25 Family-Friendly Summer Slow Cooker Recipes

I love my slow cooker and use it all the time in the autumn and winter, but honestly, summer is when I need it most as it is when we are all busy. Plus, my friends living in hot countries swear by their crockpots when it is warm as it stops the need to put the oven on!

These kid-friendly summer slow cooker recipes are perfect for hot nights when you can’t stand to turn on the oven or stove, busy weekdays when you’re short on time trying to juggle everything, weekends when you are making the most of that warm weather and summer gatherings.

So let’s keep the kitchen cool and our families fed with these summer slow cooker meals.

Family Friendly Summer Slow Cooker Meals

One of the issues my family tend to have with slow cooker food is it all tends to be a bit orange. Very often it is tomato-based ingredients that do that, so I have tried to share some of the more diverse summer dishes that we make on a regular basis. I don’t have the patience for slow cooker meals that are prep-heavy or require pre-browning (unless it makes a massive difference to the look and taste).

Slow Cooker Ham

Slow cooker ham is an all year round recipe for me. I cook it in Coke, Dr Pepper, Ginger beer or Appletiser depending on what I have in the pantry. I don’t always glaze it either. In the summer I serve with new potatoes and a massive salad. The leftovers never last long and are perfect for picnic lunches.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

So this is my pulled pork recipe and I cook it in the Instapot or the slow cooker. The timings for the slow cooker really are low and slow, so on low for 8 hours or medium for 6. If you want to make your own BBQ sauce then this date BBQ sauce is delicious.

Slow cooker Doner Kebab

This slow cooker doner kebab is my most popular recipe and there is a reason for it – It is delicious, simple and the slow cooker does all the hard work. Serve with pitta breads and a salad and you are all set for a delicious summer meal.

Slow Cooker Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups

We love Korean-style food and have found that when introducing kids to new flavours, wraps make it easier. If you have hungry teens then wholemeal wraps are a great addition to these Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups. We have also made this with beansprouts when I don’t have water chestnuts in the house, I just add them before serving. Oh and Aldi do frozen chicken breasts that you can cook from frozen and they work so well in the slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Grinders

I have to admit it took me a while to realise what sausages to use in place of Italian sausage in these Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Grinders as it isn’t something we get in the UK. These are delicious made with chipolatas – both Heck and Aldi Sell delicious Italian Chicken ones, which I think cook much better in a slow cooker (less fat).

Slow Cooker Jacket Potatoes

Yes, you can cook Jacket Potatoes in the slow cooker and they are perfect for all year round. I love them for using up any leftovers from earlier in the week. Just imagine these topped with pulled pork or any of the other recipes here.

Gingery Slow Cooker Chicken with Cabbage Slaw

This Gingery Slow Cooker Chicken with Cabbage Slaw is made with chicken thighs, so is great value for money and they become so tender when cooked. The red cabbage coldslaw is great for introducing the crunchy texture to kids as it isn’t overly oniony (it is made with spring onions) and it is super quick to make.

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Slow Cooker Meatballs (no Pre-Browning!)

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken & Chorizo Orzo

This Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken & Chorizo Orzo will become one of your family favourites. It is comforting and delicious. I substitute the double cream for low-fat creme fresh.

Jerk Pork Wraps with Lime Mayo

What I love about these Jerk Pork Wraps with Lime Mayo is just how versatile they are – Big Family, then use a large pork shoulder joint. For smaller families, you can cook this with a pork fillet. It is a flavourful meal which can be bulked out with rice.

Slow Cooker Korean Pork Tacos

Whilst we are talking about pork, these Slow Cooker Korean Pork Tacos are brilliant for a family. I find that Korean food has a delightful sweetness that kids seem to love. We regularly have Korean beef tacos and the picked cucumber from that recipe would be a great addition here.

Pepper, Date and Harissa Tagine

This Pepper, date and harissa tagine is brilliant for the gluts of summer vegetables perfect with courgettes and I have made this with frozen butternut squash before and trust me you do not even realise it is meat-free. Serve with couscous. and flatbreads. It screams summer.

Slow Cooker Summer Vegetable and Butter Bean Stew

Think you don’t like butter beans? Well, you haven’t been introduced to the Bold Bean Co, they will transform your opinion. This bejewelled slow cooker summer vegetable and butter bean stew is a wonderfully filling warn salad and the juice is just crying out to be met with a crusty baguette.

Slow Cooker Zesty Fajita Bites

It took me a long time to find a slow cooker fajita recipe that wasn’t too liquidy. These Zesty Fajita Bites still have cooking liquor left at the end, but you remove it and then shred the chicken. So they have the familiar flavours of fajitas but are a little extra. If you have any leftover chicken it is great served as a quesadilla with some cheese!

Cowboy Brisket

There are loads of recipes for Beef tacos out there, but oh my Cowboy Brisket is something special. Alas, you can’t get cowboy rub in the UK, but you can make your own and it is worth it. You can get a flat cut of brisket at your local butchers or just pick up a brisket joint at the supermarket. You can transform any leftovers into a chilli or top your jacket potatoes with it.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Chickpeas

One of our local cafes serves coronation chickpeas, which is what made me look into this Slow Cooker Barbecue Chickpea recipe. I have yet to come up with a slow-cooker coronation chickpea recipe, but we love this one. Perfect for meat-free Mondays.

Slow Cooker Bean Chilli

I am not one for browning things before putting them in the slow cooker, I mean who has time for that? So with this Slow cooker bean chilli recipe, I used to use frozen onions (which are already pre-cooked). Now I am onion and garlic-free, I use the greens of Spring onion and asafoetida (which is an Indian spice that kinds of tastes like onion). Also, my top tip is a can of mixed beans is a great addition, that way you get a mix of loads of different beans.

Slow Cooker Beef and Macaroni

Pasta in the slow cooker? Yes! This Slow Cooker Beef and Macaroni is a recipe that an Aussie friend sent me a fair few years back when I was looking for slow cooker recipes. It is a great one-pot meal for when everyone is busy doing their own thing and they can grab a bowl full when they get in. Much less cheese than my favourite Mac n Cheese, which somehow makes is more summery!

Indian-Spiced Chicken and Cauliflower

What I love about this Indian-Spiced Chicken and Cauliflower dish is that you can just leave out the meat and not feel as though it is missing anything. Instead of a small head of cauliflower, use a large one.

Tip: If you have younger or spice-averse children then coconut yogurt is a godsend.

Slow Cooker Peri Peri Style Chicken – A Nandos Dupe

Your teenagers will love this delicious Nando’s Dupe Slow Cooker Peri Peri Style Chicken. Again this is an all-year-round meal for for us and it is so versatile. The recipe uses a whole chicken, but I have made this with skinless breasts and thighs and skipped the oven roasting at the end. I have also made it with chicken drumsticks and rather than pop in the oven I have finished the corn on the cob and skinned chicken in the air fryer.

Slow-cooked Lamb Gyros

Lamb when slow-cooked is just amazing. These Slow-cooked lamb gyros are melt-in-the-mouth delicious and perfect for a summer meal. You will have plenty left over for later and it freezes well – Trust me I know.

Slow Cooker Satay Chicken Wraps

This slow cooker satay chicken wrap is a real family favourite. Simple to make with store cupboard ingredients and one that is delicious hot or cold.

Slow Cooker Feta and Tomato Pasta

I think we have all seen the viral Feta and Tomato Pasta, but this is a slow-cooker version. My top tip for this is it is worth separating the pasta at the end and using a stick blender to smooth out the sauce. So as you cook the pasta separately anyway, I used the slow cooker to make the sauce rather than pick out all the pasta shapes.

Apricot Chipotle Pork Ribs

Slow Cooker Dal

I am a massive fan of River Cottage and their slow cooker Dal is one recipe I return to again and again. There is something comforting about dal and even in the summer, I love it. The boys were weaned on dal and naans, so feel the same.