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40+ Easy Weeknight Crockpot Meals, perfect for busy days!
Easy Weeknight Crockpot Meals
I love my slow cooker, that is definitely no secret. And I am guessing you might just love yours too! In the spirit of “set it and forget it” meals I have compiled a list of some of the best easy slow cooker recipes! I love these crockpot meals because they make it possible for me to come home to a hot meal that I haven’t had to cook!
Some of these recipes are made in an Instant Pot, but they include directions to be made in a slow cooker. These Easy Weeknight Crockpot Meals are the ideal busy night dinner, tasty snacks or even delicious desserts! For even easier clean up, I use these Crock Pot Liners so there is barely any work at all!
Are these Crockpot recipes good for meal prep?
Absolutely! I love to meal prep, and I regularly use my crockpot to do so. Being able to plan my meals out for the week is a huge help in our house, but using a slow cooker on nights I know I won’t have time to cook is a life saver! Using meal prep containers is a big help for keeping us on track!
Weeknight Crockpot Meal Prep Ideas:
SO MANY of these recipes can be frozen as “dump meals.” To meal prep with VERY little extra effort, simply buy twice the ingredients and then measure everything out twice — Once in the slow cooker for today’s meal, and once in a freezer bag to store for later. Write the time required & any additional steps/ingredients on the bag with a sharpie so anyone can prepare dinner later!
If you plan to start a slow cooker meal before going to work, it might be best to go ahead and prep the recipe the night before! Simply throw the ingredients you need in the slow cooker (or a bag/bowl), then all you have to do is plug in the slow cooker (or dump the bag/bowl into it). This way even a missed alarm won’t mean you’re dinner plans are ruined!
When doing long-term meal prepping, use different proteins or seasonings to avoid getting in a rut! Instead of having Salsa Chicken 3 times a month, maybe one could be a Chicken Chimichanga and another a Carnitas night!
Slow Cooker Sides and Appetizers
Slow Cooker Sides and Appetizers are perfect for game day or get-togethers!
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Slow Cooker Bean Dip
Slow Cooker Bean Dip, only FOUR ingredients and gluten free!
Hot Crab and Bacon Dip is the ultimate cheesy appetizer! Tender lump crab, crispy bacon, green onions and three kinds of cheese make this decadent dip a major crowd pleaser!
Slow Cooker Corn Dip makes for an impressive appetizer without any work! Just toss your ingredients in the slow cooker and come home to a creamy, cheesy dip!
This crockpot lasagna is possibly the easiest lasagna you will ever make. You don’t need to boil the lasagna noodles before layering the lasagna in your crock pot. You are going to love this easy and delicious slow cooker lasagna!
Slow Cooker Chicken Lo Mein + Crock-Pot + meal prep + recipe VIDEO
Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Lo Mein – The perfect healthy crock-pot recipe for busy weeknights with authentic restaurant quality ingredients. Best of all, ONLY 15 minutes to prep & way better than takeout. Make it for your weekly meal prep & leftovers make great work lunches.
This slow cooker buffalo chicken is juicy, spicy, and simple! Onion and boneless, skinless chicken breasts are covered in a buffalo sauce mixture for a healthy and ultra versatile protein. This healthy crockpot buffalo chicken is great in sandwiches, on salads, and more!
Crockpot BBQ Meatballs are made with just a few simple ingredients, but they’re so good! The barbecue sauce turns into a thick, sticky glaze – perfect for a party appetizer.
This Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef is so quick and easy — throw everything in the crockpot and let it cook! Tender strips of steak, covered in a rich, dark sauce full of Asian flavours with a touch of sweetness.
Slow Cooker Ginger Garlic Pork Tenderloin is an effortless Asian-inspired dish that is the perfect combination of sweet and savory! Each serving has less than 3 net carbs each.
Easy Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Hoisin-Blackberry Sauce
I’ve got a simple one today. About 10 minutes of time and a handful of ingredients is all we need to get us to this tender and juicy Easy Slow Cooker Pork Roast With Hoisin-Blackberry Sauce. We are going to let our slow cookers do ALL the heavy lifting while we sit back and have a drink. Dinner is basically going to make itself tonight!
Stupid easy slow cooker Mexican shredded chicken tacos. A true dump and cook crockpot recipe that results in the most flavorful, juicy Mexican pulled chicken.
This easy, all purpose Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken only requires a few ingredients and makes the best shredded chicken! Perfect for meal prep, casseroles, wraps and more!
Dinner doesn’t get easier than this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe! It’s an easy dump and go recipe that results in tender, flavorful shredded pork with minimal effort, and it’s great for tacos, nachos, sandwiches and more!
These Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Ranch Sandwiches are incredibly easy to make and only have a few basic ingredients! This zesty ranch chicken is loaded on buttery English muffins and melted provolone cheese for a satisfying sandwich!
This Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken is so easy and BIG on flavor! The crockpot makes it juicy and moist, with extra sauce for serving over rice. With VIDEO.
The best Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe! Tender and flavorful pulled pork is so easy to make in your crockpot. Perfect for busy days or for feeding a crowd.
Coming together with only seven ingredients, this Chicken Taco Soup is a great healthy option for dinner tonight! This delicious soup can be made in the Instant Pot or the Slow Cooker!
Easy Taco Soup (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker) – It Starts With Good Food
Easy Healthy Taco Soup is an easy meal, packed with vegetables and requires no chopping! With Instant pot, slow cooker and stovetop instructions, this soup can be made any way you like it!
This low-carb Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Soup recipe is loaded with tender shredded chicken, spicy buffalo sauce and tons of cheese! Under 5 net carbs per serving and perfect for keto meal prep!
Keto Cabbage Soup (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker) – The Best Keto Recipes
This Keto Cabbage Soup is a true low-carb winter staple! At just under 6 net carbs with Instant Pot, Slow Cooker and stove top instructions this is a keto soup perfect for any occasion!
This is the Best Turkey Chili recipe! Browned turkey, two kinds of beans, tomatoes and spices make this an easy dinner you will love! Slow cooker option also!
This low carb Instant Pot BBQ Chicken requires just five simple ingredients and less than 15 minutes of cook time! Try my favorite pulled chicken recipe on a salad or wrap, less than 3 net carbs per quarter-pound!
This Slow Cooker Potato Soup is a lightened up version of a classic! The potato soup simmers all day in a crockpot, and you’d never guess this recipe is packed with veggies!
Slow Cooker White Bean Chicken Chili Verde + Video
This Slow Cooker White Bean Chicken Chili is always a crowd pleaser! By using your Crock Pot this dish is a true dump and go dinner that your entire family will love!
This Crock Pot Salsa Chicken is the best set it and forget it meal! Tender shredded chicken is combined with taco seasoning, enchilada sauce and garlic for a flavor packed easy dinner recipe that is perfect for keto meal prep!
Your entire family will love these Crock Pot Chicken Tacos! Easy shredded chicken is combined with cheese, layered in a tortilla and baked to perfection!
Keto White Chicken Chili (Instant Pot and Slow Cooker)
This Keto White Chicken Chili is loaded with shredded chicken, chilis, peppers and cauliflower rice! At about 7.5 net carbs per heaping serving this is the ultimate creamy keto comfort food!
This Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Soup is the perfect easy keto soup! At just under 6 net carbs and packed with meat and vegetables this is a low carb soup you’ll enjoy all season long!
Cabbage and Black-Eyed Pea Soup (Slow Cooker + Gluten Free)
This Cabbage and Black-Eyed Pea Soup is packed with black-eyed peas, onions, bell pepper, cabbage, and tomatoes. Made in the slow cooker, this easy and comforting soup recipe is perfect for New Years!
Make this delicious low-carb Salted Caramel Crock Pot Candy with only four ingredients! It’s the perfect keto-friendly and diabetic-friendly giftable dessert!
This Chocolate Almond Keto Crock Pot Candy is the perfect make-ahead dessert! Only 4 ingredients required, easy to store, and only 2.5 net carbs per piece!
Annie is the gluten-free blogger behind Maebells that has a passion for revamping classic Southern comfort food into lighter, healthier, gluten-free meals. For more from Annie, connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Pinterest.
I feel like I’ve been neglecting my slow cooker later. I don’t know why, because I LOVE IT! Thanks for reminding me of how awesome it can be, with all these great recipes. I’m actually heading out to the grocery store this afternoon, and I think I’m going to put that Mongolian Beef on my list!
This is such an awesome collection! I love my slow cooker too, but variety is KEY…otherwise every meal starts to taste the same! 🙂 There are so many recipes that I want to try here. Pinned and sharing!
YES! My slow cooker has been working overtime these days, so handy! And now I have a nice little mini one to play with. These all look amazing. Thanks for including me!
I want to try so many of the recipes on this list! Slow cooker meals have saved me many times when my kids hit their melt-down point in the evenings. Thanks so much for including my recipes!
This may have been a meal plan post because I want to add all of these to the menu. Awesome round up, Annie! Thanks for including my buffalo chicken. 🙂
Slow cooker recipes are my favorite! Love this delicious round-up! Everything looks amazing! Thanks so much for including me 🙂 Can’t wait to try so many of these recipes!
What a great round up of recipes! Everything looks so good! There’s nothing better than a slow cooker meal that I don’t have to fuss over during the day.
This is a just perfect because I am always looking for slow cooker meals! I try to add a slow cooker meal to my weeknight menu each week and all of these recipes look incredible. I think I am going to try the slow cooker chicken lo mein first. So good!
Great and tasty recipes. Love all the recipes. I do not have a crock pot . Will use conventional cooking method . Will be buying a microwave oven soon . Small appartment space.
Many many thanks for your recipes.
I feel like I’ve been neglecting my slow cooker later. I don’t know why, because I LOVE IT! Thanks for reminding me of how awesome it can be, with all these great recipes. I’m actually heading out to the grocery store this afternoon, and I think I’m going to put that Mongolian Beef on my list!
Doesn’t it look amazing?! I just don’t think I could live without my slow cooker! Thanks Liz!! 🙂
I seriously want to make every single thing in this roundup! I love my slow cooker and use it almost daily.
I do too Katerina! I just think it is such a handy tool!
I’m a recent slow cooker convert and I’m LOVING all these recipes!! So much yumminess 🙂
Thanks Rachel!! 🙂
These all look amazing! Pinning for later!
Thank you Jamielyn!! 🙂
This is such an awesome collection! I love my slow cooker too, but variety is KEY…otherwise every meal starts to taste the same! 🙂 There are so many recipes that I want to try here. Pinned and sharing!
Oh definitely!! I get tired of the same old things! 🙂 Thanks Blair!
I am loving using my slow cooker more than ever, so this round up is perfect! And thank you for including my pulled pork. 🙂
Thanks Marcie!! 🙂
Ahhhhh….LOVE this round-up, Annie! My slow cooker is seriously my best friend.
Me too!! I just couldn’t live without it!
Love this – I am always looking for more slow cooker dinners…that AREN’T soup! ha!
Absolutely!! I love soup but sometimes I need some variety! haha!
Yay for non-soup slow cooker recipes! Great roundup, everything looks so good!
Thanks Kimberly! 🙂
These all look SO good! I can’t wait to try some of them!!!
Thanks Cathy!
I love my slow cooker, it’s such a life saver during the week. This is such a great round up of recipes, Annie! Thanks for including me too 🙂
Thanks Danielle! 🙂
YES! My slow cooker has been working overtime these days, so handy! And now I have a nice little mini one to play with. These all look amazing. Thanks for including me!
I think we all need a really good go to list of slow cooker recipes when life gets crazy! 🙂
I want to try so many of the recipes on this list! Slow cooker meals have saved me many times when my kids hit their melt-down point in the evenings. Thanks so much for including my recipes!
You are so welcome!! 🙂 We are making your slow cooker lasagna tomorrow!! I can’t wait!
This may have been a meal plan post because I want to add all of these to the menu. Awesome round up, Annie! Thanks for including my buffalo chicken. 🙂
I know right?! Slow cooker recipes every night of the week, I say! Thanks Alyssa!
Slow cooker recipes are my favorite! Love this delicious round-up! Everything looks amazing! Thanks so much for including me 🙂 Can’t wait to try so many of these recipes!
Thanks Kelly! Your slow cooker recipes are amazing!
What a great round up of recipes! Everything looks so good! There’s nothing better than a slow cooker meal that I don’t have to fuss over during the day.
Absolutely!! They can really be lifesavers sometimes! Thanks Serene!
This is a just perfect because I am always looking for slow cooker meals! I try to add a slow cooker meal to my weeknight menu each week and all of these recipes look incredible. I think I am going to try the slow cooker chicken lo mein first. So good!
I agree!! They make life so much easier, I just love “set it and forget it” meals! Thanks Ashley!
I want to try every single one of these recipes! Love using my slow cooker!
SO many great crockpot dinners that I now have to try! I think I’ve got a month’s worth of dinners all planned out now. 😉
As much as we love soup, it is SO nice to have a change every once in a while! Thanks so much for including me!
So many recipes I’d like to try! Thanks for sharing!
Great and tasty recipes. Love all the recipes. I do not have a crock pot . Will use conventional cooking method . Will be buying a microwave oven soon . Small appartment space.
Many many thanks for your recipes.