Our Favourite Slow Cooker Recipes for Summer
If you’re only using your slow cooker for hearty stews in winter, you’ve not unlocked its full potential yet! When the sun’s out and the last thing you want to do is warm your kitchen with the oven, your slow cooker can be your best friend.
A fuss-free way to prepare delicious meals, you can whip up a full menu of flavour-packed meals using minimal energy.
From succulent, pulled meats to summery pasta dishes, there’s no shortage of inspiration on this list – and everything is lower in calories too!
Our upcoming cookbook, Pinch of Nom: Slow Cooker, is jam-packed with 100 brand-new healthy and delicious recipe ideas that are well worth the wait.
Tap here or the image below to pre-order your copy ready for September 25th.
This post contains affiliate links. Find out what this means.
Slow Cooker Spiced Pulled Pork
We know how tiring it is to cook when it’s boiling hot outside! That’s why we usually leave our Slow Cooker Spiced Pulled Pork recipe to bubble away low and slow all day, until it’s mouthwateringly tender.
With the hard work done for you, all you have to worry about is deciding how to use it. Will you use the smoky-sweet pork pieces to fill tacos, burritos, wraps or salad bowls?
While it’s tasty enough to enjoy all on its own, we’ve taken things up a notch by prepping a lip-smacking sauce and a zingy side-slaw too.
Slow Cooker Chilli Bowls
It might seem like a contradiction, but we love leaning on spicy foods when the sun’s shining. These Slow Cooker Chilli Bowls are a colourful, creative way to make use of leftover portions of chilli con carne.
We’ve not skipped any of the classic accompaniments, from a rice base to a cheesy topping (you can even add a spoonful of guacamole or sour cream, if you fancy!).
You might think there isn’t much rice in our recipe, but it’s just the right amount to leave you full and satisfied – especially on a hot summer’s evening.
Chicken Cacciatore
While Chicken Cacciatore translates to Hunter’s Chicken in Italian, it’s very different from the British pub grub version (you can go here to try our twist on that recipe, which is slow cooker friendly too!).
You might think this rich, tomatoey dish is only perfect for the warmer months, but it’s actually gorgeous year-round! Try it over a bed of pasta, or – for something lighter – serve it with a fresh, crispy mixed salad and scoop up the sauce with a crusty wholemeal bread roll.
Slow Cooker Focaccia
You’ve not levelled up your summer picnics until you’ve baked a batch of Slow Cooker Focaccia. As you can see from our Gallery, our community absolutely loves this one!
Your slow cooker will work on the dough until it’s risen, fluffy and infused with a familiar combination of garlic, sea salt and rosemary.
The fresh, homemade focaccia is ideal for ripping apart and dipping, slicing ready for sandwiches or topping with cheese and roasted veg. Whatever works for you!
You’ll need to flick to pages 226-227 in our All in One cookbook to try the full recipe.
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato and Feta Risotto
It’s not summer without a cheesy, light risotto on the menu. This Slow Cooker Sweet Potato and Feta Risotto is also from our All in One cookbook, and you don’t have to worry about standing around for ages stirring it!
You’ll know it’s ready when your risotto rice is fluffed up, creamy, and bursting with salty, tangy feta cheese deliciousness – coupled with the natural potato sweetness!
Turn to pages 148-149 to freshen up your plate.
One Pot Mediterranean-Style Chicken Orzo
Yes, that’s right – you can make this hugely popular Pinch of Nom classic in your slow cooker. This is our quick slow cooker method for prepping One Pot Mediterranean-Style Chicken Orzo:
- Brown the chicken, add to the pot with all of the other ingredients (except the orzo and parsley).
- Cook on high for 2-3 hours.
- Add the orzo and some extra stock, if required. Cook for a further 35-40 minutes on high until the orzo is tender.
Want to know how good orzo tastes in the sunshine? Try this recipe and thank us later!
Tandoori Chicken
If you love a Sunday lunch in the summer but you want to mix things up a bit, this Tandoori Chicken recipe is the way to go. It breaks away from a traditional roast in the most delicious way possible; with a medley of luscious, Indian-inspired spices.
Once your slow cooker has finished tenderising the chicken, carve and serve it with side dishes that are just as vibrant. Mildly spiced vegetables, zesty salads, biryani and samosas are all great sunny-day options!
Slow Cooker Kleftiko Lamb
You’ll feel like you’re on holiday in the Mediterranean with this Slow Cooker Kleftiko Lamb bubbling away in your kitchen. Not only does it look and taste exactly like something you’d expect to be served at a Greek taverna, it’s simple to make too.
Pop everything in the pot and leave it simmering on the ‘low’ setting all day (around 9-10 hours), until the meat is succulent and easy to shred with two forks.
Our top tip? Prep this batch-cook wonder on a Sunday, ready to serve in salads or sandwiches that’ll feed you for the rest of the week.
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken
The flavours in this fakeaway-style Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken are just as bright and beautiful as a warm, sunny day! You can tell your dinner guests that it’s under 300 calories per portion if you want, but we can promise they won’t believe you.
Better yet, you can have it ready to go in just 6 easy-to-follow recipe steps! You’ll be left with a slow cooker full of tender chicken pieces and softened veggies in a thick, sticky-sweet sauce.
Slow Cooker Chana Masala
Turn to pages 44-45 in your copy of Enjoy for a slow cooker recipe that’s bursting with colour and flavour. At 225 calories per portion, this Slow Cooker Chana Masala is the perfect addition to a curry-inspired fakeaway night in the garden.
The key to this recipe is in the name: ‘chana’, or chickpeas, served in ‘masala’, the warming sauce.
After 6 hours of slow-cooking, it’ll be ready to serve at the centre of the table with wholemeal pitta breads for dipping.
It’s time for a slow cooker summer!
Ready, set…slow cooker summer! Please don’t forget to share any photos of your summery slow cooker creations in our Facebook group. We have a welcoming community of almost 1 million members just waiting to chat about all things Slow Cooker and swap recipes with you!
Plus, don’t forget to upload any photos you’ve taken of your slow-cooked creations to our PON gallery – you might even win some SWAG.
If you liked this article, here are a few more that you might find useful:
- How to Make Healthy Slow Cooker Dump Bag Meals
- Our Top Slow Cooker Recipes
- What Can I Cook in a Slow Cooker? The Best Ingredients and Our Top Tips
- The Best Slow Cookers to Buy: How to Choose the Right One for You
- How to Convert Recipes to a Slow Cooker
- 10 Slow Cooker Recipes You Need to Try
- The Best Slow Cooker Recipes for Batch Cooking
- Easy Slow Cooker Fakeaway Recipe Ideas to Make on Busy Days