13 Slow Cooker Recipes for Nights When Dinner Needs to Handle Itself

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Some evenings call for a meal that takes care of itself, and that’s where the slow cooker shines. These recipes let you toss in the ingredients, set the timer, and walk away while dinner simmers to perfection. From hearty comfort foods to easy weeknight staples, this collection has you covered.

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

Three tacos filled with shredded beef, diced onions, and cilantro on a plate, garnished with lime wedges and cilantro leaves. — Image Credit: Fun Money Mom

Easy and delicious, our Slow Cooker Shredded Beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender and loaded with robust, savory flavors. Slowed cooked to perfection, it’s perfect for adding to tacos, burritos, bowls, and everything in between!

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Shredded Beef

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

A bowl of shredded chicken garnished with herbs, next to a bunch of cilantro, lime halves, a stack of tortillas, and a white appliance in the background. — Image Credit: Fun Money Mom

This easy Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken recipe is perfect for creating countless tender, juicy and flavorful dishes everyone loves. Incredibly versatile and ridiculously delicious, this recipe transforms simple ingredients into everything from tacos, burrito bowls, salads, and much more.

Get The Recipe: Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

These crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs are sticky, saucy, and packed with that classic sweet-and-savory flavor everyone loves. The homemade sauce thickens right in the slow cooker, perfectly coating every bite of these tender, juicy meatballs.

Get the Recipe: Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Barbecue Honey Pot Roast and Carrots

Slow-cooked shredded beef served with carrots and garnished with herbs on a white plate. — Image Credit: Swanky Recipes

A perfect blend of savory and sweet, this crockpot barbecue honey pot roast with carrots will be your new go-to dinner. Just set it and forget it!

Get The Recipe Here: Barbecue Honey Pot Roast and Carrots

Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala

Plates of chicken with creamy mushroom sauce and rice, alongside a slow cooker filled with the dish, garnished with parsley. — Image Credit: Balancing Motherhood

A restaurant favorite made simple! This tender and flavorful chicken dish in a rich, creamy sauce will have your family begging for seconds.

Get The Recipe Here: Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala

Mississippi Pot Roast

Slow-cooked shredded beef with peppers in a black crockpot. — Image Credit: On My Kid’s Plate

Packed with flavor and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, this Mississippi Pot Roast is a foolproof slow cooker recipe. Just toss everything in and let the magic happen!

Get The Recipe Here: Mississippi Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

A plate of beef stroganoff with wide egg noodles and mushroom slices, garnished with parsley. A fork rests on the edge of the plate. — Image Credit: To Simply Inspire

Classic comfort food is made even easier with a slow cooker! Creamy, savory, and filled with tender beef, this stroganoff is a family favorite.

Get The Recipe Here: Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Slow Cooker Beef and Guinness Stew

A ladle serving beef stew with potatoes and carrots into a green bowl, set on a wooden table next to a slow cooker. — Image Credit: Just is a Four Letter Word

This hearty beef and Guinness stew is the perfect cozy meal for chilly nights. The slow cooker brings out rich flavors that will warm you up from the inside out.

Get The Recipe Here: Slow Cooker Beef and Guinness Stew

Crockpot Lasagna

Close-up of lasagna with melted cheese and sauce in a slow cooker. — Image Credit: Savoring the Good

This crockpot lasagna makes dinnertime easy without sacrificing the cheesy, saucy goodness you love. Layers of pasta, meat, and cheese come together effortlessly for a meal your whole family will love!

Get The Recipe Here: Crockpot Lasagna

Olive Garden Crock Pot Chicken

Close-up of a wooden spoon scooping creamy shredded chicken pasta from a black pot, garnished with parsley. — Image Credit: Wondermom Wannabe

If you love Olive Garden, you’ll definitely want to try this creamy, savory slow-cooked chicken. It’s perfect for a simple yet satisfying weeknight meal.

Get The Recipe Here: Olive Garden Crock Pot Chicken

Slow Cooker Mexican Pork Carnitas

Plate of three tacos with shredded meat, red onion, diced tomatoes, and cilantro, served with lime slices and guacamole on the side. — Image Credit: Food Fun And Faraway Places

These tasty Pork Carnitas Street Tacos are tender, juicy, and loaded with authentic Mexican flavors. Whether it’s a festive gathering or a casual family dinner, these delicious tacos are sure to be a hit.

Get The Recipe Here: Mexican Pork Carnitas

Crock Pot Chicken and Stuffing

A plate of chicken and stuffing casserole topped with parsley, with forks on the side. — Image Credit: Everyday Family Cooking

This crockpot chicken and stuffing recipe brings all the flavors of a holiday meal into one easy, slow-cooked dish. It’s comfort food at its best!

Get The Recipe Here: Crock Pot Chicken and Stuffing

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

A bowl of rice topped with orange-colored curry garnished with chopped cilantro, placed on a white surface next to fresh cilantro sprigs and a white napkin. — Image Credit: Nutritious Deliciousness

This easy Slow Cooker Butter Chicken simmers in a rich and creamy sauce packed with bold spices that soak right into every tender bite. If you’ve never tried butter chicken before, this is the one that’ll make you wonder what took you so long.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

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Lisa, author of Fun Money Mom, standing in front of a kitchen counter with a cupcake.

About Lisa O’Driscoll

Lisa O’Driscoll is a lifestyle and parenting expert, cookbook author, and the creative force behind Fun Money Mom, a popular blog she’s run since 2014. She’s the author of the children’s cookbook Roll It, Slice It, Mash It, Dice It, designed to get kids excited about cooking. With multiple TV appearances under her belt, she loves sharing her expertise on family-friendly recipes, creative DIYs, and party planning and is always on a mission to inspire and entertain!

Meet Lisa