You need these 44 slow cooker recipes in your repertoire

You've been wanting to know about healthy slow cooker recipes of late. And it's no surprise, really. There are so many things to love about a slow cooker; from speed, to cost, to simplicity. Over the last few years, many of us have been finding ways of being more time and cost-savvy – particularly in the face of the cost-of-living crisis – and digging out our trusty friend: the slow cooker.

In 2020, the global slow cooker market was estimated at $1.7 billion and it is projected to reach $2.8 billion by 2027. Pretty impressive stuff.

Slow cookers work by simmering food at a low temperature across long time periods rather than baking, boiling, or frying. While costs depend on the type, specification and energy rating of your slow cooker, most take between 4.08p and 10.2p an hour to run. Your oven, on the other hand, costs £1 every hour. Ready to make the switch?

When deciding which slow cooker is best for you, check out the capacity. Are you cooking for yourself or the family? Some have built-in timers, indicator lights, and even multiple heat settings so you have more control over the cooking. If you need some more tips on which slow cooker to buy, check out our handy guide here.

What can I cook in the slow cooker?

Now, you’ve got your slow cooker, you’ll probably find yourself trawling the internet for recipes that maximise flavour, keep things simple, and don’t involve hundreds of ingredients.

'The great thing about slow cooking is that virtually any food can be cooked in a slow cooker,' says Gillian McDonnell, registered dietician, owner of Inside Out Nutrition Ltd, and author of The Essential Slow Cooker Cookbook. 'Meat, fish, chicken, tofu and pulses all cook well in a slow cooker along with many vegetables, especially root vegetables.'

And good news: we don’t lose any nutrients when we cook food in a slow cooker either. According to Gillian, slow cookers are great at packing all the nutrition we need into one place.

'There are certain nutrients that actually like the heat and have a boost in nutrient bioavailability as a result,' says McDonnell, naming the antioxidant, lycopene, as an example. 'Lycopene is known to be linked to heart health and cancer protection.'

'Lutein found in spinach also increases bioavailability as it's cooked,' explains McDonnell. 'Lutein is essential to help against diseases of the eyes.'

It is the nature of the slow cooker which helps boost nutrient bioavailability. 'Nutrients remain more stable because they are being cooked at a lower temperature compared to other cooking methods. Any nutrients that are lost from cooking vegetables are simply reabsorbed into the meal in the slow cooker,' adds McDonnell.

There is one thing to note about slow cookers though, as many recipes are meat-based, it’s important to consider our intake of fibre and other nutrients too. 'Ensure to cook some leafy greens on the side to make sure you’re getting those antioxidants and fibre in too,' says McDonnell.

Need some healthy slow cooker recipe inspo? Good news: you’re in the right place. We’ve done the hard work and sourced the best recipes that will make your tummy rumble as soon as you catch the smell of your dinner simmering away. It really can be as simple as popping all your ingredients in a pot, turning on and leaving to cook. Dreamy.