Hi all I bought a slow cooker yesterday (in Lidl – bargain 
) as Ive heard lots of good things about them and how they make life easier. My DP thinks we should take it back because:
We use it for a lot of vegetarian versions of meat based one pot meals such as chilli, different types of curry, stews and casseroles. Weve even made pizza in it! And slow cooker fudge is just divine! We brown off the “meat” in the frying pan first and then just sling the rest in to chug along for the day while were out. Its lovely to come home to a fully prepped and cooked meal on a cold winters day too. We only really use it in winter though.
I use mine a fair bit for vegan dishes. I think even veggie dishes like curry and chili taste great in the slow cooker.
Thanks, so if I wasnt going to use a meat substitute, I could just throw the veg, tins of tomatoes/coconut milk/kidney beans (or whatever) in the pot and turn it on? Do you think you could achieve the same thing in the hob on a very low heat? (This is DPs main argument, you see, and never having used a slow cooker, Im not sure if hes right about this)
Ive just bought a slow cooker too op and tbh Im not convinced NY them either. I think they are good if you are out of the house all day and want to come back to a curry stew or whatever. Id rather just batch cook at weekend and reheat. You do seem to need to fry off onions etc beforehand which to me defeats the sodding purpose? You could just use that pan…. Also, from what Ive seen you dont get the same taste as when you cook something slow in the oven. ..
Thanks, @grassisjeweled – this is exactly what Im worried about. I really dont want to be frying things off and just essentially using the cooker like another hob. I wont use it if its not tangibly making my life easier. If Im going to make a convincing case for keeping the thing, I want to feel pretty confident its going to do what I hope it does… otherwise I can see it being a source of conflict in the future (or, rather, a source of conflict that I have no chance of winning – Id rather be saying I told you it would be good, rather than DP saying I told you its a pointless waste of space ).
Ive got a soup maker (actually eating soup made with it right now) and that makes sense to me – it cooks it and blends it all in one thing. Also, I often use those pre-cut mixes from the supermarket (yes, Im often a very lazy cook) and the onions in those are raw when they go in so this idea seems transferable to slow cooker cooking…? And @grassisjeweled, its the whole being out of the house all day thing that is what Im thinking about. Im not a fan of purposeful batch cooking – Ill happily make lots more of something Im already making and freeze the leftovers but the idea of spending a few hours cooking at the weekend for the week ahead isnt for me.
In my experience a hob even on the lowest setting will dry a dish out. A slow cooker loses next to no liquid (and in fact you need to be careful how much you add to start with as veg will give out liquid during cooking). In answer to the perennial why bother if you still need to brown onions etc, the value is not that it removes the work of cooking, but that it moves when in the day you do it. I have time to cook in the morning, I do not have time in the afternoon, therefore I love my slow cooker. If youre imagining throwing some stuff straight in and then rushing out the door then no, it probably wont give good results. In terms of vegan Ive made some vegtable curries, and a mushroom lasagna using oatly/nush stuff which worked very well.
Personally I think slow cookers are best for tough cuts of meat, and pressure cookers are better for beans and veg type meals. If you are cooking dried beans (especially kidney beans) is you have to soak overnight and then fast boil them for 10 minutes before you cook them. Top tip – If you throw the boiling water away and rinse them before cooking them, they arent as farty If you use tinned beans dont leave them in the slow cooker all day or theyll be mushy. Just add them at the last minute.
If you browse the Internet, there are lots of veggie & vegan recipes for the slow cooker available. One of my favourite is a vegan mushroom & bean stroganoff. Chunky soups also work well.
I think it’s more akin to having a casserole in the oven for a couple of hours. We have one and I think the main gain is if you’re out of the house all day. If you are in and able to just chuck something on the hob or in the oven then you aren’t really gaining much.
I thought they were more energy efficient than the hob? Also I like putting dinner on during my lunch hour and knowing I can completely neglect it and it will be safe for hours.
I think one of the big advantages of slow cookers is being able to put it on and not pay it much mind. Something on low heat on the hob always needs an eye kept on it (or maybe thats just me?). Id often do the prep the night before (onions as others are mentioning) then put it all in the slow cooker in the morning.
Gloomer makes very good points, as do others. When you have something on the hob a long time, it can either dry out, or steam the whole place up with loads of condensation. I luffs mine. There is a FB group for slo-cookers, you can do cakes and all sorts. Just be careful in reducing liquid for conventional recipes (I generally use about 2/3 recommended in a conventional recipe). If you want to be really lazy, I use casserole mixes 🙂
I dont brown onions or anything else before putting in the slow cooker. The only thing I do separately is heat up the sauce/tinned tomatoes or whatever Im using. I find its good for a root vegetable stew with lentils/pearl barley/beans whichever you prefer. It doesnt dry out or need stirring or checking as it would on the hob and is cheaper than a casserole in the oven. A tomato sauce for pasta with veg. in has much more depth of flavour than my usual browning and cook for 30/60 minutes on the hob. Im a meat eater so do cook meat as well. It does take up a fair bit of space and most meat tends to taste the same in it but for me it is definitely useful.
Thanks so much, everyone, lots to think about. Ill do some recipe research next to see if that helps to sway me.
OK, sorry to keep banging on about this (Im still undecided about whether to keep the thing or not!)… Those of you who like your slow cooker, are there any (veggie/vegan) recipes that you think you could probably just as easily do on the hob or in the oven? Or are there recipes that you think actually work best in the slow cooker? Im still trying to decide if its just a gadget that I dont really need, or if its something that is genuinely either going to make my life easier or make my dinners more delicious 
I like it for vegetables dishes more than meat — if it looks too watery, throwing in more lentils sorts it out. I wouldnt say it does anything better than the hob but it makes life easier when lots going on after work
I dont do anything to anything, other than chopping, before it goes in the slow cooker, regardless of what the recipe says
Husband is a vegan, and I love chucking a stew in ours in the morning and ignoring it all day. I use frozen casserole veg mix to save time, plus I find veg that has been frozen cooks better, otherwise I seem to still have hard carrots and swede 10 hours later. I put veg, tinned tomatoes and usually lidls taco beans (mixed beans in a chilli sauce) with extra tomato puree plus a lump of frozen garlic and cook for as long as Im out for. Other people probably cook better stuff but Im all about lazy cooking with it, takes me less than 3 mins to put it on in the morning!
Sign up to our Money Saver newsletter now and receive exclusive deals and hot tips on where to find the biggest online bargains, tailored just for Mumsnetters. Email address
Subscribe to our weekly Swears By newsletter and receive handpicked recommendations for parents, by parents, every Sunday. Email address
Thanks guys. You see @muddledmidget, that sounds right up my street… Im all about the lazy cooking. As long as its tasty and healthy, Im game.
Id take it back and swap for instant pot/pressure Coker type thing. You can use them as slow cookers, but I think theyre better for veggie food-can do beans without presoaking, only takes about an hour, can do rice, pasta, noodles etc as well as soups, risottos, chilli, curry etc etc can chuck in stuff straight from the freezer.. think its much more versatile so better use of space and more likely to use it more.
I’m vegetarian and only used our slow cooker occasionally and just didn’t see the point. I could just cook the same thing on the job and it took the same time ♀️
Mumsnet carries some affiliate marketing links, so if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale (more details here)
Most people associate their slow cooker with meaty mains, like pulled pork or braised short ribs. However, this handy gadget is just as useful when cooking up vegetarian recipes, too. It can whip up everything from veggie soups to meatless lasagnas with ease. And you can even use your slow cooker to make dessert.
I dont brown onions or anything else before putting in the slow cooker. The only thing I do separately is heat up the sauce/tinned tomatoes or whatever Im using. I find its good for a root vegetable stew with lentils/pearl barley/beans whichever you prefer. It doesnt dry out or need stirring or checking as it would on the hob and is cheaper than a casserole in the oven. A tomato sauce for pasta with veg. in has much more depth of flavour than my usual browning and cook for 30/60 minutes on the hob. Im a meat eater so do cook meat as well. It does take up a fair bit of space and most meat tends to taste the same in it but for me it is definitely useful.
I think one of the big advantages of slow cookers is being able to put it on and not pay it much mind. Something on low heat on the hob always needs an eye kept on it (or maybe thats just me?). Id often do the prep the night before (onions as others are mentioning) then put it all in the slow cooker in the morning.
In my experience a hob even on the lowest setting will dry a dish out. A slow cooker loses next to no liquid (and in fact you need to be careful how much you add to start with as veg will give out liquid during cooking). In answer to the perennial why bother if you still need to brown onions etc, the value is not that it removes the work of cooking, but that it moves when in the day you do it. I have time to cook in the morning, I do not have time in the afternoon, therefore I love my slow cooker. If youre imagining throwing some stuff straight in and then rushing out the door then no, it probably wont give good results. In terms of vegan Ive made some vegtable curries, and a mushroom lasagna using oatly/nush stuff which worked very well.
If you browse the Internet, there are lots of veggie & vegan recipes for the slow cooker available. One of my favourite is a vegan mushroom & bean stroganoff. Chunky soups also work well.
Mumsnet carries some affiliate marketing links, so if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale (more details here)
Find out which of your kitchen appliances are bumping up your energy bill, plus get tips to help you reduce energy use – see the free Which? guide to how much kitchen appliances cost to run.
Interested in trying our FREE 7-day healthy diet plan? Click here and choose between our meat eaters, vegetarian or vegan meal plans.Advertisement
This luscious yet low calorie lasagne offers all the comfort of the richer version, but packs in five of your 5-a-day! Wholewheat pasta sheets are layered with a medley of vegetables and creamy mozzarella, making for a wholesome and nutritious meal.
If youre looking to buy a slow cooker or need a replacement for yours, be sure to read our review of the best slow cookers. Weve also got plenty more inspiration for vegetarian and vegan slow cooker recipes.
Meet winter bowl food at its best. Pasta fans will love this hearty, nutritious vegan soup which brings cavolo nero together with beans, brown rice miso and pasta shapes. Come home to a filling stew, and take any leftovers to work the next day.
Best Slow Cookers, Tested by Food Network Kitchen | Food Network
FAQ
Is it worth getting a slow cooker if you’re vegetarian?
Is a pressure cooker worth it for vegetarians?
Do vegetables lose nutrients in slow cooker?
Is cooking vegetables in a slow cooker healthy?
Are slow cookers good for vegetarians?
By now, you’ve gotten the memo that slow cookers (a.k.a. Crock-Pots) are magical kitchen appliances that basically do your cooking for you while you live your life. Since slow cookers are often known for braising meat and making meaty stews, though, vegetarian recipes can be a little harder to come by.
Is a slow cooker worth it?
A slow cooker is worth it due to its several benefits, such as hands-off cooking, conservation of energy, and bringing out the flavor in most foods. They also promote healthy cooking and are easier to use than most cooking appliances. Are you curious to learn more about a slow cooker and whether it’s the right cooking appliance to invest in?
What vegetarian meals can you make in a slow cooker?
Look no further than your slow cooker. When the slow cooker’s involved, you know cooking is bound to be an easy affair. From a light, bright noodle soup and tikka masala to veggie pot pie and cheesy enchiladas, here are 10 vegetarian meals to make in your slow cooker. 1. Slow Cooker Ravioli Lasagna
Can a slow cooker break down meat?
The following recipes prove that the slow cooker isn’t just for breaking down tough cuts of meat. It’s for creating a hands-off version of a slow-simmered Indian dal dish, the aroma of spices permeating the kitchen. It’s for developing deep, rich flavors in a vegetarian Bolognese — the kind of flavors that can only come from all-day cooking.