These EASY Crockpot Meals are perfect for those busy weekdays — with simple prep and delicious results, the family will love these slow cooker dinners. There’s something for everyone — crockpot pasta, soups, tacos, slow cooker ribs, pork, chicken or beef.
I love using my crockpot year round to whip up one of these easy Crockpot Meals — they make busy weekdays with three kids more manageable!
I know we all love these Dump and Go Slow Cooker Recipes because we can throw it all in and hit the road!
But I wanted to come back and show a few more of my favorite crockpot recipes, because even though some have a little prep required, it can usually be done the night before or even prepped and stashed in the freezer for easy mornings and more delicious, home cooked dinners.
Tips for Making these Easy Crockpot Meals:
Prep what you can the day before. If there are a lot of vegetables to be shopped or meat to be cooked, this can often be done the day before. Sometimes, with many soups or stews, you can prep the entire meal in the slow cooker, then simply pop the insert in the fridge overnight. In the morning, all you have to do is pop it in and turn it on.
Crockpot recipes sometimes need a little oomph at the end of that long cook time — try adding freshness with some finely chopped fresh herbs or green onions to bright up the flavors. You can also use a little splash of something acidic (depending on the recipe of course!), a squeeze of lemon juice, a spoonful of ketchup, or splash of balsamic vinegar often does the trick.
Know your crockpot. All crockpots and slow cooker cook differently. I have had a few in my day (I have 3 that I use regularly!) and they all cook differently. Some are hotter, and some are cooler. The larger the slow cooker, the longer it will take to heat and cook, so that is also something to keep in mind.
The Best Easy Crockpot Meals:
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti
This Slow Cooker Baked Ziti is actually made completely in the crockpot — even the pasta! It is so much easier than the traditional version but packs all of the same flavor!
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Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken Stew
This Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken Stew is bound to be your new favorite winter comfort food! It’s hearty, creamy, cheesy and loaded with vegetables! The crockpot makes it an easy weeknight meal.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Breast
This Slow Cooker Chicken Breast recipe comes out perfectly juicy and seasoned every time! Learn my tips for getting the best crockpot chicken breast, perfect for salads, sandwiches or an easy dinner.
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Italian Beef
Easy shredded Italian Beef made in the crockpot, just SIX ingredients and loaded with flavor! Includes Instant Pot method and step by step video.
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Crockpot Tuscan Chicken
This Crockpot Tuscan Chicken is made up juicy chicken breasts slow cooked in a rich and cheesy cream sauce. This recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep and makes the perfect dinner served over your favorite pasta!
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Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
This Crock Pot Mac and Cheese is super simple and has amazing flavor! NO boiling required — just dump, stir and cook. Super creamy!
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Crockpot Shredded Chicken
This Crockpot Shredded Chicken is easy, flavorful and a great way to meal prep for the week ahead! How to make slow cooker shredded chicken including tips, tricks and additional recipes.
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Crockpot Meatloaf recipe
This Crockpot Meatloaf Recipe is a comfort food classic made easier in the slow cooker. It’s perfectly moist, packed with flavor, and takes a quick 10 minutes to prep!
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Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs
These Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs couldn’t be simpler! They have a homemade spice rub and are slow cooked until they fall off the bone, then you can slather them in any barbecue sauce you like!
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Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken
This Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken is SO easy and flavorful, you wouldn’t believe it only has a few ingredients! The perfect easy dinner recipe!
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Crockpot Zuppa Toscana
This easy Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana is a creamy Tuscan soup full of Italian sausage, kale, potatoes, and Parmesan. It’s hearty, creamy, and perfect for the colder months! There’s a step-by-step recipe video down in the recipe card, too!
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Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
These Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs are perfectly seasoned with garlic and herbs, cooked until they easily pull from the bone! The juiciest, most flavorful crockpot chicken thighs!
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Crockpot Lasagna Soup (quick & easy!)
This Crockpot Lasagna Soup recipe is full of flavor and can be made in the crockpot or Instant Pot! With a tomato base, it’s made with Italian sausage, lasagna noodles, and lots of Italian herbs and cheeses.
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Healthier Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper
This Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper is easily made entirely in the Crockpot, with ground beef and macaroni in a cheesy, tomato-y sauce with extra veggies! It’s hearty comfort food made easy!
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Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken
Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken features golden pan seared chicken breasts that get slow cooked to perfection in a garlicky cream sauce. It’s an easy recipe that’s great for those busier weeknights at home!
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Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup Recipe + VIDEO
This Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup is an easy crockpot meal perfect for fall or winter! Loaded with vegetables and tender chunks of beef. Includes step by step recipe video.
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Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
This Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings recipe is a slow cooker version of a classic comfort food! Tender chicken, loads of veggies, and fluffy homemade dumplings are simmered in a thick and flavorful gravy.
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Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
This easy Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken is made with store bought barbecue sauce and a couple secret ingredients! Make it with chicken breasts or thighs.
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Crockpot Chicken and Noodles
This Crockpot Chicken and Noodles recipe is an easy crockpot chicken recipe that will please the whole family! So easy and so creamy (but NO cream of chicken soups!).
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The BEST Crock Pot Pulled Pork
This Crock Pot Pulled Pork recipe is so easy and so flavorful! It starts with a garlic herb rub and hangs out in the slow cooker until it’s fall apart tender.
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{Slow Cooker} Mongolian Beef
Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef is so much better than your average take-out! Tender strips of steak are smothered in a rich, dark, flavorful Asian sauce that’s got just the right touch of sweetness. The best part? It’s so easy to make by tossing everything in a slow cooker!
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Sweet and Sour Crockpot Meatballs
These Sweet and Sour Crockpot Meatballs are an easy appetizer or dinner! Made with fresh or frozen meatballs, homemade or store bought, and covered in the best pineapple sweet and sour sauce!
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Crockpot Lasagna
This Crockpot Lasagna is made with just SIX ingredients and no precooking the noodles! An easy crockpot meal you can set and forget.
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Crockpot Whole Chicken
This Crockpot Whole Chicken is incredibly moist and flavorful, thanks to a coating of seasoned garlic butter and the slow cooker! The perfect make ahead weekend dinner, great for meal prepping!
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Crockpot Potato Soup
This Crockpot Potato Soup is thick, creamy and loaded with tender potatoes, crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, green onions and a few veggies for good measure.
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Slow Cooker Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork
Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork is a new take on pulled pork that is sweet and sour! This dark, thick syrup-like sauce is incredible — a must-try!
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Slow Cooker Pot Roast (the BEST gravy!)
This Slow Cooker Pot Roast has such incredible flavor and the best gravy! Creamy potatoes, tender carrots, fall apart roast beef — it’s pure comfort food!
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Glazed Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin recipe
This Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin is covered in an easy garlic herb rub and drizzled with a honey balsamic glaze! Everything cooks together in the crock pot with minimal effort and maximum flavour. It is moist, tender and perfect over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes!
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Slow Cooker Three Bean Beef Chili
This Slow Cooker Three Bean Beef Chili is a healthy, easy dinner idea for any night of the week! A microwave shortcut makes makes it a one pot meal and cuts down on prep time.
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Slow Cooker Honey Lemon Chicken Recipe + VIDEO
This Slow Cooker Honey Lemon Chicken is a little sweet, a little tangy and perfect over rice or noodles! It’s an easy crockpot meal for those busy days! Includes step by step recipe video.
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Glazed Crock Pot Pork Chops
These easy glazed Crock Pot Pork Chops are slow cooker in a mixture of apple juice, broth, onions and seasonings and are fall apart tender! Great with mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Dump and go!
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Honey Balsamic Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
Comfort food doesn’t get any better than Honey Balsamic Slow Cooker Beef Stew! This stick to your ribs beef stew is hearty, flavorful as can be and loaded with beef and veggies. You’re gonna love this set it and forget it recipe!
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And a few easy Crockpot Desserts to round out your meal!
Crockpot Blackberry Cobbler
This Easy Crockpot Blackberry Cobbler recipe is a winner for sure! It comes together with just 10 minutes prep and cooks in the slow cooker, keeping your house cool and your oven free! Loaded with fresh blackberries and a crisp, cakey topping. Just begging for a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
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Slow Cooker Berry Cobbler
This Slow Cooker Berry Cobbler is an easy dessert recipe that uses fresh or frozen berries so it’s the perfect sweet treat year round! Just 10 minutes prep!
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Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Pudding Cake
This Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Pudding Cake is SO simple, loaded with apples and makes its own hot caramel sauce as it cooks. Our new favorite dessert!
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My favorite crockpots and slow cookers!
Most often, I’m using a 2.5 quart casserole style crockpot that I love. It is wider and shallow, so you don’t have to stack everything up and it cooks more quickly. It is the perfect crockpot for someone cooking for 1-4 people and not doing large meals.
I also have a 4 quart crockpot that I use when I want to do a larger cut of meat, like a pot roast, or a big batch of soup. It’s everything I love about my 2.5 quart in a slightly bigger size.
I do have a 6 quart Hamilton Beach slow cooker that is great for cooking for a large group of people, but I do find it’s a little cooler and sometimes large chunks of meat have to be cut down into smaller pieces for it to cook by dinnertime.
Can I let my crockpot cook longer than the recipe says?
This is a tough one, and it really depends on the recipe and type of meal you’re making.
Some recipes can be left a little longer (we all know how valuable those long workday cook times can be!), but others are best if you stick to the recipe.
Things like chicken breasts and lean meats I prefer to cook for a short period of time (sometimes only 1.5-3 hours), so they stay juicy and are never overcooked.
Other recipes, like a larger piece of meat, a soup that does not have pasta added at the beginning (pasta cooks relatively quickly in the slow cooker), sauces and chilis can often be left longer and will be just as good.
If you have a crockpot that will automatically switch to keep warm when the cook time is up, and you can set the exact cook time (rather than select simply 8 or 10 hours), these are the best ones for making crockpot meals while you are out of the house.
These are the ones we come back to again and again!
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Keywords easy crockpot meals
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