10 summer family slow cooker meals

This summer, choose from a flavourful chilli with all the toppings, moreish pulled pork burgers or a satisfying chicken one-pot. Chuck your ingredients in the wonderful piece of kitchen kit that is your slow cooker and come home to a ready-made family dinner. Don’t consign your slow cooker to a dusty cupboard when the sun comes out, treat everyone to these light and wholesome recipes you can whip up in two or three simple steps. Find more sublime slow cooker recipes with our ultimate collection of low and slow dishes.

Discover more family-friendly recipe ideas and helpful guides in our family section. From advice on how much water your child should be drinking to healthy suppers and snacks, our nutritionists have got it covered.

Looking to upgrade your kitchen equipment? Check out our review of the best slow cookers on test.

Find more summer dinner ideas in our collections of summer slow cooker recipes and family summer one-pots. We also have summer takeaway recipes which are perfect for weekend feasting.

Our top 10 summer slow cooker family meal ideas

1. Pulled pork tacos with pineapple salsa

Put your pulled pork on in the morning, and by dinner time, you’ll have a ready-t0-eat family meal. Serve your tacos with crunchy cabbage, creamy slices of avocado and a fresh pineapple salsa. Our pulled pork tacos are a real Friday night treat that everyone can help themselves to.

2. Slow cooker chilli

Serve up a vibrant and moreish slow cooker chilli con carne with cheese, avocado and soured cream toppings, or batch cook and freeze for future speedy suppers. This dish is packed with plenty of hidden veg to bump up your kids’ five-a-day quota. It also carries our healthy label, so you know you’re feeding your family well. Take 10 minutes to prep this easy meal, leave the slow cooker to work its magic and dinner is served.

Check out our chilli con carne collection for more nourishing bowls of comfort food.

3. Slow cooker ratatouille

Serve up a riot of colour with this veg-packed slow cooker ratatouille. Perfect for a filling veggie supper, this simple recipe uses a selection of seasonal ingredients that deliver four of your five-a-day. This wholesome, healthy family meal is delicious served with chunks of crusty bread to mop up the rich sauce.

4. Slow cooker honey mustard chicken thighs

It takes just a handful of basic ingredients to create our sumptuous slow cooker honey mustard chicken thighs. The creamy honey and mustard sauce is mild yet tasty enough so that kids and adults alike will love it. Serve with crusty bread or rice for a filling family dinner. It takes a grand total of five minutes to prepare your ingredients for this feast of flavours.

Take a look at even more slow cooker chicken recipes for midweek meal inspiration.

5. Slow cooker barbacoa beef

Our slow cooker barbacoa beef is the ultimate adaptable family meal. Start it off in the morning and eight hours later you’ll have mouth-wateringly tender beef you can serve in lettuce leaf cups, with tacos or rice and veggies. Leave out the chipotle paste for a less smoky flavour and less heat for delicate palates. When it’s cooked, shred the meat with two forks – it’ll fall apart!

6. Slow cooker pulled chicken

Try something different from pulled pork and fix yourself a pulled chicken dinner. Stuff the smoky chicken chunks into burger buns with spoonfuls of guacamole, pile it on to a fluffy jacket potato or serve with a bowlful of rice.

7. Slow cooker aubergines

Get your dose of seasonal vegetables with our slow cooker aubergines. This super simple recipe is packed full of summer flavours and is delicious topped with crunchy toasted almond flakes, a drizzle of pesto and a generous crumbling of feta cheese. Even the confirmed carnivores in the family will be wanting more of this flavoursome feast. Serve with flatbreads or baguette for a hearty supper.

Try out our favourite vegetarian slow cooker recipes for more filling, veg-packed dinners.

8. Slow cooker pulled pork

Who can resist a pulled pork burger with all the trimmings? Serve up a DIY dinner with apple and fennel slaw, spiced potato wedges and a selection of vibrant summer salads. Combine the pork with spices, treacle, honey and onion marmalade for a deliciously decadent sticky mix.

Watch our video and learn top tips and techniques for making slow cooker pulled pork with tasty serving suggestions.

9. Slow-cooker chicken korma

For something similar, feed the family this comforting, budget-friendly sausage ragu. Or check out our top 5 family sausage casserole recipes and our top 10 sausage recipes.