Slow-Cooker & Crockpot Special Diet Recipes

Find healthy, delicious slow-cooker and Crockpot recipes for those who follow a special diet, including diabetic, paleo, vegan and vegetarian slow-cooker recipes. Healther recipes from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Chicken & Chickpea Soup

Rating: Unrated
12
This set-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker recipe simmers away all day so you come home to a warm and healthy dinner the whole family will love. Using bone-in chicken is the key to making rich soup without adding broth.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Pork Zuppa

This rich Italian soup, made with ground pork and potatoes, is sure to satisfy everyone who tries it. Using a slow cooker makes this recipe easy to execute.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Slow-Cooker Mushroom Soup with Sherry

Rating: Unrated
11
This comforting and creamy slow-cooker soup is loaded with earthy, umami flavor from the mushrooms and soy sauce.  Puréeing only some of the slow-cooker mushroom soup gives the dish complex texture and eye appeal. Garnish with additional black pepper and chopped fresh thyme, if desired.
By Cooking Light

Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Stew

Rating: Unrated
3
This Mediterranean stew is a healthy dinner chock-full of vegetables and hearty chickpeas. A drizzle of olive oil to finish carries the flavors of this easy vegan crock-pot stew. Swap out the chickpeas for white beans for a different twist, or try collards or spinach in place of the kale. Any way you vary it, this stew is sure to go into heavy rotation when you are looking for healthy crock-pot recipes.
By Sarah Epperson

Slow-Cooker Braised Beef with Carrots & Turnips

Rating: Unrated
6
The spice blend in this healthy beef stew recipe--cinnamon, allspice and cloves--may conjure images of apple pie, but the combo is a great fit in savory applications too. Serve over creamy polenta or buttered whole-wheat egg noodles.
By Hilary Meyer

Slow-Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Rating: Unrated
2
This slow-cooker Beef Stroganoff recipe brings together tender beef and fresh mushrooms served over hot noodles with a creamy sauce.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Slow-Cooker Vegetable Minestrone Soup

Rating: Unrated
1
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.
By Laura Walsh

Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew

Rating: Unrated
9
This load-and-go slow-cooker chicken recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve this Tuscan-inspired dish with crusty bread, a glass of Chianti and a salad.
By Adam Dolge

Winter Minestrone

Rating: Unrated
1
This version of the Italian classic vegetable and bean soup is made in the slow cooker and mixes in flavorful sausage and squash. Use any variety of winter squash.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Slow-Cooker Vegetable Soup

Rating: Unrated
13
Make a big batch of low-calorie veggie-packed soup with ease in this load-and-go crock pot recipe. After simmering away in the slow cooker, portion it into individual serving containers and store in the fridge or freezer for fast, healthy lunches or an easy, satisfying snack. This weight-loss vegetable soup fills you up without a lot of calories, plus it's an easy way to eat more vegetables.
By Hilary Meyer

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Rating: Unrated
1
Using a slow cooker makes this flavorful soup an easy meal for any night of the week.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Quinoa with Arugula

Rating: Unrated
4
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.
By Cooking Light

Inspiration and Ideas

20 Diabetes-Friendly Slow-Cooker Soups

20 Diabetes-Friendly Slow-Cooker Soups

Easy Vegetarian Slow-Cooker Dinners

Easy Vegetarian Slow-Cooker Dinners

24 Vegetarian Slow-Cooker Soups for Fall

24 Vegetarian Slow-Cooker Soups for Fall

Savory Bean Spinach Soup

Savory Bean Spinach Soup

Rating: Unrated
1
Slow-Cooker Balsamic Short Ribs

Slow-Cooker Balsamic Short Ribs

Rating: Unrated
5
Pasta Puttanesca with Beef

Pasta Puttanesca with Beef

Rating: Unrated
1

Slow-Cooker Vegetable Stew

Rating: Unrated
2

Potatoes and beans make this tomato-based crock-pot vegetable stew super-hearty. You could also add briefly sautéed chunks of zucchini or fresh corn kernels just before serving, or add another can of cannellini beans for more substance. A dollop of pesto on top is also super-delicious. Adding homemade garlic croutons is an easy way to elevate this healthy dinner.

All Slow-Cooker & Crockpot Special Diet Recipes

Slow-Cooker Creamy Lentil Soup Freezer Pack

Rating: Unrated
3
Prep the ingredients for this soup months in advance for a total hands-off meal that's ready when you are. Vegetarian lentils and vegan coconut milk make this soup creamy and pack in plenty of plant-based protein and a hearty amount of fiber. To keep it vegan, opt for vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
By Lauren Grant

Slow-Cooker Minestrone with Smoky White Beans

An abundance of vegetables, beans and pasta makes this soup so hearty you'll hardly notice the lack of meat. The drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of Parmesan at the end adds a special touch to this slow-cooker minestrone.
By Cooking Light

Vegetarian Slow-Cooker Pozole

Rating: Unrated
1
This healthy vegetarian take on the Mexican stew pozole gets tons of flavor from poblano peppers, ancho chile powder and dried herbs and spices, while cannellini beans provide substance, protein and fiber. Chewy hominy--corn that has been treated with lime to remove the tough hull and germ--is integral to the stew. Look for it in cans in the Latin section of your supermarket. Serve the stew with shredded cabbage, radishes, fresh cilantro and sour cream.
By Adam Dolge

Slow-Cooker Arroz con Pollo (Chicken & Rice)

Rating: Unrated
1
This one-pot chicken dinner, inspired by the traditional dish of Spain and Latin America, comes together easily in the crock pot. The instant brown rice is added near the end, to keep it from overcooking.
By Laura Walsh

Chicken-Corn Tortilla Soup

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.
By Annie Peterson

Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili with Butternut Squash

Rating: Unrated
1
The sweetness of the butternut squash tames the kick from cayenne in this healthy turkey chili, making this easy crock pot chili just right for kids and adults alike, whether for weeknight dinners or tailgating parties. For those who prefer a spicier chili, just pass hot sauce at the table. This chili also freezes well, so save leftovers for hearty and healthy dinners and lunches for weeks to come.
By Katie Webster

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna

Rating: Unrated
45
Sure, the slow cooker's great for stews and soups, but it also happens to make a mean lasagna! In this ingenious slow-cooker recipe, all you have to do is chop your veggies, then layer the ingredients (raw) into the crockpot. Serve with: Garlic bread and a green salad.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili

Rating: Unrated
1
Grab your crock pot for this delicious and easy slow-cooker vegetarian chili with beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, bell peppers and sweet potatoes. The recipe requires just 20 minutes of active time: after a bit of chopping, you just dump the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it do the work. Adding a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of cilantro just before serving brightens up the flavors. Top it with some shredded cheese, if you'd like, or serve it as-is to keep it vegan. Either way, this healthy chili is sure to become a go-to when you want a satisfying and healthy dinner.
By Robby Melvin

Slow-Cooker Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Rating: Unrated
4
Skip the roasting in this butternut squash soup recipe and let your slow cooker do the work instead. Just load up all the ingredients into the crock pot, set it and forget it for an easy, healthy dinner or packable lunches.
By Carolyn Casner

Chicken & Cornmeal Dumplings

Rating: Unrated
1
This version of chicken and dumplings provides plenty of vegetables with 5 grams of fiber per serving. Dumplings are made with 1 part flour and 1 part cornmeal to make them standout from a traditional flour dumpling. This hearty dinner option is the perfect comfort meal.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Hungarian Beef Goulash

Rating: Unrated
51
This streamlined goulash skips the step of browning the beef, and instead coats it in a spice crust to give it a rich mahogany hue. This saucy dish is a natural served over whole-wheat egg noodles. Or, for something different, try prepared potato gnocchi or spaetzle.
By Patsy Jamieson

Mediterranean Shrimp and Pasta

Rating: Unrated
2
This dish is bursting with flavor thanks to the long, low-temperature cooking. Simply combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and all your dinner work is done for you!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Hearty Beef Chili

For a fall open house, make this beef chili in the slow cooker. As guests arrive, set out chips and cheese and let them help themselves to a bowl.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Slow-Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip

Rating: Unrated
1
This creamy, crowd-pleasing dip comes together with ease in your crock pot. Leave it in the slow cooker all party long to keep it warm for serving with perfect, melty cheese in every bite. Whole-wheat bread and raw veggie dippers allow you to dig in without the guilt.
By Carolyn Casner

Slow-Cooker Carne Picada Tacos with Avocado Salsa

Rating: Unrated
1
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.
By Liana Krissoff

Slow-Cooker Dal Makhani

Rating: Unrated
4
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.
By Shefaly Ravula & Amee Meghani

Boozy Hot Chocolate Board

Rating: Unrated
1
Come in from the cold to this fun and festive hot chocolate board! For the adults, spike this rich and decadent hot chocolate with your favorite sweet liqueur and garnish with your favorite toppings. For hands-off prep, make the hot chocolate in your slow cooker.
By Julia Levy

Slow-Cooker Spanish Chickpea Soup

Rating: Unrated
2
This easy soup recipe is inspired by cocido, the hearty stew of assorted meats, chickpeas and vegetables considered a national dish of Spain. Each region, family and restaurant has its own variation, but this slow-cooker soup has enough meat to satisfy the carnivores and enough vegetables to make it healthy. Ask for a 4-ounce slab of Serrano ham or prosciutto at your deli counter instead of buying slices. If you don't have a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker, opt for the stovetop variation instead.
By Bruce Aidells

Slow-Cooked Ranch Chicken and Vegetables

Rating: Unrated
5
This creamy, veggie-packed chicken dinner comes together easily in your slow-cooker-and makes enough for another night's casserole (see associated recipe)!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Mulligatawny Soup

Rating: Unrated
3
This is a soup with a long history (references to it in English go back to 1784) that can now be conveniently made in a modern appliance. Although it's technically an English soup, its origins are decidedly Indian. (The name loosely means "pepper water" in the Tamil language of Southern India.) The sweetness of apple and coconut milk counterbalances the garlic, ginger, curry and cayenne.
By Lisa Holderness Brown

Hearty Vegetable Beef Stew

The slow cooker makes this veggie-packed beef stew super-easy and extra-savory.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Slow-Cooker Potato Soup

Rating: Unrated
2
This easy slow-cooker potato soup has all the good stuff you love on a potato--including bacon, cheese and scallions. Serve this loaded baked potato soup with a salad for an easy dinner--just 15 minutes of active prep time!--whenever you're in need of some serious comfort food. It would also be fun fare for a casual party. Serve it straight out of the slow cooker and set out bowls of toppings so everyone can assemble their own. You can easily make this soup vegetarian--just use vegetable broth and skip the bacon.
By Robin Bashinsky

Pork & Green Chile Stew

Rating: Unrated
1
Let your slow cooker work--while you're at work!--and come home to a delicious bowl of hearty stew for dinner. Full of potatoes, hominy, green chiles, and chunks of pork sirloin, this filling stew recipe takes just 25 minutes to prepare in the morning.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Slow-Cooker Picadillo

Rating: Unrated
4
Picadillo, a Latin American-style hash, is usually made with ground beef. This one uses bison or lean beef and plenty of spices including chili powder, cumin, oregano and cinnamon.
By Jim Romanoff
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