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  1. Midwest Living
  2. Food
  3. Comfort Foods
  4. Irresistible Slow-Cooker Appetizers

Irresistible Slow-Cooker Appetizers

By Midwest Living editors Updated December 26, 2022
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Balsamic Vinegar and Honey Pulled-Pork Sliders

Make zesty meatballs, tender pulled meat, crunchy snack mixes and savory dips in your slow cooker—perfect for serving at your next gathering.

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Balsamic Vinegar and Honey Pulled-Pork Sliders

Balsamic Vinegar and Honey Pulled-Pork Sliders
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

A boneless pork shoulder roast slow cooks with vegetables and herbs until it's fork-tender. Combine with a homemade barbecue sauce for the last hour of cooking, then spoon onto sliders with coleslaw and chopped pickles. 

Related: Try our Ham Sliders

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Spinach-Artichoke Dip with Blue Cheese and Bacon

Spinach-Artichoke Dip with Blue Cheese and Bacon
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Smoky bacon and salty blue cheese bring new flavor to an old favorite.

Related: Warm and Cheesy Recipes

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Cranberry-Sauced Meatballs Appetizer

Cranberry-Sauced Meatballs Appetizer
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Shape and bake the chicken meatballs ahead of time, then pop them in your slow cooker with cranberry and barbecue sauces.

Related: Slow-Cooker Potluck Recipes

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Swiss-Artichoke Dip

Swiss-Artichoke Dip
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Artichoke hearts, dried tomatoes and sauce combine for a rich, creamy dip. Our recipe calls for processed Swiss cheese because it melts smoothly, but regular Swiss cheese will work fine, too. The dip will have a more stretchy, less creamy texture, but it tastes just as good.

Related: Easy Dip Recipes

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Caramelized Onion-and-Cranberry Cheese Toasts

Caramelized Onion-and-Cranberry Cheese Toasts
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These tempting bite-size treats feature a slow-cooked mixture of onion, apple and cranberries served over a blend of cheeses on toasted French bread. Use any leftover onion mixture as a relish for pork or poultry.

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Greek Stuffed Meatballs

Greek Stuffed Meatballs
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Stuff these easy slow-cooker meatballs with Greek Kasseri or feta cheese and top with our Greek Tomato Sauce for a crowd-pleasing starter.

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Lemon-Zested Snacker Mix

Lemon-Zested Snacker Mix
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Healthy snacking made easy! Slow cook cereal, seeds and nuts with a savory blend of lemon peel and herbs.

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Mulled Cranberry Punch

Mulled Cranberry Punch
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Cranberry juice, juice concentrate, spices, orange juice and water simmers in your slow cooker. If you're serving this punch at a party, keep it warm on the low-heat setting for up to two hours.

Related: Festive Holiday Party Drink Recipes

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Caponata Sicilianata

Caponata Sicilianata
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Spoon nutritious slow-cooked veggies onto sliced bread or crackers for a healthy appetizer.

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Mango-Habanero Pulled Chicken Bites

Mango-Habanero Pulled Chicken Bites
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Sweet barbecue sauce, refreshing mangoes and hot habaneros give zesty flavor and color to slow-cooked chicken. Serve on baguette slices with additional mango.

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Thai Chicken Wings with Peanut Sauce

Thai Chicken Wings with Peanut Sauce
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Don't let the short ingredient list fool you: these chicken wings have huge flavor. That's because they're slow-cooked in a zingy garlic-and-ginger peanut sauce, with a pop of lime for good measure.

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Spicy Mustard Stir-Fry Bites for a Crowd

Spicy Mustard Stir-Fry Bites for a Crowd
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Start this appetizer by stir-frying packaged strips of chicken, pork or beef, then let the strips slow cook in a mix of spicy mustard and fajita seasoning. Fill warmed tortillas, slice and serve!

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Barbecue Turkey Wedges

Barbecue Turkey Wedges
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This combo of barbecue sauce, chopped veggies and cooked ground turkey tastes great on oven-crisped pita wedges. 

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Tea and Cider Wassail

Tea and Cider Wassail
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Tea, four fruit juices and spices brew in your slow cooker. Serve the drink from the cooker or a heatproof bowl.

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Hoisin-Garlic Mushrooms

Hoisin-Garlic Mushrooms
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For a super-easy appetizer: Slow cook mushrooms with crushed red pepper, hoisin sauce, water and minced garlic.

Related: 20 Recipes for Mushroom Lovers

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Fruit Chutney with Spiced Chips

Fruit Chutney with Spiced Chips
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Guests will love this spiced mixture of apples, pears and cranberries. Cinnamon pita chips can be prepared a day in advance or purchased to save time. Top each serving with crumbled goat cheese.

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Sweet-and-Sour-Glazed Chicken Sausage Bites

Sweet-and-Sour-Glazed Chicken Sausage Bites
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Choose your favorite flavor of chicken sausage links and cover with an easy homemade glaze.

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Slow Cooker Sweet-Hot Nuts

Slow Cooker Sweet-Hot Nuts
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Nuts in your slow cooker? Sure! Just toss them with sugar, butter and spices, and cook on low heat for two hours.

Related: Easy Nut and Snack Mixes

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    1 of 18 Balsamic Vinegar and Honey Pulled-Pork Sliders
    2 of 18 Spinach-Artichoke Dip with Blue Cheese and Bacon
    3 of 18 Cranberry-Sauced Meatballs Appetizer
    4 of 18 Swiss-Artichoke Dip
    5 of 18 Caramelized Onion-and-Cranberry Cheese Toasts
    6 of 18 Greek Stuffed Meatballs
    7 of 18 Lemon-Zested Snacker Mix
    8 of 18 Mulled Cranberry Punch
    9 of 18 Caponata Sicilianata
    10 of 18 Mango-Habanero Pulled Chicken Bites
    11 of 18 Thai Chicken Wings with Peanut Sauce
    12 of 18 Spicy Mustard Stir-Fry Bites for a Crowd
    13 of 18 Barbecue Turkey Wedges
    14 of 18 Tea and Cider Wassail
    15 of 18 Hoisin-Garlic Mushrooms
    16 of 18 Fruit Chutney with Spiced Chips
    17 of 18 Sweet-and-Sour-Glazed Chicken Sausage Bites
    18 of 18 Slow Cooker Sweet-Hot Nuts

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