Given what we’re used to making in the slow cooker, you might be wondering what exactly these mini-Crockpot recipes are.
And I get that! I’m used to making big batches of Crockpot soup recipes or chili, knowing it won’t take me long and will last for days.
I was hesitant at first to buy a mini-Crockpot and wasn’t what I would even do with it. But then I found so many fantastic recipes, and I just had to share!
Think about it: you don’t need a mountain of green beans or a whole bag of rice for your dinner.
What you need is a small side dish that’s hands-off and super simple.
That’s where the mini-Crockpot really shines. Just picture how easy your next Thanksgiving will be when you can cook your sides in a slow cooker.
It’ll save you oven space, too! Oh, and it’s not just savory sides here. There are plenty of fun sweet treats!
There are 20 fabulous mini-Crockpot recipes on this list, but there are so many more! The sky’s the limit with these little babies, so get cooking!
1. Herby Slow Cooker Baby Potatoes
If you’ve ever made baby potatoes before, you’ll know they will often start to burn on the outside before they cook all the way through. What a nightmare!
Luckily, using a slow cooker will ensure they’re fork-tender and perfect every time. Plus, they’ll cook in the herby sauce, infusing every bite with flavor.
2. Honey Garlic Crockpot Meatballs
These mini-meatballs are perfect for the main dish or an appetizer, and the key is really in the sauce.
It’s a mix of brown sugar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, and garlic. It will turn into a sticky glaze as it cooks, coating every meatball in this savory-sweet mix.
3. Slow Cooker Mini-Chocolate Chip Muffins
These mini-muffins are so moist and chocolatey that you’ll need more than one!
I like to use big chunks of chocolate in the batter, so you’ll get lovely pops of melted goodness when you bite in.
Depending on the size and shape of your Crockpot, you’ll need either silicone muffin cases or a mini-muffin mold.
4. Crockpot Express Banana Bread Bites
I’m a banana-bread fanatic, and I’ve made every variation you can think of.
I have to admit; I was nervous with this one, thinking they would be too dry or dense. But they came out so well!
You’ll need a similar muffin pan as mentioned above, or a pack of silicone egg bites molds.
These are great for breakfast or snacking on the go.
5. Crockpot Teriyaki Steak Bites
Steak bites are so tasty and tender when you cook them right, and the slow cooker will almost always get it right.
The sauce is a heavenly mix of sesame oil, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, water, honey, brown sugar, pepper, and sesame seeds.
It will cook and thicken with the steak right in the pot.
You’re best using sirloin for this, chopping it into chunks at home for the most tender bites possible.
6. Crockpot Kielbasa Sausage Bites Appetizer
Who doesn’t love a big bowl of sweet and spicy kielbasa?! They’re so easy but so hard to resist!
The sauce is a mixture of BBQ sauce, pepper jelly, brown sugar, honey, and red pepper flakes, so you know it’s going to have a bit of a kick.
But don’t worry, the sugar and honey balance it out beautifully.
7. Crockpot Little Smokies
Little smokies are usually cocktail sausages cooked in or served with lots of tangy BBQ sauce.
Much like the recipe above, they’re meaty, sweet and spicy, and perfect for an appetizer or quick snack.
8. Slow Cooker Baby Carrots with Honey and Brown Sugar
If you’re looking for a sure-fire way to see the kids clear their plates, you’ll have to try this sweet carrot recipe.
The buttery glaze will make these impossible to resist, and you might even see them reaching for seconds!
Of course, you can use sliced carrots for this, but the baby ones are naturally sweeter, too, and look pretty cute if you ask me.
9. Easy Crockpot Fondue
This one’s a no-brainer! The gentle heat of the Crockpot is perfect for melting cheese, and the warm setting will keep it evenly sauced while you dig in.
Be sure to use a block of cheese that you cut up yourself, as the pre-shredded kind doesn’t melt quite right. And for a deeper flavor, try using beer instead of wine.
10. Crockpot Cheese Dip
Can we normalize making hot dip at home for no reason? Please?! It’s so good!
This one is particularly decadent, being made from bacon, cheddar, and ranch.
As mentioned above, always shred your own cheese, as it’ll have way more flavor and better texture.
Since you’ll add ranch to the mix, I recommend going for low-sodium bacon whenever possible, as the dressing is already pretty salty.
11. Crockpot French Onion Soup
French onion soup is a dream. It’s meaty, hearty, bursting with flavor, and pretty close to perfect, in my humble opinion.
Between the beef broth, caramelized onions, cheesy top, and thick crusty bread, it has everything you would want in a starter.
Once your onions are lovely and dark, add in the broth and let it all marry. That’s the beautiful base, and it’s genuinely delicious.
Once it’s ready, portion it into ramekins and top with thick, crusty bread and lots of cheese before broiling until the cheese is bubbling.
12. Steel Cut Oatmeal Crockpot Directions
Talk about overnight oats! If you’ve shied away from such breakfasts because you’re not a fan of cold oats, this one’s for you!
This clever recipe has you making everything before bed and setting the Crockpot to cook while you sleep.
Just imagine waking up to a batch of warm, sweet, tasty oats. All you have to do is scoop!
You can also check out these other awesome overnight Crockpot breakfasts.
13. Apple Butterscotch Crisp
I know I’m not the only one who adds some caramel to my apple pies and crisps, right?
They’re made for each other, and the sweet caramel pairs perfectly with the tart apple and warm spices.
This twist on apple crisp is dense, decadent, and devilishly good.
You’ll add butterscotch pudding to the mix before letting it all cook in the Crockpot.
And if you want to add a bit of extra caramel, I wouldn’t blame you.
14. Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup
Did you know you can have this cooking in just 5 minutes? It’s true. It takes me longer to make my coffee in the morning!
You’ll use frozen broccoli for this, and you don’t even have to thaw it out. Just add it to the pot with the broth, onion, seasonings, and milk.
If you like it thick, you’ll need to make a quick cornstarch slurry at the end – cornstarch and water.
15. Warm Feta Cheese Dip
Between the cream cheese, feta, basil, and sweet peppers, you’ll need to double this to feed the hungry crowd.
It’s so creamy, with just the right amount of salty-sweet flavor, and has some fantastic texture to boot.
Serve with crunchy bread, breadsticks, crackers, or potato chips.
16. Slow Cooker Rocky Road Candy
If you’re anything like me, you love making cookies and candy around the holidays.
I think people love getting homemade treats as gifts, and I hand them out like… well, candy.
Using your Crockpot to melt chocolate is genius! It’s gentle and will keep the mix warm while you work without you having to add water to a pot.
This recipe is super simple, melting everything together and mixing in your nuts and marshmallows. Then, just scoop onto the lined baking sheet and let cool.
17. Crockpot Wild Rice
Did you know that wild rice has more protein than quinoa? If you’re not a fan of the texture you get from quinoa, wild rice might just be the best option for you.
For this simple side dish, you’ll layer rice, mushrooms, onion, and pepper in the slow cooker before covering with stock.
You can keep it vegan-friendly with vegetable stock or up the flavor with some chicken or beef.
18. Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup
Loaded potato soup is thick, creamy, and super filling.
You’ll need to cook the potatoes with chicken stock, onion, garlic, thyme, butter, and bacon. This will infuse the potatoes with flavor and make it that much tastier.
Once they’re fork-tender, mash everything to the desired consistency before adding sour cream, cheese, and heavy cream for an extra layer of indulgence.
19. Crockpot Chili
As much as I love a good chicken chili, there’s nothing quite like a classic beef chili with lots of beans and plenty of heat.
If you’re looking to make chili and want to speed up the process, try skipping the browning stage.
I know what you’re thinking, but no, the meat does not need to be cooked before you add it to the pot.
It’ll cook for 8 hours, after all, so it will be super tender when it’s done.
Just mix it in thoroughly at first and give it a good stir every hour or so.
20. Slow-Cooker Crab Dip
This dip is hot, creamy, cheesy, and full of chunks of sweet crab meat.
The base for the dip is a mix of cream cheese, mayonnaise, green onions, garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Parmesan, and Old Bay seasoning.
If you swap out the mayo for sour cream, you’ll have a slightly tangier flavor, but it will still be super tasty.
It’s best served with buttery Ritz crackers.
20 Easy Mini-Crockpot Recipe Collection
Ingredients
Instructions
- Select your favorite recipe.
- Organize all the required ingredients.
- Prep a mini-Crockpot dish in 30 minutes or less!
