Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes That Make Nutritious Eating Easy

We have your supper solution if you’re craving some Thanksgiving flair on a weeknight. With this healthy slow cooker meal, you’re just 5 ingredients away from dinner. Juicy chicken thighs and creamy new potatoes bathe in brown mustard and maple syrup for a crowd-pleasing weeknight meal.

This skinny slow cooker recipe is so colorful and flavorful, you won’t even miss the greasy fried tortilla bowl. Start by spooning a slow-cooked, protein-packed mixture of beans, salsa, and lean ground beef or turkey (your choice) over a bed of lettuce. Then customize your salad toppers: We're fans of cherry tomatoes, corn, and creamy avocado.

Related: How to Throw a Casual Mexican Party Like a Top Chef

What do you get when you slow-cook chicken thighs in broth with carrots, green onions, red potatoes, and peas, then add a splash of half-and-half for creaminess? This 223-calorie bowl of seemingly indulgent soup. Top with crumbled goat cheese and caramelized shallots to take the skinny slow cooker meal to gourmet territory.

Buy It: Cuisinart 3½-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker, $59.99, Target

You know those lettuce wraps you love at your local Asian bistro? This low-calorie slow cooker recipe is a DIY version that lets you customize the filling to your preferences. And because each generously portioned wrap is just 129 calories, there's no need to hesitate about eating two or three!

Related: Copycat Recipes That Are Even Better Than the Originals

This deliciously-spiced Indian stew looks, smells, and tastes indulgent, but it's only 239 calories per serving. The spice blend garam masala (a punchy blend of cloves, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, and more) helps this healthy slow cooker potato soup taste remarkably complex.

Buy It: Simply Organic Garam Masala, $6.49, Walmart

Skip takeout tonight and try our healthy slow cooker recipe complete with turkey and sesame-ginger broccoli, all wrapped up in a warm tortilla shell. (Or try them in lettuce wraps if you’re aiming to cut down on carbs.) Store-bought shortcuts make the serves-a-crowd tender turkey entrée a cinch to prep in just 20 minutes.

Are you on Team #PutAnEggOnIt? Us too. So we’re nearly positive this easy healthy slow cooker recipe will become your go-to breakfast for dinner, just as it has become ours. Crushed red pepper, garlic, and Italian seasoning infuse the homemade marinara that acts as a tasty bed for the protein-rich eggs.

If you’re tired of plain pork tenderloin, transform the same protein into something completely new in this healthy slow cooker meal. Simmer with garlic, lime juice, honey, and soy sauce for a fork-tender roast that’s ready to shred and serve. As the meat finishes cooking, take 5 minutes to toss together the crisp, refreshing, and just-spicy-enough sriracha slaw.

Migas, a traditional Mexican creation featuring corn tortillas and eggs, is the inspiration for this low-calorie slow cooker recipe. (Hint: It’s the ideal vehicle if you have a few stray tortillas that are on the edge of going stale after taco night.) Serve the vegetarian egg entrée with fresh cilantro (on the side, in case anyone has the gene that makes it tastes like soap!) queso fresco, and homemade guacamole.

Garlicky garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas) amp up the protein in these fresh sandwiches. Want a healthful, skinny recipe to take to work for lunch? Just pop the beans in the slow cooker the night before and pack the spinach, tomatoes, and pita bread in separate containers so the ingredients stay fresh until you're ready to assemble.

Related: 23 Creative Lunch Box Ideas for Adults

Believe it or not, the prep-it-and-forget-it method works for this usually time-intensive (yet tasty) classic casserole recipe. No-boil lasagna noodles hold layers of ground turkey, bottled pasta sauce, and melty cheese when cooked on the low setting for a few hours for this low-calorie slow cooker meal. All you have to do is precook the turkey and assemble the lasagna, and the slow cooker does the rest.

If you like garlic, then you'll love this chicken thigh-based healthy slow cooker meal. The vegetable-forward whole-grain entrée—oh yes, and 12(!) garlic cloves—is a Mediterranean delight that's layered with flavor via that garlic, rosemary, onions, and lemon.

The secret ingredient to this Cajun-style healthy slow cooker recipe is peanut butter. The kid-friendly brown-bag lunch staple ingredient gives it a thick and creamy consistency while offering an extra boost of protein, too.

Enjoy a light take on the Greek gyro with bright and fresh veggies that lend summery flavor. Seasoned lamb, cucumbers, and feta cheese offer a taste of the Mediterranean in this, one of our best healthy slow cooker recipes for when you’re craving street food … but not all the calories that often come with it. The irresistible sauce comes together in just minutes with three ingredients: minced garlic, mustard, and light mayo.

Give this childhood favorite an adult twist with a splash of rich-bodied porter beer, which amplifies the flavor of the ground beef. The mix can be made up to a month in advance and frozen for a quick, easy, and healthy slow cooker meal for busy weeknights.

Related: 21 Unexpected Ways to Cook with Beer

We know the ingredient combo in this skinny slow cooker recipe sounds kind of crazy, but trust us: Cinnamon, ginger, chicken, and mango nectar make a delicious sweet-and-savory team. Onions and juicy mangoes are the ultimate colorful, nutrition-boosting garnishes for the healthy Mexican chicken dinner.

This Cajun gumbo takes virtually no prep work unless you count opening packaged veggies and adding them to the slow cooker. (We can handle that!) With that being said, this is one of the best healthy slow cooker recipes for jam-packed Meatless Mondays. Serve the vegetable gumbo with steamed brown rice or ancient grains for a diet-friendly taste of New Orleans.

Doesn’t this look just like the cozy casseroles Mom used to make to welcome you home after a busy school day? Cue the nostalgia. With just 25 minutes of prep time in the morning, this easy slow cooker recipe can be on the table in time for dinner. And the ooey-gooey cheddar-tofu dish is so tasty, no one will even notice it's made with lighter ingredients.

Related: Classic Recipes: Then and Now

“I didn't think it was possible for something so tasty from a dump dinner,” raves BHG.com home chef Otterlyone. Try it yourself to savor your own batch of the veggie-packed turkey meatball stew that's bubbling with Mexican flavor. The black beans in this easy slow cooker recipe not only bulk up the soup to satisfying stew territory, but also have been proven to boost heart health and reduce cholesterol.

Good news: Your go-to countertop appliance makes this comfort food favorite even easier to make. It's low in calories and high in rich, creamy flavor. You'll be reaching for seconds of this low-calorie slow cooker recipe in no time. (And you should feel A-OK about doing so since going DIY with this soup drastically cuts down the sodium compared to canned.)

A healthy pot roast in the slow cooker? You bet. Each serving of this skinny recipe has fewer than 400 calories, so feel free to slather on some extra sauce. Whole wheat couscous, a Middle Eastern grain, makes a filling side dish, especially once you stud it with corn and diced bell pepper.

Score a big dose of veggies in one pot with this mouthwatering beef stew. To shift this rib-sticking meal into healthy slow cooker dinner territory, combine reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup with plenty of fresh and frozen produce and low-sodium beef broth. (Or try it with trendy homemade bone broth!)

Rutabaga, a Swedish turnip, is featured alongside carrots, potatoes, and leeks in this healthy slow cooker potato soup. Using fresh vegetables instead of canned means less sodium in each serving. With fewer than 200 calories per bowl, you can (and should) pair your bowl with garlic toasts and a garden-fresh salad!