There is nothing yummier than getting home and being greeted by the sweet smell of slow-cooker soup. Plus on a cold winter afternoon, there’s nothing that will warm you up quicker. Here are some of our favorite slow-cooker soups that will make dinnertime more comforting and easier since you can leave these ready the night before and just turn on the slow-cooker in the morning before you leave to work.
Chicken-Bacon and Potato Soup
Ingredients
4 center-cut bacon slices, diced
1 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
2 teaspoons salt-free garlic-and-herb seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash)
2 cups thinly sliced leek (from 2 large leeks)
1 cup sliced carrot (from 2 large carrots)
1 cup sliced celery (from 2 large stalks)
4 cups unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson), divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 thyme sprigs
12 ounces baby potatoes
2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach
- Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings in pan. Set bacon aside.
- Sprinkle chicken with seasoning blend. Add chicken to bacon drippings in pan; cook 8 minutes, browning on all sides. Transfer chicken using a slotted spoon to a 6-quart electric slow cooker, reserving any drippings in pan. Add leek, carrot, and celery to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup stock, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add leek mixture, bacon, remaining 3 cups stock, salt, pepper, and thyme sprigs to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours. Add potatoes; cover and cook on LOW for 2 more hours or until potatoes are tender.
- Remove chicken from slow cooker with a slotted spoon; discard thyme sprigs. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces; discard bones. Return chicken to slow cooker; add spinach, stirring until spinach wilts.
Slow Cooker Chili
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
¾ cup diced onion
¾ cup diced green bell pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 (10.75 oz) tomato puree
2 (15 oz) cans of kidney beans
1 (15 oz) cans of cannellini beans
½ tbsp of chili powder
½ tsp of dried parsley
1 tsp of salt
¾ tsp of dried basil
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce
- Place the beef in a skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown. Drain grease.
- Place the beef in a slow cooker, and mix in onion, celery, green bell pepper, garlic, tomato puree, kidney beans, and cannellini beans. Season with chili powder, parsley, salt, basil, oregano, black pepper, and hot pepper sauce.
- Cover, and cook 8 hours on Low.
Beef Barley Vegetable Soup
1 (3lb) beef chuck roast
½ cup barley
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp of oil
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 oz) package frozen mixed vegetables
4 cups of water or chicken broth
4 cubes of beef bouillon cubes
1 tbsp white sugar
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 (28 oz) can of chopped stewed tomatoes
Salt to taste
- In a slow cooker, cook chuck roast until very tender (usually 4 to 5 hours on High, but can vary with different slow cookers). Add barley and bay leaf during the last hour of cooking. Remove meat, and chop into bite-size pieces. Discard bay leaf. Set beef, broth, and barley aside.
- Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Saute carrots, celery, onion, and frozen mixed vegetables until tender. Add water, beef bouillon cubes, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, chopped stewed tomatoes, and beef/barley mixture. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 to 20 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.