Slow Cooker Veggie Side Dishes

Orange-Sage Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

Credit: Jason Donnelly

Looking for slow cooker side dishes to add to your recipe repertoire? Look no further. Our selection of absolutely delicious slow cooker sides offers a multitude of recipes to pick from, including potatoes, veggies, and grains. Try one of our slow cooker side-dish recipes tonight or pin them so you'll have easy sides to add to your next holiday menu.

Vanilla-Butter Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate Syrup

Credit: Andy Lyons

Bet you've never had Brussels sprouts like this before. Our delicious slow cooker vegetable side dish recipe cooks the sprouts with broth and garlic. Once they're crisp-tender, stir in a tasty blend of butter and vanilla bean paste. Top with bacon, pecans, and our homemade pomegranate syrup for a truly memorable side.

Apple-Infused Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow

Credit: Andy Lyons

If you love mashed sweet potatoes but not the work that goes into making them, this slow cooker side is the recipe for you. When you let sweet potatoes simmer in the slow cooker for a few hours, all the work of cooking them until tender goes away. Here we add celeriac, hazelnut liqueur, apple cider, and apple butter to the pot. And the marshmallow hazelnut topping is simply delicious.

Three-Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

Credit: Andy Lyons

Scalloped potatoes are a delicious addition to any dinner, but our slow cooker version takes the cake. Not only is it super easy, but it's made with cream of potato soup and three kinds of cheese, making it ooey-gooey good. These slow cooker potatoes will make any fall meal more comforting and hearty.

Buy It: Crock-Pot Slow Cooker ($42, Target)

Slow Cooker Swiss Chard and Sausage Stuffing

Credit: Jason Donnelly

Stuffing isn't just for Thanksgiving anymore. Sure, you can make this easy slow cooker side for the holidays, but it's just as tasty served alongside a roast chicken for a special-occasion dinner. It has plenty of stuffing classics like toasted bread, celery, and carrots, plus a few unique extras like Swiss chard and Italian sausage.

Rustic Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Credit: Scott Little

Chicken broth seasoned with garlic makes these slow-cooker fluffy mashed potatoes especially flavorful. In fact, these mashed potatoes are among our top-rated recipes of all time! Once you try them for yourself, you'll see why this recipe reigns as king of all slow cooker side dishes.

Buy It: Zekpro Potato Masher ($12, Walmart)

Orange-Sage Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

Credit: Jason Donnelly

Take a break from traditional candied sweet potatoes and serve our herb-accented golden slices instead. Zesty citrus brightens the natural sweetness, while salty bacon adds a savory touch. This slow cooker vegetable side would also make a great addition to your Thanksgiving dinner menu.

Cauliflower and Broccoli in Swiss Cheese Sauce

Credit: Jason Donnelly

Swiss cheese and Alfredo sauce make a rich and creamy blend, but it's the herbs that elevate this cheesy vegetable dish to sublime. If you're assuming creamy sauce means high-calorie, think again. This slow cooker side dish rings in at fewer than 200 calories per serving.

Related:Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes That Make Nutritious Eating Easy

Wild Rice with Pecans and Cherries

Credit: Karla Conrad

This delicious slow cooker side dish has so many bright, fresh flavors, you might not guess that it came from your handy countertop appliance. Dried cherries provide tart flavor to our herbed wild rice dish, while toasted pecans bring an irresistible crunch. Green onions and shredded carrots add bright color.

Buy It: OXO Y-Peeler for Julienne Cutting ($9, Bed Bath & Beyond)

Slow-Cooked Sourdough Peasant Bread

Credit: Andy Lyons

This beautiful loaf of bread surprisingly "bakes" in a slow cooker. When you need a few slow cooker side dishes for potluck get-togethers, make this easy bread recipe one of them. It's super simple to stir together and make in your slow cooker, and makes enough for everyone in your crowd to have a slice.

Related:Easy Slow Cooker Dessert Recipes

Make-It-Mine Veggie Medley

The best part of this slow cooker vegetable side? You can make it into anything you want! Choose whatever root veggies, fresh herbs, greens, and tender veggies you have on hand to make a delicious and nutritious easy side. When the veggies are finished cooking, dress them up with a tasty topper like crispy bacon or blue cheese crumbles.

Ranch Beans with Peppered Bacon

If you're a sucker for a bowl of baked beans, just wait until you try this amazing slow cooker side. Two kinds of beans simmer in a zesty blend of barbecue sauce, brown sugar, stout beer, mustard, and peppers. Opt for peppered bacon over regular bacon to give it an extra kick of spice.

Buffalo-Ranch Macaroni and Cheese

Buffalo-Ranch Macaroni Cheese

Credit: Karla Conrad

Who doesn't love a few scoops of macaroni and cheese? All you need to make this buffalo-style pasta dish: hot pepper sauce, shredded carrots, American cheese, ranch dressing mix, and pasta. Even though this slow cooker side dish is super simple to make, it'll bring big flavor to your plate.

Farro, Bean, and Sweet Potato Braise

Credit: Karla Conrad

One perk of this slow cooker recipe is that you can easily transform it from a hearty side into a yummy dinner. Each serving already has quite a bit of plant-based protein (11 grams), but it'll pair perfectly alongside baked chicken or fish. The best part of the slow cooker side dish? It takes just 20 minutes to prep.

Potato Chip-Topped Green Bean Casserole

Credit: Andy Lyons

No Thanksgiving menu is complete without a green bean casserole. But with how delicious this slow cooker side is, you might end up making it year-round. Instead of the fried onion strips, our Test Kitchen tops the green bean dish with potato chips.

Buy It: Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker ($20, Walmart)

Braised Chickpeas with Midsummer Vegetables

Braised Chickpeas With Mid-Summer Vegetables

This summery recipe requires some marinating time, but we don't mind when pretty much all of our favorite veggies are represented in this easy slow cooker side. Chicken broth ties the chickpeas and seven different veggies together. You can also turn this side dish into an entrée—just add your favorite protein.

Related:Farmers Market Recipes That Highlight Fresh Produce in New Ways

Warm Eggplant and Kale Panzanella

Credit: Blaine Moats

Salad in a slow cooker? Yes, it can be done! Simmer kale and eggplant in your slow cooker alongside tomatoes, bell peppers, and onion, then toss with bread cubes and shredded Parmesan to finish. You won't find too many other slow cooker vegetable sides quite like this.

Thai-Style Vegetable Medley

Thai Vegetable Medley

Spice up your favorite veggies (literally!) with a mix of red curry paste, coconut milk, and fresh ginger. The medley of zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, and bell pepper is hard to beat. This slow cooker vegetable side adds a little heat to any meal, or serve it alongside another Asian-inspired main such as pad Thai.

Crock-Roasted Root Vegetables

Slow-Roasted Root Vegetables

Credit: Jason Donnelly

A few simple seasonings are all you need to showcase root veggies. We used garlic, olive oil, and fresh parsley on our slow cooker side dish. Get them cooking a little after lunch, and these hearty vegetables will be ready for dinner in 3 or 4 hours.

Acorn Squash with Orange-Cranberry Sauce

Credit: Andy Lyons

No matter how you serve this festive cranberry-sauced squash (meat, poultry, or fish would all taste great), it's a top-notch way to round out a meal. Orange marmalade, raisins, and jellied cranberries make the delicious sauce. And letting the acorn squash simmer in the sauce all day means every bite will be just as tender and tasty as the last.

Related:15 Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipes That Will Steal the Show

Cider-Maple Brussels Sprouts

Credit: Jason Donnelly

Apple cider and maple syrup transform simple Brussels sprouts into a warm and cozy winter side dish that's impossible to resist. A sprinkling of salt and pepper balances the sweet flavors. To add a little freshness to this slow cooker vegetable side, serve with a few sprigs of fresh thyme.

Sweet Ginger Roots

Credit: Andy Lyons

Give earthy beets and carrots a makeover with pomegranate juice and fresh ginger. All it takes is 15 minutes of prep, plus time in your slow cooker, to make this fantastic slow cooker side dish. That long simmer time makes ruby-red beets tender and sweet.

Vegetable Casserole

Credit: Andy Lyons

Polenta, spinach, tomato, radicchio, Italian cheese, and two kinds of beans simmer with garlic and basil pesto to create this delicious vegetarian dish. It's definitely hearty enough to serve on its own for dinner, but a scoop or two also makes a tasty slow cooker side. Bookmark this recipe to use up the last of your fresh summer veggies.

Orange-Glazed Carrots and Parsnips

Credit: Jason Donnelly

Sweet, tender carrots and parsnips get an elegant update when glazed with a double punch of citrusy flavor: orange marmalade and orange juice. Quick-cooking tapioca thickens the delightfully delectable sauce. This easy slow cooker side dish can dress up an autumn meal to feel like a special occasion.

Apple-Buttered Sweet Potatoes

Credit: Jason Donnelly

Combine a few different fall favorites into one with this slow cooker side recipe. Cubes of sweet potatoes and Granny Smith apples cook alongside dried cranberries, spices, and apple butter to make a tasty side dish that won't last long at the dinner table. We love how the hearty flavors come together in the six-ingredient slow cooker side dish.

Related:These Healthy Fall Recipes Are Seasonal Comfort Food Done Light

Lemony White Bean and Carrot Spinach Salad

Lemony White Bean and Carrot-Spinach Salad

Credit: Blaine Moats

Fresh carrots, avocado, and spinach add delicious nutrients to your salad. Add pistachios and feta cheese for texture, and a lemony dressing to bring bright flavor to the dish. One of our favorite vegetarian slow cooker recipes, this dish is a great way to sneak extra fiber and vitamins into dinner.

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