When you’re craving a hearty beef dinner but don’t want to spend all evening in the kitchen, your slow cooker is here to help. With a little prep in the morning, you can set it and forget it, then come home to a cozy, comforting meal that’s ready when you are.
This collection of slow cooker beef recipes includes satisfying favorites like Mississippi Pot Roast, Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff, and Slow Cooker Beef and Bean Chili, plus plenty of other dinners perfect for busy weeknights, lazy Sundays, or anytime you need an easy meal with big flavor.
01 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss
“My favorite way to serve Mississippi Pot Roast is on top of garlic mashed potatoes. To keep this recipe as simple as possible, I recommend Bob Evans microwaveable mashed potatoes in the Original or Garlic flavor. This roast also tastes great over white or brown rice.” —Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer
02 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Lisa Lin
“The soup is so hearty and flavorful, and the beef gets so tender over the long hours of cooking. Let it cook all day, and it just gets better. You can brown the meat and onions a day or two ahead and keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to make the soup.” —Lisa Lin, Recipe Developer
03 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Photo by Rachel Vanni / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh
“We put some miles on the Crock-Pot with this recipe, and over the years, I’ve made the slow-cooked meal dozens of times. It’s one of my top choices for days when I know I’m going to be too busy to spend much time in the kitchen but will still want a comforting, home-cooked meal come dinnertime.” —Stephanie A Ganz, Recipe Developer
04 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera
“One of the things that I love about this particular recipe is its use of bottom round roast—an especially meaty cut of beef. You can also use chuck or chuck roast, but you definitely want something that has the connective tissue typical in these types of cuts.”—Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer
05 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera
“This one-pot wonder is an adaptation of the Irish dish of bacon and cabbage. I was intrigued to find out that Irish Americans mimicked their new Jewish neighbors and used the cheaper salted (corned) beef in place of their traditional piece of bacon. As a result, another contribution to the American melting pot was created.” —Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer
06 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
“If you’re looking to get dinner ready before you leave for work, then set the slow cooker to low and let it simmer for eight hours, and it will be perfect. When you walk in the door after a day at the office, you can thank your past self for planning ahead.” —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer
07 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Ward / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser
“The slow cooker allows you to cook the brisket low and slow (and hands-off!) in a moist environment that prevents it from drying out. It’s not quite the same as a smoked brisket, but you’ll end up with perfectly tender meat and a luscious sauce with minimal stress and no babysitting. A smoky rub gives the brisket a well-rounded, savory, tangy-yet-sweet classic barbecue finish that will be a winner for any crowd.” —Megan Scott, Simply Recipes Editor
08 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
“Make this in the slow cooker! However, don’t just throw everything in the slow cooker and hope for the best. Take the time to brown the bacon and the beef separately, and add it to the slow cooker with veggies, seasonings, and liquids. Set the slow cooker on low heat and cook it for five to six hours.” —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer
09 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
“It’s my little secret that short ribs are actually one of the easiest dinners I make. I won’t tell if you don’t. Serving the short ribs, veggies, and sauce over a bed of cheesy grits is a restaurant-quality meal. Accolades and kind words will be showered upon you from anyone you serve this to.” —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer
10 of 14
“The two best cuts of beef for pot roast are chuck and bottom round. Chuck is a little fattier and falls apart (in a good way) when you slice it. Bottom round is a leaner cut, but still becomes tender in the pot.” —Simply Recipes Editors
11 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
“While simmering beef stew in a Dutch oven all day is a thing, using a Crock-Pot or slow cooker makes this meal almost too easy—you can set it and forget it to some extent. Just be sure to cut your meat and veggies in large enough chunks so they don’t get cooked into oblivion.” —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer
12 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
“The meatloaf will also stay hot enough to serve for an hour or two after it has finished cooking if left covered in the slow cooker (either off or on the warming setting), making this an extremely convenient dish that will suit your schedule.” —Jamie Anulewicz, Recipe Developer
13 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Ward / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser
“Knowing dinner is basically done before I even go to work makes me feel like a superhero. No matter what the day brings, I know we’ll walk into a house smelling of roast long simmered in herbs, wine, and garlic. Now, that’s not a bad way to end a workday.” —Summer Miller, Recipe Developer
14 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
“For a low-and-slow cook like this, the cut of beef matters. Chuck, from the well-exercised shoulder, is packed with collagen that melts into gelatin as it cooks, creating a luscious sauce, while fat marbling ensures the meat stays moist.” —Anne Wolf, Recipe Developer
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