Russian Food Recipeub October 23, 2026 0 Comments

19 Crockpot Recipes Straight Out of the 1970s Slow Cooker Craze

The 1970s had a particular talent for putting dinner in a crockpot and calling it a night. Canned soup, a packet of seasoning, a cut of meat, and somehow dinner was ready before anyone had to think too hard.

I love those old recipes because they weren’t trying to win a beauty contest. They were practical, generous, and built around the very real goal of getting food on the table without hovering over the stove all evening.

These 19 crockpot recipes bring back that wonderfully unfussy side of 1970s cooking, including the classics that still make sense decades later.

Hearty beer chili with ground meat, beans, and vegetables. — Easy Crockpot Beer Chili: With PGA Beer. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

My neighbor across the hall grew up on slow-cooker dinners and swore this chicken stew was a weeknight staple in her house. Chicken, potatoes, carrots, and a savory broth cook slowly until everything turns tender. It is a simple, filling dinner that made me understand the appeal.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

Easy 5-Ingredient Crockpot Chicken and Rice

A bowl of creamy chicken stew garnished with chopped herbs and served with a spoon. — Easy 5-Ingredient Crockpot Chicken and Rice. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

A Canadian friend told me her family lived on five-ingredient crockpot dinners, and this chicken and rice is exactly why. Chicken, rice, and a few pantry staples cook together into something creamy and filling. It is the kind of no-fuss meal that makes a busy week feel manageable.
Get the Recipe: Easy 5-Ingredient Crockpot Chicken and Rice

Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Soup

A bowl of hearty cabbage roll soup sits on a black and white checkered cloth atop a woven mat. The slow cooker soup is rich and chunky, filled with tender cabbage, ground meat, and tomatoes, and garnished with fresh parsley. Wooden utensils are placed beside the bowl. — Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Soup. Photo credit: Trop Rockin.

Cabbage rolls took my grandmother all afternoon, so I love that this soup gives me the same flavors in a crockpot. Ground meat, rice, cabbage, and tomato simmer together into a hearty, savory bowl. It tastes like home without all the rolling and folding.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Soup

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken

A guest at one of our dinners asked why my creamy chicken tasted so rich, and the answer was simply the slow cooker. The chicken cooks slowly in a creamy sauce until it’s tender enough to shred with a fork. Serve it over rice or noodles, and it feeds the whole table.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken

Crockpot Poor Man’s Stew

A bowl of hearty meat and vegetable stew with a spoon, sitting on a woven placemat. — Crockpot Poor Man’s Stew. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

My grandparents knew how to stretch a little meat and a lot of vegetables into a full dinner, and this stew follows that same idea. Beef, potatoes, carrots, and a savory broth cook slowly until everything turns tender. It is a humble, hearty meal that never feels like less.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Poor Man’s Stew

Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup

Bowl of hearty beef and vegetable soup with pasta, beans, peas, carrots, green beans, and cracked black pepper. — Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup. Photo credit: Or Whatever You Do.

There is something reassuring about a soup that cooks all day and feeds everyone at the table. Beef, vegetables, and a savory broth turn into something hearty and filling with almost no effort. This is slow cooker cooking at its most practical.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

A bowl of French onion soup topped with melted cheese and chopped parsley on toasted bread, with a spoon in the bowl. — Slow Cooker French Onion Soup. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

French onion soup always felt fancy to me, so I was surprised how well it works in a crockpot. Onions cook low and slow until sweet and golden, then simmer in a rich broth. Add cheese and bread on top, and it becomes a cozy dinner without much work.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

A bowl of creamy potato soup topped with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, and crumbled bacon, next to a spoon and a blue and white checkered napkin. — Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

A neighbor brought loaded potato soup to a winter potluck, and I’ve made my own version ever since. Potatoes, bacon, cheese, and a creamy base cook together into something thick and comforting. It is a classic slow cooker meal that fits right into a cold Montreal winter.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

A wooden spoon holds soup with couscous, carrots, greens, and sausage in a broth. — Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Italian wedding soup was always a special-occasion soup in my family, and the crockpot makes it easy enough for any night. Small meatballs, greens, and pasta simmer together in a savory broth. It is a cozy meal that works for a regular Tuesday too.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs

Braised short rib with carrots and onions served over mashed potatoes, garnished with chopped parsley. — Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Beef short ribs used to feel like a weekend-only meal to me, until a friend showed me how easy they are in the crockpot. The ribs cook slowly in a savory sauce until the meat falls apart tender. It is a rich dinner that takes almost no effort.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs

Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs

Meatballs topped with melted cheese and chopped parsley in a slow cooker. — Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

French onion soup and meatballs together sounded unusual to me, but one bite at a friend’s house changed my mind. Meatballs simmer in a sweet, savory onion broth until they turn tender and flavorful. This fun crockpot meal feels a little special without much work.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs

Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Chowder

Close-up of a creamy chicken and corn chowder with chopped bacon and potatoes, garnished with fresh chives. — Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Chowder. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

A chicken corn chowder I tried at a friend’s place inspired this version, and the crockpot makes it easy to recreate at home. Chicken, corn, potatoes, and a creamy base cook slowly into a thick, cozy chowder. It is a comforting meal that comes together with very little effort.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Chowder

5 Ingredient Pork Chops In Crockpot Recipe (Only 5 Min. Prep)

Five-ingredient pork chops cooked until golden brown and served with vegetables. — 5 Ingredient Pork Chops In Crockpot Recipe (Only 5 Min. Prep). Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Five minutes of prep and a crockpot were all it took to get pork chops on the table when a neighbor shared this trick with me. The chops cook slowly with a few simple ingredients until they turn tender and flavorful. It is the kind of easy dinner that makes a busy day feel manageable.
Get the Recipe: 5 Ingredient Pork Chops In Crockpot Recipe (Only 5 Min. Prep)

Crockpot Meatballs

Baked pork chops served on a plate with a side of vegetables. — Crockpot Meatballs. Photo credit: Baking Beauty.

Meatballs in the crockpot became my go-to for family gatherings because they feed a crowd without keeping me in the kitchen. Meatballs simmer in a tangy sauce until they turn tender and coated in flavor. They are easy to make ahead and always disappear fast.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Meatballs

Slow Cooker French Onion Pot Roast

Pot roast with onions and gravy served over mashed potatoes on a white plate, garnished with parsley. — Slow Cooker French Onion Pot Roast. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

A pot roast that falls apart with a fork feels like a small victory, and this French onion version gets there with almost no effort. Beef and onions cook slowly in a savory broth until rich and tender. It is a classic, cozy meal that fits the slow cooker perfectly.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker French Onion Pot Roast

Crockpot Sausage and Potatoes

A plate of sliced sausage, potatoes, green beans, and onions, with a fork resting on the side. — Crockpot Sausage and Potatoes. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Sausage and potatoes in the crockpot became a regular dinner in my house because it asks so little of me. Sausage, potatoes, and a few seasonings cook together until everything turns tender and flavorful. It is a simple, hearty meal that takes almost no work.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Sausage and Potatoes

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Bowl of creamy chicken and vegetable stew topped with three biscuits and garnished with parsley. — Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Chicken pot pie was a dish my American friends grew up on, so I turned it into a crockpot soup to see what the fuss was about. Chicken, vegetables, and a creamy broth cook slowly into something rich and comforting. It tastes like the classic dish, but with the ease of a slow-cooker meal.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

A bowl of creamy beef stroganoff with egg noodles, garnished with chopped parsley. — Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

I grew up eating beef stroganoff, and the crockpot makes it easier than I ever expected. Beef cooks slowly in a creamy mushroom sauce until tender, then gets served over noodles. It is a rich, familiar meal that still works for a busy weeknight.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Easy Crockpot Beer Chili: With PGA Beer

Chili in the crockpot was a game-day staple at my neighbor’s house, and adding beer gave it a deeper flavor I had not tried before. Ground beef, beans, tomatoes, and a bottle of beer simmer together into a hearty, savory chili. It is an easy, filling meal that feeds a crowd.
Get the Recipe: Easy Crockpot Beer Chili: With PGA Beer

The wallpaper may have stayed in the 1970s, but these crockpot dinners deserve another turn at the table.