70+ easy slow cooker recipes including crockpot soup, pasta, casseroles and more. Great weeknight dinners like 5 ingredient chili with ground beef or spicy ground sausage for your crockpot to try out this month. 

easy slow cooker recipes
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Ready for some set it and forget it cheap comfort food?!! I have 5 crockpots and even during the summertime it is great to throw in one of my easy slow cooker recipes and have it ready at dinner time with really NO effort on my part. Let me share many of our favorite crockpot recipes. (affiliate links present)

Slow Cooker Recipes Easy

I have a bunch of these to share with y’all. From appetizers like our slow cooker bbq meatballs to main dishes and even desserts you can “bake”, this pot is amazing. If you are new to low and slow we will guide you along the way. An expert? I bet you want new ideas like now! ๐Ÿ˜‰

And you can cook from right out of the freezer too y’all. Seriously. Like our these frozen pork chops in Crock Pot this comes out tender as well. Let me know which ones turn out to be your favorites and you make over and over again.

Let’s talk a little bit about slow cooking shall we?? First off I have a few different varieties and I love them all. Each one has an occasion to be used like….

  1. This is my favorite 6 quart programmable one with a locking lid so it’s great for bringing to a potluck too.
  2. I prefer not to use liners, but rather just spray olive oil inside before adding my food for easier cleanups.

Let me give you a peek of my pretty thang I bought recently. It goes with my kitchen so I can just leave it out on the countertop all the time. ๐Ÿ˜‰

A floral design slow cooker with a white base and lid sits on a kitchen countertop, perfect for whipping up a 5 ingredient crockpot chili recipe.

NO Preparation Slow Cooker Recipes

Let’s start with some easy cheap crockpot meals first shall we? Most of them include a large hunk of meat that you want to just get nice and tender. This method is a great way to do just that. In some cases like our sirloin tip roast slow cooker you can even include vegetables right in the same pot.

If you wanted to make any of these dairy free it is pretty simple to do. Take our goulash in the Crockpot dish, just get a package of lactose free cream cheese to add in there.

A floral-patterned slow cooker on a kitchen counter. Text above: Family Friendly Crockpot Meals - easy, cheap, under $20, feeds 6, kid approved.

Can you make breakfast in a slow cooker?

Yes you can and it is a great way to start your day. Many you can even start before going to bed so it is ready when you wake up and ready to enjoy. A few of our most popular crockpot breakfast recipes are this crockpot breakfast casserole recipe, or slow cooker steel cut oats

Easy Slow Cooker Recipes with Beef

Throw in a Crockpot roast with onion soup mix for a hearty meal. That little packet gives it a huge burst of flavor with a very low cost. No need to even slice it when done because you will be able to pull it apart with 2 forks. This slow cooker beef stew is fabulous! Add a bit of red wine to take this over the top.

If you want to make pulled sandwiches on small rolls for a fun meal use our Slow Cooker Pot Roast Red Wine recipe and start from there. Crockpot beef stroganoff is fabulous and super easy over butter noodles.

If you find chuck roast on sale, load up! There are so many recipes you can make with this cut including out slow cooker beef manhattan, pulled beef and more.

turkey breast in crockpot

Slow Cooker Meals with Chicken

Try slow cooker chicken legs year round. Then throw them into the air fryer to crisp the skin! There are so many possibilities though with the low and slow method.

I mean you could make things year round like we do. Use what you have on hand. When I find poultry on sale you can go with our Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole with Noodles if you like. Want to use leftover chicken in a hearty and cheap way? Try our easy white chicken chili Crockpot recipe here.

You can throw a whole bird in there which we will get to but little ones are fun too like our Slow Cooker Cornish Hens using potatoes as trivets which makes for a whole meal. Try my Crockpot bbq chicken recipe if you want a really cheap slow cooker recipe with barbecue sauce and a bit of soy sauce.

A close-up of a sesame seed bun sandwich overflowing with creamy, shredded chicken captures the eye. The text Crockpot Crack Chicken is displayed at the top of the image, enticingly highlighting its slow-cooked deliciousness.

Side Dishes Made in a Slow Cooker

They also have a chicken and dumplings slow cooker recipe that I’ve got to try!!

  1. And if it is the holidays you must try one of these slow cooker turkey recipes.
  2. You can serve them with Crockpot carrots and slow cooker collard greens to enjoy.
  3. You can make our Slow Cooker Lentil Stew Recipe vegetarian or with kielbasa or chicken. Super versatile dish that is hearty and we love.
  4. Creamy corn chowder in the crockpot is incredible.
  5. We love our loaded baked potato soup here and make it every month, even during the Summer time!
  6. Crockpot funeral potatoes are always a hit for brunch.
  7. Easy slow cooker cheesy potatoes are great for a mid day side

For a meat free vegetarian option you can make Slow Cooker Lentils as a side or thin out with more broth to become a soup.

crockpot breakfast casserole recipe

Weeknight Crock Pot Recipes with Pork

For a feel good old fashioned dish, our slow cooker pork chops and gravy will bring you back to your childhood. With a thick sauce and your proteins getting tender in just a few hours this is just the start of what you should try this Winter.

When you want something ethnic in the pot Slow Cooker Guisado de Pollo is a great choice. And yes we have a lot more crockpot recipes coming up….. Having a crowd over, or want some pure comfort food on a bun? Try our Crockpot pulled pork recipe with just 3 simple ingredients some night.

With bone-in or boneless Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs all you really need is a bottle of barbecue sauce and your meat.

Simple Recipes to Feed a Crowd

Let’s continue shall we?? We are a family of 5 so I am all about EASY, like as little prep and precooking possible. I hardly ever do that unless it’s beef and I want a sear on the outsides first. Tell me I’m not alone on this!

It’s our easiest easy slow cooker recipes for sure, who doesn’t like pizza??!!

        Close-up of a wooden spoon lifting a portion of easy slow cooker pizza casserole with penne pasta, pepperoni, and tomato sauce. Text on image reads, Slow Cooker Pizza Casserole - an effortless addition to your collection of easy slow cooker recipes.

Slow Cooker Recipes with Frozen Meat

Our most popular creation for this is how to cook frozen roast in a Crockpot with a gravy. Turns out fork tender right out of the freezer cooked all day long. You literally throw it in with some liquid to steam perfectly.

  1. Crockpot frozen meatballs turn out incredibly well. Use as an appetizer or with butter noodles served for dinner.
  2. We make Crockpot frozen chicken all the time to use in a variety of other dishes.
  3. You can even cook a frozen whole chicken in slow cooker with potatoes, we do this all the time!

How to cook soup in a Crockpot

Then give this creamy Crockpot tortellini soup recipe a whirl.

A ladle scoops chicken noodle soup from a white crockpot, revealing tender noodles, succulent chicken, vibrant carrots, and fresh herbs.

How to cook raw meat in a slow cooker

You do not need to precook meat first all the time. Now when it comes to ground meats I will say that is necessary. That is unless you just want to cook Crockpot ground beef by itself you can break it up and cook it that way during the day.

With chicken you do not need to cook ahead of time. In the case that you do add it raw you will want to cut into smaller chunks so everything cooks at the same rate. Like our cheesy crockpot chicken and rice it would not get done properly if breasts were added whole, that is the biggest dip.

ground beef in a crockpot

Crock Pot Recipes without Meat

Have you ever tried crockpot macaroni and cheese…..kids love this version. We all love it. You can cook with just the sauce and fold in noodles at the end or in the sauce itself. You can even make baked potatoes in the crockpot and throw some steamed broccoli and cheese or chili on top.

You can use a meat free product to make our Crockpot enchilada casserole later. You can make Our Crockpot baked beans recipe as the perfect side dish. You can make a bunch of different slow cooker soups without any meat in them.

A homemade pizza with pepperoni, olives, and mushrooms rests on a wooden board next to a pizza cutter. Text reads Crockpot Pizza, offering a delicious twist on classic flavors made with crock pot convenience.

Super Easy Slow Cooker Recipes

More easy slow cooker recipes below! If you’ve never made ribs in your crockpot I highly encourage that you try it! You finish them in the oven so they get a nice crisp on the outside but the time in the slow cooker really makes them amazingly tender and gives them a great flavor. I’ve also made Instant Pot teriyaki ribs if you have one of those!

Weeknight Crockpot Meals Kid Friendly

Two chocolate cakes in white ramekins, topped with powdered sugar and fresh raspberries, sit on a checkered blue and white cloth. The text reads Crockpot Cake – deliciously easy!

How to make dessert in a slow cooker

Now that you have dinner covered try Chocolate Crockpot cake!! Our Crockpot peanut clusters are crazy great to make during the holidays in a large batch. Wrap them up and gift to neighbors and teachers!

We hope this list of easy slow cooker recipes helps schedule your meals for the whole month so you can relax a bit and eat together more often! What is your favorite thing to cook?? I’d love to hear it so we can add it to our list and maybe add it to our rotation if we love it enough. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Collage showcasing 12 easy slow cooker recipes, including soups, stews, and casseroles, with a title reading 40 Slow Cooker Dinner Recipes at the top.
Four easy slow cooker recipes include stuffed peppers, a chicken drumstick, creamy chicken, and pasta with sauce and cheese.
5 from 1 vote

Easy Slow Cooker Recipes

By The Typical Mom
64+ easy slow cooker recipes you can dump and go with ground beef, sausage, chicken or vegetarian. Crockpot meals for families are great.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 7 hours
Servings: 4
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Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Ingredients 

  • 4-5 pork chops
  • 1/4 tsp salt and pepper
  • 1 packet Ranch dressing mix
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder

Instructions 

  • Lay pork chops inside pot, sprinkle all seasonings on top. Try not to overlap meat.
  • Cover and cook on low for about 7 hours or until the thickest part reaches 145 F min. to be safe to consume.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1oz, Calories: 228kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 90mg, Sodium: 737mg, Potassium: 505mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 0.02g, Vitamin A: 104IU, Calcium: 10mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!

About The Typical Mom

Justine is the creative mind behind The Typical Mom and The Typical Family on YouTube. She began blogging about easy recipes, budget friendly activities for kids, and fun family travel destinations in September 2012.

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8 Comments

  1. I was anxious to try the sirloin steak and potatoes crockpot recipe. I clicked on the link and it took me to your page. I scanned through the entire thing and never found the recipe.

  2. Thank you for this! Just what I was looking for this summer so I donโ€™t have to turn on my oven!

  3. These look interesting but Iโ€™m trying to find low cal instant pot recepies can you help?

  4. Great ideas for crock pot cooking! I would love to try your pizza casserole ~ looks delicious!!!