Food Cooking Techniques Slow-Cooking Our 25 Best Crockpot and Slow Cooker Recipes By Food & Wine Editors Food & Wine Editors This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 13, 2023 Trending Videos Photo: Greg DuPree Looking to amp up your beef stew but unsure where to start? A slow cooker can help create layers of flavor in any weeknight dinner, from hearty stews to satisfying chicken dishes. It can take your comfort food to the next level, like a fall-off-the-bone pulled pork sandwich, cozy chicken noodle soup, or sweet and sour brisket. All it takes are a few simple ingredients and minimal hassle (if you're able to plan ahead). Even desserts can benefit from a Crockpot; cheesecake cooked in a slow cooker gets an incredible silky texture because the machine steams the cake as it bakes. F&W has plenty of easy slow cooker recipes, including glazed pork ribs with white beans and meatballs that are equally great served in a bowl with spaghetti or on a hoagie roll. Read on for our very best slow cooker recipes, from Dutch oven to electric Crockpot. 01 of 25 Slow Cooker Burnt Honey Barbecue Chicken Jen Causey When it’s so blazing hot outside that you can’t bear the thought of firing up the grill, this no-fuss slow cooker barbecue chicken recipe will come to the rescue. A quick sear in a cast-iron skillet awakens the flavors of the herbs and spices and gives the chicken a nice crust that makes the finished barbecue taste more authentic. Get the Recipe 02 of 25 Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese Abby Hocking / Food & Wine Prepared in a 6-quart slow cooker, this three-cheese version of the American comfort food gets a nice kick from a generous pinch of cayenne, while buttery breadcrumbs give it a great crunch. Get the Recipe 03 of 25 Filipino Chicken Adobo with Bacon and Bay Leaves Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman This bright and deeply savory preparation is considered the unofficial national dish of the Philippines. This Dutch oven recipe is rich with umami from rendering bacon fat and adding the cooked bacon pieces into the broth. Get the Recipe 04 of 25 Slow Cooker Barbecued Pulled Pork Julia Hartbeck Serve the pulled pork with coleslaw and pickles, or mound it on hamburger buns and top with coleslaw and thinly sliced onion and dill pickles. Get the Recipe 05 of 25 Dutch Oven Classic Beef Stew Greg DuPree Hearty chunks of beef turn tender after a low and slow trip in your favorite Dutch oven; potatoes join the party during the tail end of cooking to retain their texture. Get the Recipe 06 of 25 Buttered Rum Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall This luxurious, velvety drink is just the thing to sip on a cool night — and using a slow cooker makes it especially easy to pull together. Heat the cream and butter first, slowly so that the mixture doesn't break. Then whisk in dark brown sugar, followed by spiced rum, salt, and a Moroccan spice mix. The end result is a richly flavored batch of drinks perfect for entertaining. Get the Recipe 07 of 25 Harissa White Bean Stew with Turmeric Yogurt © John Kernick Cookbook author Sarah DiGregorio adds depth and heat to her hearty white bean stew by adding harissa twice: first for the long simmer in the slow cooker, then at the end, to finish the dish with some bright heat. This stew will keep in the fridge for up to four days, so it's a perfect make-ahead meal. Get the Recipe 08 of 25 Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja © Fredrika Stjärne This flavor-packed Cuban stew, featuring shredded flank steak, tomatoes, and olives, can be made up to two days in advance. Get the Recipe 09 of 25 Slow Cooker Sour Cream Cheesecake © Ellie Miller Cheesecake cooked in a slow cooker has an unbelievably silky texture because the machine steams the cake as it bakes. The toughest part about making it is resisting the urge to peek inside the slow cooker — the lid must stay closed to retain heat. Get the Recipe 10 of 25 Slow Cooker Glazed Pork Ribs with White Beans © Fredrika Stjärne Baby back ribs, Great Northern beans, white wine, tomatoes, chicken broth, and more come together for a hearty, satisfying meal. Get the Recipe 11 of 25 Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Brisket © Andrew Purcell A few hours in the slow cooker and this beef dish will be melt-in-your-mouth delicious by the time you're ready to eat it. Get the Recipe 12 of 25 Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Napa Cabbage and Pickles © Fredrika Stjärne Napa cabbage and thinly sliced sour pickles add texture and tang to this substantial stew. Searing the pieces of beef chuck before putting them in the slow cooker gives the dish a rich flavor. Get the Recipe 13 of 25 Slow Cooker Classic Beef Stew Greg DuPree Be sure to use boneless chuck roast for this recipe, which has excellent marbling and flavor. Get the Recipe 14 of 25 Slow Cooker Meatballs in Tomato Sauce FREDRIKA STJÄRNE These meatballs can be served simply in a bowl, but they are equally delicious with spaghetti or on a hoagie roll. Get the Recipe 15 of 25 Slow Cooker Beef Goulash © Fredrika Stjärne This warming Eastern European short rib stew is best served in deep bowls over buttery noodles. Get the Recipe 16 of 25 Slow Cooker Coconut Pork Curry © Fredrika Stjärne For this dish, pork shoulder gets cooked with bold ingredients like fresh ginger, garlic, curry powder, cumin, and turmeric. The flavors intensify and penetrate the meat after four hours in the slow cooker. Get the Recipe 17 of 25 Slow Cooker Sunday Sauce on Spaghetti © Fredrika Stjärne This indulgent Sunday sauce recipe includes pork shoulder, pancetta, sweet Italian sausages, and plenty of garlic. Get the Recipe 18 of 25 Slow Cooker Pasta Bake Caitlin Bensel Valerie Bertinelli’s slow cooker baked ziti is super simple — it only takes 15 minutes of active time and is ready in an hour and 45 minutes. If you’re really short on time, you can buy the vegetables pre-cut from the store. Get the Recipe 19 of 25 Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks with Lemon, Dill, and Feta © Fredrika Stjärne Lamb shanks are slow cooked to perfection with herbs and spices, giving this dish a complex flavor through a simple method. Get the Recipe 20 of 25 Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup © Ian Knauer After just 25 minutes of prep and initial cooking, it's set-it-and-forget-it for this cozy classic. The soup is done when the chicken is tender, six to eight hours later. If you prefer your pasta al dente, add it after the chicken has cooked. Get the Recipe 21 of 25 Slow Cooker Turkey Wings Abby Hocking / Food & Wine These slow cooker turkey wings are first braised until tender and then broiled to a crispy finish. Get the Recipe 22 of 25 Slow Cooker Ethiopian-Spiced Chicken and Black Lentil Stew © Sarah Bolla In this intensely comforting spiced chicken and black lentil stew, bold ingredients like fresh ginger, garlic, tomatoes, and white wine simmer slowly with an Ethiopian spice blend called berbere. Get the Recipe 23 of 25 Slow Cooker Asado de Puerco (Pork and Tomatillo Stew) © Helene Dujardin Make this classic Mexican dish in your slow cooker for ease and extra flavor. Hominy provides texture and savory corn goodness in the tangy tomatillo sauce; the cilantro garnish adds a pop of freshness to the bowl. Get the Recipe 24 of 25 Slow Cooker Ham Hock and Chickpea Stew © Fredrika Stjärne Split pea soup was the inspiration for this robust stew. Like split peas, chickpeas need to simmer for a long time, making them great for a slow cooker. Get the Recipe 25 of 25 Slow Cooker Moroccan-Spiced Chicken with Apricots, Olives, and Almonds © Todd Porter & Diane Cu This warming chicken dish is slow cooked in Moroccan spices and best served on couscous with a sprinkle of toasted almonds. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit