25 Fall Slow-Cooker Recipes

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com
Updated September 02, 2020

A small investment of time in the morning—peeling onions, chopping carrots, browning beef—pays off in the evening, when you have a stew, pot roast or another warm fall dish ready in the slow cooker.

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Slow-Cooker German-Style Beef Roast

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Red wine, chopped dill pickles and zesty mustard set this German-style recipe apart from other beef slow-cooker meals.

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Cranberry Pork Roast

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Carolyn Sinclair of Grey Eagle, Minnesota, received this pork roast recipe from her son for her family cookbook. "When I serve it, I almost always have to give out the recipe," she says. "The tangy gravy is a good complement to pork."

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Slow-Cooker Brat and Sauerkraut Soup

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Potatoes, onion, sauerkraut and brats pack in the German flavor in this homey slow-cooker soup (recipe link above). Try with Whole Wheat Pretzel Rolls; the soft pretzels' chewy, brown exterior comes from being boiled in an alkaline solution-the 1/4 cup baking soda in the water isn't a typo!

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Saucy Pulled Pork Sandwiches

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If you're serving this dish at a party, you can keep it warm, covered, on low-heat setting for up to 2 hours. Just stir it occasionally.

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Spicy Turkey Lasagna

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This healthy version of lasagna is made in the slow cooker. Because it uses ground turkey instead of ground beef, fat and calories are reduced. Serve with a simple salad.

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Chipotle Black-Bean Chili

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This chili is great for tucking into your slow cooker in the morning, so you can come home to a warm winter dinner. Omit the meat if you'd prefer a hearty meatless main dish. If you like, add chopped avocado or shredded cheese as toppers before serving.

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Angel Chicken

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Cream cheese, wine and soup combine to form a complex-tasting sauce-smooth with delicate seasoning-for slow-cooked chicken and mushrooms.

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Texas Beef with Butternut Squash

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Lightly spiced beef chuck roast combines perfectly with soft butternut squash in the slow cooker. A surprising ingredient is unsweetened cocoa powder, which gives the dish a rich flavor. Serve with crusty French bread to soak up the sauce.

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Orange-Sage Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

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Orange juice concentrate brings out the sweet flavor while crumbled bacon adds a warm smokiness to this sweet potato side dish made in the slow cooker. Try it with roasted pork loin or turkey breast.

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Slow-Cooker Meatball Sandwiches

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Cook homemade meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce, then top with mozzarella cheese before serving on a toasted hoagie bun. If you're in a hurry, substitute an 18-ounce package of frozen cooked meatballs for the homemade ones.

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Cider-Baked Stuffed Apples with Salty Caramel Sauce

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Nuts and cranberries fill these simple baked apples that cook in your slow cooker. Top them with Sea Salt Caramel Sauce and, if you like, a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

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Sweet potatoes, cumin, cinnamon, and dried apricots or plums add a North African flavor to this lower-sodium version of slow-cooker beef stew.

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Italian Beef Sandwiches

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Italian seasonings flavor boneless beef sirloin or beef rump roast in your slow cooker. Top sandwiches with Italian cheeses, assorted peppers or sliced pepperoncini.

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Slow Cooker Indian Chicken Stew

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Curry and ginger give zesty Indian flavor to the chicken, chickpeas and diced tomatoes in this slow-cooker meal. Stir in fresh spinach leaves just before serving for added color and nutrition.

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Brisket in Onion-Ale BBQ Sauce

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Beef, chili sauce and brown sugar flavor tender beef brisket in this slow-cooker recipe.

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Sausage and Tortellini Soup

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Prep time is just 10 minutes for this slow-cooker soup; combine canned Italian-style stewed tomatoes, frozen green beans, water, a can of onion soup and turkey sausage. Add coleslaw mix and refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini 15 minutes before serving.

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Chicken & Shrimp Jambalaya

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
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The three-pepper homemade Cajun seasoning adds lots of fiery flavor to this slow-cooker version of jambalaya. We've used no-salt-added and reduced-sodium products to create a healthier main dish.

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Chicken Cacciatore

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Serve this slow-cooked Italian classic with plenty of pasta to sop up the chunky sauce, full of fresh mushrooms, celery, carrots, onions, sweet peppers, diced tomatoes and garlic.

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Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Root Beer

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A surprise ingredient, root beer, adds sweetness to this roast and its dark sauce. Try leftover pork in quesadillas or stir it into ramen noodles.

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Warm-Me-Up Chicken Chili

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Combine chicken, chopped vegetables and canned beans for a warm and comforting chili. This fall recipe gives variations for Slow Cooker Chicken Chili as well as a spicier Chipotle Chicken Chili.

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So-Easy Apple Butter

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Store extra jars of this slow-cooker spread to give as hostess gifts, suggests Michele Lowe of Dublin, Ohio. Serve the butter with cheese and crackers. "I was thrilled when I found this idiot-proof recipe for apple butter," Michele says. "I like it because I don't have to spend all my time in the kitchen. I can get a few things done while the apples are cooking in the Crock-Pot."

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Aunt Bonnie's Taco Soup

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Resolve the dinnertime decision with this quick and easy fix. When this irresistible soup is simmering in her crockery cooker, Vicki Johnson of Hallsville, Missouri, thinks fondly of her late aunt.

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Burgundy Beef Stew

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Either a good Pinot Noir or Burgundy works well in this slow-cooked beef main-dish recipe.

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Slow Cooker Pot Roast Stew

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When layering ingredients in a slow cooker, put denser vegetables, such as squash, beneath more tender ones.

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By The editors of MidwestLiving.com