Slow Cooker Recipes for Thrifty Cooks

The slow cooker is a budget cook’s best friend. It takes cheap ingredients, minimal prep, and turns them into tender, flavorful meals with almost no effort. Whether you’re cooking for a family, stocking your freezer, or meal prepping for the week, slow cooker recipes can help you eat well without spending a fortune or hours in the kitchen.

This guide is packed with affordable, fuss-free slow cooker recipes that rely on pantry staples, bulk ingredients, and inexpensive cuts of meat or plant-based proteins. Just toss everything in the pot, set it, and forget it — your wallet and your schedule will thank you.

Why the Slow Cooker Is Perfect for Budget Cooking

• It tenderizes cheap cuts of meat (like chicken thighs or beef chuck)
• It works well with dry beans, lentils, and other low-cost staples
• It saves time and energy — literally and figuratively
• It allows for batch cooking and meal prepping with ease

Once you master a few simple recipes, the possibilities are endless. You can make soups, stews, casseroles, sauces, and even breakfast or desserts using ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Slow Cooker Recipe 1: Budget Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground turkey or beef
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Brown the meat in a skillet, then transfer to the slow cooker.
2. Add all other ingredients.
3. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours.

Slow Cooker Recipe 2: Lentil and Vegetable Stew

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried lentils
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 potato, cubed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Rinse lentils and add everything to the slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours until lentils and vegetables are soft.

Slow Cooker Recipe 3: BBQ Pulled Chicken

Ingredients:

• 3–4 boneless chicken thighs or breasts
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 onion, sliced (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place chicken in the slow cooker.
2. Top with sauce, sugar, and seasonings.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until chicken shreds easily.

Slow Cooker Recipe 4: Pasta and Bean Minestrone

Ingredients:

• 1 can white beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup small pasta (add at the end)
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Add everything except the pasta to the slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours.
3. In the last 30 minutes, stir in pasta and cook until tender.

Slow Cooker Recipe 5: Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker.
2. Stir to combine and cook on low for 5–6 hours or high for 2–3 hours.

Slow Cooker Recipe 6: Oatmeal for a Week

Ingredients:

• 2 cups steel-cut oats
• 6 cups water or milk
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Optional: raisins, chopped apples, or frozen berries

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker and stir.
2. Cook on low overnight (about 6–8 hours).
3. Stir before serving. Portion leftovers into containers for the week.

Slow Cooker Recipe 7: Cabbage and Sausage Stew

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
• 1 or 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced (or veggie sausage)
• 4 cups broth or water
• 1 teaspoon caraway or thyme
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours.