Simple Slow Cooker Recipes For Chilly Days
The weather is getting colder and there’s a crisp breeze in the air. Autumn is definitely on the way, and after a long sweltering summer, we’re looking forward to cosy days at home. There’s nothing quite as warming as a good home cooked meal, but slaving over the stove doesn’t work for everyone.
Slow cooker recipes are a lifesaver for any meal, and make rustling up delicious and nutritious meals simple and less time consuming. In this blog, we’ve collected the best slow cooker recipes for easy dinners and delicious desserts.
Slow Cooker Mac And Cheese
As the ultimate comfort food, our first thought when looking for warming recipes was “can you cook mac and cheese in a slow cooker?” luckily for us, you can. The perfect way to spend a comfy night in, this recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Source: BBC Good Food
Ingredients:
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350g macaroni pasta
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600ml whole milk
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50g butter, cubed
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50g soft cheese
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100g grated mature cheddar cheese, with extra to serve
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20g parmesan, with extra to serve
Directions:
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Pour boiling water over your macaroni then drain. Put all of your ingredients into your slow cooker and stir them well. Season them to your taste, cover, and cook on low for an hour.
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After an hour, stir your macaroni again, then leave to cook for another half an hour until the pasta is cooked and the sauce has reduced enough to coat the macaroni.
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Leave the macaroni uncovered for another ten minutes to reduce the sauce, or add a splash of milk if needed
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Sprinkle on as much of the extra cheese as you like and serve!
Slow Cooker Roast Chicken
Is there anything better than a sunday dinner? We certainly don’t think so, but why not take the work out of your weekly roast? We love this slow cooker roast chicken recipe, as it leaves you with far more time to enjoy some quality time with your family rather than the oven.
Source: BBC Good Food
Ingredients:
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1 large onion, peeled and cut into thick slices
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2 carrots, halved lengthways and chopped
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1 small or medium chicken
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2 tbsp softened butter
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1 bay leaf
Directions:
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If necessary, preheat your slow cooker and add the chopped carrot and onion to the bottom of the dish as a layer for the chicken to sit on.
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Boil 100ml of water and pour over the chicken. Add salt and pepper to the softened butter, ease the skin away from the chicken and push the seasoned butter under the skin. Place the bay leaf into the cavity of the chicken and then place on top of the chopped carrot and onion.
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Cook on low for five hours, then check to see that the chicken is cooked by wiggling the wing - it should feel loose. Tip the chicken to empty it of any liquid and then cook on high for 30 minutes. If you would like to brown the chicken, grill for a couple of minutes in the oven.
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There will be gravy inside your slow cooker, and make sure to sieve it before serving. You can also serve the veg you cooked with your chicken.
Spiced Carrot And Lentil Soup
There’s nothing quite like a nice bowl of soup to warm up after a chilly day, and this recipe makes good homemade soup simple. Healthy, filling and chock full of vitamins, this soup is a brilliant solution to any winter colds.
Ingredients:
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2 tsp cumin seeds
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pinch chilli flakes
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2 tbsp olive oil
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600g carrots, washed and grated
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140g split red lentils
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1l hot vegetable stock (from a cube is fine)
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125ml milk (any kind is fine, including dairy free options)
Directions:
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Heat up a large saucepan and fry the cumin seeds and chilli flakes for one minute
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Use a spoon to remove around half of the spices from the pan and set aside, then add the olive oil, lentils, vegetable stock and milk, then bring to a boil
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Simmer for 15 minutes until the lentils have softened
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Mix the soup using a hand held blender or food processor, or, skip this step for a chunky vegetable soup.
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Season to your taste and serve with any bread you like, we recommend naan or crusty warm bread
Slow Cooker Black Bean Chili Recipe
Source: Olive Magazine
Hearty and delicious, this vegetarian slow cooker chili recipe makes for a fantastic dinner - especially in the Autumn. You can serve this chili as a nacho topping, or with fluffy rice for an even more filling meal.
Ingredients:
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2 tbsp olive oil
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1 cinnamon stick
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2 bay leaves
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1 large red onion, ½ finely chopped, ½ thinly sliced
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2 sticks celery, finely diced
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1 green pepper, finely diced
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3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
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2 limes, ½ juiced, rest cut into wedges
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400g tin chopped tomatoes
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1 tsp smoked paprika
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1 tsp cumin seeds
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2-3 tsp chipotle chilli paste
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2 x 400g tins black beans, rinsed and drained
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Soured cream (to serve)
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Chopped coriander
Directions:
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Heat your slow cooker. Choose high for a cook time of 1-2 hours or low for a cook time of 4-6 hours.
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Add olive oil to pan and gently fry the bay leaves, finely chopped onion, cinnamon, celery, green pepper and garlic for 10 minutes.
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In a separate saucepan, boil water and gently simmer your sliced onions for one minute, then drain and season with salt and the juice of half a lime.
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Add the tinned tomatoes, spices, and chipotle paste to the pan of softened vegetables. Pour in the black beans, stir thoroughly and tip into the slow cooker.
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Season to your taste, cover the chilli cook for 1-2 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high, then serve with your choice of side.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Source: Olive Magazine
There’s nothing a slow cooker does better than a good tender stew. This simple slow cooked beef stew recipe is incredibly easy to make, and wonderfully satisfying to boot.
Ingredients:
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750g braising beef, cut into large chunks
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2 tbsp plain flour, heavily seasoned
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2 tbsp olive oil
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2 tbsp rosemary
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100ml red wine
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1 onion, chopped
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2 carrots, diced
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2 sticks celery, diced
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1 tbsp tomato purée
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400ml beef stock
Directions:
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Heat your slow cooker to high, toss the chunks of beef in your seasoned flour and make sure to shake off any excess. Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a pan and fry the beef chunks until browned then add the browned beef to your slow cooker.
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Pour the red wine into a hot pan until it begins to bubble, then tip into the slow cooker. Add the onions, carrots, celery, tomato puree, rosemary and beef stock to your slow cooker, cover, and leave to cook for four hours.
