4 Super Easy Slow Cooker Recipes For Fall

These are perfect for busy weeknights.

By
Published August 28, 2026
Photo collage of slow cooker surrounded by a bowl of pumpkin soup, spinach, onion, white beans, and canned pumpkin on a teal background
AARP (Getty Images, 6; Shutterstock)

Now that fall is arriving with a crispness to the air, it’s time to dust off the slow cooker and cook up some hearty meals to warm you from the inside out. These dump-and-go recipes are super easy to whip up for a weeknight dinner — and perfect for those with busy lifestyles.

Hearty White Bean & Spinach Soup

This chunky soup is perfect for a cool day and will fill your home with the tantalizing fragrance of Italian spices.

Serves 6

  • 4 (16-ounce) cans white navy beans
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced (or roughly 1 cup of pre-shredded carrots)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach

Drain and rinse the navy beans. Add them to a greased crockpot along with all the other ingredients (EXCEPT the spinach). Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Using an immersion blender or hand mixer, blend the beans for a few seconds so that some of them turn creamy while others remain whole. Stir in the spinach, cover and cook for 10 more minutes before serving.

Easy Chicken & Rice

You can’t go wrong with a simple chicken and rice dish. This one can be put together in minutes but will taste like you’ve been cooking all day in the kitchen. The tender chicken thighs are the star of the show, making this comfort food dish one that will have your guests asking for more.

Serves 4-6

  • 2 (6.2-ounce) boxes rice with seasoning (I use Rice-A-Roni)
  • 2 (TK-ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
  • 2 (TK-ounce) cans French onion soup
  • 1 (12-16-ounce) bag of frozen peas and carrots
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 4 boneless chicken thighs
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 green onions, chopped

Mix the first 5 ingredients together in a greased crockpot. Top with the chicken thighs. Sprinkle garlic powder over the meat, then scatter the green onions over the top. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours until chicken is done.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup

Nothing says fall like pumpkin soup, but many of us don’t have time to carve a pumpkin and make homemade puree. That’s why I love this recipe from The Lazy Slow Cooker — you can use canned puree and still achieve the creamy silkiness of a more complicated pumpkin soup recipe. Serve the soup with some crusty bread for dipping and you’ll have the perfect fall meal.

Serves 6-8

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans pumpkin puree (or 4 cups)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 scant teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Toppings: Half-and-half or coconut cream (2 tablespoons per bowl)

If using a liner, place it in the slow cooker, then pour the first 7 ingredients into the pot. Stir to combine. Add broth and mix well. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. To serve, add salt and pepper to taste if preferred, and then 2 tablespoons of half-and-half (or coconut cream) to each serving.

Asian Pepper Steak

Craving Asian pepper steak but you don’t have time to stir-fry? This easy recipe can be tossed together in one pot without any fuss, yet it has the same quality flavors from your favorite take-out restaurant.

Serves 4

  • 2 pounds round steak, sliced into 1/3-inch-thick strips, roughly 2 inches long
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • Optional: cooked rice

Place steak and chopped vegetables into a greased crockpot. Whisk together the soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, black pepper and brown sugar in a small bowl, then pour over the steak and veggies. Add the broth and stir until blended. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until steak is tender. Serve over cooked rice if desired.

Marcia Kester Doyle is a Yahoo Life Columnist and the author of Who Stole My Spandex? Life In The Hot Flash Lane. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, The Independent, Stylist, U.S.A. Today/Reviewed, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, AARP, Woman's Day, Country Living, House Beautiful, and many others. You can find her at marciakesterdoyle.com.