Best Slow Cooker Recipes

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Want to maximize your time AND money? Slow cookers and Crockpots are your friends. They will help you make big batches of soups, stews, and meats to stash in your freezer or eat all week. These slow cooker recipes will keep your fridge stocked with little effort. Get chopping and put those ingredients in your slow cooker and walk away! It is that simple.

easy slow cooker recipes

Using a slow cooker is a great place to start for beginners. These recipes are easy but not short on flavor. Let the slow cooker do all the work so you can take all the credit!

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

Let the slow cooker do all the work for you when you make this big batch of freezer-friendly homemade spaghetti sauce.

4.87 from 45 votes

$4.40 recipe / $0.63 per cup Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce - What more could you ask for than throwing some ingredients in the slow cooker, forgetting about it for 8 hours, and returning to a rich, delicious homemade sauce? This marinara sauce can be divided into portions, frozen, and you’ll have delicious homemade pasta sauce on hand for quick busy weeknight dinners.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is an easy way to cook the most tender and juicy pork ever. It's great on tacos, sandwiches, burritos and more.

4.80 from 5 votes

$9.48 recipe / $1.19 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork - Something magical happens when you cook pork slowly. It turns into the most mouth-watering tender and juicy meat you’ve ever had. And meat this tender is good with everything, so if you make this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork on Sunday, you’ll have meat to last you all week.

Slow Cooker Cabbage and Sausage

Slow cooker cabbage and sausage is an easy, hands-free way to make a delicious, filling, and cozy meal. Perfect for meal prep!

4.32 from 16 votes

$7.80 recipe / $1.30 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Cabbage and Sausage - Cabbage and sausage cooked together in a slow cooker turns out tender and brothy (almost like a cabbage and sausage soup) and is delicious.

Slow Cooker Sesame Beef

This tender, rich, and flavorful Slow Cooker Sesame Beef is extremely versatile and only requires a few ingredients that can be found at most grocery stores.

4.70 from 39 votes

$10.27 recipe / $1.71 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Sesame Beef - This Slow Cooker Sesame Beef uses only a few ingredients. This beef is ultra flavorful, so use it sparingly and combine it with other less expensive filling ingredients for delicious, budget-friendly meals.

Slow Cooker Hot Buttered Apples

Slow Cooker Hot Buttered Apples are an easy and versatile dessert that is perfect for using up your glut of autumn apples!

4.90 from 19 votes

$5.10 recipe / $0.85 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Hot Buttered Apples - These slow-cooked apples are a lot like the filling for an apple pie and are very versatile. Serve them a la mode, spoon them over your pancakes, waffles, or oats, use them as a filling for a dessert “quesadilla,” or even serve them alongside pork chops.

SLOW COOKER BEEF RECIPES

Forget about that chewy and dry pot roast from your childhood. These slow-cooked beef recipes will get your tastebuds dancing! Plus, these big-batch recipes allow you to cook once and eat great all week.

Giant Slow Cooker Meatballs

As easy as 1-2-3, these Giant Slow Cooker Meatballs are a fun, easy, and effortless answer to weeknight dinner.

4.92 from 12 votes

$8.00 recipe / $2.00 serving Get the Recipe

Giant Slow Cooker Meatballs - These meatballs are a fun way to change up a simple spaghetti dinner. They simmer away in marinara, the flavors blending into each other, creating a luxe-rich sauce for the spaghetti.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Use your slow cooker to make this incredible Beef Stew full of aromatic rosemary and garlic, fork-tender beef, and colorful vegetables.

4.84 from 164 votes

$14.08 recipe / $1.41 per cup Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Beef Stew - This slow cooker beef stew is indulgent in all the best ways. Browning the meat before it goes into the slow cooker caramelizes the proteins and adds depth to the flavor you can’t get just by letting it boil away in the slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Meatball Subs

These Slow Cooker Meatball Subs are extra tender and flavorful thanks to a low and slow simmer in marinara sauce.

5 from 6 votes

$19.43 recipe / $2.43 each Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Meatball Subs - These slow cooker meatball subs are incredibly tender, flavorful, and just all-around decadent, thanks to that low and slow simmer in marinara sauce. It’s magical!

Slow Cooker Hamburger Stew

This super easy Slow Cooker Hamburger Stew is simple, comforting food at its best. And the leftovers are even better the next day!

4.50 from 32 votes

$9.88 recipe / $1.65 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Hamburger Stew - This hamburger stew is similar to traditional beef stew but made with ground beef instead of stew meat. Using ground beef is less expensive than stew meat, and you get a little beef in every bite!

SLOW COOKER SOUP RECIPES

Let the slow cooker create the slow simmer that gives soups depth and deliciousness. Unlike their stovetop counterparts, these classic soup recipes are entirely hands-off.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

This Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup offers a deep, comforting, smoky flavor with simple ingredients and minimal effort.

4.90 from 49 votes

$9.79 recipe / $1.63 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup - Like most slow cooker recipes, this Chicken Tortilla Soup is ridiculously easy and very forgiving. It’s a great meal to prepare when you know you can’t give your full attention to the stove.

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

Slow cooker chicken noodle soup is an incredibly easy and soothing winter recipe that will fill you up and warm you from the inside out!

4.95 from 18 votes

$9.22 recipe / $1.15 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup - Homemade chicken noodle soup from scratch is one of our absolute favorite comfort foods. Not only is it effortless, but even the smell of it simmering away is soothing and gives hygge vibes.

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

Packed with vegetables, flavor, protein, and fiber, this ultra-flavorful and low-calorie Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup is an all around winner!

4.71 from 122 votes

$4.81 recipe / $0.79 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup - This awesomely flavorful and easy slow cooker black bean soup practically makes itself. It’s vegan, super filling, high in fiber, protein, full of veggies, and costs nothing. Need we say more?

Easy Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

The slow cooker does all the work with this easy, flavorful, and healthy white chicken chili. This "dump and go" dinner will become a family favorite!

4.82 from 125 votes

$10.23 recipe / $1.71 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili - This is the perfect example of why people love slow cookers. You dump everything in the slow cooker, stir it, turn it on, and walk away. When you return, you have this hearty white bean chicken chili ready for topping with cheese and diving in with tortilla chips.

VEGETARIAN slow cooker RECIPES

Are you looking for more options for your meatless meals? These vegetarian slow cooker recipes will gather all the vegetable goodness in one pot!

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lentil Chili

This Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lentil Chili makes a huge batch, is packed with flavor and nutrients, and can be made for only about 5 dollars!

4.90 from 84 votes

$4.64 recipe / $0.77 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lentil Chili - Make this chili your own with various toppings, and take advantage of this opportunity to use up some leftover vegetables from your fridge!

Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Lentils

Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Lentils are an easy, hands-off, fiber filled, freezer friendly vegan dinner.

4.74 from 126 votes

$9.86 recipe / $0.99 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Lentils - Slow cookers are fantastic because they’re primarily hands-off, contain their heat well, and don’t cause dreaded ambient heat rise in the kitchen. So, while you can make these Coconut Curry Lentils on the stove top, save yourself some steam and sweat by cooking them in the slow cooker.

(Not) Refried Beans

Use your slow cooker to make these incredibly flavorful (not) refried beans with next to no effort. They’re versatile, delicious, and freezer friendly.

4.77 from 65 votes

$2.51 recipe / $0.28 serving Get the Recipe

Not Refried Beans - These (not) refried beans have an incredibly complex flavor thanks to the jalapeño, chili, and other spices. The beans are so good and flavorful that you’ll be tempted to serve them as your main dish. Dress them up with roasted corn, crumbly cheese, and maybe some grilled zucchini, and you can make a bowl out of them!

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Slow cooker mashed potatoes are the perfect hands-off method for making rich and creamy mashed potatoes for the Holidays!

4.41 from 32 votes

$2.99 recipe / $0.50 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes - Using the slow cooker cuts out the “babysitting the boiling pot” step in making mashed potatoes, freeing you up to concentrate on the rest of your meal. It also eliminates boil overs, draining the potatoes, checking them with a fork to see if they’re tender, using multiple pots and dishes, and gives you another free burner on your stovetop.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN RECIPES

Don’t let that extra uncooked chicken go to waste, and make one of these savory slow cooker chicken recipes. We’ve found that using chicken thighs is better for your budget, and the flavors, especially in the slow cooker, are better!

Taco Chicken Bowls

Slow Cooker Taco Chicken Bowls are the ultimate “set it and forget it” easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love.

4.87 from 181 votes

$10.31 recipe / $1.72 serving Get the Recipe

Taco Chicken Bowls - This taco chicken bowls recipe is definitely “slow-cooker 101”. The combination of tender pulled chicken, salsa, spices, and beans just can’t be beaten! Plus, it can be served in several ways so the leftovers will go far.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken is tender, juicy, tangy, and rich all at the same time! Perfect for sandwiches, nachos, salads, pizza, and more.

4.90 from 19 votes

$12.65 recipe / $1.58 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken - The slow-cooked chicken is tender, spicy, tangy, and rich all at the same time, and there are a hundred different ways you can use it! Sandwiches, dips, salads, pizza, and more.

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Seasoned chicken breast and tangy BBQ sauce are slow cooked until tender and delicious. Perfect for sandwiches, nachos, pizza, and more.

4.86 from 7 votes

$8.34 recipe / $2.09 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken - You can have this tasty chicken in the slow cooker doing its own thing while enjoying a lazy summer day or any time of year! Plus, unlike a hot oven, the slow cooker won’t make your AC work overtime.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

This Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala boasts a rich and aromatic sauce, and tender juicy chicken. Make four servings for the price of one take out!

4.47 from 125 votes

$8.82 recipe / $2.21 serving Get the Recipe

Slow Cooker Tikka Masala - Tender chicken drenched in a rich tomato sauce full of aromatic spices makes this one of our all-time favorite slow cooker recipes! You don’t want to miss it!

Let us know which recipe you will try first, how you it turned out, and which was your favorite!

The post Best Slow Cooker Recipes appeared first on Budget Bytes.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can you spice up a drink?

It's amazing how spices can add flavour and flavor to food. How do you make spices alive in drinks?

Spices are great because they bring out the best in any beverage. From coffee to tea, hot chocolate to cocktails, there's nothing more satisfying than adding a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg to a glass of wine or beer.

But, since most recipes call to ground spices, you'll need whole spices. This makes sense, but it is expensive, takes time, and requires storage space.

This is where magic happens. With your creativity, you can turn your favorite spices into easy-to-use powdered products. Then you can mix them into your favourite beverages to create delicious spiced drinks.

These powders can be made in two ways. One way is to grind whole spices into fine powder. Another uses a mortar and pestle to grind the spices into a finer consistency.

Whichever method you choose, you'll find that the resulting powder is much easier to measure out and store than whole spices. You won't run short of powder, and it keeps well.

Mixing spices can be fun to create new flavors. For minty water you could mix spearmint with peppermint leaves. Or ginger and cardamom pods to make spicy ginger tea.

Once you've learned how to make powdered spices from scratch, you can apply the same process to herbs. Oregano and rosemary are all popular herbs.

There are many options. Powdered spices can enhance the flavor and texture of beverages, such as soups or salads, as well as the taste of pasta.

What are the best Thai spices to use?

Galangal, galangal, coriander, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and clove are the best Thai herbs. You can also use clove, cardamom black peppercorn, clove, cardamom clove, cardamom, fennel seed, star anise, cloves and cayenne pepper as spices.

Rose petals and bay leaves, pandan leafs, curry leaves, pandan leave, kaffir lemon leaves, vanilla beans. Tamarind pods, lemongrass, basil, mint are other useful spices.

How to Store Your Spices?

Keep them away from heat and light.

Place them in a dark cupboard to store spices for extended periods. This will ensure that they stay fresh and prevent any possible oxidation.

Keep spices away from direct sunlight in a dry, cool place. The spice may lose flavour and aroma if placed near a window or heater.

Spices work best in an airtight jar or tin. Avoid storing spices in plastic containers.

As humidity can cause mold growth, it is important to check the seal before opening or resealing.

Don't throw out any spice leftovers. Instead, use them up by adding them to other dishes. They can be frozen to prolong their shelf-life.

What's the importance of spices in your life?

A spice can be described as a seasoning to enhance flavour in food. Spices can take many forms such as powders (liquids), oils, pastes and seeds. They can also be known as condiments, flavours, and flavor.

It's a great way of adding variety to your meals by spiceing them up. To add more flavour and excitement to dishes, many spices can be used.

A few drops of hot sauce can make a soup taste better. Or perhaps you could mix a handful of cayenne peppers with a cup of rice.

Fresh ingredients are best for experimenting with spicing. Buy organic dried herbs. Fresh herbs will last longer than dried.

There are certain spices that are essential for cooking. But there are also some you might want to avoid. If you have a history liver disease, cinnamon sticks should be avoided. Ginger also contains some coumarin but it is less concentrated. It's safe for people who don't have a history of liver problems.

Almond Flour or Almond Meal? What is the difference?

An almond meal can be used as an alternative to almond flour. It can also be used in cooking and baking.

Almond flour can also be gluten-containing, which can make it difficult to digest. If you have celiac disease or another digestive disorder, it's essential to avoid gluten-free foods.

Almond flour may not be considered a "superfood", per se, but it contains healthy fats as well as fibre, protein and vitamin E.

The nutritional benefits of almond meal include magnesium and copper, iron and zinc, manganese as well as potassium and vitamin C.

Almond flour is made from almonds and contains monounsaturated fat acids. Almond oil, however, contains polyunsaturated oils. Both types lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL(good cholesterol).

Almond flour is also rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids and phenolics. These compounds protect against oxidative damage caused by free radicals.

A study published in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry found that almond flour had antioxidant activity equivalent to that of blueberries, cranberries, pomegranates, and red wine grape juice.

Almond milk is often sold with almond flour, which has been fortified with additional nutrients.

What's the Difference Between Cooking With Whole vs. Ground Spices?

There are no significant differences in the cooking of whole and ground spices. All spices are ground after harvesting. It doesn't make a difference in terms of quality.

However, this price differential is quite significant. Whole spices can be more expensive due to the labor involved in their processing. The flavor is well worth the effort.

You'll often find extra discounts for bulk purchases when you buy whole spices. An example: If you buy an entire bag full of cinnamon sticks, you might get a discount.

The same applies to nutmeg and cloves, ginger or cardamom. You may be able save money if you buy these spices in bulk.

Ground spices last much longer than whole spices. Ground spices lose their potency rapidly due to oxygenation.

The main reason we recommend whole spices over dried is that they can add lots of flavor to recipes.

A delicious curry can be made with whole turmeric as opposed to ground turmeric. You can also grind whole coriander leaves to make a spice mix for chicken dishes.

It takes time to grind spices. When you buy whole spices, it makes sense to buy a large quantity. That way, you won't run out of spices too fast.

Statistics

• Their 14 to 20 percent essential oil content means that cloves have the highest concentration of aroma compounds of any spice. (masterclass.com)
• According to Healthline, pink Himalayan salt is estimated to contain up to 84 minerals and trace elements, which gives the salt its special pink color. (spicecravings.com)
• India contributes to 75% of global spice production. (en.wikipedia.org)

External Links

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

• PubMed: Acute Inflammation, Metabolism and Metabolism


• PubMed - Aging, inflammation, the environment

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

• Development and Validation of Novel Dietary and Lifestyle Inflammation Scores - PMC


• Molecular mechanisms of curcumins suppressing effects on tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, and metastasis, focusing on NF-kB pathway - PubMed

en.wikipedia.org

• Cumin – Wikipedia


• Charlemagne - Wikipedia

doi.org

• Vanilla


• Herbs & Spices

How To

How to Cut Shiitake Mushrooms

So, the shiitakes are growing well. You can't go wrong with them. However, how do you cut them without cutting yourself? We've tried everything, even scissors. We keep losing them. What's the problem?

You have a trick. To make the mushroom stem stick out, wrap a rubber band around it and twist it tightly. That way, you won't slip and cut yourself.

This may seem too simple. Well, it is. But it's also very powerful.

Because the rubber band makes the stem slippery it is easy to pick it up. It doesn't hurt to keep the stem in place.

Now, go ahead and try it. It will be so much easier to cut mushrooms than ever before.