Best Crock-Pot Stew Recipes

"I'm not a vegetarian," says chef Grant Achatz. "But at home I mainly eat grains and vegetables." His minimalist slow-cooker stew features farro, eggplant, artichokes and three kinds of pepper, and is sweetened with dried figs and raisins.

Grace Parisi cooks pork shoulder with bold ingredients like fresh ginger, garlic, curry powder, cumin and turmeric. The flavors intensify and penetrate the meat after four hours in the slow cooker.

Here, white beans, tender artichoke hearts and a small amount of lamb shoulder come together in a healthy spring stew. As with most slow-cooked dishes, the flavor improves after a day or two in the refrigerator.

F&W's Marcia Kiesel credits split pea soup, one of her favorites, as the inspiration for this hearty stew. Like split peas, chickpeas need to simmer for a long time, making them great for a slow cooker.

Napa cabbage and thinly-sliced sour pickles add texture and tang to this hearty stew. Searing the pieces of beef chuck before putting them in the slow cooker gives the stew a rich flavor.

In this intensely comforting spiced chicken and black lentil stew, bold ingredients like fresh ginger, garlic, tomatoes, and white wine simmer slowly with an Ethiopian spice blend called Berbere. The berbere spice blend can be substituted with an equal amount of Garam Masala for a very similar flavor profile in this dish.

This Cuban stew, featuring shredded flank steak, tomatoes and olives, can be made up to two days in advance.

Make this classic Mexican dish in your slow cooker for ease and extra flavor.

Like most stroganoffs, this one tastes even better when it cools in the sauce and is reheated and served the next day.