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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    21 Effortless Slow Cooker Meals You Can Prep in a Snap

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on March 4, 2025, updated February 28, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Slow cookers are a lifesaver for busy days, allowing you to prepare delicious meals with minimal effort. With just a few ingredients and some prep time, you can create 21 satisfying dishes that will fill your home with wonderful aromas. These meals are perfect for anyone looking to enjoy hearty food without spending hours in the kitchen.

    Slow Cooker Tater Tot Casserole

    Slow Cooker Tater Tot Casserole.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This slow cooker tater tot casserole is a simple and satisfying meal featuring green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and cheddar cheese. It's a hearty dish that everyone will enjoy.

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    Authentic Slow Cooker Birria

    Authentic Slow Cooker Birria.
    Photo Credit: Muy Bueno Blog.

    Birria de Res is a flavorful dish that's perfect for any celebration. This authentic Mexican recipe can be enjoyed as delicious tacos or a hearty stew.

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    Slow Cooker Taco Soup

    Slow Cooker Taco Soup.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This soup is simple to make and packed with flavor, all thanks to the slow cooker. It features fire roasted corn, fresh salsa, and whole black olives.

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    Slow Cooker Shredded Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich

    Slow Cooker Shredded Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich.
    Photo Credit: Flavor Mosaic.

    Nashville Hot Chicken meets a Shredded Chicken Sandwich in this delicious dish. It's a perfect blend of spicy and savory flavors that everyone will enjoy.

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    Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti

    Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    Slow Cooker Baked Spaghetti features a rich beef sauce layered with pasta, cream cheese, and mozzarella. Known as Million Dollar Spaghetti, this dish is sure to please everyone at the table.

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    Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs

    Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs.
    Photo Credit: The Dizzy Cook.

    BBQ chicken thighs are simple to prepare, as everything goes into the slow cooker. You can serve them whole or shred them for delicious BBQ chicken sandwiches, making this a great option for weeknight dinners.

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    Slow Cooker Ravioli Lasagna

    Slow Cooker Lasagna Recipe With Ravioli.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    Ravioli is a simple way to create lasagna, serving as the noodles and combining perfectly with the ricotta layers. This slow cooker ravioli lasagna is a hit with the whole family.

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    Slow Cooker Goulash

    Slow Cooker Goulash.
    Photo Credit: Somebody Feed Seb.

    This Slow Cooker Goulash features tender beef simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce. It's a great option for busy weeknights, requiring little prep and letting you enjoy a delicious meal with no extra effort later.

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    Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken

    Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken.
    Photo Credit: Our Love Language is Food.

    This recipe is full of tropical flavor and is super easy to prepare. It's a simple option to add to your family's meal plan.

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    Venison Soup

    Venison Soup.
    Photo Credit: Binky's Culinary Carnival.

    Venison Soup is perfect for the slow cooker when you're processing your deer. It's a simple dish that uses meat that might otherwise go to waste, and you can also use tougher cuts from the legs.

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    Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup

    Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup
    Photo Credit: Inquiring Chef.

    Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup is a warm and comforting dish, perfect for chilly days. With the addition of apples and a hint of garam masala, it has a unique flavor and is easy to prepare and store.

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    Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

    Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    Chicken cacciatore is simple to prepare with a slow cooker. The rich sauce combines diced tomatoes, tomato paste, bell peppers, onion, and Italian spices.

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    Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Tangy Apple Slaw

    Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Tangy Apple Slaw.
    Photo Credit: Killing Thyme.

    Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is packed with delicious flavors like smoky, sweet, and a hint of spice. Serve it on a bun with crunchy apple slaw for a fantastic sandwich.

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    Ground Turkey White Chili

    Ground Turkey White Chili.
    Photo Credit: The Perks of Being Us.

    This dinner dish is easy to make in a slow cooker, perfect for busy weekdays. Just a little prep in the morning means you can come home to a warm meal, and adding some lime, avocado, and cheese on top makes it even better.

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    Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup

    Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup.
    Photo Credit: Haute & Healthy Living.

    This homemade soup is easy to prepare in the slow cooker. Packed with fresh vegetables, beans, spices, and chicken, it’s a healthy and creamy option for cooler days.

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    Lentil Tortilla Soup

    A lentil tortilla soup.
    Photo credit: Peas and Crayons.

    Vegetarian Lentil Tortilla Soup is a simple and delicious dish that can be prepared in a slow cooker, Instant Pot, or on the stove. It's a hearty soup that everyone will enjoy, perfect for a cozy meal.

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    Slow Cooker American Goulash

    Slow Cooker Goulash.
    Photo Credit: Cincy Shopper.

    Slow Cooker American Goulash is a hearty dish packed with beef and vegetables. This simple recipe is perfect for dinner.

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    Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

    Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos.
    Photo Credit: Killing Thyme.

    These Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos feature tender, shredded chicken in a flavorful sauce. Just add some cheese and broil them for a delicious finish before serving!

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    Slow Cooker Sausage Gnocchi Soup

    Slow Cooker Sausage Gnocchi Soup.
    Photo Credit: Posh Journal.

    This hearty gnocchi soup takes inspiration from the well-loved Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana. It's an easy slow cooker dish that doesn't need much effort, making it ideal for busy days.

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    Slow Cooker Hamburger Hash

    Slow Cooker Hamburger Hash.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    Hamburger hash in the slow cooker combines soft potatoes, beef, and corn in a creamy mushroom sauce. Topped with melted cheese right before serving, this dish is hearty and perfect for any meal.

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    Slow Cooker Maple Balsamic Chicken

    Maple Balsamic Slow Cooker Chicken.
    Photo credit: Fit as a Mama Bear.

    This recipe features tender and juicy chicken breasts that require only 5 minutes of prep time. It's a simple option for a weeknight dinner.

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    More Recipe Roundups

    • Lasagna.
      22 Dump-and-Bake Dinners That Will Revolutionize Your Weeknight Meals
    • A veggie casserole.
      21 Vegetarian Casseroles That Will Change Your Dinner Game
    • Instant Pot French Onion Soup.
      18 Elegant Lunch Ideas to Impress Mom This Mother’s Day
    • Cheesburger sliders.
      18 Cheap Ground Beef Recipes That Are Perfect for Spring

    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has more than 20 years of experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN  and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, Daily Kos, The Grio, The Asian Parent, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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