25 Slow Cooker Soups and Stews for Busy Weeknights

Busy weeknights call for meals that can take care of themselves while you handle everything else. These slow cooker soups and stews are designed to do exactly that, giving you rich, comforting meals with minimal hands-on time. They rely on simple ingredients that develop deep flavor as they cook throughout the day. You come home to something warm, satisfying, and ready to serve. When time is limited, this kind of cooking makes dinner feel effortless.

White Chicken Chili

Creamy white chicken chili with shredded chicken, white beans, green chiles and warm spices slow-simmered in a crock pot for an easy, comforting weeknight meal.
Get the Recipe: White Chicken Chili

Classic Crockpot Chili

Hearty beef chili with beans, tomatoes and bold spices that simmers low and slow in the crockpot for an effortlessly flavorful, family-friendly dinner.
Get the Recipe: Classic Crockpot Chili

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana (CopyKat)

Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana with sausage, potatoes, kale and creamy broth slow-cooked in a crock pot for a rich, comforting weeknight soup.
Get the Recipe: Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana (CopyKat)

Crock-Pot Carne Guisada

Tender slow-cooked carne guisada with beef, potatoes and Tex‑Mex spices braising in the crock pot until fork‑tender for an effortless, hearty supper.
Get the Recipe: Crock-Pot Carne Guisada

Beef & Barley Soup with Short Ribs

Short ribs and nutty barley slow-cook with carrots, onions and beef stock to create a rich, stick-to-your-ribs soup perfect for busy weeknights.
Get the Recipe: Beef & Barley Soup with Short Ribs

Slow-Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Creamy chicken wild rice soup with shredded chicken, wild rice, mushrooms and herbs slow-cooked into a silky, warming bowl for effortless weeknight comfort.
Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup (Crockpot)

Old-fashioned chicken noodle soup with chicken breasts, savory broth, fresh herbs and egg noodles that simmer low and slow in the crockpot for an easy remedy meal.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Noodle Soup (Crockpot)

Chicken Pot Pie Soup (Slow Cooker)

Creamy chicken pot pie soup with tender chicken, carrots, peas and a savory broth slow-cooked and finished with flaky biscuits for a cozy, hands-off dinner.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie Soup (Slow Cooker)

Creamy Chicken Corn Soup

Creamy crockpot chicken corn soup with shredded chicken, sweet corn, cream and spices simmering slowly for a rich, comforting weeknight bowl.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Chicken Corn Soup

Creamy Taco Soup with Ranch

Creamy crockpot taco soup with ground beef, beans, Velveeta and a packet of ranch seasoning slow-cooked into a cheesy, cozy dinner-ready bowl.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Taco Soup with Ranch

Cheesy Tortilla Chicken Soup (Slow Cooker)

Shredded chicken, fire‑roasted tomatoes, Mexican spices and creamy queso slow-cook with tortilla chips for a cheesy, smoky tortilla chicken soup ready for toppings.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Tortilla Chicken Soup (Slow Cooker)

Avgolemono — Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Slow Cooker)

Traditional Greek avgolemono with shredded chicken, rice and a bright lemon‑egg broth slow-cooked for a silky, tangy soup perfect for weeknight comfort.
Get the Recipe: Avgolemono — Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Slow Cooker)

Chicken, Quinoa & Roasted Garlic Soup (Crock Pot)

Hearty soup with chicken, protein-rich quinoa and roasted garlic slow-cooked in a savory broth for a nutritious, low-effort weeknight dinner.
Get the Recipe: Chicken, Quinoa & Roasted Garlic Soup (Crock Pot)

Loaded Potato Soup (Crock Pot)

Creamy loaded potato soup with tender potato chunks, bacon, cheese and chives slow-cooked in the crock pot for an indulgent, easy family meal.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Potato Soup (Crock Pot)

16-Bean Soup (Slow Cooker)

Hearty 16‑bean soup slow-cooks with a ham bone, vegetables and savory seasonings to yield a thick, comforting, make‑ahead soup for busy nights.
Get the Recipe: 16-Bean Soup (Slow Cooker)

Poor Man’s Stew (Slow Cooker)

Old‑school hobo stew with ground beef, potatoes, carrots and hearty gravy that slow‑cooks in the crock pot into a filling, no‑fuss weeknight meal.
Get the Recipe: Poor Man’s Stew (Slow Cooker)

Easy Crockpot Beef Stew

Set‑and‑forget beef stew with chuck, potatoes, carrots and onions braised slowly in savory broth for a tender, stick‑to‑your‑ribs family dinner.
Get the Recipe: Easy Crockpot Beef Stew

Beef Stew with Lentils, Turnips & Carrots (Slow Cooker)

Rich slow-cooker beef stew combines chuck roast with lentils, sweet turnips and carrots for a hearty, flavor-packed one‑pot dinner that’s easy to prep.
Get the Recipe: Beef Stew with Lentils, Turnips & Carrots (Slow Cooker)

Slow-Cooker Chicken Stew

Thick, cozy chicken stew with tender chicken, root vegetables and herbs that slow-cooks into a creamy, comforting bowl perfect for busy nights.
Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Stew

Beef & Noodles with Mushrooms (Slow Cooker)

Tender slow-cooked beef and egg noodles in a mushroom‑licked gravy makes a simple, hearty one‑pot dinner that’s ready when you walk through the door.
Get the Recipe: Beef & Noodles with Mushrooms (Slow Cooker)

Chicken Noodle Soup with Thighs (Crock Pot)

Classic chicken noodle soup made with juicy chicken thighs, hearty vegetables and egg noodles slow-simmered in the crock pot for maximum flavor with minimal effort.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Noodle Soup with Thighs (Crock Pot)

Chicken and Dumplings (Crock Pot)

Old‑fashioned chicken and dumplings with tender chicken, veggies and soft dumplings slow-cooked in a creamy broth for a nostalgic, hands‑off family meal.
Get the Recipe: Chicken and Dumplings (Crock Pot)

Turkey & Brown Rice Soup (Slow Cooker)

Savory turkey and brown rice soup with leftover turkey thighs, hearty vegetables and herbs slow-simmered into a light yet satisfying crock pot dinner.
Get the Recipe: Turkey & Brown Rice Soup (Slow Cooker)

Potato and Corn Chowder (Crock Pot)

Comforting potato and corn chowder with sweet corn, tender potatoes and a creamy broth slow-cooked in the crock pot for an easy, satisfying dinner.
Get the Recipe: Potato and Corn Chowder (Crock Pot)

Key West Crab & Lobster Bisque (Slow Cooker)

Luxurious Key West crab and lobster bisque slow-cooks with shellfish, cream and aromatics for an elegant, hands-off seafood soup ideal for special weeknights.
Get the Recipe: Key West Crab & Lobster Bisque (Slow Cooker)