31 Slow Cooker Recipes to Celebrate Crocktober

The foodie celebration is here and these are the recipes you need to be cooking.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published October 01, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Chili Chicken Chili in the crockpot

Simply Recipes / Emma Christensen

I may have just heard about the existence of Crocktober this year, but honestly, I'm already a big fan. It's my ideal fall-friendly, foodie celebration because it features the slow cooker for the entire month of October.

I'm not one to need an extra excuse to get cozy with a big batch of chili or a homey pot roast once the weather gets cooler, but this year I'm more than happy to get my Crocktober on and start a new tradition. So here's a recipe for each day of the month. I know I won't be able to make them all, but a girl can dream!

With so many recipes to choose from, you and I both will find old favorites and plenty of new ones to try.

Save to MyRecipes

Join MyRecipes to save, search, and organize your recipes all in one place! To start saving, click on any recipe below, then tap the heart ❤️ icon.

  • Mom’s Easy Pot Roast

    Overhead view of a plate of pot roast with carrots and onions and a fork and spoon all next to a cup of gravy on a wooden tabletop

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Rachel Vanni / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh

    "I always enjoyed my mom's pot roast with a brothier, unthickened cooking liquid, but if you are looking for more of a gravy experience, we provide easy instructions to do so in this recipe."—Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Sausage Soup

    A bowl of butternut squash and sausage soup garnished with herbs accompanied by bread slices and surrounded by a striped napkin and other table elements

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    "Technically, you can add the sausage raw to the slow cooker, but because it releases a lot of grease as it cooks, I don’t recommend it. It’s much easier to drain the grease from a skillet than a slow cooker, and all that extra fat doesn’t taste great in the finished soup."—Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Boston Baked Beans

    A bowl of Boston baked beans ready to serve and eat.

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "You don't have to pre-soak the beans (see this great Russ Parsons article in the LA Times about why you don't need to soak beans), but not doing so in this recipe will increase the cooking time. With the beans pre-soaked, they'll still take 8 hours to cook and soften in a slow-cooker."—Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Mississippi Chicken

    Angled view of a blue platter and a serving spoon with shredded chicken and pepperoncini

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    "If you don’t have chicken stock base, you can swap for two teaspoons of chicken bouillon granules."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

    Continue to 5 of 31 below

  • Texas-Style Pulled Pork

    Texas-Style Pulled Pork in a large bowl with two forks

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

    "We prefer pork shoulder (or pork butt, as it's commonly labeled), because this cut lends itself well to slow-cooking methods and results in a wonderfully tender and flavorful pulled pork. Choose one with light marbling for extra juiciness."—Cynthia Christensen, Recipe Developer

  • 5-Ingredient Hot Honey Chicken

    Plate of glazed chicken pieces garnished with lemon slices and green onions

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    "I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe because they have a higher fat content than other cuts of chicken and get very tender in the slow cooker. But for a lighter meal, chicken breasts work, too."—Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Jambalaya

    How to Make Jambalaya in the Slow Cooker

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "Take the time to dice your vegetables to a similar size so they cook at the same rate, and you don’t end up with any huge chunks."—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Chicken with Moroccan Spices

    A plate of Moroccan spiced chicken with cous cous, ready to serve.

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "We are using boneless (and skinless) chicken thighs for this recipe only because they're easier to deal with. Feel free to use bone-in thighs (you'll need 2 1/2 pounds) if you prefer."—Elise

    Continue to 9 of 31 below

  • Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

    Crockpot Corned Beef - drizzling mustard on sliced corned beef

    Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera

    "A 3-pound brisket is ideal for this recipe, as it will shrink during cooking. If you plan to feed more than 6 people, choose a larger brisket."—Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Banana Bread Pudding

    Slice of the best slow cooker banana bread pudding topped with a scoop of ice cream and drizzeld with caramel sauce on a gray plate. A jar of caramel sauce is off to the side.

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Gavin

    "I recommend using brioche for bread pudding. The mixture of flour with eggs, butter, and sugar, provides a rich taste and dense crumb structure. When it absorbs the custard and is then cooked, the texture is smooth with a nice chew that doesn’t fall apart."—Jessica Gavin, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Pork Chili Verde

    Bowls of pork chile verde garnished with sour cream cilantro and jalapeo slices surrounded by tortillas and toppings

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "I grew up eating Las Palmas's medium heat green chile enchilada sauce, but it's not always easy to find. I've also had success with the brands Hatch Select, Old El Paso, and La Preferida. You can use whatever is available at your local grocery, but expect a little variability. Some may be thinner than others—a quick stovetop simmer to thicken will do the trick—while others are milder or more acidic. Be sure to season to taste with salt before sprinkling the chile verde with cheese."—Anne Wolf, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Pulled Pork With 5-Spice

    Slow Cooker Chinese Pulled Pork

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "You can put the pulled pork in tacos, burritos, or if you want to mimic the dumplings, serve them on a sweet Hawaiian dinner roll."—Elise

    Continue to 13 of 31 below

  • Slow Cooker Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

    Meatballs in a slow cooker filled with tomato sauce with a spoon lifting a meatball out of the sauce.

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    "I opted to use lean meat for this recipe—90/10 beef and turkey sausage. The meatballs stay juicy even after the long simmer in the sauce without the extra fat. The lower fat content still makes tender, flavorful meatballs because the fat that is there doesn’t really cook off."—Summer Miller, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Taco Soup

    A bowl of taco soup, topped and ready to go.

    Simply Recipes / Lisa Lin

    "Make this soup more (or less!) spicy by adjusting the amount of chili powder. Start with an extra 1/2 teaspoon and work from there. You can also add a minced jalapeño or other spicy fresh chili."—Lisa Lin, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos

    A plate of pulled pork tacos, ready to serve and eat

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Browning the roast first will help pull out wonderful flavor from the meat, as well as intensifying the spice from the chiles and cumin. If you have the kind of slow cooker that allows you to do that in the cooker pan itself, great! Then, you only need one pot. Otherwise, you can easily brown the pork roast on the stovetop."—Elise

  • Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

    Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Chili Chicken Chili in the crockpot

    Simply Recipes / Emma Christensen

    "Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or a mix of breasts and thighs, can be substituted for the chicken thighs."—Emma Christensen, Former General Manager

    Continue to 17 of 31 below

  • Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

    Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes Slow Cooker potatoes in a dish with butter and a napkin

    Simply Recipes / Lisa Lin

    "The beauty of using a slow cooker is that you can keep foods warm for a while while you're prepping other parts of a meal. You can hold them on the "warm" setting for up to two hours without noticeable loss of flavor or texture."—Summer Miller, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew

    Single serving of Slow Cooker Guinness Stew with chunky potatoes, carrots and beef

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Like many stews, this one is actually better the second day (and even better the third day). Leftovers can be stored for up to five days or so, and can be gently reheated on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave."—Elise

  • Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry With Sweet Potatoes and Peppers

    Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry

    Simply Recipes / Sabrina Modelle

    "I prefer white-fleshed sweet potatoes for this recipe because they're starchier and hold up better to longer cooking. If you use orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, they will break down a little more and make a thicker, creamier sauce—which is also good!"—Sabrina Modelle, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Cider Pulled Pork

    Pulled Pork Recipe with Cider add the sauce to the pork

    Simply Recipes / Summer Miller

    "If the sauce is too vinegary for your taste, add a teaspoon of sugar at time until you reach your desired flavor. If it’s too salty, add a drop or so of vinegar."—Summer Miller, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 21 of 31 below

  • Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole

    A plate of slow cooker French Toast Casserole ready to serve

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Gavin

    "French brioche is my top choice for French toast. It’s a tender and rich bread made with flour, butter, eggs, and a touch of sugar. It has a nice chew, with golden buttery crust, but yields a silky texture when it absorbs the custard. Challah, French bread, or even sourdough would be tasty substitutes."—Jessica Gavin, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Spinach Feta Dip

    Spinach feta dip in the slow cooker

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "You can use fresh or frozen spinach for this dip! My preference is fresh, because when you sauté with olive oil and a pinch of salt, it really brings out the spinach flavors."—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

    Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

    Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera

    "One of the things that I love about this particular recipe is its use of bottom round roast—an especially meaty cut of beef. You can also use chuck or chuck roast, but you definitely want something that has the connective tissue typical in these types of cuts."—Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Bourbon Short Ribs with Cheesy Grits

    Braised Short Ribs in the Slow Cooker

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "The short ribs will take about eight hours on low heat in a slow cooker or five to six hours on high. They can go longer without too much concern if you need to stretch the cook time a bit, although I wouldn’t go longer than 10 hours because they might start to fall apart and become more shredded than you are looking for."—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 25 of 31 below

  • Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

    Two containers of slow cooker chicken stock, ready to use

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickle

    "A slow cooker set to low provides a nice, even heating method and a low, long simmer. I always use the low setting when making chicken stock in the slow cooker. This keeps the sediment minimal and prevents the fat from emulsifying."—Summer Miller, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Beef and Bean Chili

    Tailgate Beef Chili Recipe in a crock pot.

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "I like to use 90/10 ground beef for my chili. This gives some fat and richness to the chili without it getting too greasy. If you would like to substitute steak, you absolutely can. I would use round steak cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Brown the steak in a skillet seasoned with salt and pepper, just like the ground beef, and then proceed with the recipe as written."—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Slow Cooker Turkey Stew with Mustard and Root Vegetables

    A top shot of a dish with turkey stew inside.

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "We're also adding carrots and parsnips early in the cooking, since they will hold up better to long slow cooking than potatoes. If you want potatoes in your stew, add them later on in the cooking."—Elise

  • Slow Cooker Stuffing

    Slow Cooker Stuffing on a Spoon with More in the Background

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "There isn’t a hard and fast rule when it comes to bread for stuffing. If you have some leftover bread, I would use that. I’ve used hamburger and hot dog buns before and it works well, but if you're buying bread specifically for your stuffing, I'd recommend a hearty sourdough or crusty boule loaf."—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 29 of 31 below

  • Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Casserole

    A plate of chicken and rice

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "To make rice in a slow cooker with chicken, you have to drastically reduce the amount of liquid you would normally use to cook rice, otherwise, your rice will be completely mushy. The main ingredients (chicken, onions, tomatoes) release moisture while they cook, which the rice then absorbs."—Elise

  • Shortcut Sunday Sauce

    Plates of spaghetti with a tomatobased meat sauce presented for a meal

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    "My mother-in-law simmers her sauce on the stovetop for hours with an ingredient that surprised me: country-style pork ribs. So now I like to pour a jar of my favorite store-bought marinara in the slow cooker with ribs for an elevated take on store-bought marinara. The pork adds a richness to the sauce that my partner says reminds him of his mom’s—the highest compliment I could ever hope for."—Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

  • 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Sausage, Kale, and Potato Soup

    A bowl of sausage kale and potato soup served with bread and grated cheese

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    "This recipe calls for a bag of frozen diced hash brown-style potatoes simply because they’re so easy—no prep needed! But if you feel like chopping, fresh potatoes also work well in this soup. If you decide to use them, I recommend either peeled russet potatoes or red potatoes (you can leave the peels on those)."—Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

Explore More: