30 Easy Crock-Pot Recipes That Help You Save Time and Money
Keep your belly and your wallet full.
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Let's face it, no matter how many mouths you feed each day, food is expensive! And while there are so many ways to save money on groceries, it sometimes boils down to finding the right cheap dinner ideas where you can throw together a bunch of pantry staples and be done with it. Enter: these cheap Crock-Pot recipes.
Not only are these slow cooker recipes affordable, but they save so much time. It's no surprise that Ree Drummond is a fan of her slow cooker. How else do you think fed five kids and still had time to be The Pioneer Woman? As she puts it, "Dream dinner: throw everything in a slow cooker. Turn on. Go live life." Talk about the easiest way to meal prep for dinner one night and leftovers the next day! There are plenty of hearty Crock-Pot soups and chili recipes that'll fill you up and taste delicious reheated.
Here, you'll find smart money-saving ideas like using canned goods, dried beans, and frozen veggies and tasty ways of cooking more affordable cuts of meat like brisket. Learn go-to recipes like making your own beef broth and yogurt from scratch. They are less expensive ways to start so many meals, but also end up being healthier slow cooker recipes, too, because you can control the ingredients. Along with easy dinner ideas, there are also plenty of side dishes and quick breakfast recipes. Get ready to raid that pantry and save some money with these affordable Crock-Pot recipes!
Crock-Pot Mac and Cheese
Comforting, cheap, and easy—it really doesn't get better than that! This creamy mac and cheese is complete with a trio of cheeses: American, cheddar, and a little bit of smoked gouda.
Get the Crock-Pot Mac and Cheese recipe.
Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef Chili
You'll find plenty of flavor packed into this chili recipe thanks to tender beef, chipotle chiles in adobo, and smoky bacon. And take it from Ree, you'll want to top it off with a handful of corn chips!
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef Chili recipe.
Easy Queso Dip
While you can also choose to make this queso on the stovetop, the slow cooker method keeps things so simple. You'll just add flavorful additions like garlic, jalapeño, chiles, tomatoes, and cilantro to a medley of melted cheeses.
Get the Easy Queso Dip recipe.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Tougher cuts of beef are often cheaper and work wonderfully in stew! Let your gadget do all the work so you get Sunday supper on the table without too much effort.
Get the Slow Cooker Beef Stew recipe.
Crock-Pot Scalloped Potatoes
Introducing: your new favorite weeknight side dish! The spuds for this recipe will be perfectly tender and savory when cooked in a rich and creamy gruyère and sharp white cheddar sauce.
Get the Crock-Pot Scalloped Potatoes recipe.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos
Taco Tuesday just got a whole lot easier! While pulled pork can be used in a variety of meals, these tacos are just delectable—especially when topped with sweet pineapple, pickled onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos recipe.
Slow Cooker Green Beans
No matter the season, you can make this tasty side dish using frozen green beans. Of course, you can use fresh veggies, too! They're made even better with the addition of seasonings, tomatoes, and crispy bacon.
Get the Slow Cooker Green Beans recipe.
Cocktail Meatballs
Ree puts a new twist on the classic cocktail meatball recipe by combining chili sauce, apricot preserves, soy sauce, and sriracha for a sweet and spicy taste.
Get Ree's Cocktail Meatballs recipe.
Crock-Pot Breakfast Casserole
Even breakfast can be made easy and affordable with the help of a Crock-Pot! This casserole combines warm potatoes, chorizo, fluffy eggs, and cheese for the perfect morning meal.
Get the Crock-Pot Breakfast Casserole recipe.
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
Just think of all the meals you can make with this shredded BBQ chicken! Whether you pile it on nachos, throw it on a sandwich, or use it to top off your salads, it'll be saucy, smoky, and so tasty.
Get the Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken recipe.
Slow Cooker Potato Soup
Russet potatoes are easy to find and usually pretty affordable when you purchase in bulk. Turn them into pure comfort with this soup recipe! It also freezes really well if you want to make it in advance.
Get the Slow Cooker Potato Soup recipe.
BBQ Ranch Baked Potatoes
All you need is four ingredients to make this delicious meal. (Okay, it's six if you add the garnish and broccoli.) And guess what? This is one of three meals you can make from one single pot roast. It's so versatile!
Get the BBQ Ranch Baked Potatoes recipe.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Check your local store and see what's on sale. If you find bone-in pork shoulder, pork butt, or Boston butt roast, any of them would work in this low-and-slow savory dish. Make sandwiches, tacos, or soups with the meat!
Get the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe.
Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
A bag of dried peas is super affordable and makes a hearty and healthy meal. Peas are actually a great source of protein on their own, but you can also make this a leftover ham recipe and enrich it with that smoky flavor.
Get the Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup recipe.
Slow Cooker Brisket
Love beef? Brisket is one of the more affordable cuts of meat, but it tends to be a little tough. The solution is to cook it low and slow to make it tender. Let the slow cooker do it for you!
Get the Slow Cooker Brisket recipe.
Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili
A great way to flavor simple chicken breasts is with creamy canned cannellini beans, a can of chopped green chiles, and a package of frozen corn. Serve with lime wedges and chopped avocado for freshness!
Get Ree's Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili recipe.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ten minutes of prep time to make up to 12 servings is the ultimate meal prep goal! Use canned tomatoes and pre-made chicken broth to make it as flavorful as it is easy.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe.
Slow Cooker Applesauce
This delicious, healthy snack is not only easy to make, but versatile, too. You can use pretty much any kind of apple you may have on hand or find on sale! It's also great if you've had apples in the back of the crisper for a while and you're not sure if they're quite as fresh.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Applesauce recipe.
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Adding butternut squash to mac and cheese makes it flavorful, more nutritious, and cuts back on the amount of cheese you need. That means you can save a little money if the price of dairy is a little more than you expected!
Homemade Yogurt
Make a healthy breakfast without fake flavors or the price tag associated with the fancy brands. All you need is milk and some live active cultures! Then you can flavor it with whatever have on hand: jam, honey, berries, you name it.
Get the Homemade Yogurt recipe.
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