Slow cooker recipes can save you hours of prep work and streamline those busy days, but it’s hard to find recipes that aren’t just stews or soups! So, we’ve come up with a few of our favourite slow cooker recipes, that are pretty much guaranteed to be a hit with all members of the family! Do the prep during the day, pop the food on, and your evening will be so much easier!
Slow Cooker Recipes
1. Butter Chicken
Make the shortcut version of this classic chicken dish
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 can coconut milk
- 175ml can tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons wholemeal flour
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 300ml thickened cream
Instructions
For the super easy version:
- Add all ingredients except cream into the slow cooker and stir to combine
- Cover and cook on high for 1-2 hours or low for 4-5
- If you’re using thick cream, stir it in during the last hour
For a slightly more effort-intensive version:
- Sautee the garlic and onion in a pan over medium heat and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes.
- Then stir in coconut milk, tomato paste, flour, garam masala, curry powder, chili powder and ginger powder well combined and slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
- Place chicken in slow cooker and add sauce, then cover and cook on low heat for 5 hours. Stir in cream in the last hour.
2. Pumpkin Risotto
This is a versatile base recipe you can use in lots of ways with different ingredient combinations
Ingredients
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 1 onion, diced
- 400g of cubed pumpkin
- 1 zucchini, grated
- 6 rashers bacon, diced
- 2 liters of chicken stock
- 2 tbs butter
- Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup cream
Instructions
- Place the onion, pumpkin, zucchini, bacon, rice and stock in your slow cooker, and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
- Just before serving, stir through cream, butter and cheese. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.
You could try Slow Cooker Central for other versions, like mushroom and bacon, cheesy zucchini or creamy garlic prawn.
3. One-pot beef pasta
Slow cooker pasta meals can be made in the one pot!
Ingredients
- 1kg beef mince
- 400gm can crushed or diced tomatoes
- 500ml jar pasta bake sauce (a cheesy tomato variety is best eg Creamy Tomato Mozzarella)
- 2 diced onions
- 250g small pasta such as shells or twists
Instructions
Place all ingredients except the pasta in slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours. Add uncooked pasta 45 to 60 minutes before end of cooking time.
