Healthy Recipes Healthy Seasonal Recipes Healthy Spring Recipes Healthy Spring Crockpot & Slow Cooker Recipes 28 Slow-Cooker Sunday Dinners for Spring By Alex Loh Alex Loh Alex Loh is EatingWell's associate food editor. As part of the food team, she creates healthy, delicious recipes for the EatingWell audience. Alex also writes informative food and cooking articles that range from how to store ground beef to the best picks from Trader Joe's. Alex conducts product and taste tests to find the best options, from salad spinners to salsas. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 2, 2021 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Instagram Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, has been with EatingWell for three years and works as the associate nutrition editor for the brand. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos With these vibrant and delicious recipes, you'll quickly learn that slow-cooker meals aren't just for the cold weather. These Sunday dinner recipes feature seasonal vegetables and bright flavors to create a tasty spring dinner. Recipes like Slow-Cooker Beef Tacos with Rhubarb Salsa and Slow-Cooker Chicken & Wild Rice Soup with Asparagus & Peas are the perfect start to any week. 01 of 28 Crock-Pot Pineapple Chicken View Recipe This slow-cooker chicken with pineapple has a hint of ginger and sesame and is made with simple ingredients you may already have in your pantry! Look for fresh pineapple that's been peeled and cored already to make assembly even easier. Serve with brown rice to sop up the sweet and savory sauce. 02 of 28 Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Quinoa with Arugula View Recipe Chock-full of quinoa, chickpeas and vegetables, this salad is a meal in itself. The roasted red peppers, lemon, olives and feta add familiar Mediterranean flavor. If you want to provide a meat option, serve with grilled chicken. 03 of 28 Slow-Cooker Beef Tacos with Rhubarb Salsa View Recipe The fresh salsa in this easy load-and-go taco recipe is a great way to use spring rhubarb. If you don't have rhubarb, try subbing in fresh tomatillos or red bell pepper for an equally beautiful and delicious taco topper. 04 of 28 Slow-Cooker Chicken & Wild Rice Soup with Asparagus & Peas View Recipe Use your crock pot all year with this healthy slow-cooker chicken soup recipe with fresh spring ingredients. Adding the asparagus and peas to the slow cooker for the last 20 minutes of cooking and leaving the lid off ensures that the vegetables stay bright green and are perfectly done without getting mushy. 05 of 28 Chile-Spiced Shredded Beef with Cheesy Polenta View Recipe Tara Donne Let your slow cooker do the heavy lifting to make a Sunday dinner that yields leftovers for another night. Tuck the rest of the spiced beef and your favorite fixings into corn tortillas or spoon over baked sweet potatoes. 06 of 28 Slow-Cooker Citrus Salmon with Melted Leeks View Recipe We've discovered the perfect pairing for this moist, lemony, slow-cooker salmon--slightly chewy leeks. Like other alliums, leeks become sweet and rich when roasted slowly for a long time. When cooked in the slow cooker they "melt," becoming jam-like but still retaining pleasant chewiness. Garnish with fresh sage leaves and thyme sprigs, if desired. 07 of 28 Slow-Cooker Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna View Recipe Cooking lasagna in your slow cooker rather than in the oven keeps it super moist and cheesy--just like lasagna should be. You can easily assemble this dish in the slow cooker ahead of time and refrigerate it. Just be sure to let the slow cooker come to room temperature before starting it so that the cook time is accurate. Serve with a green salad, if desired. 08 of 28 Slow-Cooked Ranch Chicken and Vegetables View Recipe This creamy, veggie-packed chicken dinner comes together easily in your slow-cooker-and makes enough for another night's casserole (see associated recipe)! 09 of 28 Slow-Cooker Lamb Stew with Artichokes & White Beans View Recipe Fresh dill, lemon, escarole and artichokes give this healthy slow-cooker lamb stew recipe a decidedly springtime flavor. Dried white beans are perfect in this healthy crock pot recipe, but you could also add frozen lima beans at the end. 10 of 28 Greek Chicken & Vegetable Ragout View Recipe Chicken thighs stay moist and succulent during slow cooking, infusing the accompanying vegetables with superb flavor. This easy braise has a luxurious finish of avgolémono, a versatile Greek sauce made with egg, lemon and fresh dill. 11 of 28 Slow-Cooker Cabbage Soup with Sherry View Recipe Victor Protasio Sherry adds sweetness and flavor to this slow-cooker vegetarian cabbage soup. It's balanced nicely by the crushed red pepper, fire-roasted tomatoes and a pop of acidity from the sherry vinegar. Potatoes give the soup heft and substance. Serve with crusty bread. 12 of 28 Slow-Cooker Caprese Spaghetti Squash with White Beans View Recipe This recipe feels and looks indulgent without being high in calories. The "caprese" components--fresh mozzarella, basil leaves and tomatoes--beautifully shine through, while the white beans add protein and a creamy texture. If you can't find fresh small mozzarella balls, tear a large ball of fresh mozzarella into small pieces. 13 of 28 Slow-Cooker Lemon-Coriander Shrimp & Grits View Recipe Creamy shrimp and grits is a comfort food classic, and everyone at your table will love this version with coriander-accented slow-cooker shrimp. Turn on the slow cooker before picking up the kids from school, and add the shrimp and make the grits right before dinnertime. 14 of 28 Slow-Cooker Cheesy Rice with Broccoli View Recipe This dish is sure to be a kid favorite that adults will crave, too. Broccoli and cheese is a classic pairing for a reason, and when served with rice and umami-rich mushrooms, the combo is even more comforting. Garnish with shaved Parmesan and additional kosher salt and black pepper, if desired. 15 of 28 Slow-Cooker Carne Picada Tacos with Avocado Salsa View Recipe Loosely translated as "minced meat," the traditional texture of carne picada ranges from finely chopped to ground. Here we start with brisket, which becomes nice and tender in the slow cooker, then shred and chop the meat before serving. The seasoning is flavorful but not too spicy. Blistered jalapeños added at the end will satisfy the heat-lovers in the family. Pile the brisket into warmed corn tortillas, with lettuce, the jalapeños, cheese and avocado salsa for a healthy dinner that'll wake up your taco night routine. 16 of 28 Slow-Cooker Chicken with Potatoes, Carrots & Herb Sauce View Recipe Impress the in-laws, neighbors or any other dinner guests with this pretty dish. It's a slow-cooker chicken recipe that actually looks and tastes like it was oven-roasted. To save time, prep the vegetables a day ahead or in the morning, and then refrigerate until ready to brown the meat and start the slow cooker. 17 of 28 Pork & Pineapple Tacos View Recipe Plan ahead so you can use your slow cooker to prepare the pulled pork for these tacos. This recipe is a better-for-you twist on the classic tacos al pastor. Pork loin is a lean cut that's a healthier option than traditional pork shoulder, which has more fat. 18 of 28 Slow-Cooker Dal Makhani View Recipe Using a slow cooker for this dal curry recipe is brilliant--the lentils cook until they're perfectly tender. For the creamiest results, use whole urad dal (versus split), which you can get online or at Indian markets. This particular bean breaks down beautifully, giving the dish its rich, creamy texture. For a stovetop variation, see below. Serve it over rice with Indian-style green chutney and a side of plain yogurt. 19 of 28 Sauerkrat, Pork, and Potatoes View Recipe Sauerkraut is at the heart of this simple German-style slow-cooker pork stew. 20 of 28 Slow-Cooker Korean Beef & Cabbage Stew View Recipe Brown sugar makes this slow-cooker beef stew a tad sweet, which beautifully complements the spicy kimchi. You can make this soup ahead and refrigerate it until ready to eat. If you opt to make it ahead, wait until you reheat the soup to add the cabbage. 21 of 28 Slow-Cooker Tofu Lo Mein View Recipe Crisp-tender veggies cooked in a sweet Asian sauce and served with noodles and tofu is a refreshingly different slow cooker dinner. Removing the excess moisture from the tofu helps it soak up the sauce, giving the unassuming ingredient full flavor. 22 of 28 Slow-Cooker Shrimp & Chorizo Paella View Recipe Paella is an iconic Spanish dish made with rice, seasonings and various meats or seafood, depending on the paella type. Our slow-cooker paella recipe features shrimp, brown rice, turmeric, a host of vegetables and Spanish chorizo--not to be confused with Mexican chorizo, which isn't dried or cured like the Spanish variety. 23 of 28 Slow-Cooker Shakshuka View Recipe Start your day with hearty, slightly spicy shakshuka full of Southwestern flavor. To avoid one large egg blob on top, be sure to make wells in the sauce using a spoon. It's important to use corn tortillas and not flour tortillas if you're going gluten free. Lightly toast the tortillas, if desired. 24 of 28 Slow-Cooker Beef & Carrot Tagine with Almond Couscous View Recipe Feel free to experiment with the spices in this simple slow-cooker beef stew--keep cumin and cinnamon in the mix, but try adding cardamom and ginger for greater depth of flavor. Both the stew and the almond couscous are very easy to prep, and the active time is just 20 minutes. Recipe adapted from Slow Cook Modern. 25 of 28 Chicken-Corn Tortilla Soup View Recipe Using bone-in chicken thighs in this soup ensures the meat stays moist over the long cooking time. Not only are chicken thighs inherently juicier than breast meat, but cooking chicken on the bone also helps it stay succulent. 26 of 28 Cajun-Style Pork and Shrimp Pasta View Recipe Cajun seasoning adds flavor and spice to this delicious slow-cooker pork and shrimp pasta dish. Our recipe calls for salt-free seasoning to lower the sodium content, or you have the option to make your own Cajun seasoning blend. 27 of 28 Slow-Cooker Cod with Tomato-Balsamic Jam View Recipe Mellow, slightly sweet and devoid of the overt fishy flavor that's polarizing for so many, this slow-cooker cod is perfect for pairing with a show-stopping sauce like this tomato-balsamic jam. Diced pancetta provides a salty counterpart to the sweet onion, tomatoes, vinegar and honey and gives the jam complexity. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs, if desired. 28 of 28 Slow-Cooker Mushroom Sauce Over Egg Noodles View Recipe You won't miss the meat in this dish. The mushrooms make the sauce filling enough to satisfy even the hungriest at your table. Serve with red wine and a hunk of crusty bread or a simple green salad, and an easy meal is at your fingertips. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit