I wish I could be one of those people who designate Sundays as their meal prep day. No matter how much I try to plan meals for the week, I always find myself scrambling for things to make for dinner on weeknights.
Thankfully, this is the 21st century, and a magical thing called crockpots exists! A crockpot, also known as a slow cooker, is an electric cooker consisting of an earthenware pot inside a container with a heating element that maintains a steady low temperature, used as for simmering stews for several hours. So, you can put stuff into it in the morning, and then by the time you come home, dinner will be ready!
Do it for yourself to eat healthier and hearty-er this year. You can start by trying out one of these nine crockpot recipes. All meals take a maximum of 20 minutes of prep time.
Roasted Red Pepper Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
The Girl on the Bloor has a delicious chicken cacciatore recipe with a twist, made better with roasted red peppers! You can serve it with pasta, rice, or just a bunch of veggies. You can be indulging in this tasty Italian comfort food.
Flavorful Slow Cooker Jambalaya
Get a taste of Cajun with this jambalaya recipe by Kim’s Cravings. Your mouth will be super watery with all the bold flavors. The best part? It only takes ten minutes to prepare. This dish is full of protein, so meat-lovers… rejoice!
Veggie Lasagna
If you’re like me, and you’re a vegetarian, then you’ll be obsessed with this Slow Cooker Gourmet recipe. They provide one of the easiest lasagna recipes out there, and it’ll make you forward to cooking it. If you’re up for it, they included a homemade pasta sauce recipe you can make as well.
Thai Butternut Squash Soup
The creamy, rich taste of this soup will distract you from the fact that it’s healthy. A sprinkle of peanut-cilantro gremolata just before serving takes it to the next level. Check out Creme de la Crumb for this super easy recipe. It’s perfect for the cold winter days coming ahead.
Korean Beef Short Rib Lettuce Wraps
K-Town isn’t the only place to grab some Korean BBQ; you can make it right in your home. No Spoon Necessary has a kick-ass Korean beef short rib lettuce wraps recipe. You can find all the ingredients for these Korean-style wraps at your local grocer, no specialty store run necessary!
Crockpot Taco Soup
The crockpot taco soup recipe from Catz in the Kitchen is easy, tasty, and works equally well in winter as well as summer – pair it with some simple quesadillas, and you’ve got a full meal! This recipe is so good that you’ll forget all about Chipotle.
Crockpot Lo-Mein
Forget Chinese takeout, make a healthier version of Lo-Mein right in your crockpot. Lili Luna’s recipe has chicken, but you can throw in other protein like beef or tofu. I don’t know about you, but I always feel like takeout Lo-Mein is often too salty, so I love the idea of controlling how much salt and sauce goes in when I’m making it at home.
Slow Cooker Greek Potatoes
These crispy potatoes, dressed in olive oil, garlic, lemon, and oregano, take less than five minutes to prep. Toss them in the slow cooker, and they come out oven-crisp. This Damn Delicious recipe includes melted butter, but if you’re vegan, it’s just as good without butter.
Pumpkin, Chickpea, and Red Lentil Curry
Many Indian dishes are naturally vegan. Kitchen Treaty’s curry is oh-so-creamy thanks to coconut milk and pumpkin puree. Creamy, hearty, and full of flavor, this vegan Indian-inspired crockpot recipe is so easy to assemble. A perfect weeknight dinner for any season!
