Yummy Slow Cooker Recipes Made From REAL Ingredients! (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy

ByEmily October 20, 2014January 23, 2021 January 23, 2021

When I got married, we were given four slow cookers. At that point, we lived in a 400 square foot apartment that barely had room for essentials. (I literally had less than two feet of functioning counter space when I started blogging). So, we didn’t have anywhere to keep 4 slow cookers. We chose the smallest, simplest one, thinking, “well, it’ll fit the best, and we’re only cooking for two…”

And so it was that we were stuck with a small slow cooker for seven years. Andevery time I cooked a whole chicken, or a large roast, it brought to mind the thought “I wish I’d kept the bigger ones.” While we’ve made lots of delicious meals in that slow cooker, I can’t count how many times I’ve longed for something better, bigger, and more efficient.

Slow cookers are just so perfect for long days, busy days, or even lazy days. We’ve had a lot of crazy days lately, with trips to specialists, extraappointments, and errands to run, and it’s been such a comfort to have dinner ready for me whenever it is that we walk in.The folks at Hamilton Beach generously sent me one of their new Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cookerto try, and it’s been so. much. better. Throughout the last month, I’ve tried soups, chicken (like this awesome Butter Chicken), beef roast, stew, homemade bone broth, sloppy joes, and more. I’m completely sold (and bursting with finished recipes to share).

I’ve compiled 12 of our favorite slow cooker recipes for you to try. They’re tried, tested, and SO loved. I hope you find something you like (and expect to see several more recipes over the next few months). Keep scrolling for the giveaway information!

12 Tried and Tested Slow Cooker Recipes:

1. Sweet and Spicy Pulled Pork (A Cafe Rio Copycat) – GF, DF
2. Beef Stew– GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30
3. Brown Sugar and Balsamic Pork Roast – GF, DF
4. Lemon Rosemary Chicken – GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30
5. Chile Colorado Stuffed Sweet Potatoes – GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30
6. Pumpkin Taco Soup– GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30, Vegan option
7. Butter Chicken– GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30
8. Spiced Pear Sauce – GF, DF, Paleo
9. Sloppy Joe-tatoes-GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30
10. Vegetable Bean Stew– GF, DF, Vegan
11. Refried Beans – GF, DF, Vegan
12. Beef Carnitas – GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30

Now for the extra-fun part: I get to share one with you!

Here are a few of my favorite things about the Set n’ Forget Slow Cooker.

A few favorite features:

• Everything has come out beautifully. No burning or sticking to the side, and everything’s washed out really well. The interior is also black so it doesn’t show any sort of staining or scratching the way a white one does. My last slow cooker was all white and showed every little imperfection. This one cleans like a dream!
• It comes with a temperature probe!You can program the slow cooker to start at one temperature and switch to “warm” as soon as the meat reaches a certain internal temperature, which solves the problem of overcooking more delicate meat (like a whole chicken or boneless skinless chicken breast).
• The programming feature is surprisingly simple to use. You can program it to delay cooking for a bit, or to switch to the “warm” feature when it’s finished, which is great for the days you’re not quite sure when you’ll be home, or you want to make something that’ll be done before you’re back from errands or work. I’m MOST excited to try this feature to make all kinds of slow cooker steel cut oats. This apple pie number looks amazing.
• It has two little clips you can use to keep the lid on if you’re transporting the slow cooker somewhere, perfect for potlucks, taking dinner to friends, or chili cook-offs. I love those two little clips. As does my car floor.

And the giveaway…

And now, YOU can enter to have one! The giveaway is open to U.S. readers only. Giveaway will run from today (Monday, October 20) through Sunday the 26th at midnight. I wish you the best of luck!!!