Fall might just be my favorite season. It’s the season that is welcome after a well-enjoyed summer. We trade scorching hot days for brisk cool ones. We change light clothing for beautiful layers and we transform our summery barbequed meals and salads for meals that are savory and hearty.
One of the best kitchen gadgets for fall is the slow cooker. There’s something about coming home after a long hard day to a home filled with a delicious aroma that makes us dream of fall. We have found some of the most savory recipes that will make you wish it was Fall whenever you make them. From soups to stews and even a few bevvys too, you’ll be transitioning into the season of fall tastefully and with a full satisfied belly.
There are several things that will signal the start of fall such as the release of PSL’s at Starbucks or fallen leaves. In the food world, that signal is without a doubt when squash and pumpkins are ready. This warm bowl of butternut squash chili will warm your soul and fill your bellies.
This chili is filled with hearty ingredients such as cubed butternut squash, black beans, and northern beans. It has loads of seasoning to make this dish fill the air while it cooks. It’s very filling and is vegetarian-friendly, better yet, the whole family will love it.
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If you prefer a traditional chili then you might love this recipe more. Like traditional chili, the base of this recipe is made from ground beef. Then to make it extra hearty and savory it’s filled with red kidney beans, onion, celery, and tomato sauce.
You’ll need a few bold seasonings like cumin, chili powder and Worcestershire sauce that will make this chili stand out from the rest. Along with the chili, you’ll also get a delicious must-try cornbread recipe that will pair perfectly with a warm bowl of chili.
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Following the chili trend, this recipe is far from traditional yet, is incredibly delicious. This slow cooker recipe actually combines a comfort meal like chili with another classic comfort meal like mac and cheese and transforms them into one exciting meal.
The base is made from the same ingredients as a traditional chili recipe such as ground beef, onion, garlic, crushed and diced tomatoes but what makes this unique are the noodles. The trick is to not to add them in until the last 15 minutes of cooking so they don’t turn into a disgusting mush. Once your slow cooker has done its work, you’ll want to top your bowl off with ooey-gooey cheese shreds that makes this recipe so irresistible.
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Growing up, Shepard’s pie often made the meal rotations. It’s savory, comforting and often, a crowd favorite. As an adult, I never fathomed the idea of creating Shepard’s pie in a slow cooker but this recipe proves how easy it actually is.
The base of this Shepard’s pie is made from lamb mince. It’s browned in onion then added to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. This will slow cook for at least 5 hours. Right before those 5 hours are up, you’ll want to peel and cook the potatoes to make the savory mashed potato layer. Once completed, you’ll add them to the slow cooker and cook for an additional 1 to 2 hours.
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Along with chili, soups are other awesome recipes that make us dream of Autumn. Soups come in many flavors and textures that there is definitely a soup out there for everyone. Chicken noodle soup has to be one of the best soup classics.
This recipe is conveniently made in the slow cooker so that you can come home to a delicious homecooked meal with minimal effort. This recipe is made from boneless chicken breasts, chicken stock, spaghetti noodles and enough seasoning to keep it exciting. Keep this recipe on hand because you’ll want to make it all year long.
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Another classic and timeless soup recipe is beef and barley soup. It’s savory soup base and chunky pieces of beef will make you think of fall whenever you enjoy it.
The soup base comes from beef broth and crushed tomatoes. Then you’ll fill the slow cooker with browned beef chunks, cubed carrots, and potatoes, diced celery and loads of seasonings. The smell of it cooking will definitely make your mouth salivate in anticipation for dinner.
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Butternut squash soup is one of my most favorite fall recipes. It’s creamy, hearty and definitely filling. The warm flavors always remind me of fall whenever I enjoy it.
Carrot and butternut squash provide this soup with a hearty flavor while a Granny Smith apple helps balance it out with it’s sweet and tart flavors. You’ll need a few more ingredients and several hours to make this soup come to life. Once cooked, an immersion blender will help you create the creamy texture.
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Squash and pumpkin have a similar flavor but they’re distinct enough that you can surely taste the difference. Try this creamy pumpkin soup to get you into the fall spirit!
Some squash and pumpkin soup recipes are quite sweet but rest assured, this recipe is not. Pumpkin puree and several seasonings make this soup taste like fall while unsweetened coconut milk will make it extra creamy! If you’re looking for something savory to warm the soul then you’ll love this recipe.
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Chicken pot pie is another classic family meal. It’s an easy way to throw good sources of protein and vegetables all into one meal. This recipe isn’t like your traditional chicken pot pie as there isn’t a crust that surrounds the filling but serve this slow cooker chicken pot pie with a warm biscuit and you’ll won’t even notice the difference.
The trick is to cook chicken breasts amongst the other ingredients for around 8 hours until it reaches a tender texture. Then, you’ll want to take the chicken breasts out, shred and mix back in to finish cooking.
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Pull apart chicken is so easy to make with a slow cooker. You simply let the chicken cook for hours until it’s tender and easy to pull apart. Slow cooking chicken is also great for flavor. The chicken has a longer time period to soak up all the flavors and delicious sauce.
The other great thing about slow cooking is because of the temperature settings you can either cook it for just a couple of hours or up to a full day and the results will be great either way. Once the chicken has cooked in the scrumptious honey BBQ sauce, you’ll want to shred it using two forks then mix it around in the sauce. Serve the chicken on your favorite bun and top off with coleslaw for a crunchy bite.
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Pulled pork is often enjoyed during the summer but because the flavors are warm, delicious and exciting it can make you daydream of fall too. By slow cooking, the meat will reach a tender texture that can easily pull apart. The flavors will fill your home with a warm and inviting scent.
This recipe walks you through how to create delicious pulled pork in the slow cooker and even provides you with a delicious sauce that the roast is bathed and cooked in. Then, once the pork is ready all you’ll have to do is shred, and then serve on a bun with your favorite barbeque sauce.
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One of my favorite food memories as a kid is when I wrote an “about me” profile, I once wrote, “my favorite food is my Mom’s homemade beef stew”. There was something about the stew that made me always think about home cooking, warm memories, and good food. It’s nostalgic for some, and others it’s simply a deliciously warm meal that is especially enjoyed on a cool Autumn day.
This slow cooker recipe can be the perfect meal to enjoy with your family as you transition into the cooler months. It has loads of flavor, and plenty of texture that keeps something like a stew still new and exciting.
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Taco and burrito night is a lot of fun, however, generally, it does take a bit of work. In an attempt to help you save time and effort you need to try this slow cooker chicken burrito bowl recipe.
It’s savory and thrilling and better yet will be perfectly enjoyed on a brisk fall day. The great thing about this recipe is it has a lot of adaptations. If you need to make it vegetarian it’ll walk you through how to customize the recipe. Furthermore, this recipe does require you to add in additional ingredients 2 to 3 hours into cooking so if you’re unable to fulfill this step it will walk you through how you can cook it all day but still end up with the same end result.
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The great thing about this slow cooker recipe is that the flavors will help you transition into to fall nicely but this recipe requires minimal effort. It will only take a couple minutes to throw all the ingredients into the slow cooker. Go about your day and you’ll have a meal ready for you and your family in no time.
This chicken and mushroom stroganoff serves nicely on a bed of noodles. Don’t be surprised when this meal gets requested time and time again.
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When thinking about fall favorites, apple cider always comes to mind. The sweet flavor of apple mixed with the perfect flavors of cinnamon and cloves that makes us think of fallen leaves and cool breezes.
This apple cider is special for a couple reasons. Firstly, it’s made in a slow cooker which means you can prepare a large warm batch for a party or for a fun family function. Secondly, this apple cider recipe gets a grown-up makeover and is spiked with brandy. This will quickly become your new fall favorite too.
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If you don’t love alcoholic beverages or are seeking a family-friendly option, then you need to try this crock pot apple cider recipe. It takes on a similar approach to the previous recipe but requires a few different ingredients.
This recipe skips the brandy and premade apple cider because this recipe is completely homemade. This recipe requires not just orange slices but lemon slices too. You’ll also add in sliced apples and fresh cranberries. Then to season make sure to add in cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and whole star anise. By adding water to cover all the ingredients and a bit of sweetener of your choice, the slow cooker will bring this apple cider to life.
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Along with stew, mashed potatoes often made my top favorite food lists. There’s something about mashed potatoes that makes them so comforting. Apart from all the carbs (obviously), it’s the creamy texture, buttery and salty flavor that makes me love them so much.
This recipe isn’t any ordinary mashed potato recipe, they’re loaded with additional exciting ingredients and conveniently made in the slow cooker. It works by allowing the potatoes to cook in the slow cooker for up to 7 hours with just broth and a few seasonings. Then you’ll add in butter and mash until they’re nice and creamy. The last step is the best part when you’ll throw in all the fun ingredients that make these loaded mashed potatoes so alluring.
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The slow cooker can do more than just cook us delicious hearty meals or drinks that make us dream of fall, slow cookers can cook delicious desserts too. Come full circle with your slow cooker and try making these fried apples for a treat to share with your family or bring them to a party.
First, you’ll want to peel and cut apples then you’ll want to add them to the slow cooker with a bit of cornstarch. Once the apples are evenly coated you’ll add in sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, butter and lemon juice and cook the apples until tender, it’s incredibly easy! They’ll taste great on their own or you could serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a divine treat.
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When I think about flavors of fall, pumpkin always comes to mind. The great thing about pumpkin is that its a vegetable that can be used in savory meals but also in sweet dessert recipes too. This pumpkin monkey bread is a must try this fall season.
This monkey bread recipe begins with 2 cans of refrigerated cinnamon rolls. The bread achieves a pumpkin flavor from both pumpkin pie spice and from canned pumpkin and has a sweet cheesecake filling that make this bread highly addictive.
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Your slow cooker can be a great tool for creating the perfect overnight oats. It’s an easy way to prepare a breakfast meal while you sleep, after all, mornings are too crazy to be whipping up elaborate breakfast’s.
This overnight oats recipe is special because it has savory flavors of pumpkin that will have you embracing the season of Fall. You’ll want to make sure to use steel cut oats and not mistakenly quick cooking, instant or rolled oats as they will cook too quickly. Pumpkin puree, ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg will give this breakfast meal an Autumn makeover.
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The fun thing about cobbler is it can be made with many different ingredients. It tastes wonderful with berries but importantly, for fall, pumpkin is what shines in this recipe.
The cobbler will only need a couple hours to cook in the slow cooker. This means you can set the dessert in the slow cooker, enjoy a wonderful meal with friends and family and have a warm dessert to indulge in after your wonderful meal.
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As soon as summer comes to a close, pumpkin spice lattes, AKA PSL, is all the rage. You might be tempted to run to your nearest Starbucks for a quick PSL fix but you have got to try this recipe.
The recipe proves how easy it is to make your own pumpkins spice lattes at home. Conveniently it’s made in the slow cooker which means the aroma will fill your home as it heats up. This crock pock PSL would be great to bring to a gathering or party to share.
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