You know what’s better than cooking? Not cooking. That’s why the crockpot is basically the superhero of fall kitchens. Toss in some ingredients, walk away, and hours later—boom—your house smells like a five-star restaurant, and dinner is magically ready.

Fall is peak crockpot season. Think hearty soups, stews, and meals that taste like you spent hours in the kitchen when, in reality, you were binge-watching Netflix in sweatpants. Here are 9 fall crockpot recipes that practically cook themselves (aka: dinner for lazy geniuses).

1. Slow Cooker Beef Stew 🥩

Cuisine: American Comfort
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 6 hrs
Total Time: 6 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck, cubed
• 4 potatoes, diced
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• Salt, pepper, thyme

Instructions

1. Toss beef, veggies, broth, and tomato paste in crockpot.
2. Season with salt, pepper, thyme.
3. Cook on low for 6–8 hrs.
4. Serve hot with crusty bread.
5. Pat yourself on the back for doing the bare minimum.

2. Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings 🍗

Cuisine: Southern Comfort
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 6 hrs
Total Time: 6 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken breasts
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas + carrots
• 1 can biscuit dough (for dumplings)

Instructions

1. Add chicken, soup, broth, and onion to crockpot.
2. Cook on low 6 hrs.
3. Shred chicken with forks.
4. Stir in peas + carrots.
5. Drop biscuit dough pieces on top, cook 30 mins.
6. Comfort food = unlocked.

3. Pumpkin Chili 🎃

Cuisine: Tex-Mex Twist
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 5 hrs
Total Time: 5 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey or beef
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cups broth
• 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin

Instructions

1. Brown meat (optional but tasty).
2. Toss all ingredients in crockpot.
3. Cook on low 5–6 hrs.
4. Stir, taste, adjust seasoning.
5. Serve with sour cream + cornbread.

4. Butternut Squash Soup 🍵

Cuisine: American Vegetarian
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 6 hrs
Total Time: 6 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, peeled + cubed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 4 cups veggie broth
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 tsp curry powder

Instructions

1. Add squash, onion, carrots, broth to crockpot.
2. Cook on low 6 hrs.
3. Blend until smooth.
4. Stir in coconut milk + curry powder.
5. Serve with toasted bread.

5. Crockpot Lasagna 🍝

Cuisine: Italian-American
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 4 hrs
Total Time: 4 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 jar marinara sauce
• 9 lasagna noodles (uncooked)
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• ½ cup Parmesan

Instructions

1. Brown beef, stir in marinara.
2. Layer sauce, noodles, ricotta, mozzarella in crockpot.
3. Repeat layers until ingredients are gone.
4. Top with Parmesan.
5. Cook on low 4–5 hrs.
6. Slice and serve straight from pot = no judgment.

6. Slow Cooker Apple Crisp 🍏

Cuisine: American Dessert
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 4 hrs
Total Time: 4 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 6 apples, sliced
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup oats
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup butter, cubed

Instructions

1. Toss apples with sugar + cinnamon.
2. Mix oats, flour, brown sugar, butter = crumble.
3. Layer apples + crumble in crockpot.
4. Cook on low 4 hrs.
5. Serve with ice cream—chef’s kiss.

7. Crockpot Pot Roast 🥔

Cuisine: Classic American
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 8 hrs
Total Time: 8 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3 lb beef roast
• 4 potatoes, halved
• 3 carrots, cut
• 1 onion, quartered
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• Garlic, salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Place roast in crockpot.
2. Add veggies around it.
3. Pour broth + Worcestershire over top.
4. Season with garlic, salt, pepper.
5. Cook on low 8 hrs.
6. Fall-apart tender = achieved.

8. Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese 🧀

Cuisine: American Comfort
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 2 hrs
Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 16 oz elbow macaroni (uncooked)
• 4 cups milk
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup Parmesan
• ½ stick butter

Instructions

1. Dump macaroni, milk, cheeses, butter into crockpot.
2. Stir once.
3. Cook on low 2–3 hrs.
4. Stir again for creaminess.
5. Serve hot and gooey.

9. Crockpot Hot Chocolate ☕

Cuisine: Dessert Drink
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 2 hrs
Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 6 cups milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Whipped cream + marshmallows for topping

Instructions

1. Add milk, cream, chocolate, vanilla to crockpot.
2. Cook on low 2 hrs, stirring occasionally.
3. Ladle into mugs.
4. Top with whipped cream + marshmallows.
5. Cozy happiness = unlocked.

FAQ ❓

1. Do I need to brown meat before putting it in the crockpot?
Not always, but it adds extra flavor. Skip it if you’re feeling lazy.

2. Can I cook these recipes on high instead of low?
Yep, but watch the time—generally half as long.

3. Can I freeze leftovers?
Yes! Most crockpot meals freeze beautifully. Just avoid freezing dairy-heavy dishes like mac & cheese.

4. How do I stop veggies from getting mushy?
Add hearty ones (potatoes, carrots) early and softer ones (peas, spinach) near the end.

5. Can I make desserts in a crockpot?
Absolutely. Apple crisp and hot chocolate prove it.

6. Which recipe is most kid-friendly?
Mac & cheese and hot chocolate—zero complaints guaranteed.

7. Which one makes the house smell the best?
Tie between beef stew and apple crisp. Your neighbors might “accidentally” stop by.

Final Thoughts 🌙

And there you have it—9 crockpot recipes that practically cook themselves. From hearty stews to sweet desserts, these dishes are proof that you don’t need to slave over the stove for fall comfort food.

So dust off your slow cooker, toss in some ingredients, and let it do the work while you relax. Because if there’s one thing better than cozy fall food, it’s cozy fall food you didn’t really cook.