Best slow cooker cookbooks to buy in 2024

‘What’s For Dinner? In One Pot’ by Sarah Rossi

Available from Waterstones (£20), Amazon (£17.57)

Best for meal plans

We know people love a meal plan and this clever book has 100 recipes, plus 10 meal plans with shopping lists. Each meal plan includes six dinners (leaving one night for some flexibility or leftovers), a breakfast for the weekend and a treat to bake. Every recipe in the book uses one of three pans: slow cooker, a sauté pan/casserole dish or a baking tray – so you don’t need tons of equipment. Rossi focuses on short ingredients lists and accessible family meals – think turkey taco rice, creamy gnocchi traybake or nacho loaded fries. We particularly like that even the slow cooker recipes have instructions for if you don't have one, and there’s plenty of additional tips on every page.

Must try recipe: Sticky ginger ham

Available from:
Waterstones (£20)
Amazon (£17.57)

The Ultimate Slow Cooker Cookbook by Clare Andrews

Available from Amazon (£10), WHSmith (£18.80), Waterstones (£20), Foyles (£20)

Best for slow cooker beginners

If you've just bought a slow cooker and aren't sure where to start, this slow cooker bible is a good place to start. As well as 80 recipes, there's a useful general guide on how to approach slow cooking different ingredients such as jacket potatoes, a whole chicken or lamb chops. Recipes include familiar slow cooker staples as well as new ideas such as a veggie Lancashire hotpot, whole roast chicken cooked in cider and red Thai prawn noodles.

Must try recipe: Whole chicken cooked in cider

Available from:
Amazon (£10)
WHSmith (£18.80)
Waterstones (£20)
Foyles (£20)

Bored of Lunch: The Healthy Slow Cooker Book by Nathan Anthony

Best for healthy slow cooker recipes

While slow cookers may often be associated with cosy comfort food, Nathan Anthony’s approach focuses on ‘calorie-conscious’ meals. Letting the slow cooker do the work means recipe methods are short (usually just 1-2 steps) and easily approachable even for novice cooks. If you’re trying to be healthy, there’s clear calorie information for every recipe, including any additional side dish recommendations. Chapters include 'Fakeaways', 'Weekday Dinners' and 'Feeding a Crowd'.

Must try recipe: Mango chicken curry

Good Food: Ultimate Slow Cooker Recipes

Available from Amazon (£13.59), Waterstones (£16.99), WHSmith (£15.97)

Best slow cooker bible

We had to give a shoutout to our own collection of slow cooker recipes. We've produced hundreds of meal ideas over the years and this collection rounds up 150 of our favourites. Classics such as curries, chillis and hearty stews are covered along with new ideas and clever slow cooked puddings.

Available from:
Amazon (£13.59)
Waterstones (£16.99)
WHSmith (£15.97)

Bored of Lunch: Healthy Slow Cooker Even Easier by Nathan Anthony

Available from Amazon (£10), Waterstones (£14.99), WHSmith (£18.80)

Best for easy healthy slow cooker recipes

Following on from his original Healthy Slow Cooker book above, Nathan Anthony returns in January 2024 with more easy, healthy slow cooker ideas. Every recipe in the book is under 500 calories, giving lighter twists on many simple classic recipes. The highlight of this book is the ‘Meal prep, batch and freeze’ chapter giving ideas such as teriyaki beef bowls, saag aloo and creamy veggie bakes – batch cook at the weekend and then eat healthily all week. The easiest recipes are also marked with a handy logo when they take just five minutes or less prep time.

Must try recipe: Sticky whisky BBQ ribs

Available from:
Amazon (£10)
Waterstones (£14.99)
WHSmith (£18.80)

Vegan Slow Cooker by Saskia Sidey

Available from Amazon (£6.40), Waterstones (£12.99), WHSmith (£12.21), Foyles (£12.99)

Best for vegan slow cooker recipes

While slow cookers are commonly associated with casseroles and large cuts of meat, this short book of 70 recipes shows there’s plenty of vegan ways to use one, too. Aside from chapters on breakfasts and sweet treats, the two main course chapters are cleverly divided into ‘3 hours or less’ and ‘More than 3 hours’, so you can decide just how slow you want to cook. Ingredients are familiar and make the most of vegetables and spices rather than complex vegan alternatives.

Must try recipe: Whole spiced cauliflower

Available from:
Amazon (£6.40)
Waterstones (£12.99)
WHSmith (£12.21)
Foyles (£12.99)

Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Libby Silbermann

Available from Amazon (£9.40), Waterstones (£10), WHSmith (£9.40), Foyles (£10)

Best for vegetarian slow cooker recipes

This follows the same format as Vegan Slow Cooker above, with 70 recipes and the main course chapters divided by timings. Lots of the recipes are actually very similar to that book, too, but with more flexibility due to the ability to use dairy. Mains under 3½ hours include a selection of risottos, soups, veggie curries and pasta bakes, whilst recipes requiring a longer slow cook include a pumpkin, brie and sage lasagne or lentil and celeriac shepherds pie.

Must try recipe: Blackberry and almond steamed pudding

Available from:
Amazon (£9.40)
Waterstones (£10)
WHSmith (£9.40)
Foyles (£10)

Cook Slow: Light & Healthy by Dean Edwards

Available from Amazon (£14.02), Waterstones (£16.99), WHSmith (£15.97), Foyles (£16.99)

Best for all-year-round slow cooking

On a mission to show that slow cooking doesn’t just have to be winter comfort food, this collection from Dean Edwards of healthier, nourishing recipes aims to help you use your slow cooker all year round. There’s over 90 recipes and all also have conventional oven methods for helpful comparison. Our highlights were the recipes where the slow cooker provides real benefits, such as the vegan black bean ‘meatball’ marinara and ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ teriyaki beef. Recipes are also clearly labelled when gluten free, if this is useful to you.

Must try recipe: Chipotle jackfruit tacos

Available from:
Amazon (£14.02)
Waterstones (£16.99)
WHSmith (£15.97)
Foyles (£16.99)