If slow cooker drop dinners are not part of your meal plan, I want you to know that you’re really missing out. These easy toss-and-go meals require little to no prep and are the answer to my prayers (and everyone else’s!) for a dinner that cooks itself.
If you’re not yet acquainted with drop dinners, they’re just what they sound like: Drop the ingredients into the cooker, plop on the lid, and hours later you’ve got a warm, satisfying dinner. It really is that easy. Here are 10 favorites to get you started.
1. How To Make Easy Slow Cooker Potato Soup
The best ever way to top off this classic, chunky soup is with a generous shower of shredded cheddar and crumbled-up cheddar crackers. You won’t be disappointed.
2. Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
It’s a little untraditional, but a jar of your favorite marinara sauce makes the best (and easiest!) base for this soup. It delivers a flavor and texture you just can’t get from canned tomatoes.
3. 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork
Inspired by a Southern classic, a can of root beer packs just the right combo of sweetness and acidity to partner with rich, fatty pork shoulder.
4. Slow Cooker Coconut Lentil Curry
You’ll want to save the coconut milk until the very end of cooking to take full advantage of its rich flavor and creaminess.
5. The Easiest Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
This big-batch pork recipe starts with just a simple rub, so it’s a prime choice for filling tacos, burritos, and BBQ sandwiches, or topping salads and soups.
6. Slow Cooker Ravioli Lasagna
Inspired by the layered classic, this version still delivers all the goodness of pasta, sauce, and a double dose of cheese, with a small fraction of the work.
7. Easy Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
This light and hearty soup freezes like a dream, so it’s always a good idea to make a double batch. Your future self will thank you.
8. How To Cook a Whole Chicken in the Slow Cooker
What slow cooker chicken lacks in crispy skin, it more than makes up for with impossibly juicy meat that practically melts in your mouth.
9. Slow Cooker Golden Chickpea Soup
Where you’ll want to focus your efforts is on topping your bowl. A dollop of tangy Greek yogurt, squeeze of lemon, and sprinkle of fresh cilantro really make this soup pop with a big, bright flavor.
10. Slow Cooker BBQ Shredded Chicken
I speak from experience when I tell you that once you make a batch of saucy BBQ shredded chicken in your slow cooker, you’ll never make it another way again.