12 Vegan Slow Cooker Recipes That Keep Dinner Completely Hands-Off

Vegan slow cooker recipes work because they lean on beans, lentils, and hearty vegetables that soften into something lush while you’re away. A long, steady low heat breaks down fibres without turning vegetables to mush, and the closed lid concentrates every bit of spice and stock. The versions below take that same foundation in genuinely different directions, from smoky chili to coconut curry and stuffed peppers.

Start with the Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Stew for a classic bowl. Pick the Smoky Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili for heat, Coconut Chickpea and Spinach Curry for bright, and Stuffed Peppers with Lentil Walnut Filling for a full plate.

Which Vegan Slow Cooker Recipe Should You Make?

Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Stew

This is the one you reach for when you want a bowl that tastes like a full Sunday dinner without any last-minute fuss. I go heavier on the smoked paprika than most recipes call for because it gives the lentils a deep, almost meaty backbone.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Brown lentils, rinsed: 400 g (2 cups)
• Vegetable stock: 1.2 litres (5 cups)
• Crushed tomatoes: 400 g (1 can, about 1 3/4 cups)
• Yellow onion, diced: 1 large
• Carrots, peeled and cut into coins: 3 medium
• Celery stalks, sliced: 2
• Garlic cloves, minced: 4
• Dried thyme: 2 tsp
• Smoked paprika: 2 tsp
• Fine sea salt: 1 tsp, plus more to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Rinse the 400 g (2 cups) of brown lentils in a fine sieve under cold water until the water runs clear, which also lets you catch any little stones. This is worth the extra minute, because lentils can carry dust that would muddy the broth.

Step 2: Layer the rinsed lentils, 1.2 litres (5 cups) of stock, 400 g (1 can) crushed tomatoes, diced onion, carrots, celery, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp dried thyme, 2 tsp smoked paprika, and 1 tsp salt in the slow cooker. That order matters less than making sure the lentils are fully submerged before you put the lid on.

Step 3: You can set the slow cooker to low and leave it for 7 hours. Around hour 6, the carrots should be soft enough to pierce with a fork and the broth will smell sweet and smoky.

Step 4: Give the stew a good stir. If it looks too thick to you, splash in a little hot stock; if it seems thin, leave the lid off for the last 20 minutes so the steam escapes.

Step 5: Taste the stew and add a little more salt if it needs it before you ladle it into bowls. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Smoky Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

This one builds its heat slowly, so you get warmth rather than a sharp burn. I use cocoa powder here because it rounds out the chipotle and tomato into something almost mole-like.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Black beans, drained and rinsed: 2 cans (400 g each)
• Sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed: 700 g (1 1/2 lb)
• Crushed tomatoes: 800 g (2 cans)
• Yellow onion and garlic, diced and minced: 1 large onion, 5 cloves
• Chipotle in adobo, minced: 1 pepper plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce
• Ground cumin: 2 tsp
• Smoked paprika: 1 tbsp
• Cocoa powder: 1 tsp
• Vegetable stock: 250 ml (1 cup)
• Fine sea salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Toss the 700 g (1 1/2 lb) cubed sweet potatoes into the slow cooker first. You want them near the bottom, where they’ll soak up the spiced liquid as everything cooks.

Step 2: You can stir together 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cocoa powder, and the minced chipotle with its adobo sauce in a small bowl. Scrape every bit of that paste over the sweet potatoes.

Step 3: Drain and rinse the two 400 g cans of black beans, then add them to the pot along with 800 g (2 cans) crushed tomatoes, the onion and garlic, 250 ml (1 cup) stock, and 1 tsp salt. You can turn everything gently with a spoon so the paste starts to colour the liquid.

Step 4: Set the slow cooker to low for 6 hours, until a fork slides through a sweet potato cube with almost no pressure. If you open the lid at hour 5, the cocoa and chipotle should smell warm and rounded, not sharp.

Step 5: Taste the chili and add another pinch of salt or a little more adobo sauce if you want more fire. Serve it over rice or with warm tortillas.

Coconut Chickpea and Spinach Curry

This is the curry I make when I want something bright, creamy, and gentle enough for a weeknight. Coconut milk and spinach go in right at the end, so the greens stay vivid and the sauce does not split.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Chickpeas, drained and rinsed: 2 cans (400 g each)
• Full-fat coconut milk: 400 ml (1 can)
• Diced tomatoes: 400 g (1 can)
• Yellow onion, thinly sliced: 1 large
• Garlic cloves, grated: 4
• Fresh ginger, grated: 3 tbsp
• Curry powder and garam masala: 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp
• Baby spinach: 150 g (5 oz)
• Lemon juice: 2 tbsp
• Fine sea salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Add 2 tbsp curry powder and 1 tsp garam masala to a dry pan over medium heat for 30 seconds, just until they smell toasty. Blooming the spices first gives you a rounder curry without extra oil.

Step 2: Scrape the toasted spices into the slow cooker, then add the sliced onion, 4 grated garlic cloves, 3 tbsp grated ginger, 400 g (1 can) diced tomatoes, both cans of drained chickpeas, and 1 tsp salt. You want the chickpeas coated in the spice mixture before the liquid goes in.

Step 3: Half of the 400 ml (1 can) coconut milk goes in now, and you set the rest aside in the fridge. Stir the mixture once, set the slow cooker to low, and leave it for 4 hours, until the onions are completely translucent and soft.

Step 4: You can turn off the slow cooker, then stir in the remaining coconut milk and 150 g (5 oz) baby spinach. Give it 3 minutes off the heat and the spinach will wilt into glossy ribbons.

Step 5: Just before you serve, squeeze 2 tbsp lemon juice over the curry and taste for salt. Spoon it over steamed basmati rice.

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

This soup leans on smoked paprika and a lot of black pepper for that old-fashioned flavour without any meat. I purée only a third of it, so you still get soft peas and little bites of carrot.

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)

• Green split peas, rinsed: 450 g (2 1/4 cups)
• Vegetable stock: 1.5 litres (6 cups)
• Yellow onion, diced: 1 large
• Carrots, peeled and diced: 2 large
• Celery stalks, diced: 2
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Smoked paprika: 2 tsp
• Dried thyme: 1 tsp
• Black pepper: 1 tsp
• Fine sea salt: 1 tsp, plus more to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Place the 450 g (2 1/4 cups) green split peas in a sieve and run cold water through them until the water runs clear. You’ll also spot any stray bits before they hit the pot.

Step 2: Combine the rinsed peas, 1.5 litres (6 cups) stock, diced onion, carrots, celery, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp salt in the slow cooker. You can give it a quick stir before you cover it, but there’s no need to cook anything on the stove first.

Step 3: Set the slow cooker to low and leave it for 8 hours. By hour 7, the peas should have broken down into a thick, creamy base, and you will smell the paprika drifting across the kitchen.

Step 4: Turn off the heat and blend about a third of the soup with an immersion blender right in the pot, leaving plenty of carrots whole. You get a velvety texture without losing the chewy bites.

Step 5: Before you ladle, taste the soup and add more salt or a splash of hot stock if it has thickened too much. Serve it hot with crusty bread.

Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

This one is for mushroom lovers, the kind of soup that turns a bag of cremini into something deeply savoury. A quick cashew cream stirred in at the end makes it rich without weighing it down.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Cremini mushrooms, sliced: 500 g (1 lb)
• Wild rice blend: 250 g (1 1/4 cups)
• Vegetable stock: 1.4 litres (6 cups)
• Yellow onion, diced: 1 large
• Carrots, diced: 2
• Celery stalks, diced: 2
• Garlic cloves, minced: 4
• Dried thyme: 2 tsp
• Raw cashews: 120 g (1/2 cup)
• Fine sea salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Soak the 120 g (1/2 cup) raw cashews in just-boiled water while you start the soup, which softens them enough to blend silky. You can drain them after 20 minutes and set them aside.

Step 2: Tip 500 g (1 lb) sliced mushrooms, 250 g (1 1/4 cups) wild rice blend, 1.4 litres (6 cups) stock, the onion, carrots, celery, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp dried thyme, and 1 tsp salt into the slow cooker. You want the rice fully submerged, so press it down before you cover the pot.

Step 3: Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 6 hours, until the rice grains have split open and the mushrooms are soft. Around hour 5, the liquid will look a little grey and earthy, which is exactly the flavour you want.

Step 4: You can drain the soaked cashews and blend them with 120 ml (1/2 cup) of hot stock from the soup until completely smooth. Scrape this cream into the slow cooker and stir, watching the soup turn pale and creamy.

Step 5: Turn the heat to low for another 10 minutes so the soup can absorb the cashew cream without boiling. You will see it thicken slightly around the edges of the pot.

Step 6: Before you serve, taste the soup and add more salt if needed. Ladle it into wide bowls with a few extra mushroom slices on top and a crack of black pepper.

Smoky Pulled Jackfruit Sandwiches

This one turns canned jackfruit into a sticky, shreddy filling that holds its own on a toasted bun. I add a little apple cider vinegar at the end, because that sharpness keeps the sweet sauce from getting flat.

Ingredients (makes 8 sandwiches)

• Young jackfruit in brine, drained: 2 cans (400 g each)
• Yellow onion, thinly sliced: 1 large
• Garlic cloves, minced: 4
• Tomato paste: 3 tbsp
• Smoked paprika, ground cumin, and chili powder: 2 tsp, 1 tsp, and 1 tsp
• Brown sugar: 2 tbsp
• Apple cider vinegar: 2 tbsp
• Vegetable stock: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Burger buns, to serve: 8
• Fine sea salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Drain the two 400 g cans of jackfruit and rinse the pieces under cold water to remove the brine. Squeeze each piece dry with your hands, then pull the jackfruit apart into shreds, removing any tough core bits.

Step 2: You can whisk 3 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp salt, and 240 ml (1 cup) stock in a bowl until smooth. You want a sauce that clings to the shreds.

Step 3: Put the shredded jackfruit, sliced onion, and 4 minced garlic cloves into the slow cooker, then pour the sauce over the top. Use your hands or a spoon to toss everything until the jackfruit is evenly coated.

Step 4: You can set the slow cooker to high and let it go for 3 hours, until the jackfruit softens enough to mash with the back of a spoon. If it still feels firm at hour 2, leave the lid on and give it the full time.

Step 5: Once it’s tender, you can shred the jackfruit again right in the pot and let it soak up the remaining sauce. Spoon it onto toasted buns and serve.

Tomato Basil White Bean Soup

This is a bright, pantry-friendly soup that tastes like late summer tomatoes. You blend only enough beans to thicken it, then add a handful of fresh basil at the very end.

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)

• Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed: 2 cans (400 g each)
• Crushed tomatoes: 800 g (2 cans)
• Vegetable stock: 500 ml (2 cups)
• Yellow onion, diced: 1 large
• Carrot, finely diced: 1 large
• Celery stalk, finely diced: 1
• Garlic cloves, minced: 4
• Dried basil and dried oregano: 2 tsp and 1 tsp
• Fresh basil leaves: 1 large handful (about 20 g)
• Fine sea salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: You can start by draining and rinsing both cans of cannellini beans, but leave them a little wet so they add body to the soup. This is a one-pot dump-and-go, so no need to sauté anything first.

Step 2: Combine the beans, 800 g (2 cans) crushed tomatoes, 500 ml (2 cups) stock, diced onion, carrot, celery, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1 tsp salt in the slow cooker. You can stir once to break up the tomatoes.

Step 3: Set the slow cooker to low and let it go for 6 hours, until the carrots are completely soft and the tomatoes have darkened a shade. You’ll notice the smell turning toward a long-simmered marinara.

Step 4: Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to purée about a third of the soup, leaving plenty of whole beans. You get a smooth base with soft beans still bobbing through it.

Step 5: Tear the handful of fresh basil leaves over the pot and stir them in just before you serve. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Thai Peanut Sweet Potato Stew

This one balances creamy peanut butter with lime and ginger, so it is rich but never heavy. I add the spinach at the end, where it wilts in the residual heat.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed: 600 g (1 1/4 lb)
• Red bell pepper, sliced: 1 large
• Yellow onion, diced: 1 large
• Garlic cloves and fresh ginger, minced and grated: 4 cloves and 2 tbsp
• Red curry paste: 3 tbsp
• Creamy peanut butter: 130 g (1/2 cup)
• Full-fat coconut milk: 400 ml (1 can)
• Vegetable stock: 480 ml (2 cups)
• Baby spinach: 100 g (3 1/2 oz)
• Lime juice and soy sauce or tamari: 2 tbsp and 2 tbsp

Instructions

Step 1: Toss 600 g (1 1/4 lb) sweet potato cubes, sliced red pepper, and diced onion into the slow cooker. You want the vegetables to sit in an even layer so they take up the sauce well.

Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp red curry paste, 130 g (1/2 cup) peanut butter, 2 tbsp lime juice, and 2 tbsp soy sauce with 480 ml (2 cups) stock until smooth. You might need a full minute to break up the peanut butter.

Step 3: The peanut sauce goes over the vegetables next, followed by 400 ml (1 can) coconut milk, the garlic, and ginger. You can give everything a slow stir, and do not worry if streaks of curry paste remain.

Step 4: Set the slow cooker to low for 5 hours, until the sweet potatoes are spoon-tender but still hold their shape. The sauce will thicken at the edges, which tells you the peanut butter has worked through.

Step 5: Just before you serve, stir in 100 g (3 1/2 oz) baby spinach and let it sit for 5 minutes until wilted. Taste the stew and add a little more lime juice if you want.

Korean Gochujang Chickpeas

This is a sticky, boldly savoury pot of chickpeas that you can spoon over rice and call dinner. I keep the sauce thick on purpose, so it clings to the chickpeas instead of pooling at the bottom.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Chickpeas, drained and rinsed: 2 cans (400 g each)
• Gochujang paste: 4 tbsp
• Tamari or soy sauce: 3 tbsp
• Rice vinegar: 2 tbsp
• Maple syrup: 2 tbsp
• Garlic cloves, grated: 4
• Fresh ginger, grated: 2 tbsp
• Vegetable stock: 180 ml (3/4 cup)
• Cornstarch: 1 tbsp
• Scallions, sliced: 4

Instructions

Step 1: In the slow cooker, whisk together 4 tbsp gochujang, 3 tbsp tamari, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 4 grated garlic cloves, 2 tbsp grated ginger, and 180 ml (3/4 cup) stock. You want a smooth, glossy sauce before the chickpeas go in.

Step 2: The drained chickpeas go in now, and you can stir them through the sauce until every one is slick. The gochujang will look intensely red, but it mellows into a tangy, sticky glaze as it cooks.

Step 3: You can set the slow cooker to high and let it go for 3 hours, until the sauce has thickened and darkened around the chickpeas. If it looks too runny at hour 2, leave the lid off for the last 20 minutes so the steam escapes.

Step 4: Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water, then stir it into the pot and cook for 5 more minutes until glossy. Spoon the chickpeas into bowls and shower them with sliced scallions before you serve.

Stuffed Peppers with Lentil Walnut Filling

These peppers hold their shape in the slow cooker, and the filling gets nicely steamed while the bottoms turn soft. I use walnuts and nutritional yeast for a savoury bite that does not rely on cheese.

Ingredients (makes 6 stuffed pepper halves)

• Bell peppers, halved and seeded: 3 large
• Cooked brown or green lentils: 300 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Cooked quinoa: 200 g (1 cup)
• Walnuts, finely chopped: 75 g (3/4 cup)
• Yellow onion, finely diced: 1 small
• Garlic cloves, minced: 3
• Tomato sauce: 475 ml (2 cups)
• Nutritional yeast, dried oregano, and smoked paprika: 3 tbsp, 2 tsp, and 1 tsp
• Fine sea salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Slice 3 large bell peppers in half through the stem and scoop out the seeds and ribs, leaving the stems if you can. You want six little boats that will sit upright in the slow cooker.

Step 2: In a large bowl, combine 300 g (1 1/2 cups) cooked lentils, 200 g (1 cup) quinoa, 75 g (3/4 cup) walnuts, small diced onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 3 tbsp nutritional yeast, 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1 tsp salt. Use your hands to mix until everything is evenly distributed.

Step 3: Stir half of the 475 ml (2 cups) tomato sauce into the lentil mixture, just enough to bind it. You want the filling to hold a loose ball when you squeeze it, not be wet.

Step 4: You can spoon the filling into each pepper half, packing it gently so it stays mounded. Arrange the stuffed peppers in the slow cooker with the open sides up, then pour the remaining tomato sauce around them.

Step 5: Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 4 hours, until the peppers are tender when you slide a knife into one. The filling will steam through and the sauce will bubble gently around the edges.

Step 6: Once they’re tender, you can use a slotted spoon to lift each pepper half out of the pot and onto a plate. Serve them with the warm tomato sauce spooned over the top.

Curried Red Lentil Carrot Soup

This soup is bright orange, softly spiced, and completely creamy without any cream. Red lentils break down fast, so you get a thick body in half the time.

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)

• Red lentils, rinsed: 400 g (2 cups)
• Carrots, peeled and chopped: 500 g (1 lb)
• Yellow onion, diced: 1 large
• Garlic cloves, minced: 4
• Fresh ginger, grated: 2 tbsp
• Curry powder: 1 tbsp
• Ground turmeric: 1 tsp
• Vegetable stock: 1.2 litres (5 cups)
• Full-fat coconut milk: 200 ml (3/4 cup)
• Fine sea salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Rinse the 400 g (2 cups) red lentils in a fine sieve until the water runs mostly clear, which keeps the soup from turning pasty. You can do this while the slow cooker warms up.

Step 2: The rinsed lentils, 500 g (1 lb) chopped carrots, diced onion, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp grated ginger, 1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp turmeric, 1.2 litres (5 cups) stock, and 1 tsp salt all go into the slow cooker. You can stir once to loosen any spice clumps.

Step 3: Set the slow cooker to low for 5 hours, until the carrots are completely soft and the lentils have dissolved into the broth. The soup will look thick and bright orange, and you will smell the turmeric turning sweet.

Step 4: You can turn off the heat and blend the soup with an immersion blender right in the pot until smooth. Pour in 200 ml (3/4 cup) coconut milk and blend again for just a few seconds.

Step 5: Before you serve, taste the soup and add more salt if it needs it. Ladle it into bowls and serve hot.

Butternut Squash and Quinoa Stew

This is a thick, golden stew with enough quinoa and chickpeas to make it a full meal. I add the kale at the end so it stays bright and just tender.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Butternut squash, peeled and cubed: 700 g (1 1/2 lb)
• Quinoa, rinsed: 200 g (1 cup)
• Chickpeas, drained and rinsed: 1 can (400 g)
• Yellow onion, diced: 1 large
• Garlic cloves, minced: 4
• Ground cumin and ground coriander: 2 tsp and 1 tsp
• Vegetable stock: 1 litre (4 cups)
• Curly kale, stems removed and chopped: 150 g (5 oz)
• Lemon juice: 2 tbsp
• Fine sea salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Put 700 g (1 1/2 lb) butternut squash cubes, 200 g (1 cup) rinsed quinoa, the drained chickpeas, diced onion, and 4 minced garlic cloves into the slow cooker. You want the squash on the bottom so it steams in the stock.

Step 2: You can sprinkle in 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, and 1 tsp salt, then pour over 1 litre (4 cups) stock. Give everything one good turn with a spoon so the grains do not clump.

Step 3: Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 5 hours, until the squash is soft enough to mash and the quinoa has unfurled into tiny spirals. The stew will thicken as it sits, so you can add a little warm stock if needed.

Step 4: You can turn off the heat and fold in 150 g (5 oz) chopped curly kale and 2 tbsp lemon juice. Let it sit for 10 minutes with the lid on, and the kale will soften without losing its colour.

Step 5: Before you serve, taste the stew and add more salt or lemon juice if it needs a lift. Spoon it into big shallow bowls and serve hot.

The single most important move across all of these is to layer your seasoning early and taste before serving. Lentils and beans drink up salt as they cook, so a final squeeze of lemon, a pinch of salt, or an extra spoon of vinegar can wake up the whole pot. Pick the one that matches tonight’s mood, set the cooker, and let it do the quiet work.