The slow cooker is surprisingly versatile. We rely on it for comfort food season (think soups and stews, hearty chilis and fork-tender roasts) as well as Sunday dinners—like meatballs and red sauce with that simmered-all-day flavor. But, this handy countertop appliance can do so much more. It’s capable of cooking chicken in so many different ways, can produce a fluffy loaf of no-rise bread and is essential when you need to get a healthy meal on the table without too much effort. It can even be used to make dessert! All you need to make the most of your slow cooker is the right recipes—like these irresistible chicken thighs. Soy sauce, honey, garlic and ginger (along with the natural juices of the chicken) create a flavorful sauce to serve over chicken thighs and rice. If you like a thicker sauce, simply add cornstarch at the end and cook a little longer.

This healthy slow-cooker dinner is packed with flavor thanks to sweet apricots, tangy orange juice and a warm blend of spices that infuse the turkey breast and hearty vegetables with vibrant yet comforting flavor. The couscous stirred in at the end soaks up all the delicious juices and gets studded with tender carrots, butternut squash and onions. Enjoy it as a satisfying weeknight meal or cozy weekend dinner.

If you have yet to cook beans from scratch and own a slow cooker, this is the recipe for you! It comes together with pantry ingredients, requires minimal prep and thanks to the slow cooker, you’ll be rewarded with plump, perfectly tender beans with almost zero hands-on time. (Navy beans would also work well here.) Seasoned with warm spices and pickled jalapenos, they are a great side dish. Or serve them over rice or with warm tortillas as a meal

Enjoy this simple cozy recipe with the flip of a switch. With a few easy-to-find ingredients and minimal prep, you can enjoy a pork chop dinner for four. Serve with creamy grits or buttered rice for a filling family meal.

These meatballs taste just like your nonna’s without any pre-cooking or tending to—just throw them in the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. The recipe makes enough meatballs and sauce to serve with two pounds of pasta. They are also delicious over polenta, stuffed into sub rolls or as a pizza topping.

Put your slow cooker to the test with this classic creamy potato side dish. We added a little bit of flour to help thicken and stabilize the cream. Keeping the potatoes thin is the secret to this recipe's success try using a mandoline to slice them evenly.

This healthy one-pot meal feeds a crowd and cooks while you go about your day. If your crowd’s a smaller one, the meatloaf makes amazing leftovers for sandwiches as well. The vegetable purée of scallions, carrot, garlic, parsley and thyme flavors the meatloaf and adds moisture without adding excess fat or calories, so this easy dinner feels light yet hearty. It’s perfect for busy days when you need a hands-off, family-friendly meal.

Featuring tender shredded beef, tomatoes and smoky chipotle peppers, Mexican beef tinga served with warm tortillas and all your favorite toppings makes for a satisfying family dinner. For this no-fuss slow cooker version, you simply throw everything together in the slow cooker — there's nothing to sear or cook ahead of time. While testing this recipe, we found that not all canned chipotles are created equally. Make sure that the one you use is a product of Mexico for the best flavor.

Stuffed bell peppers have never been simpler to prepare, thanks to your slow cooker! Just stir all the filling ingredients together (raw ground beef included), then stuff the mixture into the peppers and let the cooker do the rest. Top with sour cream for a comforting, nourishing dinner your whole family will love.

Taking the time to make a smooth, thick gravy for this slow-cooked dinner is worth it. As the pot roast cooks, the water and juices from the vegetables and meat will thin the gravy out, creating just the right consistency.

Perfect for any casual party or get-together, these miniature sandwiches cook in the slow cooker — so that all you have to do with your guests arrive is spoon the meat mix onto the buns. Sliders, served!

Beans shouldn’t just be relegated to a side dish. Let them be the star of a hearty but light meal full of flavor by slowly cooking dry beans with tons of aromatics. You may have extra bean liquid left over, as you need a generous amount to cook the beans properly. Simply use it in place of vegetable stock in another recipe or add to your next pot of beans.

This easy and delicious slow-cooker recipe will impress any taco lover. While it's an extra step, crisping up the shredded meat in a skillet before serving adds extra flavor and creates the crunchy bits that are typical of carnitas. And don’t skip the pickled red onions! They complement the richness of the pork.

There is nothing cozier than eating a steaming bowl of grits with your favorite toppings, whether savory or sweet. Stone-ground grits have much more flavor than the regular variety, but they need a little more time and attention to cook them on the stovetop. This recipe skips all the extra work by using a slow cooker, yet still delivers a batch of deliciousness for a crowd.

We love this mushroom broth in the test kitchen. It adds just the right umami punch, without being too mushroom-y. Give it a try in risottos, blended soups, and cooked grains.

Many versions of this dish live on the Internet and for good reason—it’s quick, easy and a real crowd pleaser. We find some of them a bit too cloying though, so we scaled down the jelly and added a little acidity and heat in the form of Dijon mustard, cider vinegar and hot sauce to create the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. We use beef meatballs, but you can substitute turkey or veggie ones.

This vegetable-packed minestrone relies on flavorful dried cannellini beans, which benefit from the long cooking time of a slow cooker (and no soaking is required!).

There's nothing better than waking up to a full breakfast made and ready to eat, especially around the holidays or when you have people staying the night. This crowd-pleaser layers hash brown potatoes, bacon, sausage, tomatoes, chiles and spices for a Southwest spin.

Congee, or jook, the beloved Chinese porridge, requires boiling rice in water for a long time, so it’s an ideal dish to make in a slow cooker. There are many variations on this breakfast and dim sum staple, but this one features ginger, scallions and shredded chicken.

We took this quick and easy slow-cooker classic and gave it a little update--apple jelly stands in for the grape jelly and pairs perfectly with the maple syrup and tart cider vinegar. A splash of bourbon adds a grown-up note to this party favorite. You can use either the pork or beef variety of smoked cocktail sausages.

Cooking chuck roast low and slow along with cremini mushrooms and beef broth leaves it melt-in-your-mouth tender and full of meaty flavor — perfect for shredding and serving over creamy polenta.

This slow-cooker chicken dinner ticks all the boxes for an easy and family-friendly weeknight dinner that's healthy, hearty and comforting. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs become super tender as they cook, and the apples help thicken the creamy sauce that’s lightly sweetened with apple cider. Mustard, parsley and fennel fronds bring fresh notes for balance and egg noodles added at the end help sop up the delicious sauce.

You don't have to live by the shore to enjoy a good old-fashioned New England-style shrimp boil. Use a slow cooker to cook potatoes and seasonings, then add the corn, shrimp and sausage to cook in the flavorful broth at the end.

Hosting family and friends? Prepare this simple creamed corn ahead of time (and let the slow cooker work its magic) while you cook the main dish.

This recipe is a summer BBQ on a plate. Add the turkey breast to your slow cooker with some onions, garlic and BBQ sauce and forget about it all day! The result is a very tender, juicy, pulled BBQ turkey.

Yes, you can cook ribs in a slow cooker! In this easy recipe, the seasoning paste transforms into a savory dipping sauce. Slather it on the ribs and pop them on the grill just before serving for a final char.

The slow cooker is the perfect tool for making this crowd-pleasing side dish. The sweet potatoes cook up perfectly tender and the brown sugar-orange juice mixture thickens up to become the sweetest and most delicious glaze — for almost no work at all!

Love Chinese takeout? Try this healthier (and oh-so-easy to prepare) version. The flavor of leeks, ginger and garlic sing when paired with bok choy and tender beef.

Skip the grill and let your slow cooker do all the work on this simple brisket. No charcoal needed!

Although this dough has no color, it is light and airy, like the soft inside of a loaf of French bread. The other surprising part is there's no need to let it rise. You can go directly from making the dough to baking with no waiting around. Magic.

Assemble this in the morning, and when you return for dinner you'll be rewarded with sweet, sticky drumsticks with an irresistible sauce that thickens and concentrates as the drumsticks cook.

Making the mole sauce for this recipe takes a bit of prep and planning but you’re going to be so impressed with the result. The combination of chiles, chocolate and fragrant spices give the chicken so much flavor that you’ll wonder why you ever ordered Mexican take out!

The slow cooker does double duty in this easy-to-make recipe. It cooks the ribs — while simultaneously making a sweet sauce that you can glaze them in.

Chicken thighs are the ideal slow-cooker meat because they emerge tender and juicy, even after hours of cooking. The sauce is a guaranteed kid-pleaser: Rich, sweet and low on spice and tang. Make a couple of batches to keep in the freezer for busy weeks when you know you'll have limited time for meal prep.

Nothing beats a good, one-pot dish — like Molly’s savory collard greens cooked with pancetta, beans and French bread dumplings. Just put everything into the slow cooker and 4 hours later, it’s time to eat.

The key to these super flavorful, tender wings is cooking them low and slow in a sticky-sweet Chinese-style BBQ sauce. A quick trip under the broiler gives them a crispy char, just like at your favorite wing joint.

The hardest step in making this fragrant curry-inspired pork tenderloin is waiting 7 hours for it to cook.

Move over, beef. Chicken is in the house. This great weeknight meal takes less than 15 minutes to prep. The slow cooker does the rest.

Hawaiian barbecue has a sweet teriyaki-like flavor. For extra char, we finished these ribs under the broiler.

Instead of taco Tuesday, why not break out your slow-cooker and make it a tostada Tuesday instead? Tender, meaty brisket is right at home on top of a crisp corn shell — along with some shredded lettuce, avocado, cheese and salsa, of course!

This meaty slow-cooker chili makes a great weeknight meal.

Good barbecue always brings a blend of flavors (smoky, spicy, savory and sweet) and this Chinese-inspired dish is no exception. Hoisin sauce, sambal oelek, and Chinese 5-spice powder work together to give this simple, slow-cooked dish a bold, balanced flavor.

Slow cookers are perfect for turning dried beans into a creamy soup with almost no effort. Black beans are cooked with fire roasted tomatoes, poblano peppers and spices for a full flavor. For serving, rotisserie chicken is warmed with cumin and cilantro before topping the soup, then finished with crema, onion, tortilla strips and lime wedges.

Lemon and dill brighten the deep flavors of this low-and-slow soup for the soul.

All you need to do is season the chicken and add everything to the slow-cooker — it will do the rest! That gives you plenty of time to make the sauce and prep the toppings.

Easily feed a crowd on a busy morning with Ree’s simple recipe. Just pop a few ingredients into your slow cooker the night before and wake up to a big batch of sweet, creamy oatmeal.

When it comes to flavor, this dish has it all: sweet maple syrup and molasses, tangy mustard, smoky ham and spicy chili powder.

Ree’s beefy stew calls for buttery lemon-parsley noodles instead of rice, a variation that everyone in your family is guaranteed to enjoy.

A warm dip is a welcome addition to any party, and a dip as easy as this one is even better. Stir frozen corn, cream cheese, pimentos, jalapeños, garlic and a little chili powder together, then let the slow cooker do all the work.

This recipe is a two-for-one! If you slow-cook a 4-pound roast, you’ll have enough shredded beef to save half for another day. Cook once, eat twice — what’s not to love about that?

When it's warm it looks like beefy tea and when it's cold it looks like a savory gelatin. Some drink it for nourishment and others use it as a replacement for their morning coffee. Whatever your reason for liking bone broth, a slow cooker makes it easy to cook-and eliminates the need to simmer a pot over an open flame for 12 plus hours. Enjoy it plain, or try a few of our tried-and-tested flavor additions to customize and brighten your cup.

Feed a crowd — up to 16 — with this hearty Bolognese, or divide the meaty sauce into smaller portions you can easily grab from the freezer another night. Either way, you can't go wrong with this recipe.

Leave the chafing dish in the basement. This version of Swedish meatballs is an hors d'oeuvre you can make and serve in the same pot.

What's the secret ingredient in this sauerbraten? Crumbled gingerbread cookies.

Tyler's pot roast, perfumed with aromatic vegetables and herbs, is classic comfort at its most familiar. Slow-cook the beef for hours to maximize flavor and tenderness.

No beans? No problem. Texas chili is made with cubed beef chuck (rather than ground chuck) and takes a firm stance of not including beans unlike some other varieties of the stew.

Slow-cook boneless chicken thighs in a spiced-up blend of fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotle chiles and cumin for a big-flavored, fuss-free meal best topped with cheese, avocado and cilantro.

All you need are four ingredients (not counting salt, pepper and cooking oil!) for Sandra Lee's easy chicken dinner that gets Mexican-inspired flavors from fajita seasoning.

For a hands-off Indian dinner, slow cook chicken thighs in a butter-spiked, ultra-spiced tomato sauce for hours on end. The recipe's final step is stirring in a little cream for a swirl of added richness.

Long simmering makes this tough cut turn tender and yielding. Keep a batch of this hearty chili in in the freezer for easy weeknight meals or game day entertaining.

Valerie dressed up her pulled pork with fried shallots and seasoned chiles.

Sandra's short ribs become tender and juicy when slow cooked, resulting in a truly comforting dish.

Cook beef stew meat with thyme, ginger and more spices to get an incredibly flavorful dish.

Cooking green split peas in a slow cooker with a turkey leg imparts great flavor to this split pea soup.

Valerie adds andouille sausage for a smoky, Creole-inspired take on the classic hearty dish.