Easter cooking can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Instead of spending countless hours in the kitchen, try out some slow cooker recipes! Using your slow cooker is not only efficient but it often only calls for a few minutes of prep time. In a handful of hours, you’ll have a delicious healthy Easter meal made entirely in your slow cooker. From a whole glazed ham and springy sides, to dessert, here are some healthier holiday dishes that are great fits for Easter brunch or dinner. And for dessert try these 21 Easter Dessert Recipes Ready In 20 Minutes (Or Less!).
Plus, don’t miss our 22 Meals to Melt Belly Fat in 2022.
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald
Red wine makes a welcome appearance in our chicken in red wine recipe that calls for tasty ingredients such as chopped bacon, pearl onions, and quartered button mushrooms. This revamped version of coq au vin comes in at just 365 calories per serving, making it a good choice for either a holiday entree or weekend dish.
Get our recipe for Chicken in Red Wine.
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Jason Donnelly
Balsamic vinegar, black pepper, and a bit of maple syrup join together to create a delicious dish that is great for Easter brunch or dinner. The best part is that it requires little to no prep—all you have to do is toss ingredients into a slow cooker and go about your day!
Get our recipe for Maple Balsamic Chicken with Vegetables.
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald
Instead of heavy gravies or cream-based sauces, this aromatic beef dish uses red wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, and bay leaves to create an appealing holiday dish. We love how this easy recipe is packed with hearty vegetables, including peas, potatoes, carrots, and onions.
Get our recipe for Beef Stew.
This delicious brisket recipe uses Greek yogurt to create a smooth horseradish cream that is used as a garnish for this savory meat dish. Tip: Put an inventive twist on next-day leftovers by making brisket French dip, corned beef hash, or brisket nachos.
Get our recipe for Braised Brisket with Horseradish Cream.
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald
This slow cooker favorite, which is made using skin-on chicken breasts, red wine vinegar, red bell pepper, and smoked paprika, is the perfect meal to have on Easter Sunday. Its secret ingredient? A bottle of dark beer.
Get our recipe for Basque Chicken.
RELATED: 20 Delicious Summer Dishes You Can Make in a Slow Cooker
Courtesy of Five Heart Home
Slow-cooked in tangy pineapple juice and then smothered in a glaze made from honey, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard, this tasty ham recipe may just become your new holiday favorite. Serve it alongside roasted carrots, sauteed greens, and mashed potatoes for a truly decadent meal.
Get the recipe from Five Heart at Home.
Courtesy of Recipe Tin Eats
If you are looking for a holiday lamb recipe that is both delicious and simple then look no further. This scrumptious lamb, which is served with a rosemary garlic gravy, checks off all the boxes.
Get the recipe from Recipe Tin Eats.
Courtesy of Diethood
Equal parts tender and tasty, this garlic balsamic pork loin recipe is all set in just 3 hours when cooked on high in the slow cooker. Be sure to serve it with a side of mashed cauliflower, garlicky spinach, and roasted sweet potatoes for a truly memorable holiday dinner.
Get the recipe from Diethood.
Courtesy of Five Heart Home
This easy carrots side dish, which is made using baby carrots, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and honey, is the ideal companion to baked ham, roasted chicken, slow-cooked pork loin, and more. The best part? It is around just 130 calories per serving.
Get the recipe from Five Heart at Home.
Courtesy of Cotter Crunch
This dairy-free mashed potatoes recipe is packed with creamy white bean puree, making it a flavorful fiber-rich side dish to serve at any holiday table. Be sure to top with fresh herbs, such as rosemary and thyme, for the full effect.
Get the recipe from Cotter Crunch.
Courtesy of Cooking Classy
Once you make this pot roast recipe you’ll never go back. Filled with Yukon gold potatoes, chopped carrots, and minced garlic, and prepared to perfection, this slow-cooked dish blows all other roasts away.
Get the recipe from Cooking Classy.
Courtesy of Running To The Kitchen
This lamb stew, which takes just 10 minutes of prep, puts an inventive twist on traditional stew recipes. Made using diced tomatoes, mushrooms, celery, Tuscan kale, and a bit of beer, this hearty dish is both tasty and aromatic.
Get the recipe from Running to the Kitchen.
Courtesy of Le Creme De La Crumb
This beef roast recipe, which features fall-apart rump roast, baby carrots, red potatoes, chopped celery, and beef broth, is bursting with both flavor and texture. Its secret? It uses both steak seasoning and Italian seasoning to get that extra added flavor boost.
Get the recipe from Creme de la Crumb.
Courtesy of Katie Cucina
Never eat boring spinach again with this slow cooker creamed spinach recipe. Made using organic baby spinach, minced garlic, black pepper, and organic milk, this side dish requires just 5 minutes of prep time. Feel free to swap out the milk and heavy cream for plant-based alternatives.
Get the recipe from Katie’s Cucina.
RELATED: 42+ Best Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes for Weight Loss
Courtesy of Sweet Phi
Dessert made in a slow cooker? Why not!? This mouthwatering cinnamon roll recipe is healthier than store-bought alternatives, which are usually packed with sugar and other additives. Also, one of the best parts is that you can control just how much sugar goes into it—for instance, if you’d like, you can always skip out on the icing.
Get the recipe from Sweet Phi.
Courtesy of Live Eat Learn
This creamy vegan cauliflower soup, which can be prepared in a quick 5 minutes, is the perfect way to start off Easter dinner. Made with cashews, chickpeas, and paprika, this may just become your new go-to.
Get the recipe from Live Eat Learn.
Courtesy of How Sweet Eats
Three words: Guinness. Short. ribs This exceptional dish, which is made with boneless beef short ribs, low-sodium beef stock, and 8 ounces of Guinness, takes slow-cooked short ribs to a whole other level. One of our favorite parts is the cheesy cauliflower mashed that it is served with.
Get the recipe from How Sweet Eats.
Courtesy of Julie’s Eats and Treats
Breathe some life into boring old green beans with this crockpot variation, which calls for crumbled bacon, garlic salt, and reduced-sodium soy sauce. Hint: If you want to go dairy-free, be sure to switch out the butter for a plant-based option.
Get the recipe from Julie’s Eats and Treats.
Courtesy of The Seasoned Mom
This delicious Southern green bean recipe, which is just around 118 calories per serving, uses a touch of brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce to get its undeniably delicious taste. Serve it alongside pot roast, glazed ham, or marinated chicken for a truly memorable dining experience.
Get the recipe from The Seasoned Mom.
Courtesy of Well Plated
This simple spaghetti squash recipe calls for just two ingredients—spaghetti squash and kosher salt. We love how this allows for us to get creative with toppings. For instance, you can drizzle with olive oil and lemon for a pared down side, or serve topped with goat cheese, honey, and chopped nuts for a more elaborate treat.
Get the recipe from Well Plated.
Courtesy of Show Me The Yummy
Is it just us, or does honey and Dijon mustard make everything taste better? This recipe, which is packed with flavor, is great served with fluffy mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, and crispy salad.
Get the recipe from Show Me the Yummy.
RELATED: 18 Dishes You Never Knew You Could Make in a Slow Cooker