Save yourself time in the kitchen and let your slow cooker do the work for you with these cozy dinners. With leafy greens, fish and spices, these meals star ingredients that can help reduce inflammation and fight off its negative symptoms, including digestive distress, joint stiffness and mental fog. Recipes like our Vegetarian Slow-Cooker Pozole and Slow-Cooker Citrus Salmon with Melted Leeks are healthy and comforting meals that practically make themselves.
Love any of these recipes? Tap “Save” to add them to MyRecipes, your new, free recipe box for EatingWell.
Vegetarian Slow-Cooker Pozole
This healthy vegetarian take on the Mexican stew pozole gets tons of flavor from poblano peppers, ancho chile powder and dried herbs and spices, while cannellini beans provide substance, protein and fiber. Chewy hominy–corn that has been treated with lime to remove the tough hull and germ–is integral to the stew. Look for it in cans in the Latin section of your supermarket. Serve the stew with shredded cabbage, radishes, fresh cilantro and sour cream.
Slow-Cooker Lentil, Carrot & Potato Soup
Puréeing some of the lentil-vegetable mixture, and then combining it with the remaining vegetables and lentils gives the soup a texture that satisfies those who love a creamy soup and those who prefer it chunky. Serve this slow-cooker lentil soup with crackers.
Slow-Cooker Jambalaya
This hearty jambalaya is bursting with chicken, smoked turkey sausage, and shrimp. It takes just 25 minutes to prep in the morning and then your slow cooker will work its magic and deliver a tasty meal at the end of the day.
Savory Bean Spinach Soup
Let a slow cooker complete this vegetarian soup. Serve it in cups as a sandwich side or ladle it into bowls for a light meal.
Slow-Cooker Chicken & Chickpea Soup
This set-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker recipe simmers away all day so you come home to a warm and healthy dinner the whole family will love. Using bone-in chicken is the key to making rich soup without adding broth.
Slow-Cooker Vegetable Minestrone Soup
A winter classic, this crock pot version of minestrone is heavy on the vegetables and light on the pasta, keeping carbs in check while providing plenty of flavor.
Slow-Cooker Vegan Chili
Grab your crock pot for this hearty and easy vegan chili, which is chock-full of great-tasting and good-for-you ingredients, including pinto and black beans, red pepper, tomatoes and butternut squash. Once a little chopping is done, all you have to do is dump the ingredients in the slow cooker, making this colorful veggie chili the perfect weeknight dinner. A garnish of fresh avocado and chopped cilantro is a nice touch.
Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Diet Stew
With a focus on vegetables, fiber-rich legumes and healthy fats, this slow-cooker stew fits the bill for those following the Mediterranean diet. Swap out the chickpeas for white beans for a different twist, or try collards or spinach in place of the kale. A drizzle of olive oil to finish pulls together the flavors of this easy vegan crock-pot stew.
Slow-Cooker Pasta e Fagioli Soup Freezer Pack
Your favorite restaurant soup just got easier and healthier with this freezer-to-crock-pot recipe. If you keep a special bottle of olive oil on hand for stand-out dishes, this is the recipe to pull it out for. The headiness of the fruity olive oil truly elevates the flavors in this Italian meal-prep slow-cooker soup.
Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew
This load-and-go slow-cooker chicken recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve this Tuscan-inspired dish with crusty bread, a glass of Chianti and a salad.
Slow-Cooker Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Stew
The chicken, sweet potato and chickpeas all contribute to the nice textured bite of this slow-cooker stew. And the tomato broth takes it to the next level. When eating, you’ll want to have a toasted baguette at the ready to soak it all up.
Slow-Cooker Arroz con Pollo (Chicken & Rice)
This one-pot chicken dinner, inspired by the traditional dish of Spain and Latin America, comes together easily in the crock pot. The instant brown rice is added near the end, to keep it from overcooking.