A slow cooker is a must in any house, but especially for a busy family household. They can be so versatile and needn’t be expensive at all, and because you are cooking dishes for longer, you can buy cheaper cuts of meat, thus saving you money in the long run! Here are 15 Amazing Slow Cooker Recipes Your Family will Love.

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Your slow cooker can be all singing and dancing (you can even bake in some), or just the simple large heated bowl where you can cook all sorts of great meals for your family.

They also make cooking so much simpler too, and are perfect if you like cooking with your child, as it’s mostly chopping and just adding to the bowl then leaving it to cook…..slowly, while you go to work or get on with managing your busy house.

So if you haven’t yet invested in one for your household, it’s well worth it for the convenience.

1. Slow Cooker Italian Beef Stew

Beef stew is a family favourite in most houses. This easy beef stew recipe from AllRecipes.com takes 4 hours and serves 8 people.

Using stewing beef, carrots, onions and potatoes this is a simple and cost effective recipe that can feed the whole family.

Image credit Allrecipes.com

2. Vegetable & Chickpea Curry

Aromatic Indian spices infuse this vegetarian dish from MyRecipes.com, with an exotic blend of flavours, while coconut milk creates a creamy finish.

This takes 6 hours and serves 6 people. Ideal to put on in the morning ready for after school or suppertime.

Image credit Myrecipes.com

3. Slow-cooked Porridge

The perfect start for every family’s day is a bowl of healthy porridge. In this slow cooker recipe, from BBCGoodFood.com, put all the ingredients in at bedtime, then wake up to breakfast ready and waiting for you. Just add your favourite toppings.

This recipe feeds 4 and only takes 5 minutes to prep.

Image credit BBCGoodFood.com

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4. Sunday Roast

Sunday roast is a weekly favourite of ours – slow cooked. Leave it on low, for hours, and enjoy the mouthwatering smells wafting through the house all day. Finish off pork and chicken in the oven on a high temperature for 10 minutes to brown the chicken or crisp the pork fat.

• Just add an inch or so of water with the meat, plus a couple of onions and carrots too to flavour the juices.
• Season the meat and add whichever fresh herbs will suit the meat – mint or rosemary with lamb, thyme with chicken etc.
• Use a meat thermometer to check when the meat is cooked though you’ll soon know how long it takes depending on the meat and size of it.
• Once your meat is cooked you can leave it to rest and make the gravy from the juices left over – either in the slow cooker if you have time, or just transfer the juices to a pan on the hob and finish off your gravy quickly with cornflour or whatever you would normally use.

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5. Pork Cutlets with Apple & Parsnip

This pork cutlets recipe on Taste.com.au takes 4.5 hours to slow cook and feeds 4 people. The slow cooking leaves the pork cutlets very tender and the meat will drop off the bone, perfect for the younger ones.

With only 15 minutes to prepare it’s perfect for lunch or supper.

Image credit Taste.com.au

6. Crock Pot Lasagna

Yes a lasagne can be done in a slow cooker. This recipe from Food.com follows the usual way to cook a lasagne in the oven, with the browning of the meat and onions plus the layering of pasta and sauces.

However, as it is layered in the slow cooker you can leave it for 4 to 5 hours while you have other things to do. This serves 4-6 people and is only 15 minutes to prep.

Image credit Food.com

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7. Lamb with Olives and Potatoes

This slow cooker recipe for lamb from Martha Stewart feeds 4 and is perfect for Sunday lunch with a 40 minute preparation time and 4.5 hours in the slow cooker.

Lamb is the perfect meat for a slow cooker as the slower it’s cooked the more tender it becomes. You can ask your butcher to cut the shank especially to fit into a slow cooker if needed. Leave the olives out if they aren’t a favourite of the kids.

Image credit Martha Stewart

8. Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

We often think of curries as quick recipes to cook, but they are also equally delicious when cooked slowly.This Slow Cooker Chicken Curry recipe from FoodNetwork,co.uk  takes over 6 hours to slow cook which is ideal for prepping in the morning, ready for the evening meal.

It feeds 4 people and is very simple to follow with only 20 minutes prep time.

Image credit Foodnetwork.co.uk

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9. Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Chili

This chicken and sausage chili recipe from AllRecipes.com serves 8 and is in the slow cooker for over 7 hours so another one perfect for a family that can be prepped in the morning.

A family favourite for those that like a bit of spice.

Image credit AllDayRecipes.com

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10. Slow-Cooker Chicken and Pasta Soup

For a perfect nutritious lunch or light dinner, this scrummy chicken and pasta soup recipe from RealSimple.com serves 6 people and only takes 5 minutes to prepare.

The slow cooking time is 5.5 hours so it’s perfect to leave to cook through the day.

Image credit Realsimple.com

11. Pepsi Pork Roast

Pepsi pork roast recipe from Food.com may sound strange but tastes wonderful.This recipe suggests that only Pepsi and no other Colas will do.

You can add the potatoes and carrots to make it a complete meal or cook those separately. It only take 5 minutes to prep and 4 hours to cook and feeds 6 people so it’s perfect for a spin on a family meal.

Image credit Food.com

12. Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This pot roast recipe from AllRecipes.com makes for 12 servings, but is adjustable on the recipe online so you can change it to suit your family size.

It takes over 8 hours, has little ingredients and virtually no prep time so it’s perfect for a working parent to start off in the morning ready for the family evening meal.

Image credit Allrecipes.com

13. Slow-Cooker Chicken Lettuce Cups

Fresh chicken lettuce cups are a healthier alternative to taco, with the chicken being slow cooked first.

This recipe from MyRecipes.com makes 4-6 services, takes 20 minutes to prepare and slow cooks for 5.5 hours.The kids will love “loading” their lettuce cups at the table too.

Image credit Myrecipes.com

14. Minestrone Soup with Beans

A wholesome vegetarian option, this minestrone soup recipe from FoodNetwork.co.uk feeds 4 people and is simple to make, with only 15 minutes preparation time and 4 hours slow cooking.

A perfect lunch time treat that you can get started before school or work.

Image credit Foodnetwork.co.uk

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15. Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Potpie

This yummy chicken and mushroom pie recipe from RealSimple.com is a perfect family treat for an evening or maybe Sunday lunch.

The prep time is a bit longer with the puff pastry topping but you could also buy ready-made. The prep time is 30 minutes and slow cooking time is 8.5 hours so another great one for cooking through the day ready for supper.

Image credit Realsimple.com