Sick of soup? Try these 20 other slow-cooker recipes (2024)

Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Barbecue chicken is something we like to make in larger quantities for multiple uses. Throw a couple of pounds of chicken in the slow cooker and you can use the tasty result (sliced or pulled) for salads, sandwiches, bowls, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, grilled cheese, waffles—your imagination is the limit! Sugar Spun Run has a delicious recipe, but to be honest, sometimes we just put chicken breasts and barbecue sauce in the slow cooker and turn it on.

Mark Gail/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Buffalo wings are our favorite game day, cheat day and any day food. Our love for this kickin’ chicken only grew when we found out it could be made in the slow cooker. To do the same yourself, check out this recipe from Spend with Pennies—no deep fryer necessary.

Derek Davis/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

We recently got a hankering for chicken marsala, and said, “Why not try it in the slow cooker?” The result was easier, cheaper, and safer than dining out—and just as tasty. We recommend this recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen because it doesn’t even call for searing/browning the chicken beforehand!

Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

When there’s a chill in the air, curl up with a warm bowl of chili! It’s heartier than soup, and a great source of protein if you use this recipe from Two Peas & Their Pod that combines sweet potatoes, black beans, and avocado. This particular version is also perfect if you’re looking for a vegan meal!

Glenn Asakawa/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Corned beef hash mixes chopped meat, potatoes, and onions, and can be served at more mealtimes than a pizza bagel. You’ll need to cook the hash portion in a skillet, but the corned beef goes into the slow cooker to be prepared to absolute perfection. African Bites has an awesome recipe to show you how it’s done.

Deb Lindsey For The Washington Post via Getty Images

There are a lot of chuck roast slow cooker recipes, but we like this one from Foodtastic Mom. It’s a variation of the famous crispy orange beer Chinese takeout dish, but our favorite part is that it only requires seven ingredients.

Antony Dickson/South China Morning Post via Getty Images

Eggplant parmigiana is a dish that sounds so fancy we felt the need to abbreviate its name in the title. But it’s actually quite simple to prepare, and even easier using your slow cooker. Give it a whirl with this six-ingredient spin from CDKitchen.

Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images

Slow cookers aren’t just a lunch and dinner appliance—as evidenced by beaucoup recipes online, including French toast. Traditional French toast can be tricky (but not impossible), so we usually opt for a French toast casserole recipe, like this nifty nine-ingredient version from Moms with Crockpots.

Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Remember what we said about slow cookers not being limited to only lunch and dinner? (We literally just said it.) Allow us to provide Exhibit B: This frittata recipe from Taste of Home. Most frittata recipes call for tomato and potato in addition to the egg but feel free to add your own spin, especially if you have some leftover spinach, peppers, or anything else to use up.

Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Jerk chicken? In a slow cooker? Yes, it’s true, you can make this Jamaican favorite with your favorite appliance. And thanks to this recipe from Cooking and Beer, you can even blacken the skin until it’s crispy with just eight minutes on a grill or grill pan.

David Cooper/Toronto Star via Getty Images

Why boil lasagna noodles and then cook them in the oven when you can just put everything in the slow cooker? The reason: you probably didn’t know! You’ll still have to brown the meat (unless you go sans beef) but it’s nothing but layering after that. Gimme Some Oven can show you the way.

Goran Kosanovic for The Washington Post via Getty Images

There are so many ways to make mac and cheese: in a pot, in a cast iron pan, in the oven, in the microwave (remember college?), and yes, even in your slow cooker. The latter is a huge time saver because as this recipe from Amanda’s Cookin’ shows, you don’t even need to boil the pasta ahead of time.

Greg Powers for The Washington Post via Getty Images

We like to cook our meatballs (and sauce!) for a loooong time, and what better way to do that than with a slow cooker? Dinner at the Zoo has a recipe to get you started, but feel free to experiment and make this dish your own!

Vince Talotta/Toronto Star via Getty Images

The Spanish rice dish paella is named for the type of pan used to prepare it, but it’s still possible to sub in a slow cooker. This recipe from Fit Slow Cooker Queen calls for shrimp and mussels, which is a version known as paella de marisco(seafood paella), as well as chicken and chorizo.

Parker Michels-Boyce for The Washington Post via Getty Images

If you like your pork tenderloin fall-off-the-bone tender, there’s no better option than putting it in a slow cooker. This is an easy meal, as you really only need the tenderloin and some household spices to make a delicious dinner. Diethood has a recipe for garlic balsamic pork tenderloin that we really enjoy.

Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images

You can’t make the whole sandwich in the slow cooker (leave the buns out of this!) but using this appliance is our absolute favorite way to make pulled pork. Try this one from Host the Toast—and don’t forget the coleslaw!

Scott Suchman/For the Washington Post

Swap your slow cooker soup for ratatouille! No, not the Disney/Pixar animated film (although watching that is also a great idea) but the traditional French stewed vegetable dish that can be made with a variety of ingredients, included tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, and some other stuff Cookie and Kate will tell you about in this recipe.

Leonard Ortiz/Digital First Media/Orange County Register via Getty Images

Using your slow cooker to make ribs is a convenient alternative when you don’t have a lot of prep time to spare. (See what we did there?) Just mix up your sauce, slather the rib rack in it, and turn on the heat. Tasty has the details here.

Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images

Salmon in a slow cooker? It’s true! You’ll need to prep your appliance a bit differently for this one by lining it with parchment paper, but the juicy result is totally worth it. Read more tips and hints in this Diethood recipe for salmon with lemon cream sauce.

Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Sweet and sour chicken is one of our favorite Chinese takeout dishes, but instead of bringing your food home, you can make it right in your own kitchen. There are a lot of different variations out there, but we like this non-fried version with pineapple and peppers from The Recipe Rebel.