53 Recipes to Make in a 4-Quart Slow Cooker

From the Recipe Creator: Our approach to meatball sandwiches is a simple one: Cook the meatballs low and slow, load them into hoagie buns, and top them with provolone and pepperoncini. —Stacie Nicholls, Spring Creek, Nevada

From the Recipe Creator: This is a healthy and tasty snack that I feed to my kids often. They love it!—Cindy Reams, Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: I make chana masala, the classic Indian chickpea curry, in my slow cooker. First browning the onion, ginger and garlic really makes the sauce amazing. —Anjana Devasahayam, San Antonio, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: I created a fresh take on chili using lamb and Moroccan seasoning with a feta and almond garnish. It was so exciting and tasty to my husband and son, I made a second batch almost right away. If you like a spicier chili, add harissa paste or use medium salsa instead of mild. —Arlene Erlbach, Morton Grove, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: I updated this green bean holiday side dish by adding a touch of white wine, fresh thyme and green onions. It's delicious, easy to make and my family loves it! —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada

From the Recipe Creator: Orzo pasta with chicken, olives and herbes de Provence has the bright flavors of Mediterranean cuisine. Here’s a bonus: Leftovers reheat well. —Thomas Faglon, Somerset, New Jersey

From the Recipe Creator: Ribs slow-cooked with carrots, celery, onions and red potatoes are pure comfort food for us. To add a little zip, we sometimes sprinkle in cayenne. —Rose Ingall, Manistee, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: This warm breakfast cereal made in the slow cooker is a great way to get your veggies in the morning and keep a healthy diet! For extra crunch, I garnish individual servings with ground walnuts or pecans.—Debbie Kain, Colorado Springs, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: My husband and I both work the midnight shift, so I'm always on the lookout for slow cooker recipes. This one couldn't be easier. We often enjoy it as a main course because it's so hearty, but it's also good as a side dish. —Michelle McKay, Garden City, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: My family loves these tacos. The chicken cooks in the slow cooker, so it’s convenient to throw together before I leave for work. Then we just roll it up in tortillas with the remaining ingredients and dinner’s ready in minutes. —Cheryl Newendorp, Pella, Iowa

From the Recipe Creator: I like to sprinkle chicken stew with toasted almonds or cashews and serve with hot couscous. Flavored with cinnamon and a touch of sweetness from the apricots, this pretty dish will stand apart from the rest at potlucks, too! —Angela Buchanan, Longmont, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: My family goes crazy for the stuffing that I make in the slow cooker. It freezes well so we can enjoy it long after Thanksgiving has passed. —Bette Votral, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: All you need are some simple ingredients from the pantry to put this slow-cooker meal together. I love the fact that I can go fishing while it cooks. —Peter Halferty, Corpus Christi, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: I put this recipe together in the morning before I leave for work. In the evening, the amazing aroma greets me when I open the door. All I have to do is quickly cook some rice, and dinner is served. —Deborah Puette, Lilburn, Georgia

From the Recipe Creator: Potatoes are among our favorite side dishes. This version take sa little effort, but you can save time by boiling the spuds ahead of time. The night you want them for dinner, just crisp them up with garlic and Parmesan cheese. —Donna Gribbins, Shelbyville, Kentucky

From the Recipe Creator: This delicious pork tacos recipe is my copycat version of the most excellent Mexican food we ever had, when we were visiting Flagstaff, Arizona. The original recipe used beef instead of pork, but this comes mighty close to the same taste. —Ariella Winn, Mesquite, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: Of all the recipes I make in my slow cooker, this is my most treasured. If you enjoy your barbecue sweet with a little spice, this will be your new favorite too. —Yvonne McKim, Vancouver, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: I tried these meatballs at a birthday party for a friend, and now I make them all the time. They are super easy to make and perfect for a potluck or a Sunday afternoon football game. —Lisa Castelli, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Bread pudding fans just might hoard this yummy butterscotch version. Toppings like whipped cream and a butterscotch drizzle make this dessert absolutely irresistible. —Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: Save room in the oven by making this savory side in your slow cooker. It is a standby in my house. My daughter likes to add leftover ham to create a hearty main course. —Joyce Johnson, Uniontown, Ohio

From the Recipe Creator: This orange chicken recipe with orange marmalade is a family favorite. It's sure to be a hit at your next get together!—Louise Gilbert, Quesnel, British Columbia

From the Recipe Creator: After trying many variations of this old standby, I decided to give it a little kick. The crunchy texture from the veggies combines with bacon and melt-in-your-mouth cheese to make this dish a hit at any holiday get-together. —Stephan-Scott Rugh, Portland, Oregon

From the Recipe Creator: For a vegetarian red bean chili that meat lovers would like, this recipe is healthy and tastes great. It takes just a few minutes to prepare, then the chili simmers in the slow cooker leaving me free to do something else. I top bowls with shredded cheddar cheese.—Connie Barnett, Athens, Georgia

From the Recipe Creator: These sandwiches have been such a hit at office potlucks that I keep copies of the recipe in my desk to hand out. —Diane Twait Nelsen, Ringsted, Iowa

From the Recipe Creator: My mother gave me this recipe 40 years ago. It's a wonderfully tasty dish to share around the dinner table. —Sue Mims, Macclenny, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: I brought this slightly spicy cheese dip to a gathering with friends and it was a huge hit. The spicy pork sausage gives the dip plenty of zip! —Marion Bartone, Conneaut, Ohio

From the Recipe Creator: Baked beans belong at a barbecue. They're sweet with heat when you add pineapple and jalapenos. — Robin Haas, Cranston, Rhode Island

From the Recipe Creator: I'm always getting recipe inspiration from newspapers and magazines. Here’s a tender roast with aromatic spices that give it a Moroccan feel. —Karen Burdell, Lafayette, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: I'm always looking to try recipes from different cultures, and this one is a huge favorite. We love the spice combinations. This cooks equally well in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: This apple brown betty can be whipped up in hardly any time. It costs little to prepare, but it's big on flavor. —Florence Palmer, Marshall, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe is my potluck standby. And when I hear that someone may need a comforting home-cooked meal, I bring them this casserole. —Lorraine Espenhain, Corpus Christi, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: We once owned an organic greenhouse and produce business. Weekends were hectic, so I made no-fuss meals like yummy beef tips to fortify us at day’s end. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: The first time I served these wrap sandwiches was at the party following my son’s baptism. Everyone liked them so much that it’s become one of my go-to slow-cooker recipes. —Amy Lents, Grand Forks, North Dakota

From the Recipe Creator: I love my slow cooker because it's so easy to make dinner with one! This flavorful curry was first created for a potluck, and since then the recipe has been requested often.—Jess Apfe, Berkeley, California

From the Recipe Creator: For a potluck or picnic, you can’t beat this classic side that starts with a pound of dried beans. Molasses and maple syrup give it a slight sweetness. —Pat Medeiros, Tiverton, Rhode Island

From the Recipe Creator: I was really craving a hot delicious soup—something filling and healthy. I looked around my kitchen for a few ingredients, then created this recipe. Pumpkin adds creamy richness and body. —Amy Blom, Marietta, Georgia

From the Recipe Creator: Even on busy days, I can start this chicken in the slow cooker and still get to work on time. When I come home, I whip up a spinach salad and crescent rolls to round out the menu. —Heidi Rudolph, Oregon, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: Everyone loves barbecue chicken sliders. My version has an Asian twist, with spicy, tangy flavors. At our potlucks, they quickly vanish. —Priscilla Yee, Concord, California

From the Recipe Creator: I find that pork is the secret to a good black-eyed peas recipe. A double dose of ham for flavor and slow, gentle cooking creates this perfect side dish. —Emory Doty, Jasper, Georgia

From the Recipe Creator: I came up with this saucy chicken during a particularly busy holiday season. As new parents, my husband and I both appreciate having a go-to dinner that's easy, homemade and delicious. —Anne Colvin, Chicago, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: Fresh thyme really shines in this hearty slow-cooked side dish featuring tender butternut squash, nutritious whole grain pilaf and vitamin-packed baby spinach. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: I love the aroma of pork as it cooks but don't eat pork, so I make a pulled chicken with coconut and pineapple for a Polynesian twist. —Becky Walch, Manteca, California

From the Recipe Creator: This cheesesteak, an iconic sandwich in Philly, is a bestseller at Pat's King of Steaks restaurant. Patrons praise its thinly cut beef and crusty Italian rolls. —Frank Olivieri, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: During the holidays, using a slow cooker not only frees up oven space, but time, too! Sweet potatoes are a must on our family menu, and this no-fuss version will have everyone thinking you spent hours in the kitchen. —Pamela Allen, Marysville, Ohio

From the Recipe Creator: This spicy stewlike soup is traditionally served in New Mexico at holiday time to celebrate life's blessings, but it's good any time of year. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: These little sliders deliver big Buffalo chicken flavor without the messiness of wings. The spicy-sweet meatballs are a hit on game day with kids and adults alike. —Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland

From the Recipe Creator: These easy apple-y oats let your family have a warm and cozy breakfast no matter how busy you are. —Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: This is a family favorite handed down from my grandmother in London. She made it for every family gathering. It was always the first food to go on the table and the first one to disappear. —Wayne Barnes, Montgomery, Alabama

From the Recipe Creator: I created this recipe after returning home from my travels and discovering I had little food in the house. I used ingredients that were already available in the refrigerator and pantry. —Allison Gapinski, Cary, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: I went through several variations before creating the pork chops my family considers perfect! I wanted something rich, delicious and tasty that was still relatively healthy. This is a delicious Sunday dinner idea because you can pop it in the slow cooker in the morning and let it cook while you are at church! I suggest serving it with salad or grilled asparagus. —Kristin Stone, Little Elm, Texa

From the Recipe Creator: Loads of rich flavors and spices make this a warming, inviting meal. It’s a great way to impress at a family get-together. —Subrina Goosch, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: Our children wouldn't dream of eating sauerkraut until they tasted it with this tender and juicy pork roast at a family celebration. They devoured it and went back for seconds! Now it's a mainstay in my pork recipe file. — Ronda Jay Holcomb, Farmington, New Mexico