7 Cheap Easy Crockpot Meals Using What You Have

A few potatoes, leftover carrots and a tin of tomatoes are not much to look at on their own. With a slow cooker and a bit of seasoning, they can become dinner for four.

These recipes favor low-cost staples instead of a long shopping list. Prices vary by store, so start with whatever beans, vegetables or inexpensive meat you already have.

1. Smoky Pinto Bean Potato Chili

Serves 4 | 6 qt | Low 5–6 hrs | Prep 10 min

The last few potatoes in the bag can turn canned beans into a proper dinner. Smoked paprika gives tomato sauce a richer taste than its short ingredient list suggests.

Layer 1 lb cubed potatoes and 1 chopped onion beneath two drained 15 oz cans pinto beans, a 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, 1 cup broth and 2 tsp smoked paprika. Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours until the potatoes are tender, then mash a few beans into the sauce.

Use black beans instead if those are already in the cupboard. Keep the potato pieces roughly an inch wide so they hold their shape.

2. Lemon Red Lentil Carrot Soup

Serves 4 | 6 qt | Low 4–5 hrs | Prep 10 min

Red lentils make a filling soup without cream or expensive ingredients. A little lemon at the end gives the earthy lentils a fresh finish.

Combine 1 cup rinsed red lentils, 3 sliced carrots, 1 chopped onion, 4 cups vegetable broth and 1 tsp cumin in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours until the lentils are completely soft, then stir in 2 tbsp lemon juice.

A bag of dried lentils usually makes several dinners. Add hot water when reheating because the soup thickens as it cools.

3. Tomato Cabbage Smoked Sausage Supper

Serves 4 | 6 qt | Low 5–6 hrs | Prep 12 min

Half a cabbage becomes tender and sweet in a slow cooker. A little smoked sausage seasons the entire pot.

Layer ½ chopped cabbage and 3 sliced carrots beneath 10 oz sliced fully cooked smoked sausage, a 14 oz can diced tomatoes and 1 cup broth. Cook covered on LOW for 5–6 hours until the carrots are soft and the sausage is hot throughout.

Buying a small sausage pack keeps the cost down. Taste the broth before adding salt because sausage already contains plenty.

4. Garlic Chickpeas and Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4 | 6 qt | Low 5–6 hrs | Prep 12 min

Sweet potatoes make canned chickpeas feel like a full meal. The garlic and tomatoes turn into a thick spoonable sauce.

Layer 1 large cubed sweet potato and 1 sliced onion beneath two drained 15 oz cans chickpeas, a 14 oz can crushed tomatoes, ¾ cup broth and 3 minced garlic cloves. Cover on LOW for 5–6 hours until sweet potato is tender, then stir in 1 tsp curry powder for the final 10 minutes.

Canned chickpeas are more reliable than uncooked dried ones for this recipe. Mash two sweet potato pieces if the sauce seems watery.

5. Creamy Corn and White Bean Chowder

Serves 4 | 6 qt | Low 5–6 hrs | Prep 10 min

Frozen corn adds sweetness to a pantry soup without any chopping. Mashed beans make the broth creamy even without cream.

Add two drained 15 oz cans white beans, 2 cups frozen corn, 1 lb cubed potatoes, 1 chopped onion and 3 cups vegetable broth to the cooker. Cook on LOW for 5–6 hours until potatoes soften, then mash one third of the beans into the broth.

Store-brand frozen corn tastes good here. Do not blend the whole soup unless you want to lose the corn’s bite.

6. Paprika Chicken Drumsticks and Carrots

Serves 4 | 6 qt | Low 6–7 hrs | Prep 15 min

Drumsticks make an affordable chicken dinner that still feels substantial. Paprika seasons the potatoes and carrots as they cook underneath.

Place 1 lb chunky potatoes and 4 sliced carrots below 2 lb thawed chicken drumsticks, then add ¾ cup broth, 1 tsp paprika and ½ tsp garlic powder. Cover on LOW for 6–7 hours until potatoes soften and the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F.

Check the temperature without touching bone with the thermometer probe. Choose large potato pieces so they do not fall apart.

7. Balsamic Mushroom Barley Pot

Serves 4 | 6 qt | Low 6–7 hrs | Prep 15 min

Barley gives a mushroom stew the bite you might expect from meat. Balsamic vinegar helps the vegetable broth taste more savory.

Combine ¾ cup rinsed pearled barley, 12 oz sliced mushrooms, 2 diced carrots, 1 chopped onion, 4 cups broth and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar. Cover on LOW for 6–7 hours until barley is tender, adding a little hot water if it absorbs too much broth.

Pearled barley cooks faster and more predictably than hulled barley. Finish with another teaspoon of vinegar if the stew tastes flat.

Start with the dish that uses the most food you already own. If a stew thickens overnight, loosen it with water when reheating it on the stove.

FAQs

Can I swap one canned bean for another?

Yes, most fully cooked canned beans work in these recipes, though their texture changes slightly.

What is the cheapest way to stretch a stew?

Potatoes, lentils and canned beans add body and make a small quantity of meat go further.

Can I put frozen chicken into the Crockpot?

No, thaw raw poultry safely before slow cooking.

How long do leftovers keep?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and use them within three to four days, or freeze them.