All day crockpot recipes are perfect for busy families. You can get the kids ready for school, daycare, the pool, whatever …. throw everything in the crockpot, and get out the door in no time. Then, when you come back home after what always seems to be crazy days anymore, instead of having to think about what to make for dinner, it’s already finished, there waiting for you. No last minute decisions and no standing over the stove after a long day. You have a whole meal waiting for you, and you get to come home to a delicious smelling house.
I’ve been doing this for years, and my family really doesn’t get why I love crockpot dinners, but one day …. I have no doubt that they will fully understand!
1. Crock Pot Beef and Noodles
A chuck roast slow-cooks all day until it pulls apart. Then stir in egg noodles for a thick, hearty one-pot meal. It is the type of recipe that has people asking what smells so good as soon as they walk through the door. The first eight hours on low does all the heavy lifting.
This seems to be the slow cooker version of a hug. My husband requests it all the time from October to March, and honestly, I just say yes because there's hardly any effort on my part. It's like eight minutes of prep, and then I just leave.
2. Beef Stew
You throw in raw potatoes, carrots, and tender beef and let it sit for 8 hours on low. The broth thickens and tastes like you simmered it on the stove top for hours. Everything goes in raw and comes out tasting like you spent hours on it. This is the definition of dump and go, no browning is required!
I prepare this for Sundays when we have plans and I want to have a nice dinner ready for when we return home. It's one of those meals that tastes even better the next day, which in my house means no leftovers because it tends to be discovered at midnight by someone.
3. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Pork shoulder is put in with some spices in the morning and cooks for about 8-10 hours on low until it can be shredded with two forks. You can eat it over rice, in tacos, on buns, or just take it from the crockpot with a fork, we won't judge. It only gets better the longer you cook it.
This is my favorite way to feed a large group without doing any work. I made this for my son's birthday last summer and his friends were convinced I had been slaving over a hot stove all day. I had been at Target. The crockpot did all the work for me.
4. Crockpot Lasagna
You can layer dry lasagna noodles, meat sauce, and ricotta directly into the crockpot — no need to boil the noodles, use a baking dish, or turn on the oven. After cooking on low for three to four hours, the noodles will be perfectly tender, and the cheese will be bubbly and melted on top. It's so much simpler than traditional lasagna, yet yields the same delicious results.
My teens treat lasagna as a meal for special occasions. I never tell them it only takes ten minutes to put together. It makes me feel fancy, but I really didn’t put in the effort.
5. Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches
Chuck roast is cooked all day in a beef broth and onion soup mixture so it is tender enough to fall apart. Slice it thinly, pile it onto hoagie rolls, and dip it into the leftover juices that are now the most flavorful au jus. Just a few ingredients. Big payoff.
This is one of those recipes that makes people think you did something fancy. The au jus is just the crockpot liquid. I feel a little pride every time someone asks how I did it. Not much effort needed to look like a genius.
6. Philly Cheese Steak Crock Pot Recipe
Peppers, onions, and beef cook all day with Worcestershire sauce and become savory and super tender. Load onto hoagie rolls with provolone or Cheez Whiz if you want to go full-on Philly. This barely costs more than regular sandwich nights.
This is on repeat in my house because my husband loves anything with a hoagie roll, and for good reason! It’s so easy to make, and I can do it for so much less than any takeout Philly cheesesteak. Plus, I made it with a beef package from Aldi. He doesn’t need to know that!
7. Crock Pot Maid Rites (Iowa Loose Meat Sandwiches)
Ground beef cooks all day in broth that has been seasoned to perfection so that it is impossibly tender and juicy. Then it is put on plain hamburger buns just like every small-town diner in Iowa has been doing for decades. No ketchup. No fuss. Just delicious savory loose meat.
Since this is a blog about Iowa, I feel a personal obligation to include this one. If you have never tried a loose meat sandwich, you are missing out. If you have, you know how much of a genius idea this crockpot recipe is for a big crowd and that I always double the recipe.
8. Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos
You can add chicken breasts to the crockpot along with some salsa, taco seasoning, and a splash of lime juice. Cook them on low all day until they can be shredded with almost no effort. You can use them for tacos, burrito bowls, nachos, or anything else that your family is craving. One batch is very inexpensive and feeds a lot of people.
My teens get most excited for taco night, and this is my set it and forget it version of taco night. Gigi sits by the crockpot all afternoon hoping that something spills. It never does, but she stays hopeful every time!
9. Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Sandwiches
Chicken breasts cook all day with a stick of butter and some buffalo sauce, then shred right in the pot and pile onto buns with either blue cheese dressing or ranch. It's MUCH better than any delivery you could get. You could use it as a topper for baked potatoes or even as a filling for wraps.
My son asks for this meal all the time, but I never complain. It’s one of the simplest meals to prepare. Just dump the chicken in, pour the sauce on top, and walk away until dinner time. I've done more difficult things before finishing my first cup of coffee.
10. Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches (Crack Chicken)
The chicken breasts cook in a mixture of cream cheese, ranch seasoning, and cheddar which shreds into the most creamy, savory filling ever put on a bun. If you really want to commit to the moment, add bacon. This is the recipe that everyone asks you for at the potluck.
The title serves it justice. My daughter made this at a school event and returned home with no leftovers, plus three people requesting the recipe. I directed them to the blog. That is called success at event catering without investing your entire Saturday in the kitchen.
11. Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken
Chicken is cooked in a delightful sauce that is both sweet and tangy. The sauce is made with pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic. The chicken cooks until it is tender and then can be shredded or served in chunks over rice. This sauce really soaks into the rice which gives it a flavor that is reminiscent to something you would order from a restaurant.
I can always count on this being in my summer meal rotation since it doesn’t heat up my kitchen, and I can have it over rice in 10 minutes. My kids refer to it as “the pineapple chicken,” which isn’t wrong, and it tells me they would eat it again, which is what I aim for.
12. Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta
Chicken, cream cheese, bacon, and ranch seasoning cook together all day, then you stir in pasta at the end for a creamy, filling one-pot meal. It’s rich and saucy and comes together in a way that makes the crockpot look like it’s showing off. Feed six people, barely try.
This is a great dinner option on nights when I want dinner to be more than just dinner. It’s real comfort food — the type people scrape out of the pot so as not to leave any behind. My husband once ate it cold the next morning. I didn’t ask questions.
13. White Bean Turkey Chili
Satisfy your hunger with a ready when you are chili! It has an all-day simmer taste made with ground turkey, white beans, green chiles, chicken broth, and lots of cumin. For a touch of chili luxury, garnish with sour cream, shredded cheese and/or avocado.
This is what I make when I want something that feels healthy but still eats like a real dinner. And it’s one of those recipes where if I’m paying attention to the fridge I can make a pot of it last us two or three meals.
14. Copycat Panera Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
This slow cooker version of the Panera classic combines chicken, wild rice, veggies, and a creamy broth, which cook all day together until perfectly tender. The soup becomes thick and warming. It tastes like the real thing; maybe better, because you made a full pot for less than the cost of two bowls.
My daughter would get this at Panera every time. I made it at home and she said it was better. That's probably the best compliment I've ever had. We have it on repeat from October to March and nobody complains.
15. Crockpot Ravioli Casserole
Layer frozen ravioli, jarred marinara, ground beef, and shredded mozzarella in a crockpot and let it bubble into a cheesy stew that, quite frankly, tastes like someone made baked ziti and ravioli had a very delicious baby. No need to boil or layer in a hot baking dish. No need to stand over the oven. Just set it and forget it and dinner is ready.
This is one of those recipes that is more fun to make than it is difficult, which is my favorite type of meal. My kids think it's fancy, and I tell them it's Italian. Both of those things are somewhat true, and they're not wrong.
16. Crockpot Baked Spaghetti
Crockpot cheesy spaghetti is super simple. You just throw spaghetti, meat sauce, and melted cheese into the crockpot and leave it until the pasta is tender and everything melds together. You get all of the flavors of baked spaghetti, minus the baking dish, the oven, and the annoying twenty-minute wait. Just set the crockpot, go do whatever, and come home to an already finished dinner!
I make this cheesy crockpot pasta meal regularly because my family loves pasta dishes. I appreciate that it reheats well, especially on Tuesday nights when I'm busy.
17. Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas
All day, the slow cooker lets the chicken, sliced peppers, onions, and fajita seasoning meld together so the flavors can fully absorb and the chicken becomes tender. For a simple weeknight meal that is easy, serve it in warm tortillas with your choice of toppings or over a bowl of rice.
The smell coming from this one is almost unfair. Every person who walks through the door assumes you've been slaving away in the kitchen for hours. I have been cooking for hours — the crockpot has. My actual involvement was maybe six minutes at 7 AM before the storm of chaos started.
18. Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
Hash brown, chicken cream soup, sour cream, and cheddar cheese combine to create an ooey-gooey dish that's sure to be a hit. At every potluck, this crowd favorite will be gone before you know it. This is sure to get requested by your family time and time again.
I made these for Easter, Christmas, random Tuesdays, and a graduation party where someone asked if they were from a restaurant. They weren’t from a restaurant. They were made from a bag of frozen hash browns and a can of soup. All the credit goes to the crockpot.
19. Crock Pot Baked Potatoes
For effortless baked potatoes, wrap russet potatoes in foil and place in the crockpot for 8 hours. When you get home, the potatoes will be fluffy and fully cooked. You can top them any way you like, such as loaded with bacon and sour cream, chili, salted butter, and more. This is an easy way to have a baked potato bar.
I began doing this over the summer when I don’t want to turn on the oven and it completely changed how I think about dinner. Eight potatoes, no prep, ready in time for dinner. My kids top them with every thing under the sun and claim it’s one of their favorite dinners. Best win of the lineup.
20. Grape Jelly Meatballs
Frozen meatballs are coated in a delicious sauce made from a blend of grape jelly and chili sauce that cook into a sticky and saucy dish that will leave you wanting more. This is the recipe that sounds strange and wrong before you taste it, and then you will see why this has been a highly requested dish for over 40 years. Can be served as an appetizer or a main course over some rice.
I bring these to parties and they are always the first thing gone. Someone always wants to know what the sauce is. I always tell them, but they usually don’t believe me until they go home and try it. Grape jelly and chili sauce. That's the secret. It really works.
21. Crock Pot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
You can turn your crockpot on and in 2-3 hours enjoy hot dip made with artichokes, cream cheese, sour cream, parmesan, and spinach. It will stay warm through out the day and is perfect for game day, holiday parties, or when you want something indulgent but with little work.
I plug this in before guests get here, then I don't think about it again. No one requires a babysitter because the crockpot keeps it at the perfect temperature, and all you have to do is set out some chips and a spoon and let people serve themselves. It definitely belongs in the low effort high impact category.
22. Crock Pot Apple Crisp
Enjoy the smell of fall and dessert done for you! Sliced apples with cinnamon and brown sugar cook under a buttery oat topping in the crockpot for 2-3 hours until everything is warm and bubbling. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream straight from the pot.
I make this in September when I see nice apples and I want the house to smell amazing for no reason. It also serves as an excuse to buy some vanilla ice cream, which is an excuse I fully support. This is the crockpot working so you don't have to.
That's 22 dinners, sides, plus a dessert that you can start whenever you get a chance, then come back to finish them later. It doesn't matter how busy your day was, your crockpot just keeps on cooking. That's the best part!
Keep these for those nights when five o'clock gets here too fast. Or for the whole week. No judgement — that's what all-day crockpot recipes are for.