Best Slow-Cooker Soups and Stews

October 28, 2013
Oxmoor House
Make a meal that feeds a crowd with these satisfying slow-cooker soup and stew recipes. These recipes feature the best flavor combinations that really meld together and fully evolve when cooked low and slow. The best part about these recipes is that once you prep, you're done! Let the slow-cooker do the work and you'll have dinner ready as soon as you get home in the evening. What could be simpler than that?
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Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Recipe

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

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Beef Marsala Stew

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
Beef Marsala Stew Recipe

This is an ideal recipe for the slow cooker, where gentle, prolonged cooking turns tough beef into tender bites. Serve the stew over a mound of Fluffy Mashed Potatoes.

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Slow Cooker Chicken, Bacon, and Potato Soup

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Slow Cooker Chicken, Bacon, and Potato Soup Recipe

This chicken potato soup is perfect for ushering in fall: It's hearty enough for the beginning of soup season, yet brothy and veggie-packed so it doesn't feel too heavy. This recipe is ideal for a weekend, when you can check on the slow cooker after just a few hours. Although you can’t leave it unattended all day, this chicken potato soup still offers the benefit of hands-free, fuss-free cooking. Baby red, Yukon Gold, or fingerling potatoes will all work well here, as they'll maintain their shape nicely during cooking. Pair this easy chicken and potato soup with a slaw or kale side salad and crusty whole-grain bread for a healthy, satisfying dinner.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Posole

Photo: Jennifer Causey
Slow Cooker Chicken Posole Recipe

Think of posole as chili's brothier, lighter cousin, a Mexican version of chicken soup. Posole is also a name for the hominy, or rehydrated dried corn, that goes in the dish.

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Onion, Kale, Chickpea, and Chicken Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
Onion, Kale, Chickpea, and Chicken Soup Recipe

Few things beat a steaming bowl of veggie-packed chicken soup on a crisp autumn evening, and this one happens to be a perfect potion for the seasonal chills. You can leave the thyme sprigs in the broth (just ladle around them) so they'll keep releasing herbaceous goodness into any leftovers.

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Chicken and Cornbread Dumplings

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck
Chicken and Cornbread Dumplings Recipe
Make a classic chicken and dumplings recipe even more Southern by topping the vegetable-and-chicken-packed stew with cornbread dumplings.
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Sausage-and-Collard Greens Stew

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke
Sausage-and-Collard Greens Stew Recipe

Sausage-and-Collard Greens Stew image

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Soulful Chicken Soup

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Victor Protazio
Soulful Chicken Soup Recipe
No dish is quite as soothing as a hearty bowl of chicken noodle soup. Slow cookers couldn't have made the road to comfort any easier: Simply toss in the ingredients, switch on, and then walk away. We love old-fashioned, wide egg noodles for this recipe. To make sure they aren't mushy and overcooked, don't leave them in the slow cooker any longer than 10 minutes.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Congee

Photo: Jennifer Causey
Slow Cooker Chicken Congee Recipe

The slow cooker does all the work in this comforting rice porridge, breaking down the rice with fragrant ginger and star anise and poaching the chicken until silky. A bit of chili oil is the vibrant kick this dish needs. You can also use Sriracha or a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Cilantro or baby spinach leaves can work in place of the watercress.

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Creamy Leek and Parsnip Soup

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
Creamy Leek and Parsnip Soup Recipe

This delicious Creamy Leek and Parsnip Soup is perfect for serving on a chilly fall evening. 

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Smoky Ham and Split Pea Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Smoky Ham and Split Pea Soup Recipe

Potatoes contribute starchiness and silky thickness, while sweet carrots and salty ham balance out the peas' light, earthy flavor. Leftovers fare well in the freezer, so say hello to your new favorite make-ahead soup. Garnish with parsley and additional pepper, if desired.

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Black Garlic and Lentil Soup

Eric Wolfinger
Black Garlic and Lentil Soup Recipe

For Bar Tartine in San Francisco, chef Nick Balla created this smoky, earthy soup as a tribute to his Hungarian-America father. Dried chiles, paprika sausage, hot paprika, and black garlic--regular garlic roasted for days until it turns sweet and jet black, with a licorice-like flavor--give the soup a rounded spiciness.

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Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup

Photo: Christopher Testani; Styling: Alistair Turnbull
Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup Recipe
You'll want to cook the vegetables and beans for 8 hours before adding the sausage. Garnish the finished soup with shaved parmesan cheese.

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Mexican Stew with Garlicky Bread Crumbs

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Amanda Widis
Mexican Stew with Garlicky Bread Crumbs Recipe
Prep this stew before leaving for the day. Let the slow cooker do the work for you, and a delicious Mexican-inspired meal will be ready when you return. Serve stew topped with panko mixture and garnish with cilantro, if desired.

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Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili

Oxmoor House
Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili Recipe
This soup has a mild chile flavor. If you want more heat, increase the amount of chili powder and don't seed the jalapeños.
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Curried Lentil-Tomato Soup

Oxmoor House
Curried Lentil-Tomato Soup Recipe
If it’s buried under bacon, then you know it’s got to be good. This is a yummy comfort food perfect for the winter months and appropriate for all members of your family.

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Potato Soup

Oxmoor House
Potato Soup Recipe
This classic soup gets a double hit of cheese--stirred into the soup and sprinkled over the top.

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Posole

Oxmoor House
Posole Recipe
You'll love the aroma of cumin, oregano, and gently braised pork that will fill your home as the stew cooks.
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Easy Brunswick Stew

Oxmoor House
Easy Brunswick Stew Recipe
The secret is in the name of this recipe–it's so easy to make! Just combine all of the ingredients, set your slow cooker for 8 hours and serve this stew with your favorite side of bread.

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Chicken Stew with Green Olives

Oxmoor House
Chicken Stew with Green Olives Recipe
Give this stew a little crunch by lightly sprinkling almonds on top. The consistencies of the ingredients will mesh nicely with the flavors.

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Smoked Sausage Cassoulet

Oxmoor House
Smoked Sausage Cassoulet Recipe
This hearty soup is exploding with flavors. Meat lovers will crave this bacon-packed and sausage-enriched delight. For a thicker consistency, let the cassoulet stand 30 minutes before serving.
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Butternut Squash-Parsnip Soup

Oxmoor House
Butternut Squash-Parsnip Soup Recipe
This soup is simple, savory and extremely soothing on a cold winter night. To serve twelve to sixteen, make two batches of soup instead of doubling the recipe.

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Tuscan Chicken Soup

Oxmoor House
Tuscan Chicken Soup Recipe
This recipe uses many common pantry and refrigerator staples. All you have to pick up at the supermarket is fresh spinach and chicken thighs.

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Hearty Potato Soup

Photo: J. Savage Gibson
Hearty Potato Soup Recipe
Bread bowls are a sandwich shop favorite for a reason. Instead of venturing out into the cold night air, fill homemade Italian Bread Bowls with chunky potato soup featuring potatoes, onions, carrot, celery, and savory seasonings.
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Spicy Chicken Stew

Spicy Chicken Stew Recipe
Warm up on a cool evening by serving a stew with an extra punch of heat. Salsa and tortillas give this recipe Mexican flair.

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Slow-Cooker Recipe: Classic Beef Stew

Photo: Susie Cushner
Slow-Cooker Recipe: Classic Beef Stew Recipe
Just like Mom used to make, our beef stew is packed with hearty chunks of meat and an array of vegetables. Be sure to have plenty of bread on hand to sop up the savory gravy.

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Smoked Turkey-Lentil Soup

Oxmoor House
Smoked Turkey-Lentil Soup Recipe
The quintessential slow-cooker recipe, all you need to do for this soup is throw all the ingredients in the cooker and let it do the work.
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Peasant Stew

Karry Hosford
Peasant Stew Recipe
Raid your pantry for everyday canned goods to prepare this classic stew. And at just over 200 calories per serving, feel free to go back for seconds!

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Black Bean Soup with Shredded Pork

Black Bean Soup with Shredded Pork Recipe
Budget-friendly black bean soup gets a makeover with the addition of tender pork. Have a garnish station ready with tons of toppings so that family members can customize their bowls.

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Moroccan Vegetable Stew

Karen Steffens
Moroccan Vegetable Stew Recipe
This Moroccan stew recipe is rich in nuts and spices and sweetened with currants. Serve with couscous and a dollop of plain yogurt.
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Vegetable-Beef Soup

Photo: Oxmoor House
Vegetable-Beef Soup Recipe
Think your weeknights are too hectic for a home-cooked meal? Then you haven't tried this recipe. With a little chopping and emptying of cans and bags, dinner is served!

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Thai-Style Pork Stew

Photo: Oxmoor House
Thai-Style Pork Stew Recipe
Take your slow-cooker recipe collection to new heights with the introduction of Thai cuisine. Serve this stew with lime wedges for an extra burst of flavor.

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Slow-Cooker Recipe: Smoky Pea Soup

Photo: Susie Cushner
Slow-Cooker Recipe: Smoky Pea Soup Recipe
Ham gives your average pea soup a savory twist that is prefect to enjoy as a simple, yet hearty meal. Add croutons for a crunchy bite, or bake a pan of cornbread to pair with this soup.
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Easy Brunswick Stew

Photo: Caleb Zorn; Styling: Nicole McLaughlin
Easy Brunswick Stew Recipe
Brunswick stew, a favorite Southern supper, combines vegetables, hash browns, and cooked chicken and pork for a super-satisfying meal that's easily prepared in a slow cooker.

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Curried Squash and Apple Soup

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Curried Squash and Apple Soup Recipe
This soup celebrates two of autumn's favorite flavors: butternut squash and apples. It's also a great make-ahead meal, since it keeps in the fridge for up to four days and up to two months in the freezer.

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Pork-and-Hominy Stew

Pork-and-Hominy Stew Recipe
Pork and hominy (a type of corn) are a classic flavor pairing, especially in soups and stews. This easy slow-cooker stew calls for only nine ingredients and costs less than $2 per serving.
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Sausage, Eggplant and Pepper Stew

Photo: Helen Dujardin; Styling: Mindi Shapiro-Levine
Sausage, Eggplant and Pepper Stew Recipe
Sausage, Eggplant and Pepper Stew requires only minutes of hands-on prep work. After that, simply turn on the slow-cooker, and a delicious meal awaits when you return.

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Steak Soup

Photo: Tina Cornett; Styling: Mary Lyn Hill Jenkins
Steak Soup Recipe
Brown your meat, and throw ingredients into your slow cooker. Eight hours later you've got a warm, hearty soup perfect for a chilly night.

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Beef-and-Bean Chili

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Beef-and-Bean Chili Recipe
This classic red chili has chunks of stew meat and ground beef along with tomatoes, red beans, and spices. Fire-roasted tomatoes add a note of smokiness to the mix. If you can't find fire-roasted, use plain tomatoes and add a pinch of smoked paprika.
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Provençal Beef Daube

Photo: Nina Choi; Styling: Lisa Lee
Provençal Beef Daube Recipe
An inexpensive cut of beef is elevated by flavorful herbs and vegetables in this classic French-style soup.

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Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili

Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili
Eight hours in the slow cooker yields comforting, from-scratch taste with economical ingredients.

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Chicken Fricassee with Cream and Morel Mushrooms

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Chicken Fricassee with Cream and Morel Mushrooms Recipe
This earthy chicken stew features dried mushrooms, new potatoes, leeks, bacon and fresh herbs for a savory, satisfying one-dish meal.
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Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

Photo: Johnny Autry; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl
Slow Cooker French Onion Soup Recipe
The slow cooker completely eliminates the stirring part of caramelizing onions; it all goes happily unattended. Freeze the bag of soup in a bowl rather than laying it flat, so it will fit in the saucepan when it's time to thaw.

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Caribbean Black Bean Soup

Oxmoor House
Caribbean Black Bean Soup Recipe
A little of this spicy soup goes a long way, so it's best when served as an appetizer soup. If you want to decrease the heat, seed the jalapeños.

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Thyme-Scented White Bean Cassoulet

Photo: Oxmoor House
Thyme-Scented White Bean Cassoulet Recipe
Butter-tossed breadcrumbs stirred in at the end give this dish a robust stewlike consistency. Meatless Italian sausage stands in for the traditional pork sausage.