Summer Slow-Cooker Recipes

Photo: Oxmoor House

Slow-Simmered Goodness

Looking for a way to serve your family slow-simmered goodness without spending hours over the cooktop? Our collection of summer slow-cooker recipes uses fresh produce and ingredients for delicious dishes, which highlight the vibrant flavors of the season.

First up are our Pulled Chicken Sandwiches. You already love pulled chicken, so why not try it in a slow cooker? Savor this tender, melt-in-your-mouth chicken sandwich with ketchup-based sauce for lunch or dinner.

View Recipe: Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Photo: Oxmoor House

Gruyère-Bacon Dip

Serve this dip with assorted vegetable dippers. It's also tasty as a condiment spread on turkey burgers.

View Recipe: Gruyère-Bacon Dip

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Italian Beef Sandwiches

If you can't find Italian rolls, substitute a sturdy bread that will soak up the juices in this moist, delightfully messy sandwich.

View Recipe: Italian Beef Sandwiches

Photo: Oxmoor House

Pineapple-Coconut Tapioca

Small pearl tapioca combined with coconut milk and fresh pineapple makes a simple tropics-inspired treat. The key to success is using small pearl tapioca, not instant or minute tapioca. Fresh mango or papaya works equally well as a substitute for the fresh pineapple.

View Recipe: Pineapple-Coconut Tapioca

Photo: Nina Choi

Slow-Simmered Meat Sauce with Pasta

The meat sauce can be made ahead and then served over mafaldine, a flat noodle with ruffled edges. You can substitute spaghetti.

View Recipe: Slow-Simmered Meat Sauce with Pasta

Photo: Oxmoor House

Pork Carnitas

Soft tortillas wrap savory pork, fresh tomatoes, garlic cloves, and citrus juices blending to make the perfect slow-cooker delicacy. Serve with black beans and rice, if desired.

View Recipe: Pork Carnitas

Photo: Oxmoor House

Rosemary Pork Sliders with Horseradish Aioli

Assemble the sliders before dinner. Or, consider showcasing a slider assembly station for your family or friends to make their own.

View Recipe: Rosemary Pork Sliders with Horseradish Aioli

Photo: Oxmoor House

Sweet and Sour Chicken

The grated fresh ginger in this classic Chinese recipe makes the chicken extra sweet. Substitute pork tenderloin in place of chicken thighs, if desired.

View Recipe: Sweet and Sour Chicken

Photo: Oxmoor House

Santa Fe Black Beans

Black beans are a staple side to any Mexican dish. Serve these beans warm and tender after 10 hours in the slow cooker.

View Recipe: Santa Fe Black Beans

Photo: Oxmoor House

Buffalo-Style Drummettes with Blue Cheese Dip

Heating the chicken drummettes in the oven helps to brown them. You can also brown them, in batches, in a skillet on the cooktop.

View Recipe: Buffalo-Style Drummettes with Blue Cheese Dip

Photo: Oxmoor House

Tropical Bananas Foster

Freshly sliced bananas and pinapple meet soft vanilla ice cream and a savory cinnamon-flavored sauce to give you one decadent dessert. Fresh fruit is always best, but for the sake of convenience, the precut variety is also worth reaching for.

View Recipe: Tropical Bananas Foster

Photo: Oxmoor House

Garlic Chicken

The garlic becomes creamy and mellows as it cooks. Spread it on chunks of crusty French baguette and soak up the fabulous sauce as you enjoy every morsel of this super-tender chicken. If you're tight on time, substitute 3 pounds of chicken pieces rather than cut up the whole chicken. Also, look for garlic cloves that are already peeled.

View Recipe: Garlic Chicken

Photo: Oxmoor House

Chilaquiles

Before there were nachos, there were chilaquiles. Tomatoes and spices simmer with any kind of meat to make the ideal topping for tortilla chips. Here, chipotle, chicken, and cilantro meld in this filling Mexican favorite.

View Recipe: Chilaquiles

Photo: Oxmoor House

Provençale Chicken Supper

This rustic dish takes its cue from the typical fare served in Provence, a region in the southeastern part of France that is known for dishes highlighting fresh, local ingredients such as garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, olives, and sweet bell peppers. Be sure to use bone-in chicken breasts for this recipe, or substitute bone-in chicken thighs.

View Recipe: Provençale Chicken Supper

Photo: Oxmoor House

Cheesy-Spinach Crab Dip

This cheesy crab dip makes a savory party appetizer with minimal preparation time. Serve warm with pita chips or whole-grain crackers.

View Recipe: Cheesy-Spinach Crab Dip

Photo: Oxmoor House

Vanilla Bean Baked Custard

This creamy custard is about as simply delicious as it gets. Using evaporated milk helps the custard stabilize and not curdle.

View Recipe: Vanilla Bean Baked Custard

Photo: Oxmoor House

Pork and Slaw Sandwiches

Pulled pork is an instant classic and slow-cooking it is simply genius. Use packaged cabbage and carrot coleslaw to shave off prep time.

View Recipe: Pork and Slaw Sandwiches

Photo: Oxmoor House

Barley, Black Bean, and Corn Burritos

Loaded with grains and vegetables, these burritos make a complete one-dish meal.

View Recipe: Barley, Black Bean, and Corn Burritos

Photo: Oxmoor House

Curried Vegetables on Couscous

This high-flavor dish combines fresh vegetables with curry, cumin, cayenne, and chutney.

View Recipe: Curried Vegetables on Couscous

Photo: Oxmoor House

Chicken Verde

Make your friends "green" with envy at your slow cooker savvy by serving up this savory Southwestern-style entrée, loaded with tomatillos, onion, and roasted poblano and jalapeño peppers. Corn tortillas and a simple green salad round out the menu.

View Recipe: Chicken Verde

Photo: Oxmoor House

Plum Pork Tenderloin

Serve with jasmine rice to help soak up some of the sauce. Snow peas make a great side dish for rounding out your meal.

View Recipe: Plum Pork Tenderloin

Photo: Oxmoor House

Brandied Plum-Vanilla Bread Pudding

Brandy-spiked dried plums bejewel this delicious vanilla-infused bread pudding, putting a decadent spin on comfort.

View Recipe: Brandied Plum-Vanilla Bread Pudding

Photo: Oxmoor House

Poblano Corn Pudding

Guaranteed to heat up any meal, this corn pudding is a tasty menu item for a Mexican-themed buffet.

View Recipe: Poblano Corn Pudding

Photo: Oxmoor House

Chicken Enchilada Stack

Think outside the "dish." You can enjoy the flavor and texture of enchiladas in a slow cooker; just stack the tortillas instead of rolling them. We suggest lining your slow cooker with a slow-cooker bag so you can easily remove the stack from the cooker.

View Recipe: Chicken Enchilada Stack

Photo: Oxmoor House

Caribbean-Style Pork

With their crisp texture and sweet flavor, bell peppers are a nice complement to the pork in this dish. If you plan to use peppers within a day or two, keep them at room temperature for better flavor.

View Recipe: Caribbean-Style Pork

Photo: Oxmoor House

Amaretti Cheesecake

Cheesecake in a slow cooker is a brilliant idea for a heavenly dessert. Top with fresh raspberries to complete your sweet treat.

View Recipe: Amaretti Cheesecake