slow cooker recipes – Jules The Lazy Cook (2024)

I always get asked for ways to use up leftover spag bol or chilli so i have create this recipe and when i say it was amazing it really was delish.

What is Gnocchi?? potato dumplings, you can buy gnocchi in most supermarkets and it comes like pasta fresh in the chilled isle or dry where all the pasta is. The only thing you need to be careful of when cooking gnocchi is do not overcook it, as soon as it floats to the top of the water remove it from the pan.

This recipe uses my slow cooker spag bol recipe which appears in my cookbook MY SLOW COOKER MEALS which is on Amazon in paperback & kindle https://amzn.eu/d/bxDzxmn

Or press here for the written recipe which is also on my website https://julesthelazycook.co.uk/2016/09/19/spaghetti-bolognese/

A fantastic summer slow cooker recipe which you can make into many different meals which is what i did i used 2 portions then used the other 2 portions in a different recipe.

I appreciate you can make the base of this taco recipe in a pan on the hob in about 30 minutes but as you know that’s not my style and especially when the weather in the UK is playing ball and the sun is out. Spending time in the kitchen on warmer days just isn’t something i enjoy doing plus if like me you suffer from Chronic Pain or Fatigue getting dinner sorted at the beginning of the day is the way forward.

There isn’t anything complicated about this recipe other than deciding how much lime you want to add after the beef is cook and how you are going to serve them.

This recipe appears in my new Cookbook My Slow Cooker Meals which is available in paperback and kindle format press the link it will take you to my Amazon Shop then look under Cookbooks https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook

I think this is one of my favourite slow cooker recipes why?? because it has very few ingredients, its so easy to make but it tastes amazing.

There is nothing over complicated about this recipe the only thing you will need to do is reduce the sauce especially if you are using chicken thighs. Chicken thighs allow more fat to be added to the sauce which can make it difficult to reduce it to a thick sticky consistency.

So how are you going to create a sticky sauce?? first method is have patience place the sauce in a large frying pan on a high heat and keep removing the pan from the heat this will allow the honey to solidify so you can judge how much the sauce has reduced.

Or you can reduce the sauce and add a corn flour slurry this is usually 1 teaspoon of corn flour mixed with cold water – if you decide to use this method do not take your eyes off the pan the corn flour will thicken really quickly. Do not reduce the sauce too far as you want it to coat all the chicken.

If you like these types of easy no faff recipes you can find this recipe and more in my new cookbook MY SLOW COOKER MEALS which is available on Amazon in paperback and kindle format press here for my Amazon Shop the look under cookbooks https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook

A fantastic winter soup perfect for lunches, plus it can also be used to add those bits in the fridge that are heading for the bin. You can use any beans you like i used butterbeans but any will do use any that are lurking in your cupboards that are not making it into any meals you have eaten.

This soup batch cooks well and freezes well so perfect for staying on plan when you are busy. As the recipe uses beans and pulses it also makes it higher in protein which will keep you fuller for longer.

Another soup from my website that I have amended and changed to a slow cooker version. I changed the recipe slightly to add carbohydrates which will help keep you fuller for longer.

A recipe that gets such great reviews you will see i use balsamic vinegar to sweeten the soup as i think it gives a better taste but you can use sugar or sweetener if you wish.

This recipe also appears in my Cookbook MY FAKEAWAY & EVENING MEALS which is available on Amazon In paperback & kindle format press here https://amzn.eu/d/8iJRPY1

This is going to be a love or hate recipe personally i loved it but then again i love parsnips. You can also add any other vegetables you have that need using up it will still work and taste amazing.

I made this in December and unfortunately only got around to eating half of it so i froze the rest and can say it freezes well so a fantastic recipe for batch cooking.

For extra flavour you can add curry powder i didn’t i just added salt and pepper but its your soup so feel free to add whatever you and your family like.

This is another amazing slow cooker soup recipe, so easy to make but really tasty. Perfect for those who follow Slimming World, Calorie Counting, Weight Watchers and Low Fat Diets.

In the written recipe you will see i have added a potato which is missing from the video after I made this on my Facebook live I realised there were no carbohydrates or very little in the recipe. A potato will also give the soup a thick texture. add carbohydrates turning the soup into a Fuller for longer soup.

Red spilt Lentils you can buy in any supermarket they are dry lentils which you just wash and rinse then add to the slow cooker. Lentils are great for protein and are relatively inexpensive.

What a fantastic way to cook soup as you know the slow cooker will always win for me as it frees up my time to get on with life.

Use any cream cheese you like or even cream the choice is yours. I added 1ltr of water but you may need to add more, if the soup gets too thick after blending add small amounts of water until you get the consistency you want.

When you are short on time the best way to get food on the table is to throw it into the slow cooker. This is an old recipe that is cooked on the hob but i decided to cook it in the slow cooker as i was so busy i didn’t have time to watch pans cook.

I added red lentils to bulk out the recipe plus lentils are great for gut health and full of protein so help keep you fuller for longer.

This is a recipe i use lots mainly because its so easy and you can have it on the table in the time it takes the chips to cook.

We always have a portion of Chilli in our freezer (you could use spag bol for this also) which really speeds up the cooking process and works perfectly in this recipe.

For my chilli recipe press here https://julesthelazycook.co.uk/2016/10/05/slow-cooker-chilli/

How i cook my chips and wedges press here https://julesthelazycook.co.uk/2019/08/14/healthy-chips-wedges/

When i make this recipe the key is to cook the chips / wedges approx 90% through because you need to put them back into the oven or under the grill for 5-10 mins for the cheese to melt and you don’t want burned chips, that little bit of time it takes the cheese to melt will finish off the cooking of the chips.

This a new take on an old recipe my mum used to make which my brother and I called “gruel” OK it wasn’t awful or anything like that but when you are little all you really want to eat is sausage egg and chips 🤣🤣

I remember my mum cooking this in our pressure cooker, that gadget used to put the fear of god into me wondering if the house was going to blowing up – that tiny little weight thing on top of the lid rattling for dear life.

Pressure cookers like everything else in life have come a long way thankfully and so has this recipe or my take on it.

Let’s talk broth mix, when you are using a slow cooker you really don’t need to presoak the broth mix if you leave it long enough it will cook perfectly. However that’s where the problem lies you could end up with crunchy lentils if it’s not cooked for the correct period of time, so I have suggested you presoaking them.

I used leftover Gammon / Ham in my recipe but you can really use anything leftover lamb, bacon chicken but if the meat is cooked add it the last hour of cooking.

If you are confident in using your slow cooker this is a perfect recipe for overnight cooking providing the smell of cooking wafting through the house doesn’t wake you up.

I wanted to create a budget family friendly meal especially for Sunday Dinner and I can say with full confidence I definitely nailed it.

The gammon was perfect I used 1kg unsmoked Gammon which we got from the Co-op costing £3.50 this joint will feed a family of four or more depending on what you served with it.

One recurring comment with Gammon is “mine falls apart and does not slice” this is because the gammon is overcook, there is nothing wrong with that shredded Gammon is gorgeous.

If you want your Gammon to slice you need a digital meat thermometer and once the internal cooked temperature is reached remove it from the slow cooker.

The digital meat thermometer I use is on my Amazon Shop press here https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook

Another recipe update for 2024 and once again i have transferred it over to the slow cooker but as always you can do this on a pan on the hob if you wish.

Look out for the butternut squash hack in my video i promise it will save you so much time trying to cut these beasts of a vegetable.

All of my recipes are Slimming World and Calorie Counting friendly and low in fat so perfect for those trying to lose weight.

In the video towards the end you will see i added chorizo to the whole batch of soup i just fancied something different you could add bacon or lardons etc. Here is the thing all recipes are just guides so its up to you to add whatever it is you fancy, herbs, cream, more stock etc. All our palettes taste differently so my advice is once you come to blend the soup taste it and adjust it at this point even if you want to add another stock pot just add it from the pot and mix it and the heat of the soup should dissolve it.

The vegetable chopper and slow cooker i use in my video is on my Amazon Shop press the link it will take you there then look under KITCHEN GADGETS https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook

I used to love making this with the kids when they were little, but haven’t made it for years. Tesco decided to substitute my flour order when Covid first hit and gave us a 3.5 kg bag of bread mix 🙈

That is a lot of bread mix but we were determined to use it! What slowed the process is me and my neck injury I can’t knead dough so I needed Graeme and booking his free time is like catch gold dust.

As you will see we got there and I actually found out my food processor has a dough hook so I can now do it all myself.

This recipe is for using a packet of bread mix but you can use any bread recipe you like. 500g of flour is what my recipe is based around this is because its the maximum for my 3.5 ltr slow cooker.

If you watch the video carefully you will see how big the dough ball is before it’s cooked and how big it is after its cooked, it needs room to rise and prove.

Adding water to the mix I used it said use 370ml of water BUT I have learned over the years that flours are different and they don’t all absorb liquid at the same rate. I started my dough mixture by adding approx 300ml of water.

Then add small amounts once the dough starts to come together and you have incorporated all the flour into a sticky mixture and it comes away cleanly from the sides of the blow it’s ready.

I would say for the bread mix Im working with in the video I used 350ml water in total.

You can leave the bread plain or add any flavours you like… cheese is gorgeous, but doesn’t make great jam on toast 😉

I cooked on high for 2hrs but all slow cookers don’t work the same so. I would suggest you cook your first loaf whist you’re in the house. It’s cooked when you tap the bottom and it sounds hollow same as cooking bread in the oven.

The big question you are all going to ask is calories or syns this is impossible to answer as it’s going to depend on the bread mix you use and how many slices you cut it into.

Below are some types of bread mixes you will find in most susupermarkets these images are from Tesco.

Kneading using a food processor in video below

Love a beef curry but making one can but a bit of a ballache at times. In this recipe I have cheated to the max 🙈 but don’t let that put you off because this recipe is still super tasty but super easy.

I used Pataks curry paste to create the base of the curry let’s face it grinding up spices during the week isn’t going to happen, this cheat works really well.

In the video I have done all the added bits that create the layers of flavour, softening down the onions and browning off the beef. However I’ve also made this curry without doing any of these things and ok there is a taste difference but it’s not a deal breaker.

If you are on a tight time schedule and don’t have time to faff around just leave these extra steps out, remember this is your meal for you and your family so do whatever is best for you to get food on the table. I’m pretty sure no one died because these steps were missed out.

How many chicken carcasses have you thrown in the bin?? if you’re anything like me probably a fair few. We are lucky as we have a family of foxes who visit so I give mine to them so nothing goes to waste.

However I thought it was about time I started using the carcass to make stock it’s such an easy process especially if using a slow cooker. Pop it in walk way let the slow cooker do all the hard work for you.

In the video you will see i used a fat separator, now I have used every method known to man to do this and to be honest they are all a ballache. Why have I not had one of these gadgets before now?? I have no idea, it takes all the hard work out of the equation and does a perfect job of removing the fat.

The separator I use is on my Amazon Shop press here https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook look under kitchen gadgets.

From my batch I made 1ltr of ready to use stock, my top tip is to taste the stock once all fat is removed and check for any adjustments you may need to make. If the stock is strong in taste you may need to add more water to dilute it further also check season you may need a touch of salt & pepper.

Born out of pure laziness 🙈 but these sometimes are the best creations and i can promise this was so good and im definitely making it again real soon.

I used a Spicentice spice kit which is designed to make Char Sui Spare Ribs, but i didn’t have any so decided to use a pork joint i used leg with all fat removed, this recipe really shows how versatile these kits are. Buy your kits from Spicentice press here https://bit.ly/2VYUZLG use discount code JULES20 for 20% off any order (AFFILIATE)

The recipe below is for 2 portions as this was basically a test batch for 4 portions i wouldn’t double up the quantities just add 1 more portion of the liquids – so where it says 2 tablespoons add 3 etc.

This wasn’t supposed to be on my meal plan this week but when you wake up feeling not too good my advice is go for the easiest option if you have to cook- so meatball subs it is!

As you will see i have used sausages to make the meatballs with, this is purely down to the fact i did the food shopping on Wednesday the week before and meatball subs weren’t even on my radar. However, i have to admit they worked beautifully and when i make this again i will probably use the Richmond sausages you see in the video.

This recipe makes 4 portions and because there is just 2 of us i still have 2 portions left in the fridge patiently waiting for my second meal which will be spaghetti and meatballs – now don’t you just love the fact you have taken 10 minutes out to create meals for 2 days in the week! i know i do – this will also freeze well.

There is a meat version of slow cooker meatballs already on my website press here for the written recipe and how to video https://julesthelazycook.co.uk/2016/11/23/slow-cooker-meatballs/

As you know I’m huge fan of making these because they are minimal effort but always look fab and are a great way of cooking in the hotter months.

This is basically my Slow cooker chicken to roast chicken served with bread buns stuffing amd roast potatoes… so a kind of deconstructed Sunday Dinner. Serve woth anything you and your family like it all works with these kind of meals.

I always buy a bigger beef joint than we actually need for a Sunday Dinner so that we have leftovers, which means i can either use it or freeze.

This will be a “rolling” blog of how i use up beef and will keep adding to it as time goes by.

How i cook my beef can be found here https://julesthelazycook.co.uk/2016/10/10/slow-cooker-beef-brisket/