Slow Cooker Soup & Stew Recipes - Quickest and Easiest of All

Here’s an old standby that doesn’t care how much you paid for the meat – it will be tender when served. And you’ll have a complete meal with an investment of , maybe, ten minutes of your precious time.

1 pound lean stew beef, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
3/4 cup barley
1 bay leaf
6 cups beef broth
salt & pepper to taste

In your cooker, combine stew beef with the rest and cook on LOW in for 6 to 8 hours.

Adjust flavor with salt and pepper, and serve up.

Not everyone - such as my wife - is crazy about feta, so maybe you should pass it at the table for the feta-lovers rather than dumping it on everyone's serving.

2-lb boneless lamb shoulder, fat trimmed, cut in 1-in pieces
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp each Greek herb seasoning and salt
1/4 tsp pepper

1 can (19 oz) cannellini beans, rinsed
1 can (13.75 oz) whole artichoke hearts, halved
3 cups baby spinach
2 tsp grated lemon zest
Topping: crumbled feta cheese

Mix lamb pieces, tomatoes, onion, garlic, Greek seasoning, salt and pepper in a 3 1/2-qt or larger slow-cooker.

Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours or until lamb is tender when pierced.

Mash 1 cup beans. Stir mashed and whole beans, artichoke hearts and spinach into cooker.

Cover and cook on high 15 minutes or until spinach wilts and mixture is hot.

I know there's a “meatless” smoked sausage; if you are so inclined, use that instead of what this recipe calls for. It might not be a bad idea as a healthy change for us carnivores, either.

. 1 lb. dried red beans
3/4 lb smoked sausage, thinly sliced (andouille preferred)
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp Creole seasoning
Hot cooked long-grain rice
Hot sauce (recommended)

Combine first 8 ingredients and 7 cups of water in a 4-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 8 hours or until beans are tender.

Serve with hot cooked rice, and, if you dare, hot sauce.

That’s “cass-o-lay” (it's French, ya know), and, yes, those are the old-fashioned and cheaper split chicken breasts for a change. I think the bones add to the flavor when cooking for a long time like this. And if you really, really miss the deadly “skin” you can leave that on, but don’t tell anyone I said so.

What's that? I already have a cassoulet recipe on this page? Well, it's easy but this is easier and it doesn't include lamb which the other does.

2 cans (15 oz) navy or cannelini beans
4 split chicken breasts, on the bone
3/4 cup carrot, chopped
1/2 cup each celery & onion, chopped
1 & 1/2 cups. tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 can (15 oz) beef boullion or broth
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika

Put the breasts in the pot first, add the liquid and then cover the chicken with the other ingredients.

Cook on low for about 8 hours, then remove the chicken breasts and tear the meat into bite-size pieces. Mash some of the beans to thicken the sauce, and place them and the chicken pieces back in the pot for a few minutes. It’s ready to serve whenever you’re ready.

This one is almost too easy.

1 1/3 cups chopped onions
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 jalapeho pepper, seeded and minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp each dried oregano and thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
2 ham hocks (1 1/2 Ib total)
4 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed
2 14 oz cans chicken broth
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Garnish: chopped hard-cooked egg

Mix onions, garlic, jalapeno pepper, cumin, oregano, thyme and pepper in a 41/2-qt or larger slow-cooker. Top with ham hocks and beans; add the chicken broth.

Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours until meat on ham hocks is tender.

Lift out ham hocks. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin and fat. Remove meat from bones, chop coarsely and return to soup. Stir in lemon juice. Garnish with egg and serve this easy meat & veggie delight to your lucky eaters.
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