If you’re looking for something to cook in your slow cooker that isn’t just your typical soup or stew, I’ve got a great list for you!

A good number of people have this mindset that slow cookers are machines meant to cook up delicious meals in winter. So they go all winter loving the ‘coming home to a cooked dinner’ routine, and then come summer go back to the usual ‘stand over the hob while we cook’ routine. Sounds kind of crazy right, since it’s so hot in summer and I’d think that standing over the hob is not quite anyone’s idea of fun?

Here are some suggestions that are anything but ordinary, and fantastic summer options.

Meat and seafood-based meals

Chilis: Chili is a one-dish meal that is as filling as it is delicious. If you tire of eating chili the traditional way, use it to make nachos, stuff it into wraps, or make enchiladas.

Stuffed meats: You’ve probably cooked lots of meats in your slow cooker, but did you ever think of stuffing them? Try something different, like beef rolls with a bacon-studded stuffing or a flank steak stuffed with garlicky breadcrumbs. Most butchers sell these ready-made too!

Ribs: The key to perfect ribs is getting the meat to fall right off the bones, and a slow cooker is ideal for achieving this. As an added bonus, lots of kids will eat anything that’s got a tangy glaze or barbecue sauce!

Lamb shanks: Get fall-apart tender lamb completely hands-off for a change of speed from the usual chicken and beef.

Chicken drumsticks: I love the way chicken drumsticks turn out in the Crock Pot. The chicken just falls off the bone, which is ideal when you’re serving to kids, and you can go for whatever flavour strikes your fancy, whether it’s Asian, Italian, barbecue, or garlicky.

Pulled pork/chicken/beef: Pulled meat is a meal prepper’s dream, and a big slow cooker is ideal for making a big batch at once so there’s plenty to freeze for another day. Make sandwiches, salads, and all manner of Mexican food with your pulled meat.

Whole chicken: When you have a slow cooker, there’s no need to keep your oven on for hours and heat up your kitchen every time you want a whole chicken. Plus, the leftover chicken can be used to prep meals for the week, such as chicken salad, enchiladas, or tacos. Get my 4 ingredient slow cooker chicken recipe here.

Rabbit: If you never make rabbit because it’s so easy to overcook, the slow cooker will help you avoid disappointingly tough meat. I’ve got the most delicious recipe that has won the hearts of many 🙂 Get it here.

Stir fry: I know that stir fry is traditionally a quick-cook meal, but you can ensure tender meat and an incredible depth of flavour when you leave the meat in your slow cooker; toss in the veggies closer to the end if you like them more on the crunchy side.

Octopus: This might be one of the last foods you thought you could cook in your slow cooker, but trust me on this. Say goodbye to rubbery octopus using the simplest of recipes like my Slow-Cooked Galician Octopus.

Vegetable, bean, and grain-based meals

Risotto: Forget standing over the stovetop and stirring all day – the low and even heat of a slow cooker takes the hard work out of preparing this comforting dish that works well with the flavours your family loves, whether it’s a more classic parmesan and mushroom risotto or a seasonal variety like butternut squash.

Stuffed veggies: Stuffed veggies like bell peppers and courgettes are a fun way to sneak more veggies into your family’s diet, and making them in the slow cooker means you can set it and forget it.

Pasta sauces: The slow cooker is a fab tool for making pasta sauces. A few minutes prep and throwing everything into your slow cooker in the morning and letting it do the work will let you get other things done off your list. And it’s a great choice for batch cooking!

Lasagne: If you love the cheesy goodness of lasagne but would love to come home to one ready-(home)made, using the slow cooker is a genius way to save time and ensure your lasagne won’t dry out like it might in the oven!

Casseroles: Creamy casseroles turn out right every time in the slow cooker, and the good thing about casserole is that it’s easy to adapt it to suit whatever ingredients you have on hand.

Drinks and desserts

Mulled wine: Nothing quite says Christmas is on its way like a steaming cup of mulled wine on a chilly evening. And because mulled wine tastes better the longer it simmers, a crock pot is ideal for whipping up a big batch for holiday entertaining. With wine, oranges, cinnamon, mulling spices and a hint of sweetness, your house never smelled so good!

Cakes: Say goodbye to dry cakes when you enlist the help of your slow cooker. You can make any type of cake imaginable in a slow cooker, but a moist carrot cake and a chocolate lava cake with a molten centre are two of our favourites.

Ready to learn more?

If you’d like to learn all there is to know about using your slow cooker to churn out perfectly tasty, not-watered-down meals that are impossible to resist, check out our online mini-course. For just 25 Euros you will get lifetime access to the online classes and access to our student-only Facebook group. It took me years to learn all this, and I’ve condensed it into bite-sized lessons so you can learn it all under an hour!

If you think outside the box a little, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how many different things you can cook in your slow cooker!