15+ Heart-Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes for Beginners

Over the years, the slow cooker has gained a reputation for being a must-have kitchen appliance, and we couldn’t agree more! If you’re looking for inspiration on slow cooker recipes to try, these dishes are great choices. Since they’re lower in saturated fat and sodium, these dishes meet our heart-healthy parameters and can help decrease your risk of heart disease. From veggie-packed chilis, like our Slow-Cooker Chicken Chili, to warm and comforting porridges, like our Slow-Cooker Overnight Quinoa Porridge, there are plenty of tasty dishes on this list that’ll help you get the most out of the versatile piece of cookware.

Slow-Cooker Sun-Dried Tomato & Spinach Pasta Bake

Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell

This simple vegetarian pasta bake is rich in protein and comes together effortlessly in the slow cooker, for a convenient one-pot meal. The combination of sun-dried tomatoes, sun-dried tomato pesto and plenty of veggies delivers a mix of sweet and savory flavors with every bite.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Chili

Jason Donnelly

This simple slow-cooker chili features plenty of veggies and shredded chicken breast simmered in a smoky broth of chipotle chiles and tomato. The chili is finished with shredded cheese, avocados and cilantro, but feel free to add your own favorite toppings to jazz it up!

Slow-Cooker Chicken & Brown Rice with Roasted Corn & Black Beans

Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

With plenty of spice from ground cumin, cayenne and paprika, and the bit of char that frozen roasted sweet corn brings to the dish, you won’t miss the browning step in this easy load-and-go recipe.

Slow-Cooker Overnight Quinoa Porridge

Ted & Chelsea Cavanaugh

This slow-cooker porridge recipe features quinoa. Quinoa is a gluten-free pseudocereal (it’s a seed!) that is a nutritional powerhouse and a complete protein. It contains a wide array of vitamins and minerals, including phosphorus, manganese, zinc and iron, many of which Americans don’t get enough of.

Slow-Cooker Kale & White Bean Stew

Ali Redmond

Warm up to a hearty bowl of soup made with winter vegetables and protein-rich white beans. Comforting spices like oregano and thyme build flavor, while Parmesan provides an irresistibly savory finish.

Slow-Cooker Baked Beans

Ali Redmond

Typically made with bacon, these vegetarian slow-cooked beans are the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Molasses and brown sugar provide sweetness, while tomato, mustard and Worcestershire sauce add savoriness. Serve these beans as a side at any potluck or barbecue.

Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili

Jason Donnelly

If you like Buffalo wings, you’ll love the flavors in this warm, hearty chili that comes together easily in the slow cooker. Sour cream helps cut the heat, but you could also use plain strained yogurt.

Slow-Cooker Overnight Farro Porridge

Ted & Chelsea Cavanaugh

This cozy porridge features a delicious grain called farro. Originally from Mesopotamia, farro is a type of wheat with a wonderful nutty flavor and toothsome texture. It’s packed with plant-based protein, niacin, magnesium and zinc.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Marsala

This slow-cooker chicken Marsala recipe gets its full flavor from plenty of mushrooms and fragrant shallots. Whole-wheat pasta soaks up the rich sauce. Round it out with a simple green salad for a comforting healthy dinner.

Slow-Cooker Overnight Fonio Porridge

Ted & Chelsea Cavanaugh

Fast-growing and drought-resistant, this ancient grain is an important crop in West Africa. It’s a type of millet, making it gluten-free. Fonio’s light and fluffy texture and mild flavor make it work equally well with sweet and savory toppings.

Slow-Cooker Jambalaya

This hearty jambalaya is bursting with chicken, smoked turkey sausage and shrimp. It takes just 25 minutes to prep in the morning, and then your slow cooker will work its magic and deliver a tasty meal at the end of the day.

Mango-Chutney Chicken

Fruity mango chutney, zesty barbecue sauce and a bit of curry powder are the secrets to success in this slow-cooker chicken recipe. They combine to form a delicious glaze on the chicken, which is served over a brown rice and fresh mango mixture.

Shredded Chicken Tacos

This taco recipe is a great choice for midweek dinners, even if it’s not Taco Tuesday! Instead of beef, we use moist, boneless chicken thighs and, to make things easier for you, the taco filling is cooked in a slow cooker, so you can prepare it in the morning and come home to a delicious meal.

Slow-Cooker Overnight Barley Porridge

Ted & Chelsea Cavanaugh

At 6 grams per 1-cup serving, barley is high in fiber compared to many other whole grains. And it has high levels of prebiotic fiber, making it great for promoting healthy gut bacteria. Like oats, barley contains beta-glucans, a type of soluble fiber that’s been shown to improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Pork & Green Chile Stew

Let your slow cooker work—while you’re at work!—and come home to a delicious bowl of hearty stew for dinner. Full of potatoes, hominy, green chiles and chunks of pork sirloin, this filling stew recipe takes just 25 minutes to prepare in the morning.

Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

This load-and-go slow-cooker chicken recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve this Tuscan-inspired dish with crusty bread and a salad for an ultra-satisfying meal.

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