Healthy Crock Pot Recipes

Crock-Pots bring to mind rich, comforting dishes like creamy casseroles and hearty meat stews. But this method of cooking—in which ingredients are cooked over a low, constant heat for hours—works just as well for healthy recipes. Our recipe collection shows you how to employ a few key tricks to avoid excess fat, salt, and sugar without sacrificing flavor.Add spices: It’s important to be aggressive with seasonings in a slow cooker, which can mute flavors during the long cooking time. Look for bold, aromatic spices like the garlic, curry powder, cumin, and turmeric that flavor our Slow Cooker Coconut Pork Curry. Thanks to the tenderizing effect of the Crock-Pot, the spices will penetrate even tough cuts of meat. We follow the same principle with vegetarian dishes like our Indian-Spiced Red Lentil Soup. In this recipe, a mix of cinnamon, cumin, and coriander add dimension and warmth to an earthy pot of lentils and Swiss chard. If you have time, grind fresh spices in a mortar and pestle so that they release their flavor as the dish cooks.Brine: The luscious stews of Southern Europe and North Africa are proof that nothing adds punch to a long-simmered dish like a little brine. Heart-healthy olives are a good choice because they maintain their shape during cooking; you can try them in our sweet-and-savory Moroccan Chicken with Apricots, Olives, and Almonds. Small, salty capers are another way to add pops of flavor. We scatter them throughout our rustic Chicken Cacciatore with tomatoes and linguine. Put the soup on: Everyone is talking about the health benefits of homemade broth. Get in on the action by making classics like chicken soup in your Crock-Pot. Use bone-in cuts of meat for the most benefits and best flavor.Skip the oil: Slow cooker dishes are self-saucing, which means you don’t have to rely on oil to make them moist. Take our Crock-Pot version on the Cuban stew Ropa Vieja. It calls for zero oil while our more traditional stovetop recipe calls for over 1/4 cup. Finishing Touches: After your dish has finished cooking in the Crock-Pot, use a handful of freshly chopped herbs or a squeeze of citrus to brighten its flavors without using extra salt. For spicy dishes, try adding a dollop of cooling yogurt. —Carrie Mullins

Start Slideshow

1 of 10

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Linguine and Caper Berries

Go to Recipe

Adding tart caper berries to a cacciatore go a long way toward brightening the flavors.

More Crock Pot and Slow Cooker Recipes

2 of 10

Slow Cooker Turkey Soup

Go to Recipe

If you don't have a turkey carcass you can substitute 2 1/2 pounds of fresh turkey legs in this soup

Warming Soups

3 of 10

Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken with Apricots, Olives and Almonds

Go to Recipe

This flavorful chicken dish is slow cooked in Moroccan spices for an authentic tasting dish.

Easy Baked Chicken Recipes

4 of 10

Slow Cooker Thai-Inspired Chicken Stew

Go to Recipe

The Thai accents in this fragrant chicken stew come from creamy coconut milk, fresh ginger, salty fish sauce and lime.

Great Thai Recipes

5 of 10

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja

FREDRIKA STJÄRNE

Go to Recipe

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

More Latin American Recipes

6 of 10

Slow Cooker Ginger-Beef Noodle Soup

Go to Recipe

This gingery soup features meaty shiitake mushrooms, shredded beef chuck and chewy Japanese udon noodles.

More Noodle Soups

7 of 10

Slow Cooker Coconut Pork Curry

Go to Recipe

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.

Pork Recipes and Cooking Tips

8 of 10

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

Go to Recipe

If you prefer your pasta al dente, add it after the chicken has cooked.

More Crock Pot and Slow Cooker Recipes

9 of 10

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Go to Recipe

Use water in this soup instead of stock for a hearty vegan dinner.

More Crock Pot and Slow Cooker Recipes

10 of 10

Slow Cooker Indian-Spiced Red Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard

Go to Recipe

In this soup, fresh turmeric pairs up with cinnamon, cumin, and coriander to spice up red lentils and wilted Swiss chard. It's power-packed full of flavor and warmth and also subtlety sweet. To serve, add a dollop of yogurt for a bright, creamy, and cooling topping.

Easy Indian Recipes

Replay gallery

F&W Cooks

Our 22 Best Crock Pot and Slow-Cooker Recipes

50 Affordable Wines You Can Always Trust

Healthy Crock Pot Recipes

1 of 10

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Linguine and Caper Berries

1 of 10