25 Vegan Crockpot Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook small amounts in a large slow cooker? ›

Size Matters: Choose an oven-safe bowl that fits inside your slow cooker. This bowl should be big enough to hold your meal but small enough to allow space around it. Filling Right: Aim to fill the oven-safe bowl two-thirds to three-quarters full to ensure even cooking.

When troubleshooting a meal-gone-wrong, often our first question is “How big is your slow cooker?” The size of your crockpot can affect the outcome of your meal. If your crockpot is smaller than what we recommend, you may need to cook your meal a little longer.

Most slow cooker meals take 8-12 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high, but there are also recipes for slow-cooked meat that take up to 24 hours. If you want to avoid overcooking your dish, follow the given guidelines as closely as possible.

Just plug in your slow cooker, add your chosen recipe's ingredients, set the cooker to low or high, depending on the recipe's instructions, add the lid and let it cook. Once your dish is done cooking, you can either switch the slow cooker off to turn off the heating element, or warm if you're not ready to enjoy it yet.

Just not an insane amount. In a 1 1/2-quart slow cooker, you'll have enough food for 2–3 servings of soup or stew or braise (or whatever), which is perfect for meal prepping for one person.

“Small slow cookers such as the 1 to 1.5-quart models are a great option for those cooking meals for one,” says Grainer. “Whether you're entertaining at home or bringing food to share, small slow cookers are easy to transport and will keep dips, appetizers, sides, and sauces warm.”

In general, we like 6-quart models. That said, we tested our recipes in slow cookers of different sizes. Each recipe includes the size range that will work for that particular recipe, though the majority of the recipes work with 4- to 7-quart slow cookers.

Soak up the condensation

Taste user Jenny says she puts a tea towel under her crockpot lid to catch water and stop it thinning too much. This technique is also a favourite with taste's food editor Miranda.

It is not recommended to keep food warm in a slow cooker overnight by turning it off and not opening it until the next morning. Doing so could create an environment that allows bacteria to grow, which can make the food unsafe to eat.

Can you overcook something in a slow cooker? ›

Slow cookers are specially designed to cook food for long periods of time, but yes, you can still overcook in a slow cooker if something is left on the wrong setting for longer than it's supposed to be.

Classics like chicken Alfredo, pepper steak, beef & broccoli, chicken cacciatore, and more might just taste even better in the crockpot (and are certainly way more hands-off than their skillet or baking dish counterparts).

Yes, you can add raw steak to a slow cooker to cook it to your desired doneness level. Slow cooking steak is a convenient way to cook steak over several hours, tenderizing it and adding exceptional flavor along the way.

One of the main attractions for many people is the ease of a slow cooker, so when you're looking for recipes, avoid those that suggest a lot of pre-preparation. For many dishes, particularly soups and stews, you really can just throw all the ingredients in.

Prepare food the night before and store in the fridge to save time. Don't place the cooker insert in the fridge, or it won't heat up quickly enough to stop bacteria growing. Fill your slow cooker between half and three-quarters full so the food cooks evenly.

You want to use tinfoil that can hold its shape and stand on its own. Once you create a tinfoil wall that can snugly fit in the center of your slow cooker, take the wall out and line your device with a slow cooker liner. You can then re-insert your tinfoil wall and begin to add your desired ingredients.

Aim for between half and two-thirds full. If the cooker is too full, the food may not cook evenly and could end up being undercooked. On the other hand, if the cooker is not full enough, the food may overcook.

A 3.5-litre slow cooker will usually feed a family of 4, depending on your portion sizes. You can learn more about slow cookers, their sizes, and their benefits, using this simple slow cooker guide.