. Add the beef mixture on top.
5. Sprinkle half the cheese over the beef.
6. Add the rest of the tots and top with remaining cheese.
7. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours, until tots are golden and cheese is melted.

8) Easy Slow Cooker Ham

Cooking ham in a slow cooker is honestly so simple. Start with a spiral cut ham and pour on a glaze made with brown sugar and pineapple juice.

The slow cooker keeps everything juicy and lets the flavors soak in. Baste the ham every hour if you want it extra flavorful.

This method frees up your oven on busy days. Plus, the house smells amazing.

Ingredients

• 1 spiral cut ham (bone-in or boneless)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 20 oz canned pineapple chunks (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Put the ham in your slow cooker.

2. Mix the brown sugar with the pineapple juice to make a glaze.

3. Pour that glaze right over the ham.

4. Toss some pineapple chunks around the ham if you’re into that.

5. Set the cooker to low and let it go for 5 to 6 hours.

6. Every hour or so, baste the ham with the glaze.

7. Serve it up warm. Enjoy.

For more details, see this slow cooker ham recipe.

9) Dump and Go Vegetarian Chili

This dump and go vegetarian chili is just what you need on a busy day. Seriously, you just toss everything into your crockpot and walk away.

No need to sauté or fuss with too much prep.

The chili’s loaded up with beans, veggies, and a good mix of spices.

It’s filling, pretty healthy, and ideal for those meatless nights.

After a long day at work or school, you can come home to a hot bowl of chili—no stress.

It’s so easy, you might wonder why you ever made chili any other way.

Just set your crockpot and forget about it until dinnertime rolls around.

Ingredients

• 1 can kidney beans, drained
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 can pinto beans, drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup vegetable broth

Cooking Instructions

1. Dump all the ingredients in your crockpot.

2. Give it a gentle stir to mix everything together.

3. Cover and let it cook—low for 6-8 hours, or high for 3-4 hours.

4. Stir it up before you serve.

5. Grab a bowl and dig in!

For more tips, check out vegetarian chili slow cooker ideas.

10) Crockpot Chicken Soup

Crockpot chicken soup is one of those easy, comforting meals you can throw together with what you’ve got on hand. You just toss everything in and let it do its thing while you go about your day.

Start with chicken, veggies, and broth in your slow cooker. Carrots, celery, onions, and a handful of herbs like thyme or a bay leaf add a lot of depth.

If you like noodles in your soup, add them near the end. Otherwise, they tend to go mushy, and nobody really wants that.

I usually cook it on low for 6 to 8 hours, but if I’m in a hurry, high for 3 or 4 hours is fine. The chicken gets super tender and the flavors just sort of meld together.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup egg noodles
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Toss chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, broth, thyme, and bay leaf into your crockpot.
2. Set it on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
3. Drop in the noodles for the last 30 minutes.
4. Taste, then season with salt and pepper before serving.

If you want to go deeper, check out Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup – Spend With Pennies.