27 Slow Cooker Soups, Stews, and Chilis to Fill Your Stomach
Slow cooker soup makes the best warm-you-up meal for a chilly evening. Here you'll find our favorites: slow cooker chili, potato soup, hearty chicken noodle, and slow cooker beef stew—just to name a few. We're dishing up tips about prepping ingredients for throw-together soups, plus have ideas for spicing it up and stretching your slow cooker soup recipes to serve a crowd.
Slow-Cooked Beef Pozole
This convenient twist on the traditional Mexican recipe features hominy, potatoes, flank steak, and poblano peppers. It simmers to spicy-savory perfection as a slow cooker beef stew. Crumble a little queso fresco over each bowl and add a squeeze of lime if you like. (We like!)
Slow Cooker Chocolate Chili With Three Beans
Chocolate chili? We don't believe it! Just 2 ounces of bittersweet or semisweet chocolate in this slow cooker chili recipe makes it taste richer—not too sweet.
Fast or Slow New England-Style Clam Chowder
If you need seafood in an instant, follow the Instant Pot "fast" method for this clam chowder. But we're partial to the slow cooker potato soup because then it can pervade our kitchens with the smells of bacon, garlic, and bay leaves for 2½ to 6 hours. Don't skip the oyster cracker garnish to round out the just-like-New-England experience.
Spring Lamb and Fava Bean Soup
Like rack of lamb at Easter and other holidays? This easy-peasy slow cooker stew recipe will inspire you to cook with that versatile protein more than once a year. Tender lamb shoulder (you could also use beef chuck, if desired), mushrooms, and rich bone broth add savory depth. Colorful carrots and shelled peas, plus a fresh topper of parsley, lemon zest, and garlic brightens things up.
Slow Cooker Indian Chicken Stew
Take a break from chicken breasts tonight. Chicken thighs hold up beautifully to the long cooking time in this slow cooker soup—plus they're richer in flavor than their white meat counterparts. The exotic flavors of aromatic curry and ground ginger blend with the meat, beans, and veggies in this colorful, easy meal. Serve it over basmati rice for a warm and vibrant taste of India.
White Chicken Chili
Think chicken chili couldn't possibly be as tempting as its beefy competition? One bite of this zesty dish will convince you otherwise. The slow cooker chili recipe—seasoned with bold ingredients like jalapeños and cumin—is a delightful twist on the traditional red meat variety.
:18 Comforting Slow Cooker Chicken Soups and Stews
Chili Verde Soup
We could never tire of tacos, but we are fond of mixing up our Mexican meals. This soup, which is bursting with tomatillos and lime juice, is a top contender to consider for your next south-of-the-border supper. The green slow cooker soup recipe starts with pork roast and navy beans and finishes with tangy sour cream and cilantro.
Lentil Soup With Beef and Red Pepper
Step up your next lentil soup with sirloin. It's not just for steak night, you know! This French lentil slow cooker soup recipe is bubbling with other delish add-ins, too, like cumin and cayenne—and it has fewer than 300 calories per serving. Healthy beef recipes that are also comfort food? Sign us up.
French Chicken Stew
The keys to rustic French cooking are fresh ingredients and simple flavors. Thyme and herbes de Provence bring their subtle flavors to chicken and fresh vegetables in this simply delicious slow cooker stew. Speaking of those veggies, we love stocking up on some niçoise salad staples (haricot verts, red potatoes, olives) to use here then toss together in a salad for lunch the next day.
Texas Chuck Roast Chili
No soup, stew, and chili roundup would be complete without a traditional Texas slow cooker chili recipe. No beans in sight! A full 3 pounds of beef chuck roast, plus plenty of peppers, chiles, tomatoes, beef broth, and spices, make this a Meal with a capital "M."
Creamy Tortellini Soup
Pantry-ready white sauce mix and dried tortellini make this satisfying slow cooker soup ultra-easy to prepare. No wonder the vegetarian dinner has earned more than 100 five-star reviews! Just stir in spinach at the last minute for fresh-from-the-garden flavor.
Chunky Pot Roast-Portobello Soup
Wondering how to use that leftover pot roast? Toss it into a set-and-forget meal alongside baby portobello mushrooms, red bell pepper, and an indulgent broth for a chunky slow cooker soup. A splash of Burgundy (or your favorite dry red wine) in the soup means that red wine is also the ideal drink pairing.
Slow Cooker Bouillabaisse
You'll feel transported to the coast of France with one bite of this slow cooker soup recipe. Bouillabaisse, a hearty fish stew, combines a mix of fresh seafood and flavorful spices like saffron and cayenne pepper. For extra warmth, we've added fire-roasted tomatoes and hearty hunks of potato.
Coconut-Chicken Curry Stew
Coconut milk and curry powder combine for a silky broth that forms the base of this unique and comforting slow cooker stew. The Indian-inspired recipe works well with both red or classic yellow curry powder. To make it heartier and more of a meal than an appetizer, double the chicken called for in the ingredients list.
Pork Rib Chili With Corn Bread
Try a new spin on classic cold-weather chili by using pork ribs instead of ground beef and adding strong coffee and poblano peppers. You'll add tons of flavor and warmth to the traditional soup. To save time when preparing this slow cooker chili recipe, omit roasting the peppers and garlic. Simply seed and chop the fresh peppers and substitute 2 teaspoons bottled minced roasted garlic for the garlic bulb.
Ham and Sweet Potato Soup
Perhaps you've enjoyed a baked potato topped with diced ham and cheese sauce? This perfect-for-fall dish is inspired by that concept and invites cannellini beans and thyme to the party. A spoonful of creme fraiche and a sprinkle of paprika finish the high-protein slow cooker soup.
Italian Wild Rice Soup
This soup gets its name from Italian seasoning and the choice of wild rice over white rice. Though that whole grain gets naming rights, we think the real star is the ground pork. It tastes incredible after simmering in the slow cooker with beef broth, diced tomatoes, onions, spinach, and spices.
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Ditch the can opener. Tonight, dinner is made fresh with a creamy slow cooker chicken noodle soup. Leftover or rotisserie chicken speeds up the prep, so all you have to do is chop the veggies at the start and stir in egg noodles and cream cheese for the final 20 minutes of simmer time.
Red Bean, Chicken, and Sweet Potato Stew
We adore this sneakily nutty stew. Combine red beans, cubed sweet potatoes, chicken, tomatoes, chiles, spices, and—surprise!—peanut butter for a set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker stew. The resulting dish has tons of flavor and fill-you-up heartiness.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
If you have five key ingredients, a slow cooker, and some time to let all those components do their thing, you have everything you need to make dinner tonight. Cut down on prep by making this slow cooker chicken tortilla soup with chicken broth and tomatoes preseasoned with Mexican herbs. Fresh jalapeños add an extra layer of kick.
Thai-Inspired Butternut Squash Soup With Gremolata
Butternut squash is one of our fall produce MVPs. That's because you can stuff it, hasselback it, roast it, sauce it, and even stew it! A Thai-inspired topping of fresh basil, peanuts, and lime peel adds crunch to this creamy slow cooker soup recipe. Sriracha sauce adds heat, while coconut milk makes the entrée extra-creamy.
Mediterranean Kale and Cannellini Stew With Farro
This is one of the most popular soups to ever leave our Test Kitchen. That's because in addition to being tasty, the Mediterranean diet-friendly dish is loaded with superfoods. The flavorful vegetarian slow cooker stew has just 4 grams of fat because it relies on garlic, fire-roasted tomatoes, lemon juice, and a bit of feta cheese to add flavor to the grains and veggies.
Chicken and White Bean Stew
Bottled Alfredo sauce makes this hearty slow cooker stew recipe featuring chicken thighs silky in texture. Green chile peppers balance out all that richness with the just-right amount of heat. For the coldest days of winter, we recommend serving inside a warm bread bowl.
Sausage and Tortellini Soup
Take a can of French onion soup and make it a main dish. Here's how: Add cheese tortellini, smoked turkey sausage, tomatoes, and green beans. Top with Parmesan shavings for garnish.
Pork and Edamame Soup
Think of this Asian entrée like a cozy, slow cooker rendition of dumpling night at your favorite neighborhood restaurant. Buttery edamame (sweet soybeans) teams up with aromatic elements including soy sauce, hoisin sauce, fresh ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Chunks of tender pork boost the protein of this ramen-laced slow cooker soup.
Creamed Chicken and Corn Soup
A thick and creamy broth is filled with tender chicken, carrot, onion, corn, and celery. Oh yes, and regarding that aforementioned corn, there are two styles in the mix: frozen kernels and canned creamed corn. Top each bowl of this with a sprinkle of crisp bacon.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast Stew
Choose your own adventure with this distinctive beef stew. Sweeten it with quince or apples, sauce it with red wine or beef broth, and add some acid via balsamic vinegar or cider. You could even use any winter squash in place of the butternut squash—nearly any sturdy squash will do. Whatever path you choose, a blend of crushed red pepper, tomato paste, cinnamon, and rosemary will meld the flavors together in this thick slow cooker beef stew.
