A slow cooker is a genuine lifesaver in a busy family home. It’s versatile, doesn’t need to cost a fortune to use, and because you’re cooking for longer, you can get away with cheaper cuts of meat — which is great news for the household budget in the long run.
Here are 15 amazing slow cooker recipes your family will love.
Your slow cooker can be as simple or as fancy as you like — some models even let you bake in them — but at its heart it’s just a large, gently heated bowl where you can cook all sorts of great family meals. Slow cookers also make cooking with your kids much easier, since most recipes are just chopping and adding ingredients to the bowl, then letting it cook slowly while you get on with work or the rest of your day.
If you haven’t invested in one yet, it’s well worth considering for the convenience alone.
1. Slow Cooker Italian Beef Stew
Beef stew is a family favourite in most houses. This easy beef stew recipe from AllRecipes.com takes around 4 hours and serves 8 people.
Using stewing beef, carrots, onions and potatoes, this is a simple and cost-effective recipe that can feed the whole family.
Image credit Allrecipes.com
2. Vegetable & Chickpea Curry
Aromatic Indian spices infuse this vegetarian dish from MyRecipes.com, with an exotic blend of flavours, while coconut milk creates a lovely creamy finish.
This takes around 6 hours and serves 6 people — ideal to put on in the morning, ready for after school or suppertime.
Image credit Myrecipes.com
3. Slow-cooked Porridge
The perfect start to every family’s day is a bowl of healthy porridge. In this slow cooker recipe from BBCGoodFood.com, you pop all the ingredients in at bedtime, then wake up to breakfast ready and waiting.
This recipe feeds 4 and only takes 5 minutes to prep.
Image credit BBCGoodFood.com
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4. Sunday Roast
A slow-cooked Sunday roast is a weekly favourite in our house. Leave it on low for hours and enjoy the mouthwatering smells wafting through the house all day. Finish pork and chicken in the oven on a high temperature for around 10 minutes to brown the chicken or crisp the pork fat.
- Add an inch or so of water with the meat, plus a couple of onions and carrots to flavour the juices.
- Season the meat and add fresh herbs to suit — mint or rosemary with lamb, thyme with chicken, and so on.
- Use a meat thermometer to check when the meat is cooked, though you’ll soon get a feel for the timing depending on the meat and its size.
- Once the meat is cooked, let it rest and make gravy from the leftover juices — either in the slow cooker if you have time, or transfer the juices to a pan on the hob and finish the gravy quickly with cornflour or whatever you’d normally use.
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5. Pork Cutlets with Apple & Parsnip
This pork cutlets recipe from Taste.com.au takes around 4.5 hours to slow cook and feeds 4 people. The slow cooking leaves the pork cutlets very tender, with meat that falls off the bone — perfect for younger children.
With only 15 minutes to prepare, it’s a great choice for lunch or supper.
Image credit Taste.com.au
6. Crock Pot Lasagna
Yes, lasagne really can be made in a slow cooker. This recipe from Food.com follows the usual method for lasagne in the oven, browning the meat and onions and layering the pasta and sauces.
Once it’s layered in the slow cooker, you can leave it for 4 to 5 hours while you get on with other things. This serves 4-6 people and takes only 15 minutes to prep.
Image credit Food.com
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7. Lamb with Olives and Potatoes
This slow cooker recipe for lamb from Martha Stewart feeds 4 and is perfect for a Sunday lunch, with a 40-minute prep time and around 4.5 hours in the slow cooker.
Lamb is ideal for the slow cooker, as the slower it cooks, the more tender it becomes. You can ask your butcher to cut the shank to fit your slow cooker if needed. Leave the olives out if they’re not a favourite with the kids.
Image credit Martha Stewart
8. Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
We often think of curries as a quick meal, but they’re just as delicious cooked slowly. This slow cooker chicken curry recipe from FoodNetwork.co.uk takes over 6 hours to slow cook, which is ideal for prepping in the morning ready for the evening meal.
It feeds 4 people and is very simple to follow, with only 20 minutes of prep time.
Image credit Foodnetwork.co.uk
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9. Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Chili
This chicken and sausage chili recipe from AllRecipes.com serves 8 and cooks for over 7 hours, making it another great one to prep in the morning.
A family favourite for anyone who likes a bit of spice.
Image credit Allrecipes.com
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10. Slow-Cooker Chicken and Pasta Soup
For a nutritious lunch or light dinner, this chicken and pasta soup recipe from RealSimple.com serves 6 people and only takes 5 minutes to prepare.
The slow cooking time is around 5.5 hours, so it’s perfect to leave cooking through the day.
Image credit Realsimple.com
11. Pepsi Pork Roast
This Pepsi pork roast recipe from Food.com may sound unusual, but it tastes wonderful. The recipe suggests that only Pepsi, and no other cola, will do.
You can add potatoes and carrots to make it a complete meal, or cook those separately. It takes just 5 minutes to prep and around 4 hours to cook, and feeds 6 people — perfect for a fun twist on a family meal.
Image credit Food.com
12. Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast
This pot roast recipe from AllRecipes.com makes 12 servings, but the recipe is adjustable online so you can scale it to suit your family size.
It takes over 8 hours, uses only a few ingredients and needs virtually no prep time, so it’s perfect for a working parent to start in the morning ready for the family evening meal.
Image credit Allrecipes.com
13. Slow-Cooker Chicken Lettuce Cups
Fresh chicken lettuce cups are a healthier alternative to tacos, with the chicken slow cooked first.
This recipe from MyRecipes.com makes 4-6 servings, takes 20 minutes to prepare and slow cooks for around 5.5 hours. The kids will love “loading” their own lettuce cups at the table too.
Image credit Myrecipes.com
14. Minestrone Soup with Beans
A wholesome vegetarian option, this minestrone soup recipe from FoodNetwork.co.uk feeds 4 people and is simple to make, with only 15 minutes of prep and around 4 hours of slow cooking.
A perfect lunchtime treat you can get started before school or work.
Image credit Foodnetwork.co.uk
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15. Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Potpie
This chicken and mushroom pie recipe from RealSimple.com is a perfect family treat for an evening meal or a Sunday lunch.
The prep time is a little longer with the puff pastry topping, though you could also use ready-made pastry to save time. Prep takes around 30 minutes, with a slow cooking time of around 8.5 hours — great for cooking through the day ready for supper.
Image credit Realsimple.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What cuts of meat work best in a slow cooker?
Cheaper, tougher cuts actually do best — think stewing beef, lamb shoulder or shank, and pork shoulder. The long, slow cooking time breaks down the connective tissue and turns budget cuts into something tender and full of flavour, which is part of what makes a slow cooker such good value for a family kitchen.
Can I leave a slow cooker on while I’m out at work or asleep?
Many slow cookers are designed to run safely for extended periods on a low setting, which is why they’re so popular for busy households. Always check your own appliance’s manufacturer instructions before leaving it unattended, as guidance can vary between models.
Do I need to brown the meat first?
It depends on the recipe. Some dishes, like the crock pot lasagne, ask you to brown meat and onions first for extra flavour, while others let you add everything straight into the pot. Follow the individual recipe for the best result.
Can I adjust these recipes for a bigger or smaller family?
Yes — most of the recipes linked above give a serving size, and many can be scaled up or down. Check the original recipe page for guidance on adjusting quantities.
Are slow cooker meals a good way to save money?
Yes. Because slow cooking suits cheaper cuts of meat and stretches simple ingredients like beans, pulses and vegetables, it’s a handy way to feed a family well without spending a lot.
Can kids help make slow cooker meals?
Definitely. Most of the prep is just chopping and adding ingredients to the pot, which makes it a great low-pressure cooking activity to do together, especially for recipes like the lettuce cups where kids can help “build” their own plate at the table.
More Family Food Ideas
If you enjoyed these slow cooker recipes, you might also like:
- 50 Ideas for Easy Family Dinners
- 8 Proven Family Dinners Your Picky Eater will Love
- 25 Super Scrummy Easy Chicken Recipes
- 10 Go-To Family Dinner Ideas Every Parent Should Know
- 16 Splendid Soup Recipes That Kids Will Love
- 10 Quick & Healthy Breakfast Ideas That Aren’t Porridge
Save These Ideas For Later
Bookmark this page or save it to your favourite recipe folder so you’ve always got a slow cooker idea ready for a busy week. Browse our other family food content for more easy meal inspiration.
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