43 Slow-Cooker Lunch Recipes We Love

From the Recipe Creator: Throughout Vietnam there are many kinds of soups, called canh, served all year long. I particularly love having this warm, flavorful bowl of Vietnamese chicken soup on laid-back weekends, but it's also great packed in a thermos for lunch. It's the perfect bok choy soup too! —Brenda Watts, Gaffney, South Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: My husband and sons love chicken with blue cheese, so I created this salad. You can even make the chicken the day before and reheat when ready to serve. —Shauna Havey, Roy, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: I first created this recipe for our daughter who loves Caesar salads, then later for our extended family on vacation. It's such an easy meal—perfect for vacations when you'd rather be outside than inside cooking all day. —Christine Hadden, Whitman, Massachusetts

From the Recipe Creator: This aromatic pork stew, also known as pozole, is a southwestern delicacy. I make it in the slow cooker so it can simmer away on its own. The rich, brothy soup is delicious, much like a tamale in a bowl. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: I like to serve these Thai peanut noodles with green onion or cilantro for pops of color and fresh flavor. —Catherine Cebula, Littleton, Massachusetts

From the Recipe Creator: I am a huge fan of both Moroccan lamb and lettuce wraps. This combination—with the creamy dressing and crunchy cucumber—makes a tasty slow-cooked dish. The wine and chili powder add even more flavor elements. —Arlene Erlbach, Morton Grove, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: I had tomatillos to use and wanted to make something more exquisite than salsa verde. I combined two favorite recipes, added my own special touches and made chicken tomatillo soup. Feel free to add cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce to spice it up. —Katrina Krumm, Apple Valley, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: Not your ordinary pulled turkey sandwich, this one shines thanks to its unique yogurt sauce. Serve the turkey by itself or stack on sweet pickle slices and jalapenos to echo the dressing. —Shana Conradt, Greenville, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe is perfect for those days when you’re craving something just a little bit different. It’s spicy, flavorful and a great excuse to open up a bar of chocolate (if you’re the type of person who needs an excuse!). —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: This fork-tender pulled pork tastes fabulous on a bun, or in a wrap or tortilla. My kids like it spooned over rice in its citrus-flavored juices. —Mindy Oswalt, Winnetka, California

From the Recipe Creator: Here’s an easy recipe everyone will rave about. These tangy sausages with their pepper and onion topping will go quickly. Better make a double batch! —Shelly Bevington-Fisher, Hermiston, Oregon

From the Recipe Creator: I love the fuss-free nature of the slow cooker, but I don't want to sacrifice flavor for convenience. This cozy, spiced-up dish has both. —Susan Smith, Mead, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: I live in Georgia, but I appreciate the tangy, sweet and slightly spicy taste of Carolina vinegar chicken. I make my version in the slow cooker. After the tempting aroma fills the house, your family is sure to be at the dinner table on time! —Ramona Parris, Canton, Georgia

From the Recipe Creator: The slow cooker is our summertime go-to for cool kitchen cooking. After swim lessons and outdoor activities, it's so nice to come back to a tasty, light dinner. If you can't find Bibb or Boston, green leaf lettuce is less sturdy but can work in a pinch. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: This plant-based version of chili is filled with flavor and color to make you feel energized and nourished—a terrific way to fit more veggies and legumes into your diet. I love to serve it with yogurt. —Rebekah Ranes, Sedona, Arizona

From the Recipe Creator: It’s wonderful to come home to this pork bean soup dinner simmering away in a slow cooker. This soup uses dried beans and is simple to throw together in the morning before work. When you get home, just add a few more ingredients and in about half an hour dinner will be ready! —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia

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: Comforting soups that simmer all day long are staples on cool, busy days. For a heartier version of this vegan cabbage soup, stir in canned beans, such as cannellini or navy beans. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: My favorite kitchen appliance is the slow cooker, and I use mine more than anyone else I know. It does a great job with this good-for-you dish. —Michelle Gurnsey, Lincoln, Nebraska

From the Recipe Creator: I prefer main dishes that let me stay on my diet but still eat what the rest of the family eats. My husband and our young children think this diet-friendly stew is a hit. —Stephanie Wilson of Helix, Oregon

From the Recipe Creator: My husband loves this chicken dish. It calls for only five ingredients, and we try to have them all on hand for a delicious and cozy dinner anytime. —Jennifer Seidel, Midland, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: My sweet father-in-law, Pop Pop, would bring this chunky soup to our house when we were under the weather. We like it so much, we take it to our own friends who need comfort. It always does the trick. —Sue Webb, Reisterstown, Maryland

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: Back when I was in college, my mom made an addicting sweet potato and peanut stew. I shared it with friends, and now all of us serve it to our own kids. They all love it, of course. —Alexis Scatchell, Niles, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: Asian slow cooker recipes are a favorite in our home, and this one is perfect for fall and winter evenings. A pork roast cooks all afternoon with sweet onions, honey, soy sauce and ginger for fabulous flavor. The aroma fills the house with a scent that cries out, 'Welcome home!' —Sheree Shown, Junction City, Oregon

From the Recipe Creator: Chicken breasts are treated to black beans, red peppers and juicy tomatoes in this Southwestern supper. We love it served with rice plumped up in chicken broth. —Piper Spiwak, Vienna, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: Meet the Cook: One of the nice things about this thick soup is you can make it in an afternoon without too much fuss. I've found that it's good for soccer-practice evenings - with our sons 18, 17 and 9, we have gotten accustomed to many of those! -Mary Dice, Chemainus, British Columbia

From the Recipe Creator: Here's a quick-prep recipe for tender, flavorful chicken in a tangy tomato-based sauce. You can easily double or triple the recipe, depending on the size of your slow cooker. —Dahlia Abrams, Detroit, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: This vegetarian recipe is a tasty mashup of chicken Marsala and mushroom barley soup. It's terrific as a main dish, but it can also be served, with or without the barley, as a side. —Arlene Erlbach, Morton Grove, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: My husband and I enjoy visiting the apple orchards in nearby Nebraska City. We always make sure to buy extra cider to use in this sensational slow-cooked stew. —Carol Mathias, Lincoln, Nebraska

From the Recipe Creator: These very tender and moist chicken thighs come with a tangy peanut butter sauce that is irresistible. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: This satisfying soup with a hint of cayenne is brimming with vegetables, chicken and noodles. The recipe originally came from my father-in-law, but I made some changes to give it my own spin. —Norma Reynolds, Overland Park, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: Capers, golden raisins and fresh basil give this dish a sweetly savory flavor. And what's better than that? The kids LOVE it. —Nadine Mesch, Mount Healthy, Ohio

From the Recipe Creator: This vegetarian soup features a rainbow of vegetables. You can use any multicolored pasta in place of the spirals. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: When I have a hungry family to feed, these tasty beans with spinach, tomatoes and carrots are a go-to dish. This veggie delight is frequently on our menu. —Jennifer Reid, Farmington, Maine

From the Recipe Creator: We use this super-duper chicken across several meals, including it in tacos, sandwiches, omelets and enchiladas. My little guys love to help measure the seasonings. —Karie Houghton, Lynnwood, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: While traveling through Morocco, my wife and I fell in love with the complex flavors of the many tagines we tried. Resist the urge to stir it­—doing so will break down the veggies. Add shredded cooked chicken in the last 10 minutes, or serve with grilled fish. —Raymond Wyatt, West St. Paul, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: Our kitchen is tiny and cramped, so we try to grill simple (but tasty) meals outside as often as possible during the summer months. Dried herbs work as well, but during the summer use fresh herbs for the best taste. —Kelly Evans, Denton, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: The golden color, smooth and creamy texture, and wonderful taste of this soup make it welcome on a chilly fall day. It has a slightly tangy flavor from the cream cheese, and the cinnamon really comes through. —Jackie Campbell, Stanhope, New Jersey

From the Recipe Creator: My friend gave me this recipe two decades ago. All I added was a little more meat, the celery and mushrooms. My family loves it! —Marilyn Wolfe, Des Moines, Iowa

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: Swapping ground turkey for ground beef lightens up this chili. —Rachel Lewis, Danville, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: It was an abundance of dill in my garden that led me to try this. My family liked the taste so much that, from then on, I made my old-fashioned cabbage rolls recipe with dill. This is how to make easy cabbage rolls. – Florence Krantz, Bismarck, North Dakota