This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This collection of summer crockpot recipes features all the best main dishes and sides that will spare you from heating up the kitchen during the warm summer months!
More Collections: Summer Recipes, Summer Salad Recipes, Summer Drink Recipes
Love a Good Summer Recipe!
The crock pot is a cook’s best friend and summer staple for many reasons! It gets hot here in Arizona summers and not having to heat the kitchen up for dinner is a HUGE plus.
These summer crockpot recipes are perfect for starting in the morning so you can spend the rest of the day playing – or in our case, swimming!
Why we love these recipes:
- Set it and forget it. Whether working or playing, you’ll return home to a ready and warm summer dinner.
- Complete a meal. We’ve included both main dishes and side dishes to help round out your dinners!
- Keeping a cool kitchen. Keep the house cool, and the AC bill low!
- Crockpot tips. Achieve a perfect recipe every time with our go-to tips for using a slow cooker.
Tips for Summer Crock Pot Recipes
- Use the right size pot. The ingredients should fill between ½ and ⅔ of the pot.
- Go cheap. Inexpensive cuts of meat are often high in fat and connective tissue for a moist tender fall off the bone meat.
- Fresh, never frozen. Never use frozen meat in a crock pot.
- Preheat. Preheating the crock pot for about 20 minutes while you prep your ingredients helps get things to start cooking more quickly.
- Sauté. Brown your meat in a sauté pan first for a richer flavor.
- Keep a lid on it! Every time the lid is opened heat escapes slowing the cooking process. It takes 20-30 minutes for the pot to return to the right temperature.
- Liner. Use a crock pot liner for easy clean up, or coat the inside with cooking spray.
- Temperature. On many slow cookers, the HIGH temp is 280°F and the LOW temp is 170°F. Cooking on high for 1 hour is about the same as cooking on low for 2 hours.
- Don’t overcook. Even though the crock pot can be left alone without a lot of attention, you do have to make sure that it doesn’t overcook the food inside. Once the food is done, simply turn the setting to warm until you’re ready to serve.
Top Summer Crockpot Meals
I don’t typically serve soup and Chili in the summer, but that doesn’t mean I forgo all warm meals. Using the crock pot will help put a hot dinner on the table without making you sweat in the process.
These are our favorite easy summer dinner recipes that we enjoy all season long!
1 Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
2 Hot Dogs in Crock Pot
3 Crockpot Spaghetti
4 Sweet Pork Barbacoa Recipe
5 Kalua Pork Recipe
6 Carnitas Recipe
7 Pulled Pork Recipe
8 CrockPot Taco Soup Recipe
9 Crock Pot Pot Roast
10 Beef Stroganoff Recipe
More Crock Pot Meals for Summer
Summer is often a time for grilled dinners! We love to cook shrimp skewers, salmon, or steak but don’t rule out meat in a crockpot. Pulled pork and ribs can easily be cooked in a slow cooker, along with these main dish favorites!
A favorite is to cook up carnitas and whip out a blender for some fresh Salsa! Or make Pico de Gallo, grab some tomatoes and cilantro from the garden, garlic, red onions, and a bit of lime, and enjoy!
11 Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Recipe
Recipe Video
Get the recipe12 Best Slow Cooker Pork Chops
13 Slow Cooker Roast Chicken
14 Crock Pot Ribs Recipe
15 Crock Pot Brisket Recipe
16 Crock Pot Pork Roast
17 Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
Recipe Video
Get the recipe18 Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo Recipe
19 Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Recipe Video
Get the recipe20 Crockpot Lasagna Recipe
21 Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos Recipe
Recipe Video
Get the recipe22 Slow Cooker Barbacoa Recipe
23 Crockpot Ham Recipe
24 Cafe Rio Chicken Recipe
25 Crock Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
Recipe Video
Get the recipe26 Crack Chicken Recipe
27 French Dip Sandwich Recipe
28 Crockpot Ranch Chicken
29 Carnitas Tacos
30 Crockpot Tortellini Soup
Recipe Video
Get the recipeCrockpot Sides
Side dishes for us often include summer vegetables. We grow veggies in our garden (zucchini, bell pepper, and tomatoes being favorites).
A crockpot is a great way to keep sides like veggies, beans, or even Tortillas warm.
Summer side dishes are perfect for weeknight dinner or to pair with favorite meats cooked on the grill. Cook up some of these easy, delicious sides in the slow cooker to go with any of your favorite easy summer dinner ideas.
31 Crock Pot Baked Potatoes Recipe
32 Crockpot Spanish Rice Recipe
33 Cheesy Potatoes Recipe
34 Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
35 Crock Pot Creamed Corn
36 Baked Beans Recipe
37 Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
Recipe Video
Get the recipe38 How to Cook Rice in a Crock Pot
39 Crock Pot Pinto Beans Recipe
40 Crockpot Green Beans Recipe
A Creamy Kid-PLeaser
Everyone loves a good slow cooker recipe, and this Crock Pot Mac and Cheese is so simple, cheesy, and delicious!
If your family is like mine and could eat Homemade Mac & Cheese every night of the week, then you’ve gotta try this super easy slow cooker version!
Here is the recipe:
35+ Summer Crockpot Recipes
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook Macaroni in rapidly boiling water for 6 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Mix butter and cheese in a medium pan until cheese melts. Stir in sour cream, soup, salt, milk and pepper until well combined.
- Turn crockpot onto low setting. Add entire mixture and macaroni into the crock pot. Stir until combined. Cook on low for 2 hours and stir periodically.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
sensational summer crockpot recipes!
We love using our crockpot for easy summer dinner recipes that won’t heat the whole house while they’re cooking. The list above has some of our most favorite and most requested recipes that we love to make all year long! We’d love to know which ones you’ve tried too!
More Collections: Summer Desserts, Grilled Dinner Ideas, BBQ Side Dishes
Loved the recipes on this list! I’ve tried the pork chops and loved it, next on my list are tacos! Thanks so much for this amazing list of slow cooker recipes.
I forgot all the different types of dishes my mom used to make in the crockpot until I scrolled through this post! thank you so much for sharing!
There are so many great tips and recipes here that I can’t wait to make all summer long! I love using my crockpot, especially during summer months when I’d rather spend time outside than over the stove!
I didn’t know some of these foods- mostly the sides- could be made in a slow cooker. Im anxious to give them a try.
I love this list!! I do not want to turn the oven on during the summer, so these are perfect! I love the slow cooker mac & cheese!
Some of my most favorite summertime recipes are on this site. Great recipes for the hot dreaded time of the year. All family favorites!