The 10 Most Essential Winter Slow Cooker Recipes

While the slow cooker is really an all-season tool in the kitchen, it shines most in the cold winter months, when it can work overtime churning out the hearty soups, stews, and braises we all need to keep warm until spring. While there are so many good options for a winter slow cooker dinner, these 10 stand out among the rest and are essentials for the season. French onion soup, anyone?

French onion soup is on my “must make” list each and every winter, thanks to its rich broth and gooey, cheesy lid. Making it in the slow cooker eliminates a lot of the hands-on time that the stovetop version requires.

This French beef stew, made popular by Julia Child, is exactly the cure for bitter cold winter nights, especially when paired with a glass of red wine and a crusty baguette.

While cooking a whole chicken in milk may seem odd, but trust and you will be rewarded. The result is the most tender, moist bird that’s dripping in a lemony, sage-infused sauce.

Beef brisket is what cozy, winter Sunday suppers are made of. This one is as classic as it gets, cooked alongside potatoes, carrots, and onions and dripping with gravy.

What’s great about this recipe is that you can prep everything in advance and store it in an airtight container in the freezer. Then simply thaw and toss in the slow cooker when you need it.

While this vegetable-packed soup is usually also dotted with pasta. This bright, veggie-packed version goes the way of croutons, which add crunch to every comforting bite.

This Indian favorite is creamy, rich, and may rival your favorite restaurant’s version. Serve it over cooked rice to make it a meal.

This tender pot roast is infused with a touch of maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and balsamic vinegar. While it’s traditional to serve pot roast over egg noodles, this version is also great over creamy polenta.

Homemade bolognese sauce is also one of the dishes I crave most during the long winter months, but it requires an afternoon in front of the stove. The slow cooker achieves the same results without that.

This hearty beef stew, filled with nutty barley and tender mushrooms, is the perfect thing to hunker down with when snow is falling outside and you’re not planning on going anywhere for awhile.

• Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Cook & Carry Slow Cooker, $39
• Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker, $44
• KitchenAid 6-Quart Slow Cooker, $83