Slow Cooker Sundays: 5 Set-and-Forget Family Dinners

There is a special kind of peace that comes from knowing dinner is already cooking itself. That is the whole idea behind Slow Cooker Sundays at our house: sometime between breakfast and leaving for church or the ball field, I load up the slow cooker, snap on the lid, and honestly forget about it until the house starts smelling amazing in the late afternoon. No 5 p.m. scramble, no pile of pans, no standing over a hot stove while everyone is hungry and tired. These five dinners are the backbone of our Sundays — the ones that have never once let me down, that the kids eat without commentary, and that usually leave enough for Monday's lunchboxes. Pick one each week, rotate through the list, and your Sundays get a whole lot calmer.

Why Sundays Belong to the Slow Cooker

Sundays are supposed to be the reset day, but for most moms they are a marathon of laundry, errands, homework checks, and getting ready for the week. A slow cooker dinner respects that. The prep happens in the morning when energy is highest, the cooking happens while you are doing everything else, and serving is as simple as setting out bowls and toppings. These recipes also share a strategy: each one makes enough for a family dinner plus leftovers, and each pairs with the simplest sides imaginable — bagged salad, dinner rolls, rice from the rice cooker, or tortilla chips. Put the five on rotation and you have over a month of Sundays handled.

1. Classic Beef Pot Roast with Vegetables

The Sunday dinner of every childhood memory, made with almost no effort. A chuck roast, potatoes, carrots, and onion simmer all day in a savory broth until the meat falls apart with a fork.

• 3 to 4 pound beef chuck roast
• 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes, halved
• 4 carrots, cut into chunks
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper

1. Place the potatoes, carrots, and onion in the bottom of the slow cooker and set the roast on top.
2. Whisk the broth, tomato paste, and seasonings, pour over everything, cover, and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.
3. Slice or shred the roast, return it to the juices, and serve everything in shallow bowls.

2. Chicken Tortilla Soup

Bright, brothy, and endlessly top-able, this is the soup my kids request by name. Set out bowls of toppings and let everyone build their own.

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 packet taco seasoning, or 2 tablespoons homemade
• Toppings: tortilla strips, shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, lime

1. Add everything except the toppings to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
2. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, then lift out the chicken, shred it with two forks, and stir it back in.
3. Ladle into bowls and let everyone add their favorite toppings at the table.

3. BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Three ingredients, endless uses. This pulled chicken piles onto buns for sandwiches, but it is just as good over baked potatoes or a bed of coleslaw the next day.

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 1 1/2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce, plus more for serving
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Sandwich buns and coleslaw, for serving

1. Place the chicken in the slow cooker, sprinkle with brown sugar and paprika, and pour the barbecue sauce over the top.
2. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, until the chicken shreds easily.
3. Shred the chicken right in the sauce, pile onto buns, and top with coleslaw.

4. Hearty Beef and Bean Chili

A thick, stick-to-your-ribs chili that tastes like it simmered on the stove all day — because, in the slow cooker, it basically did. Game day or a quiet Sunday night, it never misses.

• 2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained
• 1 onion and 1 bell pepper, diced
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney or pinto beans, drained
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chili powder and 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 cup beef broth

1. Brown the beef with the onion and pepper in a skillet, drain the fat, and scrape everything into the slow cooker.
2. Add the beans, tomatoes, spices, and broth, and stir well.
3. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours and serve with cornbread, crackers, and all the fixings.

5. Salsa Verde Pork Tacos

One jar of salsa verde does all the seasoning work here. The pork comes out juicy and bright, ready for tacos tonight and burrito bowls tomorrow.

• 3 pound pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
• 1 jar (16 ounces) salsa verde
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Warm tortillas, shredded cabbage, and lime wedges, for serving

1. Set the onion slices in the bottom of the slow cooker, place the pork on top, and season with cumin and garlic powder.
2. Pour the salsa verde over everything, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Shred the pork, stir it back through the juices, and serve in warm tortillas with cabbage and a squeeze of lime.

Slow Cooker Tips for Best Results

• Fill it halfway to two-thirds full. Too empty and food overcooks; too full and it will not heat evenly or may bubble over.
• Keep the lid on. Every peek lets out heat and can add 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time. Resist until the last hour.
• Layer with intention. Root vegetables go on the bottom where the heat is, with the meat resting on top.
• Brown when you have time. It is optional, but browning beef for chili or pot roast first adds a deeper flavor that is worth ten minutes.
• Finish fresh. A squeeze of lime, a handful of fresh cilantro, or a swirl of sour cream at serving time wakes up a dish that cooked all day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cook these recipes on high instead of low?

Yes, if your Sunday gets away from you. As a rough guide, one hour on high equals about two hours on low, so plan on roughly half the cooking time. Tougher cuts like pot roast and pork shoulder will always be more tender with the long, low cook if you have the hours to spare.

How do I keep chicken from drying out in the slow cooker?

Chicken breasts are lean and can overcook, so check them at the early end of the time range and pull them as soon as they shred easily. Boneless thighs are more forgiving and stay juicy even if dinner runs late, which is why they are my Sunday default.

What is the best way to handle leftovers?

Cool leftovers promptly, refrigerate them in shallow containers, and use them within three to four days. Most of these dinners also freeze well for up to three months — the pot roast, chili, and pulled pork especially — so a Sunday cook can quietly stock your freezer too.