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
Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

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 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, our frozen roast in a Crockpot is the most popular of all next to 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.

NO Prep Needed

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.

Once you have a pot you can make all of our Crockpot dinner ideas in a jiffy. Cheesy crockpot lasagna casserole is super popular! And how can you go wrong with crockpot spaghetti and meatballs.

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.

Breakfast

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

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 try something new, beef with a bone we call Crockpot Ossobuco Beef. Our crockpot hamburger helper recipe of ours is to die for! Or for a heartier meal, make Crockpot Mississippi pot roast. An old fashioned favorite is our Crockpot Meatloaf Recipe. You can use your own mixture but our timing if you’d like.

But with a large cut of beef you too can make it fork tender like our Crockpot Brisket Recipe. You just need 3 ingredients to make Crockpot Brats perfectly. This is a great crockpot corned beef and cabbage that we make even when it isn’t St.Patricks Day….so good!

If you have a flank steak or top round you should make our London Broil for the Slow Cooker Another one you may not have tried but is fabulous is Crockpot stuffed cabbage….seriously! Here’s a vegetable soup in Crockpot that’s a throw it in and go kinda’ meal.

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 beef manhattan, pulled beef and more.

turkey breast in crockpot

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. You can start with a classic. This easy Crockpot chicken casserole with rice and vegetables is a good beginning.

This crockpot pesto chicken alfredo casserole is so yummy! But if you’re looking for a healthier option you can try our slow cooker chicken thighs and potatoes. A low carb meal with tons of flavor is Crockpot jerk chicken recipe. We cook from frozen a lot because I don’t always remember to defrost dinner in time. If you’re the same, try our Crockpot frozen chicken thighs recipe too.

She also has a great crockpot chicken stew that’s low carb! Crockpot Hawaiian chicken is delicious. Slow cooker chicken and dumplings is a Southern chicken dinner fave. For a healthier option make pepperoncini chicken.

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 Crockpot white chicken chili recipe here. Crockpot crack chicken is next! Creamy with cream cheese and shredded so it is ready to fit inside a slider or bun, this and our chicken cordon bleu sandwich is a fast meal and one of the best crockpot chicken recipes.

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

They also have a chicken and dumplings slow cooker recipe that I’ve got to try!! And if it is the holidays you must try our turkey crown recipe. You can serve them with Crockpot carrots and slow cooker collard greens to enjoy. You can make our Lentil Stew vegetarian or with kielbasa or chicken. Super versatile dish that is hearty and we love.

Creamy Crockpot corn chowder is incredible. We love our loaded baked potato soup here and make it every month, even during the Summer time! Crockpot funeral potatoes are always a hit for brunch. 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
    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 Recipe

    By Justine
    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

    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
    Want to save this recipe?
    Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
    Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

    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!

    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.

    This slow cooker pork tenderloin with balsamic is amazing too. Our slow cooker stuffed cabbage soup is a fave with ground spicy sausage. Another favorite ground pork or beef recipe is Crockpot stuffed bell peppers. Slow cooker Hoppin John is supposed to bring you luck and prosperity in the New Year. It’s worth a shot!

    When you want something ethnic in the pot 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.

    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!

    Here’s one you may not have tried before, slow cooker oxtail. Don’t say ewww until you’ve tried it. Another great rustic beef stew is here from Happiness is Homemade! Check out this beef fajitas crockpot recipe from A Thrifty Mom. Slow cooker soup recipes are always cheap. If you’ve never had crockpot pizza casserole and you have kids, you’ve gotta’ make it!! 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.

    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.

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

      Soup

      Creamy Crockpot ham and potato soup is cheap and amazing. Crockpot black eyed peas recipe uses dry beans. Can be made thinner into a soup or thick like chili. Try this smoky black bean chili soup in the crockpot from Life Currents too. If you need a really dump and go kinda’ meal, try making Crockpot potato soup with frozen hashbrowns.

      Chicken soup in the crockpot is great year round. 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.

      Cooking 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

      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. This one is fun…..make crockpot pizza some time, it’s great. Pair it with crockpot apple cider for the win.

      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.

      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!

      We make easy crockpot ribs often and they’re the tenderest you will ever try! Our easy crockpot lasagna recipe is REALLY popular there’s no noodle cooking involved which I love. You can make slow cooker chicken enchilada soup and it’s a great meal with a side of bread. Have you ever cooked a whole chicken in the crockpot, it turns out so juicy!

      Tastes of Lizzy T’s has a great slow cooker swiss steak recipe! She has another one for honey bourbon chicken that looks amazing too. Or make Crockpot chicken taco meat. TIP – here’s how to clean the inside of your crockpot, if you’ve never done it you MUST!

      Kid Friendly

      Crockpot sesame chicken is an easy recipe for the win too Then try Crockpot steak and potatoes. Lemon pepper chicken in a slow cooker is great too Num’s the Word has a great slow cooker barbeque chicken sandwich recipe here. There’s just 3 ingredients in this homemade Crockpot orange chicken recipe.

      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!

      Desserts

      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.

      About Justine

      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.

      You May Also Like

      5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

      Leave a comment

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

      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!!!