Crockpots are a godsend – they produce incredibly flavorful food with barely any effort. What more could you want?
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And, thanks to the production of the mini-crockpot, even singles, and small families can reap the benefits of these awesome pieces of kitchen equipment.
If you’ve recently invested in a mini crockpot, take a look at our favorite recipes below. They are either tailored to work specifically for small crockpots and slow cookers, or they can be easily scaled down to work as a single serving.
From healthy soups and stews that will give your body exactly what it needs, to indulgent carb-heavy dishes that are sure to satisfy everyone around the table and everything in between – we cover it all! Check it out below.
1. Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Chili
We had to kick this list off with this awesome slow cooker chicken taco chili recipe. It is incredibly simple, packed with bold flavors, and only requires six ingredients!
It is also naturally gluten and dairy free – what more could you ask for? For the best results, we recommend using boneless skinless chicken thighs.
2. Crockpot Corn On The Cob
Yes, you read the title right. You can make delicious corn on the cob in the crockpot! This recipe is ideal if you fancy a healthy veggie snack or side dish.
If you are using a mini crockpot, you will likely need to cut the corn in half to cook, however, this makes no difference to the flavor.
3. Chicken, Kale, And Sweet Potato Stew
If you want a heart-warming dish packed with veggies and nutrients that are sure to make you feel healthier during the winter months, you will love this chicken, kale, and sweet potato stew recipe.
It is incredibly easy to make, full of flavor, and very versatile! Feel free to add your favorite veggies. We love serving this with a fresh sourdough roll.
4. Slow-Cooked Stuffed Peppers
These slow-cooked stuffed peppers are perfect for a tasty lunch or light dinner. The recipe calls for the use of 4 medium red peppers, however, in a small crockpot, you will likely need to cut the recipe down to two peppers.
We love serving these with sour cream, fresh herbs, and some fresh, crusty bread.
5. Chutney-Glazed Carrots
Side dishes often bring a meal to life. However, they can be fiddly and time-consuming, especially if you’re the only one in the kitchen. If you feel this way, we highly recommend that you try this super tasty chutney-glazed carrots recipe.
It goes with pretty much any main, it’s healthy, and it is very flavorful. What more could you want? Oh… and it’s easy to make!
6. Italian Chicken And Broccoli Rabe Chili
If you want a warming and satisfying dish that will also seriously impress all of your dinner guests, look no further than this Italian chicken and broccoli rabe chili recipe.
It is super easy to make and full of wonderful fresh ingredients. It boasts a complex and rich flavor that is certain to wow everyone around the table.
7. Korean Tacos
Tacos are great. But, if you eat them often, they can become a bit repetitive. If you’re looking to put a spin on a classic dish, take a look at this Korean tacos recipe.
Thanks to the slow-cooker, the pork becomes incredibly tender and flavorful. We also adore the super tangy and crunchy slaw.
8. Macaroni Cheese
Good ole’ mac and cheese. Who doesn’t love it? If you want to make this dish even simpler, why not cook it in a crockpot? This recipe is the perfect, indulgent, and tasty dinner for one (just remember to adjust so that the proportions are correct).
Keep in mind that the sauce will begin to curdle if it is cooked for too long – so keep an eye on it!
9. Beef In Onion Gravy
Beef in onion gravy is a classic dish. It is hearty, satisfying, and perfect with pretty much any carbohydrate of your choice.
This recipe requires just 5 ingredients – but, don’t let the simplicity fool you, it is absolutely bursting with flavor! We love serving it with creamy mashed potatoes, but it works wonderfully with noodles too.
10. Veggie Meatball Soup
Cooking dishes with a lot of vegetables can often feel quite cumbersome. If you want a super healthy and hearty dish that can be cooked with minimum effort, take a look at this veggie meatball soup recipe.
It is bursting with flavor and is a fun, light, and healthy twist on a classic pasta dish.
11. Chana Masala
If you want to dip a toe into vegan Indian cuisine, this chana masala recipe is an excellent place to start. It includes classic warming spices and fresh ingredients that are certain to help you beat the winter blues.
Obviously, it works beautifully with perfectly cooked rice. However, for a quick lunch, we recommend trying it with naan.
12. Thai Inspired Chicken Meatball Soup
If the meatball soup listed above doesn’t sound quite right for you, why not give this Thai-inspired chicken meatball soup a try? It is perfect for cozy, lazy evenings in the winter.
It has an incredibly flavorful coconut curry broth, which works wonderfully with the fresh vegetables and tender chicken.
13. Honey Garlic Chicken And Veggies
This is one of the easiest one-pot recipes ever. And, it is a whole meal! If you cook this in a mini crock pot, it is very easy to adjust to make a single serving.
Simply use 1 or 2 chicken thighs depending on the size, and quarter the rest of the ingredients. For the best results, use baby red potatoes. However, you can use any potatoes if necessary.
14. Skinny Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken
We love getting takeout. But, it can be pricey and leave you feeling pretty unhealthy.
If you’re looking for a healthy and tasty version of your favorite takeout dish, we highly recommend giving this skinny slow cooker kung pao chicken recipe a try.
It is so much lighter than a takeout, incredibly simple to make, and yet it is still bursting with flavor!
15. Lentil And Vegetable Soup
Whilst we’re on the theme of being healthy, we want to recommend this lentil and vegetable soup recipe. This is a great vegetarian dish, packed with flavor and nutritional value.
The recipe does have a fairly long ingredients list, but it is primarily made up of seasonings. If you don’t have some of them in the house, feel free to leave them out or use a substitute.
16. Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Potatoes
Side dishes are important, but they can be a bit fussy to make. If you’re making a large meal for family and friends, and want to include as many sides as possible, why not try to make one in your crockpot?
These garlic parmesan potatoes are mouthwateringly delicious, require just 10 minutes of prep time, and go with pretty much any meal!
17. Small Crock Pot Beef Stew
This recipe is tailored perfectly to small crockpots, so you don’t have to worry about altering the ingredients. Beef stew is the ultimate traditional comfort food.
The combination of tender beef chunks and a super rich broth packed with perfectly cooked veggies is unrivaled. If you’re looking for an easy dish to warm you up on a winter’s night, you’ve found it!
18. Slow Cooker Meatloaf For One
Like the recipe above, this slow cooker meatloaf for one is tailored for small crockpots. If you find yourself alone for an evening, and fancy making yourself an indulgent and nostalgic dish (self-care, right?), you will love this recipe.
It is incredibly hearty and served with a sauce that is the perfect accompaniment – sweet, tangy, and super delicious!
19. Gnocchi Pork Cream Sauce
Next up on the list is this wonderfully decadent gnocchi pork cream sauce recipe. This is an excellent dish if you’re having guests around for dinner.
It is super low maintenance and easy but is sure to trick your friends into thinking that you spent hours by the hob. For the best results, we love using homemade gnocchi.
20. Simple Poached Salmon
You might be a little skeptical about cooking salmon in your crockpot. But, we promise you, this recipe produces some of the most flavorful and perfectly cooked salmon that we’ve ever tried!
The recipe suggests using 4 salmon filets, but if you’re using a mini crockpot, we recommend using one or two depending on the size.
21. Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato
If you’re looking for the perfect meal for a busy weeknight evening, look no further than this buffalo chicken stuffed sweet potato recipe.
It is addictively delicious and very versatile! Feel free to serve on a bed of fresh green veggies for some extra nutrients.
22. Slow Cooker Beef And Broccoli
Beef and broccoli is a classic combination. We love making this dish when we’re craving takeout but want a more economical and healthy meal.
It requires just 10 minutes of prep, and very few ingredients. Be sure to serve with egg noodles or fried rice for the best results.
23. Slow Cooker Apple Cider
Finally, we couldn’t finish this list without mentioning this slow cooker apple cider. If you’re looking for a new beverage to enjoy on cool autumn evenings, you won’t be disappointed with this recipe.
It is incredibly delicious, versatile, and will make your home smell of cinnamon and apples. What more could you ask for?
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Small Crock Pots Cook Faster?
This depends on how new your model is. The new mini crock pots tend to heat to a higher temperature, and thus, cook the food faster.
As such, you will need to adjust the recipe if it was written based on the timings of an older model.
What Size Slow Cooker Is Best For One Person?
If you only tend to cook for one person, getting a large crock pot will be a waste of money.
In fact, it’s likely that you’ll overfill the crockpot and be left with a huge amount of leftovers that one person will never be able to get through.
As such, if you are only looking for a crockpot that makes single-serving recipes, we highly recommend one that is between 1.5 and 2-quart.
Remember, you’ll have to adjust most crockpot recipes to account for the small size and fast cooking time.
What Shouldn’t You Cook In A Slow Cooker?
Slow cookers and crockpots truly are a godsend. It seems as though their versatility is never-ending!
However, there are a few things that you shouldn’t really cook in a slow cooker. Take a look at the most important ones below.
1. Raw meat.
Whilst it is possible to cook raw meat in a slow cooker, due to the crockpot’s gentle heat, the meat never has the chance to brown.
As such, we recommend browning your raw meats first and then adding them to the crockpot. This will also do wonders for the flavor!
2. Too much liquid.
One of the reasons that slow cookers are so great is because they retain moisture really well. As such, using too much water or stock in a crock pot will mean that your dish will have less flavor.
3. Too much spice.
If you like your food spicy, it is likely that you’ve looked at a crockpot recipe and thought “oh I’ll throw in a few more chilies than that”.
But, we urge you to proceed with caution. Spicy ingredients become more intense the longer they are cooked.
4. Dairy products.
Cooking dairy products for too long tends to cause them to separate.
As such, if you need to add cream, yogurt, or milk to a crockpot recipe, we recommend stirring it in at the end, once your dish is completely cooked.
5. A lot of alcohol.
As previously discussed, slow-cookers tend to retain much of their liquid. As such, using large amounts of wine or beer in crock pot recipes likely isn’t going to produce a great end result.
When cooking, alcohol needs to evaporate.
Therefore, if you must use a certain amount of alcohol, we highly recommend reducing the alcohol in a separate pan on the hob first and adding it to your crockpot later.
Conclusion
Mini Crock Pots are awesome pieces of kitchen equipment. We hope that this article has inspired you to make the most out of your mini-Crockpot.
23 Super Simple Mini-Crockpot Recipes
Recipe by Jenna
Crock Pots are great pieces of equipment. But, what can you cook in a mini-crockpot? Take a look here to get inspired by our 23 favorite mini-crockpot recipes.
Course: Dinner
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Ingredients
Directions
- Pick a recipe from the list above
- Click the recipe name and visit the website
- Collect the ingredients and cook the food
- Enjoy – don’t forget to leave a review
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Jenna
Food Lover at Whimsy And Spice
Hi, my name is Jenna and I have been a professional chef for almost the entirety of my adult life. What started as a hobby in college quickly turned into a passion with which I surrounded my life.
Cooking is great for your mental, physical, and emotional health. What’s the worst that could happen? Find a recipe that you like the sound of and cook it along with me. You might even unlock a new passion!
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