Things To Cook In A Slow Cooker

There's nothing like the slow cooker to make dinner easy, but during the week it can still be rough to get a home-cooked meal on the table. Happily, with only 20 minutes of prep required (or less!), these easy crock pot recipes make cooking practically effortless. Dump in your ingredients and a few hours later you'll be dining in style.

Slow-Cooker Hawaiian Ribs

You don't need a grill to enjoy barbecue. The slow-cooker simmers ribs in a tangy sauce until they're falling off the bone. Blast them under the broiler right before serving to add irresistible caramelized notes to your meal. (via Spicy Southern Kitchen)

Red-Wine-Braised Beef Short Ribs

Red-Wine-Braised Beef Short Ribs After 15 minutes of prep and eight hours on low heat, this elegant dinner-party-worthy meal can be yours. (via Recipe Tin Eats)

Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

Tender chunks of beef, a complex broth, and loads of savory veggies mean this stew is about to become a staple in your house. (via Food Lovin' Family)

Slow-Cooker Ropa Vieja

Cuban-style shredded beef swimming in a sauce of chiles, tomato, cumin, and oregano is flavorful enough to stand on its own. If you have a little extra time, it's even better when added to a bowl of beans, rice, and plantains. (via The Roasted Root)

Crock Pot Recipe for Honey Garlic Chicken

Skip the delivery fees and make a batch of honey garlic slow-cooker chicken this weekend instead. By the time you get back from drinks with the girls, you'll have a craveable dinner waiting for you in your Crock-Pot. (via Family Food on the Table)

Slow-Cooker Vegan Tikka Masala

Slow-Cooker Vegan Tikka Masala Without meat to add a savory depth of flavor, lots of vegan dishes benefit from a low and slow cooking time. It gives the ingredients and spices an opportunity to meld together, creating a fully developed flavor profile that will make you forget about meat. (via Delish Knowledge)

Tacos Al Pastor

Crock Pot Recipe for Tacos Al Pastor

Once you give these pork and pineapple tacos a try, you just may find yourself craving them over and over again. Good news for you, making the meat in a slow-cooker means they're practically effortless to whip up. (via Gimme Some Oven)

Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken Crock Pot Recipe It takes less time to throw together this chicken than it would to head to your local take-out joint. (via Kitchen Sanctuary)

Slow-Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

Slow-Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup You will have eight servings of chicken enchilada soup to eat or save for later when you make this recipe, prepped in 10 minutes or less. (via Diethood)

Marsala Veggie Bowl

A little cooking wine can go a long way! This tasty and very simple slow-cooker recipe will keep you healthy without the cooking stress. (via Brit + Co)

Slow-Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

The only thing better than stovetop mac is the slow-cooker version. It's hard to believe that our favorite comfort food could be even creamier and cheesier. (via Brit + Co)

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Asian Lettuce Wraps Crock Pot Recipe

This chicken, carrots, mushrooms, and sweet and salty sauce combo is just the quick, weeknight ticket to yummy. (via Well Plated)

We love when dinner is quick and easy, making these recipes perfect for your next weeknight dinner! We love how these recipes take advantage of seasonal ingredients and recipes that make your crock pot a year-round part of your cooking routine.

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This article has been updated from a previous post.

Justina Huddleston

Justina Huddleston is a food writer living in Los Angeles. When she's not busy writing, she spends her time in the kitchen creating both virtuous and decidedly junky vegan food. Buffalo chickpea pizza, anyone? She's also been known to eat a plain block of tofu or beans straight out of the can for lunch, but somehow those culinary adventures don't make it to her Instagram. You can follow Justina on Twitter or see what's cooking in her kitchen on her blog, A Life of Little Pleasures.