40 Unforgettable Crockpot and Slow Cooker Recipes
I didn’t become a crockpot person until I was a few years into motherhood and completely drowning in the 5 o’clock chaos — you know, that window where everyone is hungry, homework needs to happen, and you haven’t even thought about dinner yet.
A friend of mine made a pot roast one winter that had been going all day in her slow cooker and I remember standing in her kitchen thinking: I need this in my life immediately.
That was the start of something beautiful. I’d be lying if I said my crockpot wasn’t the most-used appliance in my kitchen by a mile. It’s done more for my sanity as a working mom than I can even put into words. I dump stuff in before work, and dinner is just… there. Done. Like magic, except it’s not magic, it’s just low and slow heat and a little bit of planning.
I’ve made every single recipe in this roundup. Some of them I’ve been making for years. Some became instant favorites the first time I made them. I’ve pulled together 40 of my very best crockpot and slow cooker recipes including dinners, soups, sides, dips, desserts, and even a drink — so you’ve got everything you need in one spot. Bookmark this page. You’re going to come back to it a lot.
🍖 Slow Cooker Beef Recipes
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
This is the recipe that started it all for me, honestly. Chuck roast, carrots, potatoes, a couple of packets — and eight hours later you have a dinner that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen. My husband still requests this almost every week from October through March. Get the recipe here.
Beef Stroganoff in Crock Pot Dinner Recipe
Creamy, rich, and the kind of meal that makes everyone go quiet at the dinner table because they’re too busy eating to talk. Serve this over egg noodles and just try not to go back for seconds. Spoiler: you won’t be able to. Get the recipe here.
Beef Stroganoff in Crock Pot
This is a slightly different take on my stroganoff using golden mushroom soup and cream cheese for a sauce that is just *chef’s kiss*. When I can’t decide which version to make, I honestly just make both. No regrets. Get the recipe here.
Simple Crock Pot Beef and Noodles Recipe
Growing up in the Midwest, beef and noodles is practically a love language. This version uses chuck roast cooked until it falls apart, then tossed with thick Reames egg noodles. Pure nostalgia in a bowl — and my kids devour it every single time. Get the recipe here.
Shredded Beef Enchiladas: Crock Pot Dinner
The slow cooker does 90% of the work here — all you have to do is roll the beef into tortillas and top with sauce and cheese. We make these on taco nights when I want something a little more special than the usual, and they never disappoint. Get the recipe here.
Philly Cheese Steak Crock Pot Recipe
Shredded beef, peppers, onions, provolone — all the good stuff from your favorite Philly cheesesteak, minus the trip to a restaurant. Load it onto hoagie buns and call it done. This one is a serious crowd-pleaser. Get the recipe here.
Maid Rite Recipe in the Crock Pot
If you’re from Iowa, you already know. If you’re not — a Maid Rite is a loose meat sandwich and it is everything. This crockpot version is so easy and makes a huge batch. Perfect for feeding a crowd or just feeding my family twice this week, no judgment. Get the recipe here.
French Dip Crock Pot Dinner Recipe
The au jus from this recipe alone is worth making it. Tender slow-cooked chuck roast on hoagie rolls with provolone, dipped into that savory broth — my husband says this is one of his top five dinners I make. High praise considering the competition. Get the recipe here.
Crockpot Beef Barley Soup Recipe
There’s something about beef barley soup on a cold Iowa day that just hits differently. Stew meat, barley, vegetables, and the most gorgeous rich broth — this one takes all day and is worth every hour of it. Get the recipe here.
🐔 Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
Sweet, sticky, and the whole family fights over the last serving — this pineapple-soy glazed chicken is one of my most-made recipes, full stop. Serve it over white rice and dinner is on the table in about two minutes of actual work. Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta
It’s called crack chicken for a reason and I am not going to pretend otherwise. Cheesy, ranch-flavored, creamy chicken pasta that my kids ask for literally every week. I’ve made this more times than I can count and I still look forward to it every single time. Get the recipe here.
Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches
Ranch seasoning, cream cheese, bacon, and shredded chicken — pile it onto a bun and try to stop at one. This recipe gets made at least twice a month at our house, and for good reason. It’s easy, it’s cheap, and everyone inhales it. Get the recipe here.
Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Sandwiches Easy Dinner Recipe
Three ingredients. That’s it. Chicken, cream cheese, and Frank’s Buffalo Sauce — and what comes out is the most insanely good shredded chicken for sandwiches, wraps, or honestly just eaten straight from the pot. No shame. Get the recipe here.
Pulled Chicken Recipe for Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos
My go-to for taco Tuesday when I remembered at 7am that I hadn’t planned dinner. Chicken, taco seasoning, Rotel — into the crockpot it goes. By dinner you’ve got the most flavorful shredded chicken for tacos, quesadillas, rice bowls, whatever. Get the recipe here.
Crock Pot Chicken Chili Recipe
White chicken chili with great northern beans and a creamy broth — this is one of those soups that feels lighter than regular chili but is still totally filling and satisfying. I serve it with cornbread and it’s a complete meal that everyone in my family actually likes. That alone makes it a winner. Get the recipe here.
Crock Pot Chicken Chili Dinner Recipe
Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas
Chicken, peppers, onions, taco seasoning — low and slow all day until everything is tender and fragrant and your whole house smells like a restaurant. Just warm up some tortillas and dinner is done. My kids pile these high with all the toppings. Get the recipe here.
🍝 Crockpot Pasta & Casseroles
Crockpot Lasagna Easy Dinner Recipe
I was skeptical about crockpot lasagna for an embarrassingly long time. Then I made it. No boiling noodles, no fussing with layers in a hot oven, and the result is bubbling cheesy lasagna that my family thinks I slaved over. I’ll never tell them the truth. Get the recipe here.
Crockpot Baked Spaghetti
Layers of pasta, meat sauce, cream cheese, and mozzarella all cooked low and slow together into this gloriously cheesy baked spaghetti situation. If your kids are picky eaters, make this. It works every single time. Get the recipe here.
Crockpot Ravioli Casserole Recipe
Frozen ravioli + Italian sausage + jarred pasta sauce = one of the easiest dinners you will ever put on the table. I am a big fan of recipes that require almost no brainpower, and this is absolutely one of them. Dump it in and walk away. Get the recipe here.
🍲 Slow Cooker Soups & Stews
Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup Dinner Recipe
This tortilla soup has been on my blog since basically the beginning and it has never stopped being a staple in my rotation. Chicken, beans, corn, Rotel, taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix — dump and go. The toppings are half the fun, so don’t skip the sour cream and chips. Get the recipe here.
Crockpot Enchilada Soup
Everything you love about enchiladas in soup form, with way less effort. This is one of those dinners that smells so good cooking all day that you start getting hungry for it around 2pm. Serve it with warm tortilla chips and a lime wedge. Get the recipe here.
🥔 Crockpot Side Dishes
Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
Ask me what I bring to every potluck and holiday dinner and the answer is always going to be these cheesy potatoes. Creamy hashbrowns, cheese, sour cream — cooked in the crockpot so I’m not even stressing about oven space. They disappear before anything else on the table. Get the recipe here.
How to Make Crock Pot Baked Potatoes
I know it sounds too simple to even be a recipe, but this changed my life a little bit. Perfect fluffy baked potatoes made in the crockpot — no foil, no oven. Frees up so much space when you’re making a big dinner. Get the recipe here.
🧀 Crockpot Dips & Appetizers
Easy Queso Crockpot Dip Recipe
Hot, melty queso that stays warm all party long because it’s sitting right there in your crockpot. This is the only way I make queso for a crowd anymore. Set it out with a bag of chips and watch it disappear in about ten minutes. Get the recipe here.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip Crock Pot Recipe
My all-time favorite party dip, made even better because the crockpot keeps it perfectly warm and melty the entire time your guests are there. No more cold, congealed dip halfway through the party — just creamy, cheesy perfection from start to finish. Get the recipe here.
🐷 Slow Cooker Pork Recipes
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
This is one of those recipes that makes you feel like a genius. A pork roast, barbecue sauce, and a handful of seasonings go into the slow cooker and come out as the most tender, flavorful pulled pork that works on sandwiches, nachos, baked potatoes, pizza — literally everything. Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Pork Roast Dinner Recipe
A balsamic and honey glaze makes this pork roast anything but ordinary. It’s one of those dinners that looks and tastes impressive but the crockpot did literally all the work. I love recipes that make me look like I tried harder than I did. Get the recipe here.
Pork Shoulder Slow Cooker Enchiladas with Poblano Cream Sauce
This one is a step up from your average weeknight enchilada. The pork cooks all day and practically shreds itself, and that poblano cream sauce? It’s smoky, creamy, and honestly something I could eat with a spoon. A little extra effort on the sauce is absolutely worth it. Get the recipe here.
Pork Shoulder Slow Cooker Recipe
The beauty of a good slow cooker pork shoulder is that you make it once and eat it three different ways. Tacos Monday, rice bowls Tuesday, sandwiches Wednesday. I call this “cooking once, eating like a queen all week.” Get the recipe here.
🍫 Crockpot Desserts & Candy
Two Hour Crockpot Lava Cake Dessert Recipe
Warm, gooey chocolate cake in the crockpot — two hours and it’s done. I serve this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and everyone at the table acts like I did something extraordinary. The secret is that it basically made itself. Get the recipe here.
Crock Pot Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe
Fall in a crockpot, basically. Pumpkin, cake mix, butter, and caramel cooked together into the coziest, most delicious warm dessert. Serve it with whipped cream and eat it outside by a fire pit if you can. If not, your couch works too. Get the recipe here.
Crock Pot Apple Crisp Recipe
Tender cinnamon apples under a buttery, golden crisp topping — this apple crisp in the crockpot is such an easy fall dessert. I make it on Sunday afternoons when the house is starting to feel like autumn and we want something warm to eat while watching football. Get the recipe here.
Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Clusters
Three ingredients, no candy thermometer, no fuss. These chocolate peanut clusters basically make themselves in the crockpot and look gorgeous on a holiday treat tray. I make multiple batches every December and give them as gifts. People think I’m so thoughtful. I just have a crockpot. Get the recipe here.
Chocolate Turtles Crockpot Candy
Chocolate, caramel, pecans — classic turtle candy made in the crockpot. These look like they came from a fancy candy shop and they’re so easy it almost feels like cheating. Make a double batch because they will be gone faster than you think. Get the recipe here.
White Chocolate Crockpot Candy Recipe
White chocolate and peanuts melted together in the slow cooker — simple, inexpensive, and makes a massive batch. This is what I bring to every holiday cookie exchange and people always ask me for the recipe. When I tell them how easy it is, they don’t quite believe me. Get the recipe here.
Crock Pot Chocolate Almond Clusters
These are a step up from the peanut clusters — raw almonds in a three-chocolate blend that looks genuinely fancy and requires basically zero skill to pull off. A great option if you want to gift something that looks like you bought it at a chocolatier. Get the recipe here.
Crock Pot Chocolate Covered Cashew Clusters
Buttery cashews, rich chocolate, three ingredients total. My sister-in-law requested these specifically for Christmas this year and honestly I was flattered. They’re that good — and they honestly couldn’t be simpler to make. Get the recipe here.
Crockpot Candy Dr. Seuss Grinch Cookies
Green crockpot candy clusters topped with a little candy heart — the most fun holiday treat in this whole roundup, hands down. My kids make these with me every December and honestly I enjoy it just as much as they do. They look adorable on a cookie tray. Get the recipe here.
☕ Crockpot Drinks
Crockpot Hot Chocolate
Made with real chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream — this crockpot hot chocolate is the real deal. Not a packet in sight. I make this for holiday parties and it stays warm all night in the crockpot. People have asked me if I bought it from somewhere. That’s always a good sign. Get the recipe here.
Alright, there you have it — 40 crockpot and slow cooker recipes that have all been tested in my actual kitchen, eaten by my actual family, and made over and over again because they’re just that good. Whether you’re a crockpot veteran or you just pulled yours out of the back of the cabinet after a year of ignoring it (no judgment, we’ve all been there) — I hope this list gives you plenty to work with.
If you make any of these, come find me over on Coupon please come back and let me know how it went! And pin your favorites to save for later — you’re going to want to come back to this list on a busy Tuesday when you have zero dinner ideas and a crockpot just sitting there waiting to save the day. 💛