Food

Jul 6, 2016

20 slow cooker recipes

By: The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Put your slow cooker to work and save time with these 20 easy and satisfying recipes.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Serve this saucy pulled pork as sandwiches: piled high on buns, with bowls of garnishes, such as pickled jalapeños, sour cream, shredded cheese and thinly shredded red cabbage (or better yet, red cabbage slaw), and let guests build their own sandwiches.

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

This recipe can easily be left to simmer away in a slow cooker for eight hours before adding the chicken. It yields a large quantity of sauce that freezes well if you're feeding a smaller group. Serve over hot steamed basmati rice.

Slow Cooker Carbonnade Beef Pot Roast

This roast, inspired by a classic Belgian stew, is juicy and tender over mashed potatoes, and the leftovers make the ultimate hot sandwich. Cook the bacon and onion mixture the night before so it's ready to add to the slow cooker in the morning without a lot of fuss.

Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili

This beanless regional specialty is a point of pride in Cincinnati, where fierce loyalty divides the city over which restaurant serves the best version. Cooked low and slow, with the distinguishing flavours of cinnamon and cocoa, the meaty, saucy chili is served over spaghetti.

Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Curry

This mild, sweet curry has all the comforting flavours of a curry without too much spice, making it a great choice for the entire family. Serve over steamed rice or with warmed naan bread.

Slow Cooker Spinach and Ricotta Manicotti

You won't believe how tasty and easy it is to make this classic dish in your slow cooker. A piping bag - or plastic bag - makes easy work of stuffing the manicotti. Serve with a tossed salad and garlic bread for an easy family-style dinner.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Smoky Brisket

A brisket needs to be cooked slowly, so using a slow cooker makes perfect sense. Ensure tender slices by cutting the brisket thinly across the grain.

Slow Cooker Kale and Chorizo Soup

Inspired by Portuguese caldo verde, this hearty, richly flavoured soup is a yummy way to use up an entire bunch of kale in one go. It freezes well, so leftovers make quick and easy lunches all week. The soup thickens as it stands; thin with water and adjust the seasonings as desired when you reheat it.

Slow Cooker Black Bean Spareribs

My mother, Shu-Lai Fong, makes famous pressure-cooked black bean spareribs. They're the inspiration for this recipe, which is just as delicious but uses a slow cooker. You'll find bite-size bone-in pork spareribs at most Asian grocery stores, or you can order them at your butcher's counter.

Slow Cooker Beef Ragu

This hearty sauce is best served over a short pasta with lots of nooks and crannies it can tuck into and cling to. This ragu also makes a delicious lasagna filling when layered with sheets of fresh pasta and ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. Cost: $2.15/cup

Best Ever Slow Cooker Seafood Chowder

There are few things more comforting than a bowl of rich, creamy seafood chowder. Sweet, licorice-like fennel naturally complements the seafood. Serve with oyster crackers or crusty bread and a simple green salad for a complete meal.

Slow Cooker Chorizo and Black Bean Chili

Chorizo sausage and flavourful spices make this chili a real treat to come home to. Stirring in chopped herbs at the end adds a welcome touch of freshness.

Slow Cooker Whisky-Glazed Ribs

Slow-cooked then quickly finished on the grill, sweet and sticky glazed ribs are guaranteed to impress your guests. Pork side ribs are also called St. Louis–style ribs, but back ribs are equally delicious.

Slow Cooker Mushroom Barley Risotto

Finally a flavourful risotto that doesn't need any stirring! Dried mushrooms work perfectly to create an earthy aroma, we've used dried porcinis here as they're readily available, but any dried mushroom will do. Hearty pot barley makes adds a healthful twist and doesn't become overly mushy - even after 8 hours.

Slow Cooker Lemon-Honey Lamb Shoulder

Sweet honey and tender shallots mellow the typically strong flavour of lamb shoulder. Serve with roasted potatoes and steamed greens for a complete meal.

Slow Cooker French Leek Soup

We've swapped beef broth for chicken broth and onions for tender leeks but kept all the flavour in this lighter version of classic French onion soup. When you get home, just toast the baguette, broil the cheese and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Mushroom Chili

This veggie-loaded chili is so hearty that even meat lovers will ask for seconds. To freeze it, cook as directed, but don't add the mushrooms. Cook them separately and add to the chili after reheating it. Serve with crusty bread to soak up every bit of sauce.

Slow Cooker Tacos Al Pastor

Inspired by the traditional Mexican tacos served with spicy thin pork slices and pineapple, this slow cooker version features pork shoulder broken into tender bite size chunks. If you don't want to serve these as tacos, try serving the pork on top of steamed white rice instead.

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Pot Roast

This all-in-one meal is a roast version of classic beef and barley soup. The barley thickens the cooking liquid to make a delicious gravy.

Slow Cooker Spicy Tomato and Beef Chili

Using stewing beef instead of ground meat adds delicious bulk to this otherwise classic chili. Serve as is or use it as a topping for baked potatoes.

Follow us!

Login

Connect with

Sign up

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

Slow Cooker Carbonnade Beef Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili

Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Curry

Slow Cooker Spinach and Ricotta Manicotti

Related article

Collections

20 slow cooker recipes

Slow Cooker Sweet and Smoky Brisket

Slow Cooker Kale and Chorizo Soup

Slow Cooker Black Bean Spareribs

Slow Cooker Beef Ragu

Best Ever Slow Cooker Seafood Chowder

Slow Cooker Chorizo and Black Bean Chili

Related article

Collections

20 slow cooker recipes

Slow Cooker Whisky-Glazed Ribs

Slow Cooker Mushroom Barley Risotto

Slow Cooker Lemon-Honey Lamb Shoulder

Slow Cooker French Leek Soup

Slow Cooker Mushroom Chili

Slow Cooker Tacos Al Pastor

Related article

Collections

20 slow cooker recipes

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Spicy Tomato and Beef Chili

Related article

Collections

20 slow cooker recipes

Comments

Food