Sarah Pound’s favourite ‘throw it in and leave it’ slow-cooker meals will be yours, too

Slow cookers are hands-down one of the most underrated tools in the kitchen, especially for busy families tackling hectic weeks. They take the pressure out of dinner time. You simply prep your ingredients earlier in the day, walk away and return hours later to a house smelling incredible and a rich, flavourful meal ready to serve.

Not only are they budget-friendly to run, but they are brilliant for transforming simple, everyday ingredients into comforting, nourishing meals with almost zero effort.

I especially love how slow cookers make healthy, home-cooked meals feel achievable, even on your craziest days. Whether you’re working, running the kids around or just completely exhausted by 5pm, having dinner quietly cooking away in the background is a lifesaver. From tender curries and hearty soups to vegetable-packed stews, the slow cooker does the heavy lifting for you – building deep, gorgeous flavours over time with minimal prep and barely any dishes.

Top tips for slow cooker success

• Trust texture over timing: If your meat isn’t falling apart after the recommended cooking time, it simply needs longer. Slow cookers vary in strength, so if it’s not tender yet, keep it simmering!
• Keep the lid on: Resist the urge to peek! Lifting the lid lets precious heat escape, drops the temperature and adds extra time to your cook.
• Size matters: Cut your vegetables into similar-sized pieces so everything cooks evenly and finishes at the same time.
• Season at the finish line: Flavours concentrate and deepen during a long, slow cook. Always taste and adjust your salt, pepper, or herbs at the end rather than the start.
• Keep an eye on the liquid: Don’t be afraid to add a splash of water or stock during the cook if things are looking a little too thick or starting to catch around the edges.

Slow-cooker lemongrass beef curry

This is one of those magical slow-cooker recipes that delivers unbelievable flavour with barely any effort. Everything simply gets thrown straight into the slow cooker – no frying off, no extra pans and absolutely no complicated prep. It’s just 10 minutes of hands-on work, and then you let the machine do the rest.

I’ve been making this recipe for more than 20 years, and it is still one of my all-time favourites. By the end of the day, the beef becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender, the sauce turns rich and deeply fragrant, and the whole house smells incredible.

INGREDIENTS

• 1.2kg beef chuck steak, oyster blade or brisket, diced into large pieces
• 2 large red chillies, roughly chopped
• 6 makrut lime leaves, lightly smashed
• 2 lemongrass stalks, lightly smashed
• 2-3 tbsp good-quality red curry paste
• ⅓ cup fish sauce
• 600ml canned coconut milk
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• ¾ cup peanuts, roughly chopped
• 280g (about 2 cups) pumpkin, cut into 3cm pieces
• 3 cups green beans, chopped (frozen are fine)

To serve

• steamed brown rice
• fresh coriander leaves
• extra chilli, sliced
• lime wedges

METHOD

1. Set your slow cooker to high.
2. Place the beef, chillies, makrut lime leaves, lemongrass, curry paste, fish sauce, coconut milk, brown sugar and peanuts into the slow cooker. Stir everything together well.
3. Cover with the lid and cook for 6-7 hours until the beef is becoming tender.
4. Add the pumpkin during the final hour of cooking and stir through gently. Add the green beans during the final 15 minutes.
5. Continue cooking until the beef is falling apart and the vegetables are tender. If needed, cook slightly longer depending on your slow cooker.
6. Serve spooned over brown rice with fresh coriander leaves, extra chilli and lime wedges on the side.

Serves 6

Slow cooker Moroccan vegetable and chickpea stew

Vegetarian slow-cooker meals can sometimes lack the deep flavour of meat-based dishes, which is why I love taking a few extra minutes to saute the base ingredients first. This step creates a richness and depth that completely transforms the final result. After that, the slow cooker takes over, leaving you with a beautifully hearty, warming meal packed with vegetables, spices and comforting flavour.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely diced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ras-el-hanout or Moroccan seasoning
• 1 tbsp harissa paste
• splash of vegetable stock or water
• 1 large sweet potato, cut into 3cm pieces
• 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ½ cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 red capsicum, roughly diced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 400g canned diced tomatoes
• 175ml vegetable stock
• 110g dried apricots, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 zucchini, sliced into rounds

To serve

• fresh coriander leaves
• Greek yoghurt
• flatbread, optional

METHOD

1. Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened.
2. Add the garlic and Moroccan seasoning and cook for another minute until fragrant. If the pan starts catching on the bottom slightly, add a splash of vegetable stock or water to help lift the flavour.
3. Stir through the harissa paste and sweet potato and cook for 2-3 minutes, coating the vegetables in the spices.
4. Transfer the contents of the pan to the slow cooker. Add the chickpeas, cauliflower, capsicum, tomato paste, diced tomato, vegetable stock, apricots and honey. Mix well.
5. Place the lid on and cook on high for 3 hours. Then add the zucchini and stir through gently. Continue cooking for another hour until all the vegetables are tender and the stew has thickened slightly.
6. Serve topped with fresh coriander leaves and a dollop of Greek yoghurt, with flatbread on the side, if desired.

Serves 6

Slow cooker chicken and risoni soup

This is the ultimate “throw it in and leave it” slow-cooker meal. Everything goes in raw, the slow cooker does all the heavy lifting and by the end of the day, you have a nourishing, comforting soup that tastes like it’s been lovingly simmering for hours – because it has. The chicken becomes beautifully tender and creates an incredible broth, making this the perfect low-fuss dinner for busy weeks.

Throwing in a parmesan rind is my secret weapon for maximum flavour – keep a stash of them in the freezer and toss one straight into the broth to create an incredibly rich, savoury depth.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole chicken (about 1.2kg)
• sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp ground paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large leek, finely sliced
• 2 large carrots, cut into thin rounds
• 4 celery stalks, finely sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1-2 chicken stock gels
• 2 zucchini, cut into half moons
• 1 parmesan rind
• 150g risoni
• 2 handfuls parsley, finely chopped
• buttered toast to serve, optional

METHOD

1. Place the whole chicken in the slow cooker and season generously with salt, pepper and paprika. Add the bay leaves.
2. Scatter around the leek, carrot, celery and garlic. Add the chicken stock gels.
3. Carefully pour in enough boiling water from the kettle to come about halfway up the chicken.
4. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 6-8 hours or until the chicken is extremely tender and falling apart.
5. Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker; it will be very hot and delicate. Place onto a tray or large plate.
6. Add the zucchini, parmesan rind and risoni to the soup. Continue cooking on high until the risoni is tender.
7. Meanwhile, shred the chicken, discarding the skin and bones. Return the shredded chicken to the soup.
8. Stir through the parsley and season generously with cracked black pepper. Taste and adjust the salt if needed, depending on how salty your stock is.
9. Serve hot with grated parmesan and buttered bread if desired.