10 Best Soft Food Crockpot Recipes That Basically Cook Themselves

If you have a crockpot and about ten minutes of prep time, you are already halfway to a seriously good meal. These soft food crockpot recipes are the kind I keep coming back to every single week. No fancy techniques, no babysitting the stove.

Just dump it, set it, and come back to something that smells incredible. Honestly, that is the dream.

Whether you are cooking for someone who needs easy to chew meals or you just want something cozy and low effort, this list has you covered. Let’s get into it.

1. Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup long grain white rice (uncooked)
• 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
• 1.5 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Step 1: Layer the base

Add your rice straight to the bottom of the crockpot. Pour in the chicken broth and cream of chicken soup and give it a quick stir so everything is combined. This is the flavor base and it is going to do a lot of heavy lifting while you do nothing. Honestly, easiest step.

Make sure the rice is fully submerged in the liquid or some of it will come out undercooked. Too thick? Add a splash more broth and you are good.

Step 2: Season and add the chicken

Place the chicken breasts right on top of the rice mixture. Sprinkle on the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. You do not need to mix anything here. The chicken just sits on top and steams as everything cooks together. It does not look fancy right now, trust the process.

Step 3: Cook low and slow

Put the lid on and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. The chicken will be completely tender and the rice will have soaked up all that creamy broth. Smells amazing already before you even open the lid.

Do not lift the lid during cooking. I know it is tempting. Every time you peek you add about 20 minutes to the cook time.

Step 4: Shred and stir

Use two forks to shred the chicken right in the pot. Stir everything together until it looks creamy and combined. If the rice absorbed too much liquid, add a small splash of broth and stir again. Top with fresh parsley and serve warm. You are going to love this one.

2. Crockpot Beef Stew (Extra Tender)

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1.5 inch cubes
• 3 large carrots, cut into chunks
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh basil for garnish

Step 1: Season the beef

Pat the beef chunks dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt, pepper, and paprika. Dry beef browns better but since we are using the crockpot you are really just building flavor here. Toss the pieces until they are all coated. This is my favorite part of the whole recipe.

Do not skip seasoning the meat before it goes in. It makes a noticeable difference in how rich the final stew tastes.

Step 2: Build the crockpot layers

Add the onions and garlic to the bottom of the crockpot first. Then layer in the carrots, potatoes, and seasoned beef. Pour the beef broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste over everything. Stir gently just once to combine the tomato paste into the liquid.

The layering matters here. Root vegetables on the bottom cook through evenly because they are closest to the heat.

Step 3: Cook until fall apart tender

Set the crockpot to LOW for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH for 5 to 6 hours. You want that beef to be pull apart soft. Not sure when it’s done? Poke a chunk with a fork. If it falls apart easily, you are there.

I burned this once by forgetting it on HIGH for too long. Stick with LOW if you have the time. The texture is so much better.

Step 4: Finish and serve

Give the stew a good stir before serving. The broth should be rich and thick from the potatoes breaking down slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with fresh basil and serve it up. Better than any restaurant version, I promise.

3. Creamy Crockpot Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 5 cups russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3 green onions, sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1: Add potatoes and aromatics

Toss the diced potatoes, onion, and garlic straight into the crockpot. Pour in the chicken broth and cream of chicken soup. Stir to combine and make sure the potatoes are covered in liquid as much as possible. This is where the magic starts, and it could not be simpler.

Season with salt and pepper now. The potatoes will absorb the seasoning as they cook and it makes the whole soup taste better from the inside out.

Step 2: Cook until potatoes are soft

Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. You want the potatoes completely soft and starting to break down a little at the edges. Quick check at the end: mash one potato chunk against the side of the pot. If it smooshes easily, you are ready for the next step.

Do not add the dairy yet. Adding it too early can make it grainy. Patience here pays off big time.

Step 3: Add the creaminess

Drop in the cubed cream cheese and stir. Let it melt for about 10 to 15 minutes with the lid slightly ajar. Stir again until completely smooth and creamy. This is where it gets good. The soup transforms from thin broth to thick, velvety comfort food in minutes.

Wondering if you can use sour cream instead of cream cheese? You totally can. Add it at the end off the heat so it does not curdle.

Step 4: Mash and top

Use a potato masher to lightly mash the soup to your preferred consistency. I like mine chunky so I do just a few passes. Stir in the cheddar cheese and watch it melt right in. Ladle into bowls and load up the toppings: bacon crumbles, green onions, and extra cheddar. So good.

4. Slow Cooker Applesauce

Ingredients:

• 8 medium apples (Fuji or Gala work great), peeled, cored, and sliced
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water

Step 1: Prep and season the apples

Peel, core, and slice your apples into even chunks. They do not have to be perfect, they are going to cook down completely anyway. Toss them into the crockpot with the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and water. Give everything a good stir. Smells like fall already.

Only have olive oil? You will not need it here. The apples release plenty of their own liquid as they cook.

Step 2: Cook until completely soft

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Stir once halfway through if you can. The apples will turn golden, jammy, and completely soft. You will know it is done when everything looks like it is practically falling apart.

I make this every Sunday morning. By the time I am done with coffee it is basically done. So easy, right?

Step 3: Mash or blend to your texture

Use a potato masher right in the crockpot for a rustic, chunky applesauce. For smoother results, use an immersion blender and blend until silky. Taste it now and this is the moment. Add a little more sugar or cinnamon if you want it sweeter or spicier.

Step 4: Cool and store

Let the applesauce cool slightly before transferring to jars or containers. It thickens up a bit more as it cools, so do not worry if it looks a little loose right out of the crockpot. Better than store bought, every single time. Keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks.

5. Crockpot Mac and Cheese (Soft and Creamy)

Ingredients:

• 16 oz elbow macaroni (uncooked)
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere or Monterey Jack
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Step 1: Add pasta and liquids

Pour the uncooked macaroni straight into the crockpot. Add the whole milk, evaporated milk, butter, mustard powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine everything and make sure the pasta is mostly covered in liquid. It looks like it will never work. It will work.

The mustard powder is not optional in my opinion. You do not taste mustard at all but it gives the cheese sauce this depth that is hard to explain. Just trust me.

Step 2: Cook on low

Cover and cook on LOW for 2 to 2.5 hours. Stir every 45 minutes so the pasta cooks evenly and nothing sticks to the bottom. Seriously, do not walk away and forget about it. I burned this once by leaving it on too long and it was very sad.

Wondering if you can cook it on HIGH? You can for 1 to 1.5 hours but watch it more closely.

Step 3: Add the cheese

Okay, now the fun part. Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar and Gruyere in two batches. Stir after each addition until completely melted and smooth. The sauce should coat every single piece of pasta in a thick, glossy blanket of cheese. Yep, that is it.

If the sauce looks too thick, stir in a splash of warm milk and mix until it loosens up.

Step 4: Rest and serve

Let the mac and cheese sit uncovered for 5 minutes before serving. It thickens up to the perfect consistency during this rest. Serve it straight from the crockpot. Sprinkle with a little extra black pepper on top. This is the creamiest, most comforting mac and cheese you will ever make at home.

6. Crockpot Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups green or brown lentils, rinsed
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Plain yogurt and fresh parsley for topping

Step 1: Load the crockpot

Add the rinsed lentils, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and diced tomatoes to the crockpot. Pour in the vegetable broth and stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Give it all one good stir and that is literally all the prep work. Done. So easy.

No need to soak the lentils beforehand. Unlike dried beans, lentils cook perfectly fine straight from dry in the crockpot.

Step 2: Cook low and long

Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. The lentils will absorb most of the liquid and turn completely soft and tender. Stir once or twice during cooking if you are around. The whole kitchen is going to smell incredible.

Not sure when it is done? The lentils should be completely soft with no firm center when you press one between your fingers.

Step 3: Adjust consistency

Pause here and check the texture. If you want a thicker, heartier soup, use the back of a spoon or a potato masher and mash about a third of the lentils right in the pot. This creates a naturally creamy texture without adding any cream. If you prefer it brothier, stir in a splash of warm broth.

Taste and adjust the seasoning now. Lentils really soak up salt so you may need more than you think.

Step 4: Serve with toppings

Ladle into bowls and add a generous dollop of plain yogurt on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil and scatter fresh parsley over everything. The yogurt adds this cool tangy contrast to the warm spiced soup that I am obsessed with. Learned this from my mom and I will never skip it.

7. Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Optional: 1 tablespoon olive oil

Step 1: Season the chicken

Place the chicken pieces into the crockpot in a single layer if possible. Drizzle with olive oil if using and sprinkle on the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Pour the chicken broth around the pieces, not over them so you keep the seasoning on top. Quick and simple prep, honestly.

Only have chicken thighs? They actually work better here. More fat means more flavor and they stay incredibly juicy.

Step 2: Cook until tender

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. The chicken is done when it pulls apart easily with a fork. Do not rush this. Chicken cooked low and slow is in a completely different league than chicken cooked fast.

Not sure if it is done? Insert a fork and give a little twist. If it starts to pull apart on its own, you are there.

Step 3: Shred directly in the pot

Remove the chicken to a cutting board and use two forks to shred it into thin strips. Or you can use a hand mixer on low speed right in the crockpot for the fastest shred of your life. Seriously, this trick changed everything for me. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and toss it in the juices.

Step 4: Rest and serve

Let the shredded chicken soak in the juices for about 10 minutes before serving. It soaks up all that flavor and gets even juicier. Serve over rice, in tacos, on sandwiches, or just as is. This is your meal prep superstar. Make it once, eat it three different ways all week.

8. Crockpot Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 2 cups steel cut oats
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Toppings: sliced banana, fresh figs, sliced almonds

Step 1: Combine oats and liquid

Spray the inside of your crockpot with nonstick spray first. This step is not optional, oatmeal sticks like crazy. Add the steel cut oats, water, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Stir everything together well and that is all you have to do tonight before bed.

Only have old fashioned rolled oats? Use those instead but cut the cook time in half and use only 3 cups of liquid total.

Step 2: Cook overnight

Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours overnight. Set it up before bed and wake up to a kitchen that smells like a warm bakery. I cannot tell you how good it feels to have breakfast completely done before your feet hit the floor.

Do not cook on HIGH. Oatmeal on HIGH scorches on the edges and the texture gets gluey. LOW overnight is the move here.

Step 3: Stir and check consistency

In the morning, give the oatmeal a good stir from the bottom up. It might look thick on top and looser underneath. Stir it together well. Too thick? Add a splash of warm milk and stir until it reaches your perfect creamy consistency. This is where it gets good.

Taste now and add more cinnamon or brown sugar if you want it sweeter.

Step 4: Load up the toppings

Spoon into bowls and go wild with toppings. The version in the image uses sliced banana, fresh figs, and sliced almonds which is honestly such a good combination. The figs add this honey like sweetness that pairs perfectly with the creamy oats. Serve immediately while warm and thick.

9. Slow Cooker Mashed Cauliflower

Ingredients:

• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 6 cups)
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• Olive oil, fresh thyme, and chives for topping

Step 1: Cook the cauliflower

Add the cauliflower florets and smashed garlic to the crockpot. Pour the broth over the top. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 2.5 to 3 hours. You want the cauliflower completely soft, like fork tender with zero resistance. Looks unassuming right now, but just wait.

Do not add dairy yet. Cooking the cauliflower first in broth builds savory flavor before the cream comes in.

Step 2: Drain and mash

Drain most of the liquid from the crockpot, leaving just a few tablespoons behind. Add the butter and cream cheese right in while everything is still hot. Use a potato masher or immersion blender to mash or blend the cauliflower until smooth. The heat from the cauliflower will melt everything together beautifully.

Wondering if you can skip the cream cheese? You can use just butter, but the cream cheese is what makes it taste almost indistinguishable from mashed potatoes.

Step 3: Add sour cream and season

Stir in the sour cream and season generously with salt and white pepper. White pepper keeps the color clean and bright. Taste it right here and adjust. The flavor should be rich, buttery, and savory. You will be surprised how satisfying this is.

Step 4: Plate and garnish

Transfer to a serving bowl and make a small well in the center with the back of a spoon. Drizzle in a little olive oil, scatter fresh thyme sprigs and sliced chives on top. It looks absolutely gorgeous and you barely did anything. This is my favorite side dish to bring to dinner parties because everyone thinks it took way more effort than it did.

10. Crockpot Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 can (29 oz) pure pumpkin puree
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger (fresh or ground)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Pumpkin seeds and black pepper for topping

Step 1: Add everything to the crockpot

Pour the pumpkin puree, vegetable broth, coconut milk, onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper straight into the crockpot. Stir it all together until smooth and combined. That rich orange color is already so beautiful and we have not even turned it on yet.

Fresh ginger is amazing here if you have it. Use about a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger instead of ground. Smells amazing already.

Step 2: Cook until flavors blend

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. The longer it cooks on LOW the more the spices deepen and meld together. Give it a stir halfway through if you are around. The soup will look vibrant and smell like a cozy autumn afternoon.

Not sure when it is done? Taste it. The raw edge of the onion should be completely gone and the spices should taste warm and rounded.

Step 3: Blend until silky

Use an immersion blender right in the crockpot and blend until completely smooth. No chunks, no texture, just pure silky pumpkin soup. If using a regular blender, work in small batches and be careful with the hot liquid. Hold on, let it cool slightly first if you are using a countertop blender.

The soup should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Too thick? Add a splash of warm broth and blend again.

Step 4: Taste, adjust, and top

Taste the soup one final time and adjust the seasoning. A little extra salt or cayenne can make the whole thing pop. Ladle into bowls and top with a scatter of pumpkin seeds and a generous crack of black pepper. That color is stunning, right? Serve immediately with crusty bread on the side if you want.

Final Thoughts

These crockpot recipes prove that soft, comforting food does not have to mean boring food. Every single one of these is something I genuinely love making and eating. Try one this week and let me know how it goes in the comments. And if you find a little twist that makes it even better, I would love to hear it. Happy cooking!