23 Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes That Make Nutritious Eating Easy (2024)

Maple-Mustard Turkey Thighs

We have your supper solution if you're craving some Thanksgiving flair on a weeknight. With this healthy slow cooker meal, you're just five ingredients away from dinner. Juicy chicken thighs and creamy new potatoes bathe in brown mustard and maple syrup for a crowd-pleasing weeknight meal.

Slow Cooker Taco Salad

This skinny slow cooker recipe is so colorful and flavorful, you won't even miss the greasy fried tortilla bowl. Start by spooning a slow-cooked, protein-packed mixture of beans, salsa, and lean ground beef or turkey (your choice) over a bed of lettuce. Then customize your salad toppers. We're fans of cherry tomatoes, corn, and creamy avocado.

New Potato-Chicken Soup

What do you get when you slow-cook chicken thighs in broth with carrots, green onions, red potatoes, and peas, then add a splash of half-and-half for creaminess? This 223-calorie bowl of seemingly indulgent soup. Top with crumbled goat cheese and caramelized shallots to take the skinny slow cooker meal to gourmet territory.

Buy It: Cuisinart 3.5-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker, $60, Target

Asian-Style Chicken Lettuce Wraps

You know those lettuce wraps you love at your local Asian bistro? This low-calorie slow cooker recipe is a DIY version that lets you customize the filling to your preferences. And because each generously portioned wrap is just 129 calories, there's no need to hesitate about eating two or three!

Sesame-Ginger Turkey Wraps

Skip takeout tonight and try our healthy slow cooker recipe complete with turkey and sesame-ginger broccoli, all wrapped up in a warm tortilla shell. (Or try them in lettuce wraps if you're aiming to cut down on carbs.) Store-bought shortcuts make the serves-a-crowd tender turkey entrée a cinch to prep in just 20 minutes.

Thai Shredded Pork Tacos with Sriracha Slaw

If you're tired of plain pork tenderloin, transform the same protein into something completely new in this healthy slow cooker meal. Simmer with garlic, lime juice, honey, and soy sauce for a fork-tender roast that's ready to shred and serve. As the meat finishes cooking, take five minutes to toss together the crisp, refreshing, and just-spicy-enough Sriracha slaw.

Mexican Miga Frittata with Chipotle Guacamole

Migas, a traditional Mexican creation featuring corn tortillas and eggs, is the inspiration for this low-calorie slow cooker recipe. (Hint: It's the ideal vehicle if you have a few stray tortillas that are on the edge of going stale after taco night.) Serve the vegetarian egg entrée with fresh cilantro (on the side, in case anyone has the gene that makes it tastes like soap!) queso fresco, and homemade guacamole.

Spicy Turkey Lasagna

Believe it or not, the prep-it-and-forget-it method works for this usually time-intensive (yet tasty) classic casserole recipe. No-boil lasagna noodles hold layers of ground turkey, bottled pasta sauce, and melty cheese when cooked on the low setting for a few hours for this low-calorie slow cooker meal. All you have to do is precook the turkey and assemble the lasagna, and the slow cooker does the rest.

Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken with Artichokes

If you like garlic, then you'll love this chicken thigh-based healthy slow cooker meal. The vegetable-forward whole-grain entrée—oh yes, and 12(!) garlic cloves—is a Mediterranean delight that's layered with flavor via that garlic, rosemary, onions, and lemon.

Red Bean, Chicken, and Sweet Potato Stew

The secret ingredient to this Cajun-style healthy slow cooker recipe is peanut butter. The kid-friendly brown-bag lunch staple ingredient gives it a thick and creamy consistency while offering an extra boost of protein, too.

Greek Lamb Wraps

Enjoy a light take on the Greek gyro with bright and fresh veggies that lend summery flavor. Seasoned lamb, cucumbers, and feta cheese offer a taste of the Mediterranean in this, one of our best healthy slow cooker recipes for when you're craving street food … but not all the calories that often come with it. The irresistible sauce comes together in just minutes with three ingredients: minced garlic, mustard, and light mayo.

Porter and Roasted Red Pepper Sloppy Joes

Give this childhood favorite an adult twist with a splash of rich-bodied porter beer, which amplifies the flavor of the ground beef. The mix can be made up to a month in advance and frozen for a quick, easy, and healthy slow cooker meal for busy weeknights.

Mango-Chicken Tinga

We know the ingredient combo in this skinny slow cooker recipe sounds kind of crazy, but trust us. Cinnamon, ginger, chicken, and mango nectar make a delicious sweet-and-savory team. Onions and juicy mangoes are the ultimate colorful, nutrition-boosting garnishes for the healthy Mexican chicken dinner.

Cajun-Seasoned Vegetarian Gumbo

This Cajun gumbo takes virtually no prep work unless you count opening packaged veggies and adding them to the slow cooker. (We can handle that!) With that being said, this is one of the best healthy slow cooker recipes for jam-packed Meatless Mondays. Serve the vegetable gumbo with steamed brown rice or ancient grains for a diet-friendly taste of New Orleans.

Cheesy Noodle Casserole

Doesn't this look just like the cozy casseroles Mom used to make to welcome you home after a busy school day? Cue the nostalgia. With just 25 minutes of prep time in the morning, this easy slow cooker recipe can be on the table in time for dinner. And the ooey-gooey cheddar-tofu dish is so tasty, no one will even notice it's made with lighter ingredients.

Mexican Meatball Stew

"I didn't think it was possible for something so tasty from a dump dinner," raves BHG.com home chef Otterlyone. Try it yourself to savor your own batch of the veggie-packed turkey meatball stew that's bubbling with Mexican flavor. The black beans in this easy slow cooker recipe bulk up the soup to satisfying stew territory.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Good news: Your go-to countertop appliance makes this comfort food favorite even easier to make. It's low in calories and high in rich, creamy flavor. You'll be reaching for seconds of this low-calorie slow cooker recipe in no time. (And you should feel A-OK about doing so since going DIY with this soup drastically cuts down the sodium compared to canned.)

BBQ Beef Roast with Corn and Pepper Couscous

A healthy pot roast in the slow cooker? You bet. Each serving of this skinny recipe has fewer than 400 calories, so feel free to slather on some extra sauce. Whole wheat couscous, a Middle Eastern grain, makes a filling side dish, especially once you stud it with corn and diced bell pepper.

Farmers Market Vegetable Soup

Rutabaga, a Swedish turnip, is featured alongside carrots, potatoes, and leeks in this healthy slow cooker potato soup. Using fresh vegetables instead of canned means less sodium in each serving. With fewer than 200 calories per bowl, you can (and should) pair your bowl with garlic toasts and a garden-fresh salad!