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The slow cooker has been a fixture in American kitchens since the 1940s, when women who joined the workforce needed to find a way to have a from-scratch meal on the table by dinnertime despite spending the day away from home. The last 80 or so years have seen a lot of innovation, but some things don’t need improvement—take these vintage slow cooker recipes, for example. From comfort food classics to dinner party standouts, you’ll find a new (old) favorite in this collection of our best vintage slow cooker recipes.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
“An easy Crock-Pot chicken and dumplings recipe for a filling, comforting meal on a cold, snowy day. I have four children who are picky eaters, and they love this!” —Janiece Mason
Slow Cooker Cocktail Smokies
Believe it or not, this crowd-pleasing appetizer comes together with just three easy-to-find ingredients (barbecue sauce, grape jelly, and miniature smoked sausage links) in the slow cooker.
Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“This slow cooker French onion soup is ridiculously easy to make, mainly since it cooks in a slow cooker! After you caramelize the onions, it simmers all day, and you come home to an amazing aroma and a fabulous meal for a cold winter day.” —Chandrav
Smoked Paprika Goulash for the Slow Cooker
This Hungarian-style goulash—featuring stew meat in a thick and smoky red sauce—is delicious served over egg noodles, rice, or potatoes.
Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak
DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
“This Salisbury steak recipe comes together quickly and does not need a lot of time in the slow cooker. It’s a delicious way to add flavor to ground beef and the children love it! The gravy is delightful served over mashed potatoes.” —TESS
Slow Cooker Split Pea Sausage Soup
Cozy up with a classic slow cooker split pea soup packed with smoked sausage, spices, veggies, and comforting flavor.
Grandma’s Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
Barb
“This Crock-Pot Swiss steak with brown gravy is delicious comfort food, especially in those cold winter months. My mom used to make this quick and easy dish for me growing up, and I found out it was passed down to her by her mother.” —kattykat583
Easy Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“This Swedish meatball Crock-Pot recipe is a perfect make-ahead slow cooker family meal. Serve over wide egg noodles. Meatballs can also be served without noodles as an appetizer.” —Linnea Wittenburg Bennett
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
This classic beef stroganoff is easy to make in a crock pot with just five ingredients: stew meat, canned soup, an onion, Worcestershire sauce, and cream cheese.
Melt-In-Your-Mouth Meatloaf
“This slow cooker meatloaf recipe is simple and foolproof! With a sweet, sticky glaze brushed on during the last 15 minutes, every bite of this comfort food classic is moist, juicy, and full of flavor. Throw it together at lunch, pop it in the slow cooker, and by dinner, the aroma will get your family to the table.” —Rodney B Wiebe
Easy and Delicious Slow Cooker Cassoulet
“I am married to a chef, but I can’t cook. So I make a lot of food in my slow cooker when it’s my night to cook. We love France and French cooking, and this recipe is a wonderfully simple, elegant cassoulet that even I can make and he loves. Wonderful for cold nights and dinner parties.” —smart cookie
Slow Cooker Funeral Potatoes (Hash Brown Casserole)
This crowd-pleasing casserole gets its name from its place on the traditional after-funeral dinner table. It takes approximately 10 minutes to prep, so what’s not to love about that?
Chicken Cacciatore in a Slow Cooker
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
A restaurant-worthy pasta dish without leaving the house? Yes, please! This chicken cacciatore will quickly become a go-to in your household.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
A chuck roast is seasoned with dry onion soup mix, then slow cooked with root vegetables all day in this melt-in-your-mouth pot roast recipe.
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
“This was the best recipe for corned beef and cabbage that I’ve made so far. The potatoes, carrots and cabbage were so full of flavor. I’ll definitely make this again.” —Dee
Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie With Biscuits
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Refrigerated biscuits are used in place of the traditional crust for this chicken pot pie, which is a comfort food favorite.
Slow Cooker Pork Chops
DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
Everyone needs a good pork chop recipe in their back pocket. This one, spiced with paprika and garlic powder, results in tender meat every time—and it’s on the table in just two hours.
Classic Slow Cooker Corn Chowder
“I took it to a church function and it was all the rave,” Vikki Hintz says of this spicy corn chowder.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tetrazzini
“My husband says this is one of his favorite recipes of all time. I mix the noodles and sauce together in the pot, though. It’s so stinkin’ easy, too. Love this!” —aallibon
Grandma’s Slow Cooker Beef and Vegetable Soup
Molly
“My grandma made this soup. She said it was something they made way back when, out of whatever they had available in their garden and shelves. It is a large dish (they were a family of 10), so have a big pot or slow cooker!” —Amanda Combs
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