Who says that we need to eat meals packed with meat or animal proteins to get the best nutrition out of our food, or that animal products, in general, taste better than those without?
Now, you can try these vegan crockpot recipes for delicious meat-free midweek meals for options that don’t require you to worry about ingredients that have not been sustainably sourced or which are from animals or animal by-products.
The time to cut out meat for certain meals is now, and the family will be healthier for it too with the meatless dishes you can get creative, and who knows, it may just be what you were looking for to get your culinary juices flowing.
#1. Slow Cooker Black Bean Burritos
I love a great-tasting burrito any day of the week, but nothing hits the spot in the middle of the week when the weekend seems miles away like a filling wrap packed with goodness.
Beans are one of my children’s favorite pulses and so when I found these vegan crock pot recipes I jumped at the chance to incorporate them into an easy dinner meal, and I will say they are a hit with the family.
And the best part is they are so versatile so options for fillings are endless, and adding various ingredients (that the kids can help to choose themselves at the grocery store) will add a great pop of color to the overall wraps.
This dish is lean and healthy all wrapped into one making it the perfect outdoor dining dish for those hot, lazy summer months when no one wants to cook let alone be salving away in the kitchen for hours. And when the dish is done cooking, the kids can help to assemble the wraps for the platter to take outside, a real team effort of a meal.
If slow cooker vegan recipes that need no supervision are your cup of tea then these will be perfect for trying out this week for the dinner menu.
All you need to do is gather all the ingredients, and this is just as great as most of them are pantry staples that you will most likely have on hand (tinned products can work too, but be sure to read product labels for any additives), and pop them all into the crockpot to work its slow cooking wonder.
Leave the slow cooker on low throughout the day to bubble gently while you run to do the one hundred errands and chores on the to-do list of parents every day, and have peace of mind that when you come home you have the luxury of simply dishing a tasty ready meal packed with flavor.
Vegetables have so many necessary vitamins and minerals and if this filling dish gets the kids eating them without a blinking an eye, I am all in. And if you have broken chunks of brioche on the side to dip in and soak up the sauce then you can be sure you will have a clean bowl after dinner.
There is nothing you could fault with this dish if you tried. It is filled with ingredients of every color of the rainbow, filling and healthy to curb those hungry tummies, and is so quick and easy to make you will wish you had found these crockpot vegan recipes sooner.
While the food is in the crockpot slow cooking to perfection, you can get the kids to grate the cheese for the generous sprinkling on top of the dish they will surely be digging into, and I like to have freshly chopped jalapenos on the side for the hubby. He likes a good bite of his food.
Sometimes during the week you just don’t have the time or the energy to make a full-blown meal that ticks all of the food group categories, well, this way you just put it on and let it be.
The simplest of meals to give you that final push to the end of the week, and is so easy that even beginner culinary or kitchen enthusiasts could try their hand at it successfully.
We all know that when the cold weather comes calling, or even worse, arrives sooner than expected we immediately want to run for the hills.
I, on the other hand, have a secret longing (kept to myself for fear of being booed off the stage by the family) for chilly weather days because I have the great excuse to whip out my slow cooker and make a hearty, comfort-food creation that can last for up to two days when doubling the portion size.
And in the crockpot, it is just as easy to make a regular portion as it is a doubled version (which I almost always do).
Just throw everything together, except the pasta of choice for the first few hours, and let that cook and melt together for a beautiful flavor profile.
In the last half hour or so add your noodles, the kids love the rainbow-colored spirals and cook till they are al dente.
Give it a quick stir and a squeeze of lime (or lemon) to elevate the flavors and enjoy one of the best versions of a healthy vegan slow cooker recipes option that I have discovered.
When the football season starts in our house it is madness. There are constantly people in and out of the house, I don’t think we ever have a day where someone isn’t staying over for dinner, or friends sleeping over for the night.
This is why I needed something suited for everyone.
Some kids have allergies, others are vegan, a few only eat meat and no vegetables, and it is a jungle out there. But these slow cooker vegan recipes have proven highly popular and successful with everyone, even the “I only eat chicken” kids, so it has become a regular visitor on our supper menu rotation.
And once all the juices have intensified and the lentils have absorbed all the goodness and are swollen with flavor, who could resist this saucy mixture piled into a fresh bun with homemade coleslaw and a chilled drink.
Yes, please. The guests have on occasions requested these (which made my heart leap for joy) and these are the perfect grab-and-go snack for when the hubby has the lads over watching the game downstairs and shouting at the projector screen.
A tomato-based pasta dish filled with fresh aromas of basil and a generous (more than is necessary when the kids have a say) amount of cheese makes these the ultimate in vegan crockpot recipes, and a must-try for feel-good food.
I would never have thought I could make a baked dish in the slow cooker till now, and I am so glad I gave it a try. Well, my eldest convinced me when she found this recipe online.
Since then, she has made this recipe on her own for the family for supper, with some supervision on the first try, but other than it she has made it perfectly every time.
A great way to start the kids off learning how to make food for themselves if need be for when they grow up and leave the house, and because it needs no supervision she could set it on low in the morning when heading out to her University classes and come back in the afternoon to a delicious meal.
Easily served with a light green salad for the perfect meal combination.
Who knew that the crockpot would make a feature in life lessons, win-win.
For the majority of the time when we think about a roast meal, we tend to think of it being made in the oven, and with a large joint of meat.
So when I saw these vegan slow cooker recipes using fruit I was intrigued and decided to make it on a whim while browsing on my phone waiting for the kids to come out from school. I stopped by the grocery store to get the ingredients, so there was no turning back.
It was certainly different, and the hubby gave it a thumbs up so I guess it was not too bad after all.
And I was worried about how it would turn out but didn’t have the time to stare at it the whole day which is why the slow cooking option is perfect for busy moms.
Great for a special occasion or to take to other people s homes for them to try something new too, and you can serve it straight from the cooker for convenience.
As a child, I can distinctly remember growing up with baked potatoes on the dinner table from time to time. They are cheap and cheerful which makes it great to feed a lot of people on a tight budget, and this meal has endless toppings options so there is no excuse for any kiddos trying their luck of getting out of eating it.
I used to see my grandmother poking the potatoes with never-ending holes with the fork and then wrapping them before putting them in the oven. They always tasted great and were soft and falling apart every time, but it took the whole afternoon.
Feeling like these for a change of scenery at the dining table I did some research and found these easy crock pot vegan recipes that could be done in the slow cooker. And this was one of those.
Popping them in the cooker for several hours and they came out beautifully soft. I created a buffet-style toppings station which went down a treat with the family and everyone got to choose and make their potato artwork creation. They loved it. And watching them eat and enjoy the dish was a pleasure to see at the table, these are what making memories is all about.
We immediately think of saucy ground beef and pasta when we hear the word Bolognese, and with these crockpot vegan recipes version, I even convinced my skeptic hubby that it would taste good. He loves it.
Lentils are such a versatile ingredient, and easy on the pocket too which makes this dish cost-effective whilst tasting amazing at the same time.
There are two major steps to preparing this dish for dinner, and if that’s all there ever was when it came to making delicious suppers I would be all for it. The more fuss-free it is, the better.
The first half is cooking everything for a few hours on low while you carry on with the household chores and laundry, then during the last 40-minutes, you add your pasta and leave it to swell and cook and absorb the juices and flavors of the rest of the ingredients.
Serve with cheese, or we like to use parmesan and finely chopped parsley for freshness and a nice pop of color. A winning dish in our house and great for picky eaters.
#10. Chickpea Tikka Masala in a creamy tomato curry sauce
I don’t know about you or your family but my bunch loves eating out at our local Indian takeaway restaurant down the road. The thing is if you do it more than once a month it can quickly add up financially and is not something I can afford every month.
We needed a solution that worked for everyone, a way to enjoy our favorite flavors without breaking the bank. And I found it with these easy crock pot vegan recipes that taste so good, as they are, you will wonder why you ever opted for the meat version, to begin with.
Chickpeas can be used in so many ways, they are one of our favorite ingredients in our house, and in this dish, they do not disappoint. Not only are they filling but they add rich robustness to the overall meal, bringing the flavors seamlessly together.
This dish is gorgeously creamy, has a sweet and sour tang to it from the tomatoes, and pairs perfectly with fluffy white rice and fresh coriander (I like to add a squeeze of lime on top too, optional but so amazing) for the ultimate at-home, take out meal.
A successful dish from start to finish, and is effortlessly simple to make.
All the goodness of a wintery meal in one pot, simple, elegant, and full of rich flavors to savor in front of the fire under the covers while watching your series. The perfect scenario.
Italian cuisine is and always has been a contender for some of the most delicious and exquisite cuisines in the world, and this stew proves that. And all with the peace of mind that it is vegan and vegetarian friendly.
What more could you want when looking for quick and easy vegan slow cooker recipes, and it needs no supervision throughout the day while it cooks slow and steady, win-win.
We served this with some homemade coconut flour wraps that we have with various meals and they taste so good and make great edible scoops too (as the kids have shown us), a true crowd-pleaser of a dish.
And if you make a double portion you could freeze half ready for a rainy day later in the month, it freezes and reheats perfectly every time.
A nice way to make your friend or someone feeling under the weather is to pop over some of this with fresh brioche on the side, a great alternative to the generic chicken noodle soup.
Who doesn’t love a good ol’ homemade curry when the time calls for it?
I could eat curry every day of the week if my family would let me get away with it, but alas, their love does not run as deep for it as min does. I do however make sure to include it at least once every two weeks in our supper menu rotation, this way everyone is a winner.
Knowing this, I decided to read my collection of choices to pick and choose from when it was curry night, and these healthy crock pot vegan recipes gave me such a good selection I now make extra so I have leftovers for the next day (sneaky, or smart?)
This recipe is so simple to pull together with only a handful (yes you heard me) of ingredients to prepare, I can put it on in the morning as I head to work and the school run, and come home to a house that smells like goodness and flavors are wrapped up and ready to dig into.
Life is busier than ever, and even more so if you have kids in the house that needing taking to and from their sports and music lessons, so knowing supper is taken care of by the time you get home is a huge weight off that we all deserve.
Try this dish for your next dinner when you know that Thursdays on the schedule are manic, you won’t be disappointed.
This casserole is bursting with a full flavor profile that is home cooking at its best.
We decided to serve this to friends, who like us are vegan and vegetarian, and they were raving about it from the first mouthful (a crowd-pleasing meal for sure, so keep it close).
But what they couldn’t believe is how effortless it sounded to make, and it is, and if you have a quarter of an hour to spare in the morning before tackling the day, then these are the slow cooker vegan recipes that will change your life.
Quinoa is not something everyone has tried or even heard of but I knew, after some research, how beneficial it was to living a healthy lifestyle.
Quinoa is a fiber that is full of antioxidants and perfect for regulating your blood sugar levels and preventing any heart and blood pressure issues, and since then, it is always on the grocery list and stocked in our pantry.
This recipe is a great way to introduce this nutrient-filled ingredient to newcomers or kids and has been a winning choice around our dining table.
Serve a generous portion of this meal with a dollop of sour cream and chives and you will have clean bowls after supper, or better yet, requests for seconds.
#14. Crock Pot Vegetarian Lentil Chili with sweet potatoes
Sweet potato, in my children’s and husbands’ eyes, is by far the superior choice when it comes to the potato and spud family. And I do agree to an extent (I love regular potatoes too), which is why this chili packed with sweet potato was a two-thumbs-up winner in our supper rotation menu this month.
I have made plenty of lentil and sweet potato dishes independently, but when combining those flavor profiles elevated the dish to a meal that was so much more.
Even the mother-in-law had a clean dish at the end of their routine Tuesday evening meal around our house, so for me, that is a win on all fronts.
We love this recipe because it is so quick and easy, but more importantly, is so versatile. I may not have every ingredient on the list each time I make it, so switching some out for others has given me a new approach to trying new recipes.
The spinach in this dish is added at the last minute, and because I didn’t want to go to the store just for spinach, I swapped it for kale and no one was the wiser. So knowing this, I have no hesitation in experimenting in the kitchen. A must-try dinner option to have in your culinary collection.
There is nothing better than a filling soup with chunky ingredients, I prefer them over smooth soups, but add to it a humble ingredient like rice and it is a completely new experience.
I had never had rice in a soup before, and just as my husband was skeptical so was I, but we only live once and I said we are trying it (and it had rave reviews, and I’m all about a good review). We were pleasantly surprised at how great it tasted, and even the kids approved.
Mushrooms have never been on the list of veggies the kids would eat, and usually, they would pick them out of the meal, but because they couldn’t pick them out in the soup they just ate them and were not phased. They now have a new appreciation for mushrooms where before they didn’t like them because of how they looked (every parent rolling their eyes in agreement).
This dish is hearty and is the perfect choice when you want a home-cooked meal in the middle of the week that isn’t a struggle or an effort to make.
I’ll be honest, I wanted to give this recipe a go only because I thought the name was so funny, gumbo, it has a friendly vibe to it so it must taste good too right (my philosophical thinking poking its head out)?
I loved making it too because it has an earthy feel to all the homegrown ingredients, and when you arrange them in the crockpot ready for the slow cooking magic to take place, it looks like an edible art piece.
And when food looks good, half the battle is already won, and people will (mentally to begin with) enjoy it no matter what.
If you are serving this to kids or someone who has a particular reaction to spice you can easily omit the chili flakes and opt to serve sliced jalapenos or fresh chili on the side for people to help themselves, the dish is still deliciously gorgeous.
Easily serve with rice or polenta for a homemade meal that is great for the whole family to enjoy.
The name, for those who are not well-versed in the culinary world, maybe intimidated and think that this dish is overly complicated and tricky, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
You can add the ingredients into the cooker all at once, or do what I do.
Heat a large skillet with olive oil (and I like to add a generous knob of garlic butter which I make myself for added flavor and richness to the dishes) and brown and sauté the carrots and the onions. Add these to the crockpot and top with the remaining ingredients and the broth which will thicken as the dish simmers.
If you want it still thicker at the end, drain everything, and whisk a spoon of almond flour (if no nut allergies are present), coconut flour, and even corn starch into the liquid to reach the desired consistency. Put the content back into to be smothered in this rich saucy goodness.
My husband loves this on top of creamy mashed potato, and this way the sauce can run into the potato for an even more complete meal. This was a success from the beginning to the end of the dish.
When you know you will be making this soup recipe for dinner, be sure to pick up some corn Dorito crisps from the store when heading home. They bring something to the meal that, when you don’t have them, you wonder why.
The soup takes no effort at all and saves you spending hours in the kitchen over a hot stove, but when you serve it, this is where the magic happens.
Our kids love tacos any which way, but they were shocked to hear that Taco night was in the form of a soup. I dished everyone their bowl and when I placed a large bowl of crisps in the middle of the table their eyes lit up. Everyone got to dig in and crunch the crisps onto the top of their dish for a great texture variation to the meal, and the little ones used the crisps whole as scoops (of course) to eat the dinner.
I love seeing the kids ‘enjoy’ their food, and whilst this may be more on the messy end of the food spectrum (have plenty of napkins on hand), it is a pleasure to be a part of.
When you see this dish in the crockpot it is like a child’s painting, full of color, and if you know anything about food and ingredients then you will understand how each ‘color’ has a unique flavor and when combined in the right way, can taste exquisite.
This is how I feel when I make this dish for supper. And it is so quick and easy to put together that it seems a crime not to have this in the monthly menu options list.
Everything goes in, minus the spinach, and is left to cook through the day till the afternoon. Then just before serving stir in the spinach and voila, a magazine-worthy looking meal that will impress even the mother-in-law.
Who doesn’t love a great tasting dish that is a breeze to make, and when the kids and their sports schedule are in full swing and you feel like you are running around like a crazy person, this dish will save the day. Yes, please, because we could all use a break when things get hectic in the house.
When having vegan meals we often forget to have condiments or side sauces, or perhaps we don’t even consider them an option, but now you can.
This sauce is so speedy and it only needs 4-ingredients.
I make this in big batches so I can put half the mixture into jars for family and friends who always welcome a homemade sauce in a jar with a cute label right?
It pairs beautifully with desserts, but also adds a touch of sweetness to main course meals when you want something different.
There is no right or wrong when it comes to making meals or preparing dinner for the family, and these vegan crock pot recipes for delicious meat-free midweek meals are proof of that.
The notion that more ingredients make for better meals is crazy, and when trying these dishes you will be surprised at how beautifully a handful of quality ingredients can come together. Check out our blog if you enjoy this collection for even greater recipe choices to try at your next summer gathering.
Having completed three years at cooking school, Gabi then went into the realm of private cheffing where she got to travel the world, cooking for the rich and famous in their luxury homes and holiday homes. Through her travels, she has experienced different cuisines, which she has added to her cooking repertoire.
