Food and Recipes Fall Recipes 44 Fall Slow-Cooker Recipes To Make All Season Long By Lisa Cericola Lisa Cericola Lisa Cericola has been on staff at Southern Living since 2015. As Deputy Editor, Lisa manages the food and travel departments and edits those sections of each issue, as well as digital content. Previously, she was the features editor at Food Network Magazine and has more than 15 years of experience writing, editing, and managing photo shoots for print and digital lifestyle brands. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on October 16, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Hector M. Sanchez Slow cooker recipes are all about simplicity, which is exactly why we love them so—because every one of these fall Crock Pot meals means you'll spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your family and friends. Not only do these weeknight warriors show you how to use your slow cooker for making side dishes—hello, creamy crockpot mac-and-cheese and sweet potato casserole—but also standout main dishes that can feed a crowd or serve as tasty leftovers. In fact, we're spooning up a whole roster of slow cooker soups and stews well into winter, from creamy tomato soup that's begging for a grilled cheese to hearty Texas chili that requires a slice of cornbread. From there, slow cooker carnitas, pot roast, and bolognese sauce (to name a few) will see you through the season. Let these fall slow cooker favorites show you how to use your slow cooker to make dishes that feel as cozy and comforting as autumn does. 01 of 44 Slow Cooker Lentil Soup Jennifer Causey Tasty, filling, and meat-free, this comforting soup recipe is both simple and satisfying. Get the Recipe 02 of 44 Slow-Cooker French Onion Soup Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Torie Cox The French may have first invented French onion soup, but Southerners are revolutionizing this classic dish with the help of one of our favorite kitchen gadgets. Make this comforting soup with low effort and impress your family with your prowess. Get the Recipe 03 of 44 Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Cooking the chicken with the skin on and bone in helps prevent the meat from drying out entirely during the long, slow cooking process. But the fat also releases unparalleled amounts of flavor from the natural fats of the skin. Get the Recipe 04 of 44 Slow-Cooker Honey-Garlic Chicken Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Honey and garlic add sweetness and bite to a typical chicken dinner. The soy sauce, rice vinegar, and fresh ginger round it out for an unforgettable dish. Get the Recipe 05 of 44 Slow-Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Collard greens are a Southern favorite regardless how they're prepared, but this recipe is the easiest way to go about cooking them. Cooking the greens and ham hocks on low for nine hours ensures that all the flavors meld together beautifully while keeping it simple and low effort. Get the Recipe 06 of 44 Slow-Cooker Pork Roast Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Flavorful pork and tender vegetables make up a hearty meal that is easy for any weeknight. Get the Recipe 07 of 44 Slow Cooker Brisket Chili Hector M. Sanchez A flavor-packed ingredient list including black beans, beef brisket, a healthy dose of spices, and veggies take this chili to the next level. A quick prep time and a slow cooker to do all the hard work makes for an easy, delicious dinner! Get the Recipe 08 of 44 Slow-Cooker Texas Chili Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall This chili makes the Lone Star state proud. It's got brisket in a spicy tomato-based sauce with tons of chiles and absolutely no beans. All in the ease of your slow cooker. Get the Recipe 09 of 44 Slow-Cooker Pot Roast Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton We'll take pot roast any day of the week, and this one is made even simpler in the slow cooker. Get the Recipe 10 of 44 Meatball Sliders with Tomato Sauce Photo: Hector Sanchez This fun dish is two recipes in one: delicious, easy meatballs and a slow-simmered tangy tomato sauce. If you have any extra sauce, toss it with your favorite green vegetable, spoon it over a bowl of creamy grits, or pair it with pork chops or other meats. Get the Recipe 11 of 44 Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos with Fresh Tomato Salsa Recipe Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Amp up your Taco Tuesday with these simple yet flavorful pork tacos. Filled with spices and topped with fresh salsa, these will be hit with any crowd. Get the Recipe 12 of 44 Slow-Cooker Chipotle-Tomato Soup Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Pair this creamy soup with grilled cheese sandwiches and the whole crew will be in warm and cozy heaven. Get the Recipe 13 of 44 Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos Caitlin Bensel We recommended serving this no-fuss shredded chicken on corn tortillas with fresh toppings like red cabbage, tomatoes, radishes, and cilantro. Get the Recipe 14 of 44 Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese Hector Sanchez Classic cafeteria-style goodness, this recipe yields enough to serve as a side for a crowd, or it could be dinner for a family of four. Get the Recipe 15 of 44 Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole Southern Living All the sweet comfort of the classic Thanksgiving casserole, but without having to fill up your baking dish. Get the Recipe 16 of 44 Creamy Potato-and-Ham Hock Slow-Cooker Soup Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall With chunky pieces of potato and chopped ham hock, this soup is every bit of delicious that you want on an autumn night. Get the Recipe 17 of 44 Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti Photo: Hector Sanchez Spend 20 minutes in the kitchen prepping this gorgeous, hearty sauce. Once the sauce simmers in the cooker, all that's left to do is cook a pound of pasta and serve. Get the Recipe 18 of 44 Slow-Cooker Cowboy Beans Slow-Cooker Cowboy Beans Flavored with bacon and delicious when served with rice, these cowboy beans are a leveled-up version of barbecue beans. Get the Recipe 19 of 44 Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage Antonis Achilleos This traditional New England dish is basically a spicy brisket with cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. Bam—a whole dinner right out of the crockpot. Get the Recipe 20 of 44 Chicken and Cornbread Dumplings Iain Bagwell Make a classic chicken and dumplings recipe even more Southern by topping the vegetable-and-chicken-packed stew with cornbread dumplings. Get the Recipe 21 of 44 Slow-Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Bacon Alison Miksch Orange juice gives this dish a little sweetness, while pieces of crumbled bacon will give you something to savor and rosemary delivers an aroma all its own. Get the Recipe 22 of 44 Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Make taco night even more hands-free with this recipe for slow-cooked pork carnitas flavored with orange juice. Serve with all the fixings. Get the Recipe 23 of 44 New Orleans Red Beans And Rice Southern Living You read that right: Even classic red beans can be made in the crockpot, and this recipe is as authentic as it gets. Get the Recipe 24 of 44 Spaghetti Casserole Jennifer Davick All your favorite ingredients are featured in this easy slow-cooker version of spaghetti casserole. Get the Recipe 25 of 44 Crock-Pot Salsa Chicken Caitlin Bensel Homemade burrito bowls are packed with protein, fiber, and flavor. Make a big batch of chicken and use it for days. Get the Recipe 26 of 44 Hard Cider-Braised Pork Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox Autumn calls for cider, and we're taking it from doughnuts to this wonderfully savory braised pork recipe with carrots, celery, and apples served over egg noodles. Get the Recipe 27 of 44 Slow Cooker Goulash Jennifer Causey Made with a boneless chuck roast, fire-roasted tomatoes, and aromatic vegetables, this goulash recipe lets the meat cook down until it makes a thick and flavorful sauce that doesn't need any additional broth. Get the Recipe 28 of 44 Beef-and-Bean Chili Hector Sanchez This classic red chili has chunks of stew meat and ground beef along with tomatoes, red beans, and spices. Fire-roasted tomatoes add a note of smokiness to the mix. If you can't find fire-roasted, use plain tomatoes and add a pinch of smoked paprika. Get the Recipe 29 of 44 Peppered Beef Soup Southern Living Freeze leftovers in an airtight container up to three months. Add a bit of canned broth when reheating to reach desired consistency. Get the Recipe 30 of 44 Slow-Cooker Bolognese Sauce Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox This is a sauce that will impress any guests, and this recipe makes it way easier than it looks on the plate. Get the Recipe 31 of 44 Beer-Braised Pot Roast Photo: Hector Sanchez This is no ordinary pot roast. First, it's rubbed with coffee, then it simmers in dark stout beer and beef stock, yielding a deeply delicious gravy. Small carrots with tops and pearl onions elevate it further. Get the Recipe 32 of 44 Turkey Breast and Herb-Cornbread Stuffing Photo: Oxmoor House This comforting slow cooker dish is perfect for Thanksgiving or an easy supper. Get the Recipe 33 of 44 Mexican Stew Photo: Hector Sanchez Classic posole, a delicious slow-simmered Mexican pork stew often reserved for special occasions, is typically a time-consuming labor of love. But this one gives you all the comfort and flavor of the old-world version made in your slow cooker. Get the Recipe 34 of 44 Pork Chili Verde Hector Sanchez Fresh tomatillos look like small green tomatoes wrapped in thin papery skin. Remove skin and rinse before chopping. If you can't find fresh, look for canned at the grocery. Get the Recipe 35 of 44 Smoky Turkey-and-Sweet Potato Chili Hector Sanchez Chipotle chiles add a kick, but sweet potatoes balance the heat. Adjust the spice in this homey chili by increasing or decreasing the amount of chipotle to suit your taste. Get the Recipe 36 of 44 Shrimp-and-Sausage Gumbo Photo: Iain Bagwell Enjoy a smoky and spicy classic that takes just a couple of minutes to prepare. When it's ready, serve over a bed of herbed rice. Get the Recipe 37 of 44 Spicy-Sweet Ribs and Beans Southern Living Slow cookers don't brown food, so here we broil the ribs for extra flavor before adding them to the pot. Serve with cornbread and a simple green salad. Get the Recipe 38 of 44 Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes Photo: Jennifer Davick All you need is 20 minutes to get this dish in the slow cooker, then you have a hearty chicken and veggie supper waiting for you when you get home. Get the Recipe 39 of 44 Pork with Apples, Bacon, and Sauerkraut Photo: Hector Sanchez Thinly sliced pancetta (unsmoked Italian bacon cured with salt and spices) and a few quick twists of kitchen string turn an inexpensive pork loin into a party-worthy dish. Get the Recipe 40 of 44 Slow-Cooker Cornbread Dressing Beth Dreiling Hontzas Spoon this fantastic casserole-turned-crockpot dish into pretty bowls, and top with fresh sage. Get the Recipe 41 of 44 Slow-cooked Barbecued Chicken Becky Luigart-Stayner Enjoy this slow-cooked chicken by itself or as a sandwich piled with Pickled Peppers & Onions atop Sweet Potato Cornbread. Get the Recipe 42 of 44 Chicken Sausage and White Bean Stew Jennifer Davick On a cold evening, come home to a simmering slow cooker filled with rustic white bean stew with chicken sausage. Get the Recipe 43 of 44 Slow-Cooker Sloppy Joes Southern Living With prep times of 15 minutes or less, these sloppy slow-cooked sandwiches are even better when topped with coleslaw. Get the Recipe 44 of 44 Slow-Cooker Peas-and-Greens Soup with Turkey Sausage Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Lucky for any busy home cook, this recipe is substitute-friendly. You can swap out the turkey sausage for pork or chicken sausage, as well as use your favorite frozen pea or bean instead of the black-eyed peas. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit