Slow cooker recipes aren’t known for being particularly… sexy.

Like the casserole your mum used to make that’d send shivers down your spine, a lot of old school slow cooker recipes are heavy and bland – not what you want after a hard day’s work.

But that right there is the genius of cooking with a slow cooker. You can set and forget it, and come home to a delicious, gourmet meal.

It’s for that reason we feel like it’s time to put the humble slow cooker back onto your radar, because slow cooker recipes can be light, healthy, fresh, and most importantly, bloody tasty.

To get you started, here are 11 healthy slow cooker recipes from some of Australia’s best chefs, foodies and dietitians. Think slow cooked chicken perfect for meal prep, slow cooker lamb shanks that fall off the bone, juicy slow cooker beef curries and pulled pork in the slow cooker so good, you’ll never go back to the oven.

Enjoy!

Tandoori Style Slow Cooker Lamb Leg.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 2kg lamb leg (or shoulder!), bone in
• 1 brown onion, quartered
• 1/4 full fat yoghurt
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 heaped tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

1. Turn on your slow cooker.
2. Place the onion, yogurt, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, ground coriander, pepper, curry powder, chilli flakes, tomato paste, salt, and lemon in a food processor and process until a smooth paste.
3. Pierce the lamb leg with a sharp knife, at least 1-2cm deep all over (random spots, anywhere and everywhere!) and place in the slow cooker.
4. Pour all the marinade over the lamb, ensuring it gets into those deep pockets.
5. Put the lid on and set slow cooker to low for the day if you're going out, or on high for 4 hours.
6. After a few hours or when you get home from work, turn the heat up to high for another 30 minutes.
7. Remove, leave to sit for 15 minutes and then carve.

Tandoori Style Lamb Leg recipe by Leah Itsines.

Lemon Myrtle Roasted Chicken with Desert Lime Stuffing.

Tip: Australian desert limes are an extremely versatile fruit. They can be used in any recipe in replace of normal limes or lemons. Desert limes require no peeling or preparation and can be frozen for later use.

Ingredients (serves 4-6):

• Chicken Rub:
  • 1 size 16 organic chicken, trimmed
  • 2 tbsp ground lemon myrtle
  • 1 tbsp dried marjoram
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp EVO oil
• Stuffing:
  • 3 slices multigrain bread
  • 1 small Spanish onion
  • 1 egg
  • 4 tbsp EVO oil
  • 1 tbsp seeded mustard
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, washed
  • 4 limes, cut in half

Method:

1. In a small bowl, mix together all of the rub ingredients, then rub evenly over the chicken.
2. In a food processor, add all of the stuffing ingredients, except limes and blend to a rough consistency.
3. Using latex gloves, stuff the chicken.
4. Place the chicken breast side up on a rack in a slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours.
5. To test if it is cooked, stick a skewer into the chicken and the juice should run clear.

Lemon Myrtle Roasted Chicken with Desert Lime Stuffing recipe by Zoe Bingley-Pullin, one of Australia's beloved television chefs and creator of online program Falling in Love with Food.

Slow Cooked Snapper.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, trimmed and chopped
• 5 cm knob of ginger, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons curry powder
• 4 spring opnion, peeled
• 400 ml coconut milk (or more if needed)
• Flesh of 1 young coconut, chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 whole snapper (approx. 700 g)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 bunch of coriander, roughly chopped

Method:

1. Place a frying pan over medium heat and add the coconut oil. Add the onion, shallots, ginger, garlic, curry powder and spring onions. Sauté for 4–5 minutes, or until the vegetables have taken up the colour of the curry powder. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
2. In a large slow cooker (or a lidded casserole or baking dish big enough for the fish if you don't own one), combine the coconut milk, coconut flesh if using, fish sauce, lime juice and honey.
3. Make 3–4 incisions on the snapper, cutting deep enough to hit the backbone. Using your fingers, rub the cooled onion mixture into the incisions. Place the fish in the baking dish.
4. The liquid should cover at least 80 per cent of the fish; add more coconut milk if needed.
5. Pop the lid on and cook for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
6. Once done, season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped coriander before serving.

Slow Cooked Snapper recipe by Scott Gooding from The Keto Diet Cookbook.

Light Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 5 chicken thigh fillets (skin off)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp fresh Thyme leaves, finely chopped
• 1 fresh chilli, chopped roughly
• 2 stalks of spring onion, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup thickened cream
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups of fresh baby spinach

Method:

1. Turn on your slow cooker.
2. Trim the large fatty bits off the chicken thighs and coat with salt and pepper.
3. In a hot pan with a splash of olive oil, brown the thigh fillets lightly and then set aside.
4. In the same saucepan, cook garlic, thyme leaves, chilli and spring onion for two minutes.
5. Place in the slow cooker with the chicken, pour in stock and thickened cream, and add sun dried tomatoes and Parmesan.
6. Set slow cooker to low for the day if you're going out, or on high for 4 hours.
7. After a few hours or when you get home from work and are ready to serve, chuck in the baby spinach and leave to wilt.
8. Serve on a yummy bed of rice!

Light Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken recipe by Leah Itsines.

Slow Cooked Korean Pulled Pork.

Ingredients (serves 6):

• Korean Pulled Pork:
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons ginger, fresh, grated
  • 2 long red chilli, finely diced
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
  • 1 teaspoon cloves, ground
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 60 ml tamari
  • 15 ml apple cider vinegar
  • 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 1.5 kg pork, shoulder, boneless
  • 250 ml beef stock
• Raw Slaw:
  • 1 green apple, finely sliced
  • 1 carrot, finely sliced
  • 1/4 head red cabbage, shredded
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, white
  • 2 tablespoons full-fat mayonnaise, to serve

Method:

1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients for the Korean pulled pork rub. Rub all over the pork and leave to marinate for at least two hours or overnight for the best result.
2. Place pork in your slow cooker and pour in the beef stock. Cook for 4 hours on low or 8 hours on high.
3. In the last 20 minutes of cooking, prepare the raw slaw by combining ingredients in a bowl. Stir with tongs until well-coated and and leave to sit for 10 minutes.
4. Once pork has cooked, remove from slow cooker and shred apart using a fork.
5. Separate meat into six serves. Place however many portions into containers and freeze for use in other recipes. Serve the remaining portions of pork with raw slaw and a dollop of mayonnaise.

Slow Cooked Korean Pulled Pork recipe by Sam Wood, 28 by Sam Wood.

Slow Cooked Lamb and Chickpea Tagine.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 900g grass-fed organic lamb, diced
• 3 carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 red onion, roughly chopped
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drain and rinse
• 1/2 yellow capsicum, thick slices
• 1 cup vegetable or bone broth
• 1/2 cup green olive halves
• 3 tbsp raisins
• Meat rub:
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • Pinch sea salt and pepper
  • 1/4 tsp chili flakes

Method:

1. Combine meat rub ingredients in a bowl, add lamb pieces and coat well.
2. Place lamb and excess rub spices into your slow cooker, along with your carrots, onions, capsicum, chickpeas and bone broth.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
4. Delicious served on a bed of quinoa or couscous topped with natural yoghurt, fresh coriander or mint and a wedge of lime.

Slow Cooked Lamb and Chickpea Tagine recipe by Lisa Guy, naturopath and founder of Bodhi Organic Tea.

Soy Slow Cooker Beef.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 1kg beef brisket steak
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1 tbsp Hoisin sauce
• 1 large brown onion, sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup of corn flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• To serve: Spring onion, rice, sesame seeds

Method:

1. Turn on your slow cooker.
2. Slice beef brisket into long thin strips and coat strips in corn flour.
3. In a slow cooker, add garlic, ginger, onion, chilli, salt, pepper and beef.
4. Then add soy sauce, hoisin, and beef stock to the cooker and stir well. Leave to cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
5. Serve with rice and top with sesame seeds and spring onion.

Soy Slow Cooker Beef recipe by Leah Itsines.

Slow Cooked Beef and Root Vegetables.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 500g beef chuck (casserole steak)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
• 1 onion (brown) sliced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups chicken stock (or bone broth)
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (extra virgin)
• 2 carrots cut in quarters, lengthways
• 2 parsnip cut in quarters, lengthways
• 1 swede cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup parsley (fresh) to serve

Method:

1. Cut steak into large cubes, trimming off excess fat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and rub into the meat.
2. Heat oil in a large pan over high heat and add meat, cook for about 3 minutes, stirring until the meat is browned all over.
3. Transfer meat into a slow cooker.
4. To the same frying pan, add onion and cook on medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring. Add garlic and cook for a further minute. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock to the pan and bring to a boil to deglaze the pan.
5. Transfer liquid into the slow cooker. Top with the rest of the stock, red wine and coconut oil. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
6. With around an hour to go, add extra water if required and veggies and cook covered for them to soften. If cooking on low add veggies in with 3 hours to go.
7. Divide the meat and veggies between four plates. Sprinkle fresh parsley and serve.

Slow Cooked Beef and Root Vegetables recipe by Sam Wood, 28 by Sam Wood.

Greek Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Risoni.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 4 large lamb shanks
• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped into 3cm chunks
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 baby shallots, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup risoni pasta
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Rind of 1 lemon
• 1 tin diced tomatoes
• 1 jar tomato passata
• Beef stock to cover contents of slow cooker (about 2L)
• 2 teaspoons freshly dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped to garnish
• Tzatziki
• Greek Flat bread, grilled with olive oil

Method:

1. Heat butter and oil in a pan and fry off the garlic and shallots – you want them to become transparent, not to burn!
2. Chuck in lamb. Brown it. Caramelise all sides.
3. Chuck in carrots. Caramelise them slightly too.
4. Transfer all of this to slow cooker.
5. Add in tomato, passata, lemons, stock and oregano.
6. Cook for 1 million years (I normally do it for 6-8 hours on low).
7. Depending on your cooker, either add the risoni into the mix towards the end (if your cooker can manage a continual boil) or cook risoni separately and toss through before serving.
8. Garnish with parsley and serve with Tzatziki and grilled flatbread.

Greek Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Risoni recipe by Phoodie.

Slow Cooker Osso Bucco.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 1.2 kg of osso bucco
• 1 tbsp of freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp of sea salt
• 1 tbsp of dried oregano
• 1/2 cup of plain flour
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 brown onions, finely chopped
• 3 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 small chopped chilli
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbs of tomato paste
• 1/4 cup of white wine
• 1 400g can of chopped organic tomatoes (or 4 very ripe fresh tomatoes)
• 2L beef stock
• Parsley and lemon zest for serving

Method:

1. Turn on your slow cooker.
2. Season osso bucco with salt, pepper and oregano.
3. Coat the meat in flour and set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large pan and fry each piece of meat until lightly brown on both sides. Remove and set aside.
5. Add a small amount of olive oil into the slow cooker and add carrots, onions, celery, garlic, a bay leaf, tomato paste, white wine, chopped tomatoes and stock.
6. Place the meat in the slow cooker, season with a small sprinkle of sea salt and leave to cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
7. Once the time is up or after you get home from work, check if the sauce needs to be runnier (add more stock) or thicker (turn up heat).
8. Serve on a bed of rice or mash potato!

Slow Cooker Osso Bucco recipe by Leah Itsines.

Slow Cooker Beef Korma.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 1kg beef brisket, sliced into small cubes
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium brown onions, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3/4 cup plain greek yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground cardamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 6 whole cloves (this is a spice, not garlic!)
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

Method:

1. Trim beef of any large fatty pieces and cut into bite sized pieces
2. Add olive oil into a large pan and heat over medium heat.
3. Add onion, garlic and ginger into the pan and cook for 5 minutes or until onions become soft.
4. Add 1/2 cup of yoghurt, chilli, ground coriander, cumin, cardamon, whole cloves, turmeric and garam masala and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add beef and brown lightly.
6. Transfer this mixture to a slow cooker.
7. Add tomato and the remaining 1/4 cup of yoghurt and turn on to high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours.
8. Serve with rice and fresh coriander.

Slow Cooker Beef Curry recipe by Leah Itsines.

All recipes were republished here with full permission.

What's your favourite slow cooker recipe? Tell us in the comments!