16 Summer Slow Cooker Recipes for Easy Dinners
Updated: Apr. 19, 2021Don't waste your summer nights in the kitchen!
BBQ chicken sliders
Brining the chicken overnight helps make it taste exceptionally good. It’s so tender, it melts in your mouth. —Rachel Kunkel, Schell City, Missouri
Lip smackin’ ribs
No matter what time of year you eat them, these ribs taste like summer. It’s feel-good food! —Ron Bynaker, Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Slow-cooked salsa
I love the fresh taste of homemade salsa, but as a working mother, I don’t have much time to make it. So I came up with this slow-cooked version that practically makes itself! —Toni Menard, Lompoc, California
Mexican beef-stuffed peppers
I grew up eating stuffed peppers and thought my husband would immediately love them as well. He didn’t at first, but then I created this slow-cooked recipe. He loves fajitas and tacos, so I created these peppers with all of his favorite flavors tucked inside. —Nicole Sullivan, Arvada, Colorado
Slow cooker buffalo chicken lasagna
When I make this tasty chicken lasagna at home, I use a whole bottle of buffalo wing sauce because my family likes it nice and spicy. Increase the pasta sauce and use less wing sauce if you prefer. —Heidi Pepin, Sykesville, Maryland
Slow-cooked sloppy joes
Slow cook your way to a crowd-pleasing entree! Ground beef is transformed into a classic sandwich filling with just a few pantry staples. —Joeanne Steras, Garrett, Pennsylvania
Slow-cooker berry cobbler
I adapted my mom’s yummy cobbler recipe for slow cooking. With the hot summers here in Arizona, we can still enjoy this comforting dessert, and I don’t have to turn on the oven. —Karen Jarocki, Yuma, Arizona
Red, white, and brew slow-cooked chicken
Thrifty whole chicken is cut up and simmered in a spicy tomato sauce. I serve it with crusty bread so we can mop up and enjoy every last drop of sauce. —Gilda Lester, Millsboro, Delaware
Lemon red potatoes
Butter, lemon juice, parsley, and chives enhance this simple side dish. I usually prepare these potatoes when I’m having company. Since they cook in the slow cooker, there’s plenty of room on the stove for other dishes. —Tara Branham, Austin, Texas
Old-fashioned peach butter
Cinnamon and ground cloves add down-home flavor to this spread for toast or biscuits. Using the slow cooker eliminates much of the stirring required when simmering fruit butter on the stovetop. —Marilou Robinson, Portland, Oregon
