Our Top Slow Cooker Recipes
There’s nothing better than popping all the ingredients in your slow cooker in the morning, and coming home to a wholesome, ready-to-enjoy meal! Whether you’re a slow cooker pro, or just getting started, all of these ideas will give you plenty of inspiration for your midweek menu.
On this list, there’s a mixture of slow cooker specific recipes and multi-method ones – so just bear in mind that you may need to scroll to the bottom of the page to see the ‘low and slow’ instructions.
It’s not all soups and stews! We’ve gathered up comforting dinners, surprising sides (including our viral Slow Cooker Focaccia!) and indulgent-tasting sweet treats too.
Pinch of Nom: Slow Cooker is simmering away now
It’s no secret that we love our trusty slow cooker at Pinch of Nom! That’s why we’re bringing out a whole Slow Cooker book filled with delicious, one-pot wonders for you to try on September 25th.
Pre-order by tapping here (or on the image below) to grab your copy!
1. Slow Cooker Campfire Stew
It’s only right to kick off this list with one of our most-popular slow cooker recipes ever: Campfire Stew! A combination of fall-apart gammon, warming spices and filling beans, you really can’t go wrong at dinnertime with this one.
The good news, you can now make the prep even easier with a sprinkling from our Flava It! Campfire Stew Recipe Mix.
Vegan or not, it’s well worth trying our alternative version made with pulled jackfruit.
2. Slow Cooker Hunter’s Chicken
Hunter’s Chicken is a pub grub classic that’s not something you’d expect to see on a list of top slow cooker recipes. Popular with the whole family, it’s fair to say it’s not always the most slimming-friendly option on the menu.
Our twist includes a rich, smoky sauce and bubbly cheese on the top, all while staying nice and light at less than 350 calories per serving.
You can try more recipes inspired by our favourite pub grub dishes by tapping here.
3. Slow Cooker Enchilada Lasagne
Leave the filling for this Enchilada Lasagne to bubble away low and slow, and you’ll unlock whole new levels of Mexican-inspired deliciousness!
With our recipe, there’s no need to bundle ingredients into tortilla wraps like you would with traditional enchiladas. We’ve used the wraps to separate our layers instead, making an unusual yet tasty swap for typical lasagne sheets.
It’s no surprise that this made it onto our top slow cooker recipes!
4. Slow Cooker Chunky Tomato Cajun-Style Soup
Of course, there has to be hearty soups and stews on this list! This Chunky Tomato Cajun-Style Soup is hearty, easy to make and perfect for keeping you full until dinnertime.
It’s also really simple to batch-cook and stash in the fridge or freezer, ready to go in your soup flask at a moment’s notice.
Our top tip? Have a crusty wholemeal roll on standby to help you mop up every last drop…
5. Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole
This hearty Sausage Casserole is packed full of flavour and is a great way to warm up when the weather starts getting colder.
It’s packed full of loads of yummy vegetables to keep you fuller for longer, and you probably already have the ingredients in the cupboard!
We like to add a dollop of Creamy Mashed Potatoes for a comforting meal, slow-cooked to perfection.
6. Slow Cooker Cuban Beef
Our Cuban-Style Beef is a tomatoey, spicy twist on plain Beef Stew, that works wonderfully with any side. It’s known in Cuba as Ropa Vieja AKA “old clothes”.
Ignore the nickname – it’s far more delicious than it sounds! Serve it with a pile of fluffy rice to bring Cuban-inspired flavours to your kitchen.
7. Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti With Chicken
Believe it or not, you can finish cooking spaghetti in the slow cooker.
Tender chicken thighs, plenty of nutritious veggies and Italian flavours all mix together over a few hours for a tasty pasta dish that you can serve straight from the pot.
Serve this Baked Spaghetti with Chicken with a starter of Bruschetta and rich Chocolate Brownies for pud.
Winner winner, slow-cooked chicken dinner!
8. Slow Cooker Chilli Cheesy Nachos
This dish went down a storm when we released it because it really does tick all the boxes for our top slow cooker recipes: gooey cheese, crispy “nacho” potato wedges and spicy chilli minced beef for dipping.
It also has the added benefit of looking great on the table.
To make Chilli Cheesy Nachos in the slow cooker, simply pop the browned mince on high for 3 hours, or low for 5.
Give everyone their own plate and dig in!
9. Slow Cooker Minced Beef Hotpot
One of our absolute favourite childhood dinners, we’ve created a slimming-friendly version of a wholesome Minced Beef Hotpot.
Loads of hearty veggies in a rich gravy, under a crispy potato golden top – does it really get much better than that? We like to add Buttery Carrot and Swede Mash on the side for some extra colour and goodness.
10. Slow Cooker Mexican-Style Chilli Beef
You simply can’t beat our freezer-friendly (and budget-friendly!) Mexican-Style Chilli Beef.
Ox cheeks are so tender when cooked low and slow, and so much cheaper than lean fillet steak.
Combine it with your choice of beans, colourful veggies and a kick of spice and you have a mouth-watering stew ready to go with minimal effort.
Not only that, it smells incredible as the flavours combine over time.
Try with Rustic Potato Wedges to soak up any juices and we’re sure this dish will become a favourite in no time.
11. Slow Cooker Vegetable Stew with Cheesy Dumplings
Hearty and homely, this meat-free Vegetable Stew with Cheesy Dumplings is perfect when you’re craving a big bowl of warming comfort food.
The lovely little fluffy dumplings are oh-so-cheesy and surprisingly simple to make…
12. Slow Cooker Beef Madras
We’re not kidding when we tell you this Beef Madras will give your local takeaway a run for its money. If you want your kitchen to smell amazing, THIS is the dish to make.
We’ve made ours medium-hot to keep things family-friendly, but if you’re feeling brave, feel free to turn up the heat with more chillies!
13. Slow Cooker Chilli Bowls
We’re always on the hunt for new ways to get creative with leftover chilli con carne! These Chilli Bowls hold all the classic chilli dinner accompaniments, from a rice base to a cheesy topping.
You can even add a spoonful of guacamole or sour cream, if you fancy!
14. Slow Cooker Focaccia
Our Slow Cooker Focaccia has been incredibly popular in our Facebook group, probably because it’s such a unique slow cooker creation!
Your slow cooker will do most of the hard work for you, but you’ll wanna leave your loaf to brown under the grill for 5 minutes before serving.
Turn to pages 226-227 in our All in One book for the full recipe.
15. Slow Cooker Self-Saucing Chocolate Pudding
Another winner from All in One, this Slow Cooker Self-Saucing Chocolate Pudding proves without a doubt that good things are worth waiting for.
There’s no need to rustle up a jug of custard to serve with this one! As it bakes, it’ll create its own rich, chocolatey sauce that’s mouthwateringly good…
Grab your copy of All in One and flick to pages 240-241 to try it.
Ready, set…it’s time to (slow) cook up a storm!
We’d love to hear all about what you’ll be making in your slow cooker. We’ve got almost 1 million lovely community members waiting to encourage you on your slimming-friendly slow cooker journey, or answer any recipe questions you might have in our friendly Facebook group.
You can also look for inspo in our Gallery. You’ll need to sign up to a free website account to upload and share your own photos (we’ve got a step-by-step guide on how to do that just here).
If you liked this article, there’s more where that came from:
- 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