These set it and forget it side dishes won’t heat the kitchen and can be made the morning of for a less stressful evening. Crockpot side dishes are delicious and easy. Win-win!
From green beans to Mac and Cheese, you can make a variety of side dishes in the pot as well. This can be very helpful since this allows you to free up oven space yet still get warm savory sides.
I have an entire list of crockpot side dishes that I love to make, but before I lay them all out for you, I have some tips!
They include general crockpot tips as well as tips for transporting your side dish to family dinners or potlucks.
Crock pot Tips
A few tips to help you out –
HIGH heat takes about half as long as LOW heat so time accordingly.
Avoid peeking under the lid, unless noted in the recipe. When the lid is lifted it will take up to 20 minutes for the pot to return to the correct cooking temperature.
Foods don’t cook properly if there isn’t enough or there is too much for the size of the pot. For the most even cook, the amount of food should fill your pot ½ way to ⅔ full. Note that most recipes are designed for a 5-6 qt pot.
Don’t overcook: Some crockpots have a timer that will automatically switch to the warm mode, but if yours doesn’t you’ll need to remember to do it manually.
Crockpot liners are great for easy clean up.
Transporting slow cooker dishes
Whether you made the dish in the crock pot or you are using a crockpot to keep a dish warm, transporting is pretty easy especially if the pot has a locking lid.
If it doesn’t have a locking lid, you can use heavy duty rubber bands to string around the handles and over the lid to hold it in place.
Trust me—you are going to want to secure the lid down. Otherwise, despite your best efforts, you may end up with food on the floor of your car.
To keep the pot from sliding around, place it in a sturdy laundry basket or box, then make it snug with a towel.
Favorite slow cooker Side Dishes
So many great ones that we love to make for dinner and the holidays! Here are some of our favs:
Side DishSlow Cooker Green Beans Recipe
Crock Pot Green Beans – just a few ingredients make the yummiest green beans ever! We love this delicious side dish recipe.
Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes are the perfect easy side dish to your next family dinner. Just dump, cook, and enjoy some cheesy tender potatoes for your next meal or holiday gathering
Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes – these creamy potatoes are a perfect side dish to just about any meal! You only need a few simple ingredients, and your crock pot does all the work.
These cheesy garlic Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes are the perfect accompaniment to any meal, and so incredibly easy to make. They’re creamy, smooth and savory, and the cheese adds so much delicious flavor.
A big holiday dinner wouldn't be complete without rich flavorful creamed corn! It's creamy, buttery, and cheesy. Everyone's favorite holiday side dish!
Main Course, Side DishCrock Pot Baked Potatoes Recipe
The crock pot takes all the guess work out of baked potatoes. Simply prep and wrap your potatoes, throw them in the crock pot, and they come out perfectly ready to be topped with all your favorite fixings!
This Homemade Baked Beans recipe is a must-have at all of our BBQ’s. It’s such a simple and easy recipe, requires only FIVE ingredients, and cooks in the crock pot.
Everyone loves a good slow cooker recipe, and this Crock Pot Mac and Cheese is so simple, cheesy and delicious. With loads of cheese, butter, and sour cream it’s hard not to love this creamy macaroni and cheese recipe.
My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!
