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Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.
Time to pull out your Slow Cooker! If you are looking for healthy slow cooker vegan recipes, then you’ll want to save this list. 18 of the best vegan slow cooker recipes, perfect for back-to-school, weeknight meals and cold weather cooking.
Using a slow cooker to prepare lunch or dinner in the background is a great way to save time in the kitchen. Chili, curry, soups and stews are some of the best vegan slow cooker recipes to make as they can cook for a long time– and taste even better doing so. These below vegan slow cooker recipes are my favorites.
Consider this your new I don’t feel like cooking but I want something stick to my ribs cozy yet not covered in butter, cream or cheese. This vegan red beans and rice recipe is like a rice casserole for the adult crowd, smoky beans and creamy rice that takes all of five minutes to throw together.
Throw in all of the ingredients except for the rice and cook for 4 hours. From there, add in the rice and cook an additional hour if using white rice and 2 hours if using brown rice. This vegan and gluten-free meal is so satisfying- perfect for chilly days!
This slow cooker chickpea curry is packed with protein, vegan and gluten free. A healthier take on the favorite Indian dish Butter Chicken but made with chickpeas. This is such a simple dish; the perfect make-ahead healthy weeknight dinner.
While I feel like this sauce could work on just about anything you throw its way, I packed in two kinds of vegan protein for a filling, hearty and healthy meal. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
If you like saag paneer or palak paneer, you will love this vegan version using tofu instead of paneer. Made effortless in the slow cooker for healthy weeknight dinners. This slow cooker saag paneer is a healthier take than what you would find at most restaurants; it’s ghee free and the richness comes from canned coconut milk.
Of course, this is a vegan saag paneer so we are using tofu instead of actual paneer. If you love paneer, you’ve gotta try this dairy-free version. I promise it tastes so much like paneer, you won’t notice the difference.
Your favorite Indian take-out, made in the slow-cooker. Chickpeas cooked in a fragrant, spiced tomato sauce. Make in the morning for dinner at night! Here’s what you’ll need for this Slow Cooker Chana Masala recipe:
This slow cooker vegetable chowder is thick, hearty, creamy and packed with vegetables. It’s the perfect meal when you’re craving vegetables and comfort.
Save this vegan and gluten-free meal when you want an easy dinner option. Start in the morning and it’s ready by the time you get home from work. Potatoes and vegetables in a creamy sauce.
If you can throw things in a slow cooker, then you can make this vegan tikka masala. If dinner had an easy button, this recipe would be it. Combine all ingredients and add them to the base of your slow cooker, stir and set. Can you believe how easy this is? Make a pot of steamed rice and warm some naan right before serving and ta-da; you’ve got a healthy, delicious dinner that rivals any take-out.
This slow cooker meal is SO good and perfect for healthy weeknight dinners. If you love Indian food, then you’ll love this simple chickpea tikka masala.
The kind of soup that’s perfect for snow days, for sick days and for days when you’re craving vegetables but aren’t in the mood for a raw vegetable.
A very vegan vegetable slow cooker soup that’s packed with 7 different vegetables, protein-rich beans and a savory broth. The best part about this soup is that it’s completely customizable to whatever veggies you like in your soup– it doesn’t need to be too perfect on the amounts. Throw it in, make sure there’s enough broth to cover, and let simmer for hours and hours.
If you like my tortilla soup and are looking for a hands-off approach, this slow-cooker taco soup is for you.
The real beauty of taco soup? The toppings! Similar to a tortilla soup, I think I like taco soup so much because you can add as many toppings as I like. For fellow texture-lovers, I adore the contrast of warm soup with shredded cheese, creamy avocado and loads of fresh chopped cilantro. If I have it, I’ll also add in fresh chopped scallions but know that almost any toppings work. If you like it on tacos, it should work in this soup.
Comforting, filling, and savory– this slow cooker tomato soup is one of my favorite simple meals.
Start by placing the whole canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, garlic, onion and spices in the base of a slow cooker then cook on high for about 4-5 hours. Puree until creamy and smooth, then return back to the slow cooker and add in cashew cream, or cream of choice. Serve with fresh chopped basil and maybe a drizzle of additional cream on top. So easy, simple and delicious.
This Indian-style slow cooker potato curry is the ultimate weeknight vegetable curry. Hearty, rich and perfectly spiced and packed with plant-based protein and veggies— it’s perfect for a cozy fall or winter meal. This slow cooker potato curry is so hearty and yummy, it’s like a giant hug. All of our favorites are in this one: chickpeas, cauliflower, little potatoes and a creamy, coconut Indian-style curry sauce.
Looking for a simple butternut squash soup recipe? This butternut squash slow cooker soup is perfect for Autumn! Squash, apples, onion, carrots simmered for hours then pureed with creamy coconut milk. A sip-able soup that’s perfect for a quick lunch but made even better with grilled apple and cheese sandwiches and served for dinner.
Simmered squash, apples, onions and carrots with vegetable broth made creamy with coconut milk at the end for a rich, delicious squash soup. Oh man, it’s incredibly decadent and delicious.
Sweet and Spicy Meatballs made in the crock pot! These meatballs are packed in a sweet and spicy pepper and pineapple sauce. So delicious and perfect for weeknight dinners! Throw everything in a slow cooker and dinner is ready when you are. Any type of meatballs work here, I usually use the frozen vegan meatballs from Jack & Annie’s or Whole Food’s house 365 brand.
What I love most about this recipe is how incredibly easy it is to put together. This dish reminds me of the recipes that you’d find in the back of a church cookbook. A true dump recipe; throw everything in, turn it on and dinner is ready a few hours later.
Make a spicy tangy BBQ sauce first, letting the meatballs, peppers and pineapple soak up all of the sweet and spicy goodness as it cooks. Subtly sweet, thanks to the addition of pure maple syrup, yet spicy and rich at the same time. Grab the Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Meatball recipe here.
One of my favorite vegan slow cooker recipes, this coconut curry recipe is healthy, tasty and takes just minutes to put together.
The real beauty of this recipe is that it’s adaptable to whatever vegetables you have on hand. The sauce is so delicious and works with just about everything. The version I feature here, with eggplant, broccoli and red bell pepper is great for fall while butternut squash, carrots and greens work equally well.
While this vegan red curry sauce could easily be slurped on its own, it’s the tastiest vehicle for beans & vegetables that I can think of. Each bowl contains a full serving of vegetables and protein!
Don’t wanna make this in the slow cooker? No problem! Simmer the sauce and add the vegetables. Cook on low for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
This butternut squash and black bean slow cooker chili is one of my favorite chilis that I adapted for the crockpot. It’s vegan, gluten-free and super-easy to make. Hearty, comforting and the only remedy for days when I’m too cold to venture outdoors.
For an extra layer of flavor, I lightly sauté the onion, garlic, peppers and squash before adding to the soup. This step caramelizes the onion and produces a lightly browned crust to the squash and peppers. Of course, no chili is complete without toppings. I seriously think that’s my favorite part about chili- an excuse to pile on chopped avocado. Personally, I think the combo of spicy chili and creamy avocado tastes best, but go with whatever your heart desires.
You’ve gotta try this amazing vegan crock-pot meal. Packed with flavor, protein and fiber this slow cooker chickpea tangine is vegan and gluten-free. If you love warm, fragrant spices like cumin and turmeric, hearty chickpeas and nutty couscous, you are going to love this dish.
(3 comments) leave a comment
These look amazing it just needs to get a little be cooler here is SE Missouri for me to dig out the crop pot!
cannot wait to try them all!
thanks
cjr
Hey – looks like you featured the same recipe from Sweet Peas and Saffron twice – FYI!
AH! Thanks for letting me know- will fix it now. 🙂