20 Slow Cooker Recipes You Can Prep in 20 Minutes or Less

Prep time on this is about 10 minutes and that’s because you do want to brown the meat before it goes into the slow cooker. Browning the meat will give it a better texture and the soup a better flavor.

Making a giant batch of this pulled pork will be a game changer. There are so many different ways to use it (think tamales, enchiladas, quesadillas, etc.) or you can freeze it for later.

The mantra for this dish is Spice is Nice! There are a lot of spices used to season the meat, but if you don’t have a couple of them, don’t stress about it! It’ll be okay! Serve over couscous or rice.

Meatless Monday never looked better. Not only does this dish pack some intense flavor, but it is all made in your slow cooker, so it has easy clean up too!

Hands-off is this recipe’s middle name. We’ve included a few tricks to avoid pasta that’s mushy and sauce that’s too watery.

This is a fantastic way to spice up pulled pork. You could serve it on a Hawaiian dinner roll, in a dumpling, or even in lettuce cups for a low-carb option.

The only prep work needed for this recipe is dicing the onion and the celery. Everything else is a matter of opening a few cans, measuring some spices, and stirring it all together!

The prep time for this recipe is on the longer side (20 minutes) but only because you need to brown the meat before you put it in the slow cooker. It really adds a rich flavor that you’ll be dreaming about all day.

This is essential for any game day whether it’s football, soccer, tennis, or maybe you’re having a Bachelorette marathon and need something to graze on for a few hours. Whatever the case, make sure you have this cheesy dip on hand!

This hands-off side dish frees up oven space so you don’t have to stress about trying to fit everything into the oven at the same time. If you’re serving a larger crowd, you can easily double the recipe without having to increase the cooking time.

Let’s taco ‘bout how much we love tacos! They are made on the regular at my house, and making them in the slow cooker simplifies my life in ways you can’t even imagine. I’m convinced these taste even better because of how easy they are to cook up.

I know what you’re thinking… Mustard? In a stew? YEP. Turkey has a bold flavor on its own, so it needs a bold flavor to accompany it, and mustard fits the bill. If you can’t find turkey, it’s perfectly okay to sub in chicken!

These are perfect for a day when you’ll be home for lunch and can start them cooking for dinner. The filling can also be prepared the night before and kept refrigerated. You could even stuff the peppers ahead of time so that all you have to do the next day is put them in the slow cooker.

Not only does this recipe make the world’s tastiest granola, but your house is going to smell amazing while it’s cooking. Our tip for making granola this way is to leave the lid to the slow cooker slightly ajar, allowing the moisture to escape! Crunchy granola for the win!

It may seem odd to use a slow cooker for salmon because salmon actually cooks up really quickly. But here, we’re using the slow cooker less for its “slow cooking” function and more for its ability to provide steady, even heat—which is the perfect medium for cooking delicate fish like salmon.

 Bold flavor made easy! We do cook rice in a separate pot, so you can ladle the jambalaya on top of the rice, or mix it all together at the very end. Either way, you’re going to want to savor the flavor!

Once you’ve made mashed potatoes in the slow cooker, you won’t be able to make them any other way. It is so easy and is the perfect side for so many dishes! I like to add in some minced garlic to the slow cooker for a nice and subtle garlic flavor.

Want to know how easy these wings are to make? Simply toss them in a spicy rub and a hot honey sauce, which you do right in the slow cooker. It takes less than 10 minutes and after you turn your slow cooker on, you can forget about them until they’re ready.

There's something so satisfying about making your own chicken stock, and doing it in the slow cooker is a total set-it-and-forget-it exercise. Use it in soups and risotto, sip it from a mug, freeze it for future use—the sky is the limit!

While we originally made this chili on the stove top, we have included slow cooker directions as well. If you want more of a kick to your chili, add in a dash or two of hot sauce!