Family Slow-Cooker & Crockpot Recipes

Most people think of potato salad as a cold side dish reserved for picnics or barbecues. Not this one! This hearty recipe pairs potatoes and onions in a slow cooker, where they cook until tender. Served warm and topped with chunks of cooked turkey bacon, this easy side dish is lovely served on a bed of baby spinach.

This vegetarian lasagna couldn't be easier, thanks to jarred pasta sauce and no-boil lasagna noodles. Prep it in the morning and let your crock pot do the work.

A winter classic, this crock pot version of minestrone is heavy on the vegetables and light on the pasta, keeping carbs in check while providing plenty of flavor.

This Mexican-inspired one-pot chicken dinner comes together easily in the crock pot. The instant brown rice is added near the end, to keep it from overcooking.

This slow-cooker ham and bean soup is bursting with vegetables. All but two ingredients go right into the cooker and combine to create the most delicious soup. Add pasta and chopped cabbage for the last hour and you'll be rewarded with a heartwarming one-pot meal that serves eight.

No ideas for dinner tonight? This slow-cooker lentil soup is easy to prepare in the morning and will simmer all day while you're at work. Full of aromatic vegetables, brown lentils, diced ham and fresh spinach, this hearty soup will be a real treat after a long day at the office.

Beans stand in place of ground beef in this hearty vegetarian sauce that's ready when you are--thanks to the crock pot. The prep is quick and easy to do in the morning before heading off to work. When you get home, just cook up some whole-wheat pasta to serve it over and dinner is ready. If you have leftovers, freeze them for an easy meal another day.

We took all the flavors of classic pot pie and made it super-easy to pull together in the crock pot. Look for ready-to-bake biscuits with minimal ingredients to keep it healthy. Biscuits tend to be high in sodium, so we advise only half a biscuit per serving if you're watching your salt intake.

Tender beef is slowly simmered with Asian-inspired flavorings and served wrapped in fresh cabbage or lettuce leaves for a lighter touch.

Garam masala, a premixed Indian curry spice blend, adds an authentic touch to an exotic chicken dish served over rice.

The spicy Cajun favorite is lightened up with turkey sausage, chicken, shrimp, and plenty of vegetables.

Thyme, garlic, a little orange juice, and a splash of balsamic vinegar flavor these moist, fork-tender chicken breasts.

This recipe takes rice pilaf to the next level. It's full of creamy, melt-in-your melt flavor.

Spice up your pulled pork sandwich with this Asian-inspired version. It's flavored with with five-spice powder and soy sauce, and filled with cabbage for a crunch.

Everyone likes burritos, and this recipe makes enough to serve a crowd. For easy serve-alongs, pick up a fruit salad from the deli and a package or two of Mexican-style rice mix.

This oatmeal recipe is great when you have guests and want to serve them a special breakfast. Everything cooks in the slow-cooker overnight--all you need to do in the morning is throw together the roasted apple and walnut topping, and serve!

Even teetotalers can love this roast recipe. The kick comes from the lively combination of flavors--no vodka needed.

To keep this stew on the lean side, trim the stew meat yourself, or purchase stew meat that is labeled lean.

This recipe fits the bill for casual get-togethers, and it's prepared in only 30 minutes. Spoon the mixture over pasta and serve with crusty bread or corn bread and wedges of melon.

The sweet-tart combination of vinegar and molasses brings out the flavor of the beef in this slow cooker stew recipe.