Smaller Crock Pot Recipe Roundup

Give that smaller crock pot some love with one of these 35+ easy everyday recipes with easy-to-follow step-by-step photo instructions.

Welcome to the collection of my best recipes for smaller crock pots—all will work in 3-4 quart or larger crock pots.

Small Crock Pot Recipes—all the recipes for 3-4 quart

Mini Crock Pot Recipes—a sub-group of the small crock pot group that will also work in a 2-quart crock pot.

All Crock Pot Recipes—Will the recipes for any size crock pot—full size, small, or mini

I have provided a Jump Index to get you where you want to go on this long page. Please enjoy the recipes.

Jump To:

About Crock Pot Size
Italian Recipes
Tex Mex Recipes
Chinese Recipes
Chili Recipes
Soup Recipes
Main Dishes/BBQ/Mac and Cheese
Candy and Dessert Recipes

About Crock Pot Size

A crock pot will make your life easier, but in a smaller household, large six to seven-quart crock pots are just too big for everyday use. You only have so much freezer space. They are heavy and harder to store. So, let's talk crock pot size.

Micro crock pots of less than 2-quart are not very useful outside of sauce or dips.
2-3 quart mini crock pots can work for more dishes and may be enough for a "cooking for one" household. But many will have temperature control and quality issues. Plus, by cutting down recipes this much, you will tend to waste a lot of ingredients, and you won't be saving if you throw out half-used ingredients.
A 3-4 quart crock pots are "just right" most of the time in a smaller household. Small enough for most people to handle and make recipes with some leftovers while not wasting many ingredients.

Italian Recipes

I love Italian, and you can check out all the Italian recipes in the Italian Category, but there are the ones I specifically make in smaller crock pots. The first is one of my favorite recipes on the entire blog.

Crock Pot Baked Ziti

Delicious Crock Pot Baked Zit has delicious meat sauce, three kinds of cheese, plus uncooked pasta baked in the slow cooker. You can have the best Italian pasta for dinner tonight.

Crock Pot Pizza Casserole

Crock Pot Pizza Casserole is a delicious, busy weeknight dinner recipe the whole family will love. Easy to make with your favorite pizza toppings and uncooked pasta for your perfect crock pot pizza.

pizza casserole in a large spoon over a crock pot.

Crock Pot Chicken Pasta

Delicious Crock Pot Chicken Pasta with an easy homemade marinara sauce that cooks the dry pasta and chicken while it simmers. You will love this cheesy Italian bake.

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore is a healthy, hardy recipe with tender chicken, vegetables, and rich tomato sauce—an easy dump-and-go weeknight dinner recipe.

chicken cacciatore on pasta and on white plate

Tex Mex Recipes

The Tex-Mex section may be disproportionate to the others, mainly due to my love for Tex-Mex foods and tastes. Just because we are cooking for smaller households, we can still have great taste.

Here are the Tex-Mex recipes I cook in a smaller crock pot, but you can see all the recipes in the Tex Mex Catagory.

Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas

Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas is one of the easiest recipes you will ever make with delicious homemade sauce, tender chicken, tortillas, and loaded with cheese.

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

With only three ingredients, a crock pot, and 5 minutes of prep, you can make delicious shredded chicken tacos or nachos. So simple, cheap, and healthy, you will repeat this recipe over and over.

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

This easy Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas recipe only needs a few ingredients for delicious healthy chicken fajitas in your slow cooker.

made up Chicken Fajitas with cheese on gray plate

Easy Mexican Shredded Beef—Crock Pot or Oven

Shredded Mexican Beef is tender and flavorful using a beef roast and a few pantry ingredients. Super easy and makes fantastic tacos, burritos, and quesadillas.

Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken Casserole - Tex Mex Style

This Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken Casserole is bursting with great Tex-Mex spices. It is too easy to be this good. Plus, it is lower in fat and calories, so it will fit many diet types.

Crock Pot Fiesta Chicken

Make delicious and creamy Tex-Mex with this easy Crock Pot Festa Chicken recipe with chicken, black beans, salsa, and sour cream. Use it in tacos, nachos, burritos, on a salad, or in a bowl with rice.

spoon full of fiesta chicken over the crock pot.

Chinese Recipes

Yes, Chinese food is excellent in a crock pot. Here are my smaller crock pot recipes, but you will find all my Chinese recipes in the Chinese Catagory. Remember, all recipes card are easy to adjust the ingredients for the number of servings you want.

Crock Pot Cashew Chicken

Packed with tender breaded chicken, cashews, and a wonderful sauce this Crock Pot Cashew Chicken recipe works in a small crock pot but easy to scale to a larger amounts.

cashew chicken on with rice on a gray plate

Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken

Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken has fall-apart tender chicken breasts or thighs coated in a sticky honey sauce. With only 10 minutes of prep, this is an easy weeknight dinner recipe.

Crock Pot Chinese Boneless Ribs

Make Chinese takeout at home. Sticky, sweet, and tender Crock Pot Boneless Ribs will become your favorite easy home Chinese dish with just common pantry ingredients and your slow cooker.

Chili Recipes

Chili is great in a crock pot. The first two are specifically for smaller crock pots and are two of the best chilis you will ever make. Check out all the great chili recipes in the Chili Category.

Easiest Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

Award-winning Crock Pot White Chicken Chili only needs five ingredients and 10 minutes of prep time. It's thick and creamy with tender chicken and mild spiciness.

White Chicken Chili on a spoon over bowl

Small Crock Pot Chili

Super easy to make and one of the best homemade chilies you will ever have. This versatile chili is perfect in a small crock pot but can easily be adjusted to your taste and needs.

Healthy White Chicken Chili

This Healthy White Chicken Chili is packed with tender chicken, beans, and a spicy broth. A full-flavor chili that fits low-calorie and low-fat diets.

Stew Meat Chili

This Stew Meat Chili recipe is simple for even the non-cook—you only need a few knife skills. With this easy small-batch recipe, you can make chili for two or as much as you need.

Soup Recipes

Like Chili recipes, soup is just fantastic in a crock pot. These are designed for the smaller crock pot. Check out all the great soups in the Soup Category.

Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup

Rich and creamy crock pot broccoli cheese soup is super easy to make with frozen or fresh broccoli and only a few minutes of prep before going in your slow cooker. The perfect comfort food for a cold winter day.

Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup in a Crock Pot

This simple classic Chicken Noodle Soup recipe can be made in a crock pot or on the stovetop—get a great homemade taste with tender chicken, noodles, and vegetables.

Ladle of chicken noodle soup over the crock pot

Easy Crock Pot French Onion Soup—Long and Slow

Classic French Onion Soup features beefy broth loaded with caramelized onions. Cooked all day in your crock pot, then topped with crusty bread and melted cheese.

French Onion in a bowl covered with browned cheese

Crock Pot Beef Barley Soup

An easy and delicious dump-and-go crock pot beef barley soup recipe with tender stew meat, beef broth, vegetables, and plump barley. Use any size slow cooker, from mini crock pots to full-size.

ladel of beef barley soup over a full crock pot

Main Dishes/BBQ/Mac and Cheese

Here is a variety of smaller crock pot recipes from various categories. There is BBQ, Casseroles, Pork Chops, and Mac and Cheese

Small Crock Pot Honey Glazed Ham

Small Crock Pot Honey Glazed Ham will enhance a small boneless ham with pineapple, honey, and spices to make a great holiday main dish—perfect for a small household.

slices of ham with pineapple on white plater

Crock Pot French Dip

Crock Pot French Dip sandwiches have tender beef and caramelized onions topped with melted cheese. Serve on a toasted roll with au jus for dipping.

Crock Pot Apple Pork Chops

Fire up the slow cooker today for this great combination of pork chops and apples—the perfect crock pot pork chop recipe for fall with fantastic flavor and minimal prep.

Easiest Crock Pot BBQ Chicken

This is one of the easiest recipes ever—tasty BBQ chicken in under 4 hours. Great for family gatherings and parties or just when you want to be lazy for an easy family dinner.

a shredded BBQ chicken sandwich on a white plate

Easy Crock Pot Shredded Pork Tenderloin

This Easy Crock Pot Shredded Pork Tenderloin makes a small batch of delicious BBQ pull pork from tenderloin—a perfect recipe for a smaller household.

Pork Chops in the Crock Pot

Fall-apart tender Pork Chops in the Crock Pot will make your mouth water. Nothing is more comforting than boneless pork chops with creamy gravy.

pork chop on white plate with pepper and gravy

Creamy Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

A creamy, tasty mac and cheese recipe that is ultra-simple, and this will become your favorite comfort food recipe. As easy as boiling water, it is a delicious alternative to the blue box. And good enough to make my "in-house mac and cheese expert" go back for seconds.

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese with Uncooked Pasta

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese with Uncooked Pasta has excellent taste, creamy texture, and tender pasta in one of the easiest recipes you can make for dinner tonight—no boiling for you.

Candy and Dessert Recipes

A great way to end the day, something sweet. We all love a great dessert, and check out more dessert recipes in the Dessert Category.

The candy recipes are all gift-giving worth for the holiday season. Check out more candy recipes in the Candy Category.

Crock Pot Fudge

Let's make some great fudge with this super-easy recipe using the gentle heat of your crock pot and only 4 ingredients. Have fun making fudge with your child or just by yourself. This chocolate fudge recipe is just what you need for the holidays.

pieces of fudge with nuts on a red plate

Crock Pot White Chocolate Almond Clusters

Super easy and delicious white chocolate almond clusters are the perfect gift for the holidays or for any special occasion. Simple with these step by step photo instruction for the perfect white chocolate candy.

white chocolate almond clusters on a white plate

Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Clusters

Chocolate peanut clusters are the best candy treat and are super easy to make at home in your crock pot. Lightly salted peanuts covered with sweet chocolate coating make the perfect gift, or keep them all for yourself—you can always make more with this smaller recipe.Only a few ingredients.

red plate full of chocolate peanut clusters

Crock Pot Apple Cobbler

Make this easy Crock Pot Apple Cobbler recipe with a cake mix topping, butter, fresh apples, or canned pie filling instead of apples. A smaller cobbler recipe perfect for beginning cooks.