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40 Healthy Crock-Pot Recipes

40 Healthy Crock-Pot Recipes

January 29, 2020

ck-Slow Cooker Beef Lettuce Wraps with Quick Pickles Image

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Claire Spollen

Your slow cooker is the secret to a fast, easy, and healthy dinner. From protein-packed soups and stews (like this Tuscan White Bean and Lentil Soup and this Cuban Pork and Black Bean Stew) to impressive meals that no one would ever guess came from a Crock-Pot (we're looking at you, Chicken With 40 Cloves of Garlic), you're going to want to bookmark this collection of our best healthy slow cooker recipes.

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Simple Slow Cooker Spaghetti Squash

Time Inc. Video Studio

Simple Slow Cooker Spaghetti Squash Recipe

As easy as it gets, this is a great, hands-off, and foolproof method for making slow cooker spaghetti squash. Use the slow-cooked squash for salads, as a veggie swap for pasta noodles, or as a simple fall side dish.

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Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean and Lentil Soup

Jennifer Causey

Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean and Lentil Soup Recipe

Pantry staples like dried lentils and canned beans make up the bulk of this soup and boost the fiber to cover more than half your daily goal. Want to make it in your Instant Pot? Click here for the recipe.

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Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chicken and Quinoa Stew

Jennifer Causey

Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chicken and Quinoa Stew Recipe
Look for bags of cubed butternut squash in the produce section to save you the trouble of peeling and dicing a whole squash. Find Castelvetrano olives either jarred in the olive and pickle section or fresh at most specialty market antipasti bars. If you can’t find them, use any green olive you like.

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Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken and Black Bean Soup

Jennifer Causey

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken and Black Bean Soup Recipe

This filling and flavorful soup is ideal for a chilly evening. Freeze leftover chipotle chiles and adobe sauce in a flattened Ziploc bag for future use. Want to make it in your Instant Pot? Click here for the recipe.

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Vegetarian Slow Cooker Collard Greens

Victor Protasio

Vegetarian Slow Cooker Collard Greens Recipe
If you are a fan of your slow cooker, then this is a recipe you will want to try. Cooking this classic Southern side in a slow cooker not only frees you up to prepare other dishes, it frees up valuable stovetop space, as well. The greens get very tender without cooking down into a mush in the 9-hour cook time.

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Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil Recipe
For a classic summery meal without a fuss, look no further than this slow cooker shrimp boil. With a simple ingredient list and a largely hands-off cooking method, this easy seafood boil is a perfect recipe to plan on for casual warm weather entertaining or even as a low-effort meal to make at the rental house during a beach vacation.

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Slow Cooker Creamy Lentil Soup

Greg DuPree

Slow Cooker Creamy Lentil Soup Recipe
Simple flavors and a rustic touch will make this soup an instant home-cooked favorite, especially on chilly, wintry days. Inexpensive dried lentils make up the bulk of the soup, helping fill in your fiber gaps and keep you full longer. Chickpeas are the secret ingredient to achieve supreme creaminess.

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Crock-Pot Granola

photo by galyaivanova via getty images

Crock-Pot Granola Recipe
“Everyone, everywhere wants slow cooker recipes,” explains Sarah DiGregorio in an email to Extra Crispy, adding, “but sometimes that content ends up feeling repetitive, revolving around big hunks of meat.” That was the inspiration for her new cookbook Adventures in Slow Cooking: 120 Slow-Cooker Recipes for People Who Love Food.

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Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Turkey

Victor Protasio

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Turkey Recipe

If your Thanksgiving tradition includes a smoked turkey, save one of the legs for this easy, soul-satisfying soup. Otherwise, look for smoked turkey legs near the bacon at your grocery store (or use a ham hock).

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Simple Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

Time Inc. Video Studio

Simple Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Recipe

This simple whole chicken recipe is great served as is with crusty bread or over rice, but it’s also a great way to cook chicken ahead of time to use in a variety of dishes, such as chicken salad, soups, and casseroles.

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One-Ingredient Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions

Time Inc. Video Studio

One-Ingredient Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions Recipe

Don’t feel like standing over a pan of gently sautéing onions? Simply toss them in the slow cooker, let them go (8 hours or overnight), and come back to beautifully tender-sweet caramelized onions—perfect for folding into dips, stirring into sides and salads, layering onto sandwiches, and more.

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Slow Cooker Korean Pork Lettuce Wraps

Photography: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen.

Slow Cooker Korean Pork Lettuce Wraps Recipe

This dish is great for a casual get-together or a weeknight meal (with leftovers). The seasoning paste is modeled after Korean ssamjang--a concentrated, salty, slightly spicy concoction. Unlike traditional versions, though, ours is made with grocery store ingredients for ease and convenience.

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Slow Cooker Green Beans

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Slow Cooker Green Beans Recipe

This recipe frees up precious stove-top space and reminds us of the traditional green beans our grandmothers used to make.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Recipe
This slow-cooker chicken chili is a great addition to your cool weather weeknight meal rotation. Calling for a mixture of beans and hominy, this recipe boasts bold, rich flavor, something that can often be dulled in a slow cooker. Processing some of the beans in a food processor thickens the soup.

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Slow Cooker Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Lindsey Lower

Slow Cooker Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic Recipe

White meat can dry out after a long haul in the slow cooker, so we opt for bone-in thighs to guarantee optimal flavor and succulence. Make prep easier with prepeeled garlic, and pretty-up the platter with lemon slices and thyme sprigs.

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Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili Recipe
The most popular recipe for chili on our site, Slow-cooker Turkey Chili features lean ground turkey, black beans, onion, corn, and fresh bell pepper. With just 15 minutes of prep time, you can throw all of the ingredients into a slow cooker before leaving for work and return 8 hours later to a piping-hot, home-cooked meal.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Stew with Pumpkin and Wild Rice

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Slow Cooker Chicken Stew with Pumpkin and Wild Rice Recipe

This savory fall stew is filled with tender cubes of pumpkin, shredded chicken, and nutty wild rice in a creamy sauce. When choosing a pumpkin, look for a sugar or cheese pumpkin. Field pumpkins, which are larger in size, have watery, stringy flesh and are best used for decoration. Or substitute a butternut squash.

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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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Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Amy Stone

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja Recipe

You'll be wowed by the way lean flank steak transforms into tender, succulent shreds as it slowly simmers in the aromatic sauce. Served over rice (preferably brown), this homey Cuban dish makes for an exceptionally hearty and wholesome weeknight meal.

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Slow Cooker Ramen Bowls

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Lindsey Lower

Slow Cooker Ramen Bowls Recipe

Any ramen lover will tell you--it's all about the broth. We build layers of rich umami flavor with the help of mushroom stems, fresh ginger, kombu (a type of edible kelp), sesame oil, and, of course, low and slow heat.

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Slow Cooker Thai Beef Curry

Photo: Victor Protasio

Slow Cooker Thai Beef Curry Recipe
Here, we start with big flavor from a good amount of curry paste and fish sauce, and we finish with fresh touches of cilantro and lime juice that amplify the taste of everything. Serve over a bed of brown rice or brown rice noodles to catch all the sauce.

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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.

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Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup

Photo: Christopher Testani; Styling: Alistair Turnbull

Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup Recipe
Pantry staples like dried lentils and canned beans make up the bulk of this soup and boost the fiber to cover more than half your daily goal.

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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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Slow-Cooker Spanish-Style Chickpeas

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Slow-Cooker Spanish-Style Chickpeas Recipe
This protein-packed slow cooker recipe is a healthy side you'll make again and again. For an added dose of heat, top the flavorful dish with sliced fresh jalapenos.

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Stewed Green Beans and Tomatoes

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Stewed Green Beans and Tomatoes Recipe

Our update to this favorite Southern side will remind you of great Asian takeout. Don't be intimidated by red curry paste; it's a subtly spicy blend of fresh ginger, lemongrass, garlic, and chiles. Look for it at Walmart or online at amazon.com.

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Maple-Hazelnut Oatmeal

Oxmoor House

Maple-Hazelnut Oatmeal Recipe
The soothing aroma of fresh oatmeal makes this dish 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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Slow Cooker Chicken Verde

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Cindy Barr

Slow Cooker Chicken Verde Recipe
It's not hard to make your own salsa verde, with fresher flavor and much less sodium than jarred versions: Simply blacken tomatillos, chiles, and onions; then blend.

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Seafood Gumbo

Photo: Susie Cushner

Seafood Gumbo Recipe
This gumbo recipe made in the slow cooker has all the flavor of traditional gumbo but none of the tedious steps or hard-to-find spices. Serve this Louisiana favorite over rice.

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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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Slow Cooker Cioppino

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Slow Cooker Cioppino Recipe

Simmering the base of this rich stew in the slow cooker allows for ultimate flavor concentration. When you're almost ready to serve, add raw fish to poach quickly. A signature dish of the West Coast, cioppino can be made with a wide variety of fish and shellfish, so feel free to experiment with your favorites.

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Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Mushrooms and Carrots

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Mushrooms and Carrots Recipe
A full-plate dinner simmers to saucy, savory perfection in the slow cooker. To end up with super-succulent pork, don't overcook the chops in the pan before adding to the slow cooker. Just a couple of minutes per side will be enough to achieve nice color.

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Cuban Pork and Black Bean Stew

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Victoria Cox

Cuban Pork and Black Bean Stew Recipe
Save on Chipotle and get your Tex-Mex fix with this Cuban Pork and Black Bean Stew. Trust us, you won't regret it.

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Slow Cooker Santa Fe Meatloaf

Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower.

Slow Cooker Santa Fe Meatloaf Recipe

Oven-baked meatloaf can turn dry, but the moisture-sealing magic of the slow cooker makes this one melt in your mouth.

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Slow Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks

Victor Protasio

Slow Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks Recipe

When cooked low and slow, the tender ham hocks completely fall apart and infuse the collard greens with a savory, smoky flavor. Carefully remove the hocks before serving to make sure no bones remain.

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40 Healthy Crock-Pot Recipes

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Simple Slow Cooker Spaghetti Squash

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Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean and Lentil Soup

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Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chicken and Quinoa Stew

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Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken and Black Bean Soup

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Vegetarian Slow Cooker Collard Greens

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Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil

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Slow Cooker Creamy Lentil Soup

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Crock-Pot Granola

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Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Turkey

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Simple Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

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One-Ingredient Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions

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Slow Cooker Korean Pork Lettuce Wraps

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Slow Cooker Green Beans

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Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

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Slow Cooker Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

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Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

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Slow Cooker Chicken Stew with Pumpkin and Wild Rice

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Slow Cooker Chicken Posole

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Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja

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Slow Cooker Ramen Bowls

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Slow Cooker Thai Beef Curry

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Slow Cooker Chicken, Bacon, and Potato Soup

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Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup

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Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili

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Slow-Cooker Spanish-Style Chickpeas

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Stewed Green Beans and Tomatoes

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