Slow Cooker Recipes Under 300 Calories

October 07, 2010
Photo: Mark Thomas; Styling: Lynn Miller
With 300 calories or less, these light entrees deliver the kind of deep, rich flavors that come from cooking low and slow.
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Sweet and Spicy Satsuma Turkey

Oxmoor House
Sweet and Spicy Satsuma Turkey Recipe
Fresh mandarin oranges, riesling, and orange marmalade provide the highlights for the sweet profile, while crushed red pepper adds the spicy kick to this Asian-inspired turkey dish. Serve with hot steamed rice as an accompaniment to soak up the delicious sauce.
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Pulled Pork with Bourbon-Peach Sauce

Pulled Pork with Bourbon-Peach Sauce Recipe
Smoked paprika comes from a centuries-old tradition in which chile peppers are slowly dried over low-burning fires of Spanish oak and then ground into powder. In the slow cooker, this earthy, aromatic spice adds outdoor smoked barbecue flavor.

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Santa Fe Black Beans

Oxmoor House
Santa Fe Black Beans Recipe
Black beans are a staple side to any Mexican dish. Serve these beans warm and tender after 10 hours in the slow cooker.
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Chicken Enchilada Stack

Oxmoor House
Chicken Enchilada Stack Recipe
You can enjoy the flavor and texture of enchiladas in a slow cooker; just stack the tortillas instead of rolling them. We suggest lining your slow cooker with a slow-cooker bag so you can easily remove the stack from the cooker.

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Amaretti Cheesecake

Oxmoor House
Amaretti Cheesecake Recipe
Cheesecake in a slow cooker is a brilliant idea for a heavenly fall dessert. Top with fresh raspberries to complete your sweet treat.

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Smoked Sausage Cassoulet

Oxmoor House
Smoked Sausage Cassoulet Recipe
For a thicker consistency, let the cassoulet stand 30 minutes before serving.
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Balsamic Collard Greens

Oxmoor House
Balsamic Collard Greens Recipe
Serve these greens with pork tenderloin and garlic mashed potatoes.

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Bolognese

Oxmoor House
Bolognese Recipe
Spoon this savory Italian meat sauce over any pasta of your choice. We love the long, ribbon-style pappardelle.

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Maple-Hazelnut Oatmeal

Oxmoor House
Maple-Hazelnut Oatmeal Recipe
The soothing aroma of fresh oatmeal is the ultimate comfort food. Savor happiness in a bowl with the flavors of brown sugar, cinnamon, and maple syrup topped with chopped hazelnuts and apples.
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Plum Pork Tenderloin

Oxmoor House
Plum Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Serve with jasmine rice to help soak up some of the sauce. Snow peas make a great side dish for rounding out your meal.

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Herb and Sausage-Stuffed Peppers

Oxmoor House
Herb and Sausage-Stuffed Peppers Recipe
You can set up this recipe in less than fifteen minutes, turn on the slow cooker, and go. Come back in four hours, and your supper will be ready.

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Pineapple-Coconut Tapioca

Oxmoor House
Pineapple-Coconut Tapioca Recipe
Small pearl tapioca combined with coconut milk and fresh pineapple makes a simple tropics-inspired treat. The key to success is using small pearl tapioca, not instant or minute tapioca. Fresh mango or papaya works equally well as a substitute for the fresh pineapple.
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Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr
Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce Recipe
Chicken thighs take on rustic, bold Italian flavor notes with just a few pantry staples including canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and white wine. Just before serving, add Kalamata olives and fresh parsley to finish things off on a rich note.

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Double Apple Cake

Oxmoor House
Double Apple Cake Recipe
If you’re an apple lover, look no further for dessert than this tasty cake recipe. With only 1 to 1/2 hours in the slow cooker, this apple cake is the perfect, mouth-watering treat.

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Chunky Applesauce

Oxmoor House
Chunky Applesauce Recipe
We left the skins on the McIntosh apples to provide texture and color to this favorite fruit dish.
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Buffalo-Style Drummettes

Oxmoor House
Buffalo-Style Drummettes Recipe
Heating the chicken drummettes in the oven helps to brown them. You can also brown them, in batches, in a skillet on the cooktop.

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Slow-Cooker Barbecue Chicken

Photo: Kate Mathis; Styling: Paul Grimes
Slow-Cooker Barbecue Chicken Recipe
Cook chicken breasts in a mixture of bottle barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce for a sweet and tangy barbecue chicken that’s great on a bun over even over a baked potato.

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Chilaquiles

Oxmoor House
Chilaquiles Recipe
Before there were nachos, there were chilaquiles. Tomatoes and spices simmer with any kind of meat to make the ideal topping for tortilla chips. Here, chipotle, chicken, and cilantro meld in this filling Mexican favorite.
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Berry-Lemonade Tea

Oxmoor House
Berry-Lemonade Tea Recipe
Here's a refreshingly fruity mix of tea and lemonade that is delicious hot or cold--depending on the season. You can even spike it!

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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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Mediterranean Chicken

Oxmoor House
Mediterranean Chicken Recipe
Capturing the simplicity found in sun-drenched Mediterranean cuisine, these braised chicken thighs melt under the influence of bright, vibrant lemon, briny olives and capers, and juicy plum tomatoes. Serve with rosemary mashed potatoes or over hot basmati rice.
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Beer-Braised Beef

Oxmoor House
Beer-Braised Beef Recipe
It’s hard to believe that seven ingredients, including the unusual additions of molasses and light beer, can create such fork-tender top round steak. Serve this quintessential comfort food over mashed potatoes, polenta, or egg noodles.

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Slow Cooker Veggie Chili

Jennifer Davick; Buffy Hargett; Vanessa McNeil Rocchio
Slow Cooker Veggie Chili Recipe
A colorful combo of canned, frozen, and fresh vegetables, this hearty meatless chili is one of our most popular. Serve toppings alongside for a chili bar: low-fat sour cream, low-fat cheddar, green onions, and minced jalapeño.

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Easy Beef Osso Buco

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr    
Easy Beef Osso Buco Recipe
Brimming with rich, deep flavors, Easy Beef Osso Buco is a slow cooker classic. With just 30 minutes of preparation in the morning, this warm stew cooks in 8 hours while you are at work or running errands throughout the day and is ready to eat when you get home.
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Poblano Corn Pudding

Oxmoor House
Poblano Corn Pudding Recipe
Guaranteed to heat up any meal, this corn pudding is a tasty menu item for a Mexican-themed buffet.

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Provençal Beef Stew

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr
Provençal Beef Stew Recipe
For deep French flavor without a lot of effort, this stew steeps boneless chuck roast with tomato paste, vegetables, spices, and a little bit of red wine. To keep the lid on carbs and calories, potatoes are left out of the mix.

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Black Bean Soup

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr
Black Bean Soup Recipe
For days when you feel lazy, this easy black bean soup lets the slow cooker build that “made from scratch” flavor with dried beans and traditional seasonings. Not fond of spicy dishes? Use Anaheim chile instead of serrano.
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Rosemary Chicken Noodle Soup

Oxmoor House
Rosemary Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Light and dark meat chicken and vegetables simmer in broth with baby spinach, onions, and celery for a different twist on a classic. A splash of lemon juice and a sprinkle of rosemary help give this soup “fresh off the stovetop” flavor.

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Slow-Cooker Meatloaf with Shiitake Mushrooms

Photography: Karry Hosford
Slow-Cooker Meatloaf with Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe
A mixture of ground round, turkey, and meaty shiitake mushrooms, this easy meatloaf saves the mess and fuss of lighting the oven. Use leftovers for sandwiches or to create flavorful stuffed bell peppers.

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White Bean and Chicken Chili

White Bean and Chicken Chili Recipe
One of those “killer” recipes that will wow any crowd, this nine-ingredient chili relies on pantry staples including canned white beans, broth, and roasted chilies. To build rich flavor, the chicken and onions are browned first in a skillet with garlic and cumin.
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Slow Cooker Char Siu Pork Roast

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Slow Cooker Char Siu Pork Roast Recipe
Boston pork butt roast becomes meltingly tender in a bath of Chinese barbecue flavors including five spice powder and hoisin sauce. Add a side of steamed rice or serve it on a hot dog bun and you’ll still stay under 300 calories.

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Thai Red Curry Beef

Oxmoor House
Thai Red Curry Beef Recipe
Jalapeño seeds add a slight kick to this Thai beef dish. If you want to decrease the heat, seed the jalapeño before mincing.

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Slow-Cooker Blood Orange Fizzy Mulled Wine

Photo: Johnny Miller; Styling: Sarah Smart
Slow-Cooker Blood Orange Fizzy Mulled Wine Recipe
The slow cooker offers great convenience here, keeping the stovetop open for meal prep. With only five minutes of work on your end, this technique is the perfect go–to recipe when you’re craving a warming cocktail in the cooler months.
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Rosemary Slow-Cooker Chicken

Photo: Kate Sears; Styling: Elizabeth Blake
Rosemary Slow-Cooker Chicken Recipe
Perfectly seasoned and incredibly moist, this chicken is the perfect solution to a comforting homemade meal without all of the work standing over the stove. We suggest you serve with mashed sweet potatoes.

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Slow-Cooker Beef Pot Roast

Photo: Oxmoor House
Slow-Cooker Beef Pot Roast Recipe
Pair this home-style favorite with mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce. Leftover meat makes great hot roast beef sandwiches the next day.

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Slow-Cooker Turkey Meatballs

Slow-Cooker Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Whether you’re whipping up a pasta dish to go along or serving them alone as an appetizer, these flavorful Turkey Meatballs only require 20 minutes of prep.
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Braised Pork Loin with Port and Dried Plums

Oxmoor House
Braised Pork Loin with Port and Dried Plums Recipe
This tender meat makes a textbook slow-cooker meal. Soaked in savory flavors, this dish is a brilliant comfort food.

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Sweet and Tangy Short Ribs

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Cindy Barr
Sweet and Tangy Short Ribs Recipe
This saucy dish is worthy of a dinner party; just serve with a side of brown rice or rice noodles. Cola is the secret ingredient, yielding a luscious sauce with great body.

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Creamy White Bean Soup with Smoked Ham Hocks

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Cindy Barr    
Creamy White Bean Soup with Smoked Ham Hocks Recipe
Creamy, starchy, and filling, this hearty, rustic soup is the epitome of comfort. And convenient: Beans go in dry--no need to soak.
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Hearty Oats and Grains

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Cindy Barr
Hearty Oats and Grains Recipe
When you have a house full of guests who'd enjoy a wholesome, hearty breakfast at their own pace, the slow cooker can come to your rescue. Get it going first thing, and let folks serve themselves when they're ready to eat.

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Chicken and Chickpea Tagine

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Cindy Barr
Chicken and Chickpea Tagine Recipe
Hearty canned chickpeas hold up beautifully in the slow cooker, where they're combined with fragrant spices and just a little stock. Since the chicken cooks on top of the chickpea mixture and is not submerged in liquid, it can cook longer without suffering texturally.

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Pork Roast with Apples

Photo: Romulo Yanes
Pork Roast with Apples Recipe
Dinner couldn’t get any easier than this! All it takes is five ingredients and 10 minutes of prep work, and when you come home after a busy day, you have succulent, flavorful pork roast ready to be served.
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Pulled Chicken

Kate Sears
Pulled Chicken Recipe
Throw it on a bun, in a salad, or alone; pulled chicken is absolutely delicious. Get that great restaurant taste right in the comfort of your own home, with little effort and time using your slow cooker.

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Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken

Photo: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps    
Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken Recipe
Craving Mexican tonight? No problem! This recipe is perfect for homemade tacos, casseroles and taco salads.

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Slow Cooker Hoppin' John

Photo: Mark Thomas; Styling: Lynn Miller
Slow Cooker Hoppin' John Recipe
Whether you’re celebrating New Years or just craving a healthy Hoppin’ John, this dish is perfect for you. If you’re looking for more heat, kick it up a notch with a little more red pepper in the recipe and sprinkle the dish with hot sauce just before serving.
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