Cynical Parent
I love slow cooker meals. There’s something so comforting about setting it up and letting it run for however many hours while the smell fills your house (and I mean this in a good way).
While they’re generally not good when you want to make something you can eat right now, they’re usually really easy to prep. And you can let it cook while you’re at work, taking care of the kids, whatever.
For some reason, slow cooker meals tend to make for the best leftovers. And of course, good leftovers = not having to cook or worry about dinner the next day. Win win.
In the past when I’ve used my slow cooker (this is the one I have, but any will do) I’ve always seemed to focus on soups and chili.
But little did I know, there exists an entire world of slow cooker meals that range from BBQ ribs to pizza (yes, both of these are real and you will find them in this post). Things that I never thought you could make with a slow cooker.
So, I set out to find slow cooker recipes that go beyond the boring pot of chili – and don’t get me wrong, I love chili.
But these recipes will take your slow cooker to the next level.
Let’s check ’em out…
9 Amazing Slow Cooker Meals that will Blow Your Mind
#1 Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta
This meal oozes comfort.
I’m a big fan of chicken parmesan. And while you could simply bake it the old fashioned way, this recipe yields a much juicier result (i.e. no dry chicken).
Like most slow cooker meals, this one reheats really well for leftovers.
Source: Damn Delicious (click the link to go to the recipe)
#2 Easy Slow Cooker Cinnamon Rolls
I nearly had a heart attack when I saw this recipe (actually, when I first saw the picture).
I’ve baked cinnamon rolls before – and while they’re usually good, they’re sometimes a bit dry.
The best part of the slow cooked cinnamon rolls is that they stay extra moist and soft.
If you’re looking to make this for a Sunday morning breakfast, you can make the dough the night before and get it all ready to go so that you simply need to place it in the slow cooker and turn it on in the morning.
Source: Sally’s Baking Addiction (click the link to go to the recipe)
#3 Fall Off The Bone Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
I used to think you could only make good ribs on a grill. And that used to mean that you’d have to do it during summer, when the weather was nice.
Not anymore.
Enter slow cooker ribs: your solution to eating a delicious summer meal in the winter (if you want).
This recipe makes super tender ribs. They’re so good that you may never return to the grill to make ribs.
Source: Carlsbad Cravings (click the link to go to the recipe)
#4 Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken Enchiladas
If you’re in the mood for enchiladas, I’d really recommend this recipe. It takes about 20 minutes to prep, and then you can set it and forget it (and let the slow cooker work its magic).
This recipe actually ends in the oven, so that you can get that nice golden cheese baked on top.
Source: Six Sisters’ Stuff (click the link to go to the recipe)
#5 Slow Cooker Lasagna
I’ve always made lasagna in the oven, so I though this was a really interesting recipe.
When I’ve made lasagna in the past, it was always a time consuming process. In addition to pre-cooking the noodles, there were a lot of intermediary steps before you could actually put it in the oven and bake it.
With this slow cooker method, the only “manual” step is making the meat sauce. But you can even cut that part out if you want to use pre-made sauce. Beyond that, you just layer everything in the slow cooker and let it run for 4-5 hours.
Source: Tastes Better from Scratch (click the link to go to the recipe)
#6 Slow Cooker Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches
I don’t often eat Philly cheese steak sandwiches (which may have something to do with the fact that I don’t live anywhere near Philly).
The few times I’ve tried them though, they have been amazing. Beef and cheese seem to go pretty well together on a sandwich.
I’ve always been afraid to try making it, but there’s something about involving a slow cooker that takes all that fear away.
I’m not sure if authentic Philly cheese steak sandwiches are ever made in a slow cooker, but I don’t really care.
This is tender and delicious, and I think you should make it.
Source: Dinner, then Dessert (click the link to go to the recipe)
#7 Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
If the slow cooker chicken enchiladas from above aren’t your thing, perhaps the soup version will be.
In some ways, I think soup is the best thing you can make in a slow cooker, because it generally just involves tossing everything in and letting it cook.
This recipe is no different.
Add all your ingredients, cook for 4-5 hours, shred the chicken, and you’re all set.
Source: Like Mother Like Daughter (click the link to go to the recipe)
#8 Slow Cooker Deep Dish Pizza (Chicago Style)
This one is honestly the most “mind blowing” of all.
I think I stared at the pictures for a few minutes before ever looking at the recipe.
Can you seriously make pizza, let alone deep dish pizza, in a slow cooker?
The answer, apparently, is yes.
There are a few benefits to making a pizza in this really unconventional way:
- You can cook it without really watching it (like most slow cooker dishes). In other words, it’d be really difficult to burn this pizza.
- The crust is perfect – it stays soft on the inside but gets crisp on the outside.
- This is a great recipe to get the kids to help you.
Source: A Spicy Perspective (click the link to go to the recipe)
#9 Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken
I’m a huge fan of Indian food, but have always been afraid of making it because I’m pretty sure I’ll never make the sauce taste as good as they do in a restaurant.
As I said with the Philly cheese steak sandwich, there is something about the slow cooker that melts away that fear (bad pun intended).
I always expect Indian dishes to require some kind of exotic spices that I would never have in my cabinet.
However, this recipe uses spices that most people have already, which is awesome.
Source: Dinner, then Dessert (click the link to go to the recipe)
I want to make all of these right now, don’t you?
If you’re looking to step up your slow cooker game and go beyond basic soups and chili, these recipes are a great way to start.
And with recipes like these, your slow cooker doesn’t just have to be for cold weather. These are definitely the types of meals you can enjoy year round.
So what do you think? What are some of your favorite slow cooker meals? Leave a comment below!
