Let’s imagine the scenario of why you need a list of mini-crockpot recipes. You have a nine-to-five hard job that forces you to endure numerous days of eating out. You don’t want that lifestyle, so you get a mini slow cooker that helps you cook your food while you’re at work.
So, listing names of nutritious recipes you can make with a small quota on a mini slow cooker is what you need. Therefore, I want to satisfy that culinary desire of yours through this post.
Here, you may find yourself lost by words with all the treats you can make with your mini-crockpot. Are you ready to discover the full potential of this kitchen gadget?
Prepare delicious meals with your
mini-crockpot
A gadget that considers a mini-crockpot is one that has less than 4 quarters of capacity. With this volume, you can make a meal for four people, which is a standard number for a family. Therefore, all the recipes on this list have the portion of one to four people.
Now, since we have established all the terms and conditions, let’s start with the first delicacy of this post!
1. Crockpot Reese Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake
Total time: 2 hours and 5 minutes (including 2 hours baking in the cooking pot).
You may find this beginning unusual, but yes, this recipe is a dessert. This recipe combines Reese’s peanut butter cups with chocolate to create a sweet and proud child in a slow cooker, and you can store the cake in the fridge for days.
The first thing you should know about this recipe is Reese’s peanut butter cups. This confectionery is a product of the Hershey Company in the United States. This product was introduced in 1928 and remains a classic product in every candy aisle in the world.
To follow the busy atmosphere of this crockpot recipe, you can use a pre-made cake mix to save time. All you need to do is stir the cake mixture with egg, melted butter and water, and then add the cups of Reese. Pour that dough into the slow cooker and sit for 2 hours.
When the cake is ready, garnish the top with melted peanut butter and pieces of Reese cups. You can make this topping by cooking the peanut butter in the microwave and spreading it over the cake. Then, sprinkle pieces of Reese on top of that layer.
2. Crockpot Chicken Omelette Soup Total time
: 7 hours and
35 minutes (including 7 hours and 20 minutes of
slow cooking).
I can only describe this Mexican-style slow cooking recipe as “nutritious and easy to make.” The recipe contains many Mexican culinary specialties such as salsa and tortilla. Therefore, the contribution of these ingredients promises you a fantastic meal that you always want.
Salsa is a frequent candidate in many Mexican-American recipes (like this one). There are many variations for this versatile sauce, but the one I like to use is Salsa Roja, which consists of tomato, garlic, onion, and other seasonings.
And if you like tacos, you definitely know what tortilla is. These flatbreads can be made from wheat flour and cornmeal. In this recipe, corn tortilla is the best option.
The decoration of this recipe is also interesting, but it is optional if you are not a fan. A tablespoon of Greek yogurt, avocado and grated cheese is the recipe recommendation. These elements give the dish a fascinating flavor that I think you should try.
A quick instruction on how to make the slow cooker version of chicken omelette soup.
3. Crockpot Blueberry Butter
Total time: 5 hours and 15 minutes (including 5 hours in the cooking pot).
One of the quickest meals everyone can make is a jelly sandwich. So, let me introduce you how to prepare a jar of blueberry butter with your mini cooking pot.
Let’s start this recipe by mixing the blueberries into smoothie form, and then pour them into the slow cooker with cinnamon, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook the mixture for an hour
with the lid closed
Let the excess water evaporate by supporting the lid with a wooden spoon. After that, cook for another 4 to 5 hours over low heat. Don’t forget to check the butter every hour.
The jam is ready once the mixture is not escaping from the spoon. You can have this jelly on your toast or with Swedish meatballs that you can also make with your mini-crockpot.
4.
Crockpot
Chicken & Mushrooms
Total Time: About 4 hours and 20 minutes
.
Creamy slow-cooked chicken and mushrooms are the right candidates to be your next dinner. It only takes you a few steps to prepare the dish before turning on the cooking pot.
Browning the chicken and sautéing the onion are the preliminary work before throwing everything into the pot. Once all the ingredients are ready, place the materials evenly and cook for 4 hours over low heat. Remember to sprinkle some pepper and salt before closing the lid.
When the 4 hours are over, remove the chicken from the pot and add cornstarch to the mushrooms. Beat everything until smooth, then put the chicken back in the pot and cook for another 20 minutes. The broth should thicken during this final stage.
Serve this dish with rice or pasta like Fettuccine and Tagliatelle. Do not forget to sprinkle some chopped parsley on top to give more green color to your dish.
5. Crockpot Orange Chicken
Total time: 2 hours and 5 minutes (including 2 hours in the cooking pot).
The chicken marinade for this recipe is quite unique in that it combines Asian soy sauce with orange jam. Jam is
a fruit preserve made from the peel and pulp of citrus fruits. Its taste is sour and sweet, while its aroma is super fragrant and refreshing. Combining this product with the umami flavor of soy sauce is an interesting option and works incredibly well.
To make this recipe, you also need rice wine vinegar, ginger, sesame oil, green onions and garlic. This mixture of many elements penetrates deep into chicken meat and develops an intense flavor once the dish is ready.
6. Crockpot Osso Buco
Total time: 6 hours and 15 minutes (including 6 hours of slow cooking).
In Italian, “osso buco” means “bone with a hole,” which involves the medulla hole in a cross-sectional stem. This delicious Italian slow cooker demonstrates Italian cuisine in an interesting way that urges you to try it.
The ingredients to accompany the meat stem in this delicacy are onion, carrot, garlic and tomato passata. It is always a hassle to tenderize this meat as this part of the cow is one of the hardest. Therefore, a clay pot is your best choice to make this delicious dish.
After about 6-8 hours of slow cooking, the strong pieces of meat will become tender and irresistible. Your dish will be beautiful if you serve the stem with mashed potatoes or rice and green vegetables like broccoli.
7. Crockpot Quinoa and vegetables
Total time: 4 hours and 10 minutes (including 4 hours of slow cooking).
Quinoa is one of the most common choices for vegetarians, but you don’t have to be vegetarian to try this recipe. After all, quinoa itself is rich in nutrition and is also known to be a delicious pseudocereal.
To prepare this delicious crockpot dish for you, there are several vegetables that you need to dice. Carrot, onion, green beans and bell pepper are what the recipe suggests.
Also, you can choose chicken broth if you want some animal protein in this dish. Otherwise, the vegetable broth would work. Adjust the flavor with other spices and let the mixture cook for 4-6 hours at low temperature or 2 to 4 hours at high.
You can have this dish with a heavy dish like grilled chicken or lamb. Also, if you want to turn this recipe into a full-fledged meal, you can add black beans or chicken. After a tiring day at work, having a refreshing meal like this is exactly what you need.
8. Crockpot Lasagna Total time
: 4 hours
and 15 minutes (including 4 hours in the cooking pot).
Having a decent meal with homemade lasagna can be a side hustle for many people. Sometimes your only option is to order one from a restaurant at an expensive price or get some prefabricated. Luckily, you can now make your own lasagna with a mini cooking pot.
The structure of a standard lasagna consists of layers of meat sauce, cheese and pasta. Lasagna paste has the shape of a large flat leaf, and to make this dish, arrange these leaves with sauce and cheese in the middle. It’s like building a house if you ask me.
There are two types of sauce: salsa roja (meat sauce
) and salsa blanca (cheese sauce). And these two sauces alternately “sandwich” the lasagna to prepare the dish.
The
red sauce has its recipe assembled with spaghetti sauce. The white sauce is a combination of Ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, parsley and egg. Each offers a different texture and flavor that you would like to have more.
Crockpot Lasagna is an excellent party not to be missed.
9. Crockpot Lamb Rogan Josh
Total time: 8 hours and 30 minutes (including 6 hours of slow cooking and 2 hours of marinating).
This curry recipe has such a masculine name, but that’s not a real person’s name. “Rogan Josh” is actually a transformation of the word “Roughan Jus” meaning “ghee stew”, a Kashmir-style curry.
This Indian recipe gives your senses an explosion of flavors and fragrances. This Roger Josh does not disappoint you with its clever combination of strong spices such as Garam Masala, smoked paprika, cumin and other elements.
And those ingredients are just for marinating your lamb for ideally 2 hours. For the sauce, mix the yogurt with cilantro, chili, sugar and tomato paste. Use water to adjust the viscosity of the sauce and then pour it over the lamb and vegetables in the cooking pot.
After 6 hours of slow cooking over low heat, your lamb is ready. And you can serve this delicious dish with Basmati rice or Naan (Indian flatbreads).
10. Crockpot Beef
Stroganoff
Total time: 7 hours and 15 minutes (including 7 hours of slow cooking).
Stroganoff meat, or Stroganov, is a Russian recipe invented by the Stroganov family. This recipe has observed all the ups and downs of Russia as one of the largest nations in the world.
Let’s start this creamy recipe by preparing the steak by cutting it into quarter-inch pieces. Pour the tasty meat into the pot with other ingredients like mushrooms, mustard, onion, etc. Make the broth mixture with flour and meat broth, then add it to the cooking pot.
Once everything is ready in the cooking pot, let the food cook for 6-7 hours with the lid closed. After that time, let the stew cool for 10-15 minutes in the pot without the lid.
This slow cooker dish is what you need after a busy day. With dill to decorate, I bet you can’t tackle the growl of your belly until you satisfy it with a bite of Beef Stroganoff.
11. Crockpot Roast Lamb
Total time: 8 hours and 30 minutes (including 8 hours of slow cooking).
The tenderness of lamb is something you can’t resist. Classic lamb meat with herbal rosemary and fragrant garlic already sounds too delicious. Therefore, it would be an honor to suggest this clay pot delicacy through this post.
Before organizing all the ingredients in the cooking pot, do not forget to season your lamb with salt, pepper and garlic. Then, brown that lamb in a pan before placing it in the slow cooker with onion, carrot, potato and more garlic.
On top of the lamb and vegetables is a layer of oregano and rosemary. Then, pour the chicken broth to dip the ingredients. Lamb requires about 8 hours to cook perfectly.
You can consider this recipe as a Thanksgiving crockpot delight with all the cozy and festive atmosphere that the recipe has. This dish is tasty, but because it’s a bit heavy, I think having mashed potatoes or a bowl of salad as a side dish would complete this meal nutritiously.
12. Polenta Crockpot
Total time: 3 hours and 35 minutes (including 3 hours and 30 minutes of slow cooking).
This traditional Italian recipe might be whatever you want whenever you’re under the weather. Polenta is boiled cornmeal, and then people can make porridge out of that thick paste.
This Polenta recipe only includes cornmeal, parmesan, milk and other seasonings to adjust the flavor. It always takes a long time to make this comfort food, so the voodoo trick of your cooking pot can take care of this cooking for 3 to 4 hours of simmering work.
Add the milk after 4 hours of cooking and cook for 30 minutes over high heat. Now, pour the grated cheese into the pot and stir the mixture until the cheese melts. This Polenta seems quite simple, and I totally recommend that you give it a try.
Here’s a vegan version of this homemade Italian food.
13. Crockpot Apple Oatmeal Pie
Total time: 6 hours and 25 minutes (including 6 hours of slow cooking).
Grandma’s apple pie is always a nostalgic afternoon snack for everyone. Another favorite treat you like is sweet oatmeal. Now, I have to tell you that there is a way for you to combine these two masterpieces with the help of your crockpot.
Having a bowl of this dish at home gives you a December feel. I think categorizing this recipe in the list of must-have Christmas clay pot dishes is a good idea.
All you have to do with this recipe is combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker and let them cook for 6-8 hours over low heat. The result has a delicious cinnamon and sweet taste. The texture is complex with the contribution of nutmeg, apple and cooked oats.
14. Crockpot Kakuni (Japanese pork belly)
Total time: Approximately 8 hours and 15 minutes (including 8 hours in the slow cooker).
You don’t even have time to think about enjoying a Japanese-themed meal, do you? And I’m not talking about sushi or a bowl of ramen. Sometimes, those dishes are too troublesome to make. Just a bowl of hot rice and a tasty side dish on the side is all you need.
Kakuni is one step closer than what I just described. With the richness of bacon pork and an intense ginger flavor, this meal can be delicious and nutritious to prepare for your day.
Simply prepare the pork with your slow cooker while letting your rice cooker take care of the rice. The next morning, all you have to do is get a bowl of rice and dive in. You can push the food even further by making a bowl of tofu soup to complete this hot breakfast.
15. Crockpot
Gołąbki (Polish stuffed cabbage)
Total time: 6 hours (including 5 hours of slow cooking).
There are several recipes for stuffed cabbage around the world, and the Polish version is called “Gołąbki”. The two main parts of this recipe are stuffed cabbage and sauce for dipping cabbage in it.
Perhaps the hardest part of this delicious ground beef crockpot recipe is how to get all the cabbage leaves. You need to boil all the cabbage, and then use the tong to get the desired number of leaves. Once you get the leaves, you have to simmer them again so they can be soft enough to bend.
The filling is a mixture of ground beef, chopped onion, rice, other herbs and seasonings. The way you roll up is exactly the same as how you fold the burrito. And when you put these rolls in the pot, give each roll enough space as the rice will expand when cooked.
What remains is to pour the tomato sauce and let the slow cooker cook these rolls for about 5 hours. A person can consume two to three of these rolls, and that’s all they need to have a full stomach.
16. Crockpot Corn Mac-N-Cheese
Total Time: About 3 hours and 30 minutes
.
Macaroni and cheese could be one of humanity’s greatest inventions. Many people think it’s part of Soul Food cuisine. However, the dish was born in the 14th century in Italy. This recipe offers a more American atmosphere, especially with the contribution of corn.
With a sticky consistency and creamy taste, you can grab a bowl of macaroni and corn cheese at any time of the day. You can prepare the dish in the cooking pot and enjoy a whole weekend with this delicious treat.
To add a little spice to the dish, paprika is a typical choice. And I almost forgot! You should only pour the pasta into the pot in the last 30 minutes. Pasta is extremely fragile with heat and humidity, so cooking it too soon will turn your macaroni and cheese into a pot of porridge.
17. Crockpot Beef
Satay
Total time: 8 hours and 15 minutes (including 8 hours on the crockpot).
Satay is a traditional dish in Indonesia. Other world-famous variations of Satay are the Japanese Yakitori and the Chinese Chuan. Basically, they are grilled meat seasoned, and the difference between them is their national sauce.
In this slow-cooker version of Satay, sliced rump fillet is the recipe recommendation. Seal and brown that steak in its pan before moving it to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients.
The most iconic thing about Indonesian cuisine might be the application of coconut oil. For Indonesians, coconut is gifted, and they use coconut in countless traditional delicacies.
Another highlight of this recipe is the combination of soy products and peanut butter for the sauce. This Satay sauce formula is the original Javanese. The sauce offers a sweet and creamy flavor to your meat after hours in the cooking pot.
18. Crockpot Duck Confit
Total Time: About 5 hours
.
Duck confit is a classic dish of French cuisine. Apparently, confit is a cooking technique in which meat (often duck or goose) is slowly cooked into animal fat. It is a common way for the French to preserve their meat, especially during shortages.
This recipe highlights how crockpot dishes can be convenient and healthy. The science of these kitchen utensils is to form a closed environment where all heat, water and other elements are trapped inside. Thus, the fat of the duck covers its flesh and forms a candied condition.
Another highlight I want to mention is the appearance of the sweet and fragrant plum sauce. To make this sauce, you can simply mix the ripe plums and then use the compression bottle to place the sauce on the plate.
The salted duck mixture melts in the mouth, and the sweet and sour stellar taste of plum sauce appears. This recipe is a tasty culinary masterpiece.
Before you cook such a duck, you need to learn how to decompose a duck correctly.
19. Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore
Total time: 8 hours and 10 minutes (including 8 hours of slow cooking).
Another proud child of Italian cuisine joins this list of crockpot delicacies. Cacciatore is a traditional recipe and was invented by ancient hunters. “Cacciatore” in Italian means “hunters”, and the two main ingredients of this recipe are chicken and vegetables.
To make a tasty chicken Cacciatore with your crockpot, you can start by seasoning your thighs with salt and pepper and move them to the pot. Then, add vegetables, mushrooms, herbs and chicken broth.
Now, close the lid and let your slow cooker cooker cook for 6-8 hours over low heat. Once the meat starts to fall off the bone, you know your Cacciatore is ready.
Usually, people serve this stew with spaghetti noodles and garnish the dish with dried parsley. Other options are bread or rice. You can choose any basic solution that suits your diet and desire.
20. Crockpot Crab Dip
Total Time: About 2 hours and 30 minutes
.
Having crackers for a snack or movie night doesn’t require too much preparation. But you can enhance your snack with a healthier and more delicious sauce like this crab sauce.
All you have to do in this recipe is throw all the ingredients except the caper, parsley, lemon zest and pepper sauce into the slow cooker and set the temperature to simmer for 1-2 hours. Another 30 minutes after stirring the caper and pepper sauce.
Once the sauce is ready, you can see a white paste with crab and mayonnaise aroma. In addition to being a snack, crackers with crab sauce can be an appetizer for dinner or a part of the neighbor’s stand-up party.
21. Crockpot Caramel Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Total time: 8 hours and 15 minutes (including 8 hours in the cooking pot).
Let’s follow that snack theme and try this recipe. While crackers and crab sauce are delicious, this combination can be a bit dry. Caramel-glazed sweet potato can give you something to chew while refusing to deprive your mouth of its moisture.
To make this great munchy, you can start by cutting the sweet potato into potato chip sizes. After that, throw them in the pot and sprinkle some salt on it. Next, add a mixture of cinnamon, sugar, and cornstarch evenly and generously over the sweet potato slices. Finish with butter points.
Close the lid and let the cooking pot take care of your snack for 7-9 hours at low temperatures. When time runs out, your dad will have a beautiful frosting that glows and enhances its intrinsic orange color.
22. Crockpot Köttbullar (Swedish meatballs) Total time
: 5 hours
and 20 minutes (including 5 hours of slow cooking).
Let me introduce you to this Swedish specialty: Kottbullar. It would be a big mistake if I didn’t include at least one meatball recipe on this list. Therefore, I choose these creamy and tender Swedish dumplings.
Köttbullar typically looks smaller than its foreign cousins such as Italian Polpette or Russian Kotlety. In Sweden, “köttbullar” means “meat buns”, and its most traditional type is the ground beef dumpling.
Perhaps, the sauce makes this Kottbullar stand out from your family members. This sauce consists of a unique creaminess that comes from the contribution of heavy cream.
Another cultural note you might want to try is what to serve with the Kottbullar. Swedes often have their meatball with boiled potato (or mashed potato), a tablespoon of cranberry jam, sauce, and pickled cucumber.
You have to taste the seductive taste of these Swedish meatballs.
Put everything in the pot before work and have
a meal afterwards
A busy modern life can deprive you of many things, including a nutritious meal. But you can improve the situation with the support of technology. A mini-crockpot is a fitting example of this statement.
With this gadget, you can make a snack like glazed sweet potato or a main dish like tasty Polenta. There is more to discover with all the possibilities of a mini-crockpot. So if you want to share some of your knowledge with me, don’t be shy to leave a comment.
Also, if you think this list of mini-crockpot recipes is legitimately informative, you should share it with your beloved. They are certainly happy to broaden their horizon with you. Thanks for stopping by and see you in the other post. Goodbye!
