7 Cheap Slow Cooker Meals That Actually Taste Good

Quick Summary

7 recipes, all under £1.50 per portion — cheapest is tomato and lentil soup at 48p

Under 10 minutes prep for every recipe — set it before work, eat when you get home

A slow cooker costs £15-20 and pays for itself in the first week

Perfect for shift workers — cook while you sleep, eat before your next shift

Short Answer: A slow cooker turns cheap cuts of meat and basic ingredients into proper meals for under £1.50 per portion. Prep takes under 10 minutes — throw everything in before work, come home to a hot meal. The cheapest recipe (tomato and lentil soup) costs just 48p per portion.

Why Every Budget Kitchen Needs a Slow Cooker

If you haven't got a slow cooker yet, get one. Aldi sell them for about £15, Argos for £20. It'll pay for itself in the first week.

The beauty of a slow cooker is simple: throw ingredients in before work, come home to a hot meal. No standing over a hob, no timing multiple pans, no thinking about dinner at 5pm when you're already shattered.

Every recipe below costs under £1.50 per portion, serves 4, and takes less than 10 minutes to prep.

1. Beef and Vegetable Stew (85p per portion)

Total cost: £3.40

400g stewing beef (Aldi) — £2.00
3 carrots, diced — £0.20
2 potatoes, cubed — £0.30
1 onion, diced — £0.10
400ml beef stock (from a cube) — £0.05
Tinned tomatoes — £0.29
Frozen peas, handful — £0.15
Salt, pepper, mixed herbs — £0.05
Splash of Worcestershire sauce — £0.06

Method: Brown the beef in a pan for 3-4 minutes (this step is optional but adds flavour). Chuck everything in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

Serve with bread for dipping. Proper comfort food.

2. Chicken and Lentil Curry (72p per portion)

Total cost: £2.88

4 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin removed) — £1.25
150g dried red lentils — £0.27
1 onion — £0.10
Tinned tomatoes — £0.29
200ml coconut milk (half a tin) — £0.45
2 tbsp curry powder — £0.10
2 garlic cloves — £0.06
Frozen spinach, large handful — £0.20
Thumb of ginger, grated — £0.08
Salt — £0.03
100ml water — free

Method: Put everything in except the spinach. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. The chicken will fall off the bone — pull the bones out, stir to break up the meat, add the spinach for the last 30 minutes.

Serve with rice. This genuinely tastes like a takeaway.

3. Sausage Casserole (93p per portion)

Total cost: £3.72

8 pork sausages (Aldi Ashfield Farm) — £1.39
400g tin of baked beans — £0.29
Tinned chopped tomatoes — £0.29
2 potatoes, cubed — £0.30
1 onion — £0.10
1 pepper, chopped — £0.45
Chicken stock cube — £0.05
200ml water — free
Smoked paprika, 1 tsp — £0.05

Method: Brown the sausages in a pan (2 minutes each side). Add everything to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Kids absolutely love this one. Serve with crusty bread.

4. Vegetable Chilli (65p per portion)

Total cost: £2.60

Tin of kidney beans — £0.39
Tin of black beans — £0.39
Tinned tomatoes — £0.29
Tin of sweetcorn — £0.35
1 onion — £0.10
1 pepper — £0.45
2 garlic cloves — £0.06
1 tbsp chilli powder — £0.08
1 tsp cumin — £0.05
Salt, pepper — £0.04
100ml water — free

Method: Everything in. Cook on low for 6 hours. Done.

Serve with rice, in wraps, on jacket potatoes, or with nachos. The cheapest meal on this list and one of the tastiest.

5. Pulled Pork (£1.40 per portion)

Total cost: £5.60

1kg pork shoulder — £4.00
1 onion, sliced — £0.10
200ml apple juice — £0.30
2 tbsp BBQ sauce — £0.20
1 tbsp smoked paprika — £0.10
1 tsp garlic powder — £0.05
Salt, pepper — £0.05
Splash of vinegar — £0.05

Method: Rub the pork with the spices. Place onion slices on the bottom of the slow cooker, put the pork on top. Pour over the apple juice. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

When it's done, it'll fall apart with two forks. Shred it, mix with BBQ sauce. Serve in bread rolls with coleslaw.

This makes incredible leftovers — pulled pork wraps, pulled pork on jacket potatoes, pulled pork fried rice.

6. Tomato and Lentil Soup (48p per portion)

Total cost: £1.92

200g dried red lentils — £0.36
2 tins chopped tomatoes — £0.58
2 carrots, diced — £0.14
1 onion — £0.10
2 garlic cloves — £0.06
1 litre vegetable stock — £0.10
1 tsp cumin — £0.05
Salt, pepper — £0.03

Method: Everything in. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Blend with a stick blender (or mash with a fork if you like it chunky).

48p per portion. That's less than a bag of crisps. Freezes perfectly too — make a double batch and freeze in portions.

7. Chicken and Mushroom Pasta Sauce (£1.12 per portion)

Total cost: £4.48

4 chicken thighs, diced — £1.25
250g mushrooms, sliced — £0.79
1 onion — £0.10
2 garlic cloves — £0.06
400ml chicken stock — £0.05
Tinned tomatoes — £0.29
100ml cream (or a few tablespoons of cream cheese) — £0.45
Mixed herbs, 1 tsp — £0.05
Salt, pepper — £0.04

Method: Everything except the cream goes in. Cook on low for 6 hours. Stir in the cream for the last 30 minutes. Serve over pasta.

This makes enough sauce for 4 generous portions. Cook the pasta fresh when you're ready to serve.

Slow Cooker Tips

Buy cheap cuts. Slow cookers are designed for tough, cheap cuts of meat. Stewing beef, pork shoulder, chicken thighs — they break down over 6-8 hours and become incredibly tender. Don't waste money on premium cuts.

Don't lift the lid. Every time you open the lid, you lose 20-30 minutes of cooking time. Set it and forget it.

Fill it properly. A slow cooker works best when it's between half and three-quarters full. Too little food and it dries out, too much and it won't cook evenly.

Freeze portions. Most of these recipes freeze brilliantly. Cook on Sunday, eat two portions fresh, freeze two for later in the week. That's two nights where dinner is just reheating.

Layer properly. Root veg (potatoes, carrots) on the bottom — they take longest to cook. Meat on top.

The Weekly Plan

Cook two slow cooker meals per week. That's 8 portions for roughly £6-8 total. Four portions eaten fresh, four frozen for busy nights.

Combined with a few quick meals on the other nights, you're looking at feeding a family of four dinner for well under £25 per week.

That's not deprivation. That's just smart cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size slow cooker do I need for a family?

A 3.5-litre slow cooker is fine for 2 people. For a family of four, go for a 5-6 litre model. Aldi and Lidl sell them for £15-20 when they come into stock. Argos has them year-round for about £20.

Can I leave a slow cooker on while I'm at work?

Yes — that's the whole point. Modern slow cookers are designed to run safely for 8-10 hours unattended. Just make sure it's on a flat, heat-resistant surface away from the wall.

Do I need to brown meat before slow cooking?

It's optional but recommended. Browning adds flavour through the Maillard reaction. If you're short on time, skip it — the meal will still taste good, just slightly less rich.

Can I freeze slow cooker meals?

Absolutely. Most slow cooker meals freeze perfectly for up to 3 months. Cool completely, portion into containers, and label with the date. Defrost overnight in the fridge.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your GP before making changes to your diet, exercise routine, or health management.