Joanna Gaines is a busy cookbook author, TV host and mother to five children, so she has to be familiar with her slow cooker!
8 Slow-Cooker Meals Inspired by Joanna Gaines
Updated on Feb. 07, 2025
1/8
Slow-Cooked Beef Tips
Skill Level
Easy
Total Time
6 hours 40 min
Servings
2 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
These slow-cooked beef tips remind me of a childhood favorite. I cook them with mushrooms and serve over brown rice, noodles or mashed potatoes. —Amy Lents, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 213 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 46mg cholesterol, 836mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 27g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1-1/2 fat, 1/2 starch.
Joanna Gaines’ “Sunday supper” beef tips are quite famous among fans, and this recipe is similar. Plus, it couldn’t be simpler to make—only 25 minutes of prep.
2/8
Apple Butter
Skill Level
Easy
Total Time
11 hours 20 min
Servings
4 pints
From the Recipe Creator:
I make several batches of this simple and delicious homemade apple butter recipe to freeze in jars. Depending on the sweetness of the apples used, you can adjust the sugar to taste. —Betty Ruenholl, Syracuse, Nebraska
Nutrition Facts:
2 tablespoons: 68 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 9mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (16g sugars, 1g fiber), 0 protein.
Apple butter is a southern staple, and this Texas girl knows what’s good! She uses cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to spice up her spread. Pair this with Joanna Gaines’ biscuit recipe for breakfast.
3/8
Slow-Cooker Chicken Tacos
Skill Level
Easy
Total Time
5 hours 40 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Our fun, simple recipe is perfect for taco Tuesdays or a relaxing dinner with friends. If we have any leftover filling, I toss it into a garden-fresh taco salad. —Tracy Gunter, Boise, Idaho
Nutrition Facts:
2 tacos: 291 calories, 3g fat (1g saturated fat), 63mg cholesterol, 674mg sodium, 37g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 28g protein. Diabetic exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2-1/2 starch.
Joanna’s recipe for street tacos uses the oven to prepare the chicken, but it can easily be made in the slow cooker. Her other additions include corn, cotija cheese and pickled red onion for some zip.
4/8
All-in-One Slow-Cooker Breakfast
Skill Level
Easy
Total Time
3 hours 20 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Let your slow cooker do the work and don't worry about adding any sides because this dish already has everything—hash browns, sausage, cheese and eggs. Just sip your coffee and cut up some fruit, and breakfast or brunch is served. —Debbie Glasscock, Conway, Arkansas
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 654 calories, 44g fat (19g saturated fat), 276mg cholesterol, 1194mg sodium, 36g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 3g fiber), 29g protein.
Breakfast casseroles are perfect for the slow cooker, and Joanna includes all the breakfast staples in hers—sausage, hash browns, cheese and eggs. Pair it with more of Joanna Gaines’ favorite recipes to create an extra-hearty breakfast spread.
5/8
Slow-Cooked Chicken Enchilada Soup
Skill Level
Easy
Total Time
6 hours 25 min
Servings
8 servings (3-1/4 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
This soup delivers a big bowl of fresh comfort—just ask my husband. Toppings like avocado, sour cream and tortilla strips are a must. —Heather Sewell, Harrisonville, Missouri
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/2 cups (calculated without optional toppings): 125 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 35mg cholesterol, 1102mg sodium, 9g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 3g fiber), 14g protein.
The mom of five obviously knows that the trick to pleasing picky palates is to have a variety of toppings available—and that’s just what we do with this mild and hearty soup. It’s a fun spin on Joanna Gaines’ chicken enchiladas.
6/8
Slow-Cooker Peach Cobbler
Skill Level
Easy
Total Time
2 hours 5 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This three-ingredient peach cobbler is made easy with your slow cooker. The soft and sweet cake has your house smelling divine. Be sure to top it with vanilla ice cream! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 453 calories, 14g fat (9g saturated fat), 31mg cholesterol, 538mg sodium, 81g carbohydrate (54g sugars, 2g fiber), 3g protein.
The charismatic owner of Magnolia Table has a wonderfully straightforward recipe for peach cobbler, but this Magnolia Table-inspired recipe can certainly be made in the slow cooker. It’s hard to top a classic treat like this!
7/8
Potluck Macaroni and Cheese
Skill Level
Easy
Total Time
2 hours 25 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
You'll always have a winner at the potluck when you bring macaroni and cheese. Here's an extra-rich, creamy version for the slow cooker. —Jennifer Blondek, Chicopee, Massachusetts
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 388 calories, 28g fat (17g saturated fat), 122mg cholesterol, 652mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 0 fiber), 17g protein.
Joanna’s macaroni and cheese recipe is the richest of the rich, including six forms of dairy: Heavy cream, milk, Velveeta, Gruyere, white cheddar and butter all make an appearance. This recipe is similar, but it’s made with evaporated milk and shredded Mexican cheese instead of Gruyere.
8/8
Upside-Down Frito Pie
Skill Level
Easy
Total Time
2 hours 20 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Using ground turkey is a smart way to lighten this hearty family pleaser! —Mary Berg, Lake Elmo, Minnesota
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/3 cups: 524 calories, 26g fat (8g saturated fat), 118mg cholesterol, 1662mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 6g fiber), 41g protein.
Joanna Gaines’ chili recipe isn’t technically classified as Texan—it contains both tomatoes and beans. However, it’s hard to pass up a bowl or two, especially since Fritos are involved.
