These soups and stews are the definition of cozy. While the weather is chilly, do yourself a favor and break out the slow cooker to prepare one of these nourishing soup recipes. Filling, hearty meals like these only take a little bit of prep time and the slow cooker does all the rest. They make the perfect comfort food meals, ideal for cold winter days when you want to cozy up on the couch and watch a movie or do a puzzle while your soup simmers. Dinner will be on the table whenever you want it to be! What could be better than that?

From hearty soups to unique chilis for chilly days, these slow cooker recipes are great for busy schedules. Whip up a batch of soup over the weekend and use it for quick lunch or dinner options all week long!

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Turn the classic Mexican staple into a soup with this easy recipe. All you need to do is brown the ground beef with onions before pouring all the ingredients into your slow cooker and simmering for about four hours. Garnish your soup bowls with a dollop of sour cream, sliced avocados, or shredded cheese to brighten each bite on a gray day.

Slow Cooker Taco Soup by Home Made Interest

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This creamy soup combines all the delicious flavors of baked potatoes — with all the toppings, of course — in one big bowl. There’s only a bit of prep work involved, and from there the slow cooker does the rest. The toughest part is resisting the temptation to sneak a spoonful when the scent of bacon and garlic wafts through the kitchen for four hours.

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup by Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Korean Spicy Chicken Stew

Dakdoritang is a traditional Korean dish made with chicken and vegetables cooked in a spicy red sauce — this recipe uses potatoes, carrots, and onions. You can make it on the stovetop, but using a slow cooker lets you set it and forget it. In the traditional method, you typically need to add water because the liquid evaporates quickly. With this slow cooker recipe, you'll have enough liquid to keep your chicken from overcooking. The result is juicy chicken packed with spicy and savory flavors.

Korean Spicy Chicken Stew by Korean Bapsang

Slow Cooker Sausage Kale White Bean Soup

Who says comfort food can't be healthy? This warming, nourishing soup is packed with protein and vitamins. Made with hearty sausage, white beans, and kale, it's a great healthy slow cooker soup to prepare ahead of time and have for a quick and easy meal all week long. This recipe calls for andouille sausage, but you can use chicken sausage, Italian sausage, or whatever you have on hand.

Slow Cooker Sausage Kale White Bean Soup by A Cedar Spoon

Healthy Slow Cooker Lentil And Vegetable Lentil Soup

Don't mistake this vegetable soup for a light broth! It's loaded with vegetarian protein, thanks to a combination of lentils and kale. Add in potatoes, vegetables, fresh herbs, and spices to complete this flavorful slow cooker creation. Top it with chopped green onions or fresh parsley and serve with warm bread. This is a perfect soup to heat up for a quick and easy lunch!

Healthy Slow Cooker Lentil and Vegetable Lentil Soup by Sweetphi

Spicy Elk Chili

Expand your repertoire of chili recipes with this version, which calls for elk. Most chili recipes use a base of ground beef, sausage, or chicken, but why not mix it up and try something different? The directions are as simple as can be: just add all the ingredients to your slow cooker and let it simmer on low for eight hours. The end result is a rich chili, full of vegetables and protein. Top your bowl with sour cream (to temper the spice), diced jalapeños (for extra heat), or tortilla chips for a little crunch.

Spicy Elk Chili by Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations

Slow Cooker Chicken And Wild Rice Soup

This delicious recipe combines boneless chicken breasts with wild rice as well as a variety of spices and flavors. Replacing the carrots with butternut squash could be a wonderful way to incorporate fall flavors into this comforting, rich, and creamy soup. Simply season the chicken, add to the slow cooker, then toss in the rest of the ingredients before cooking on low for seven hours.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup by Simply Sissom

The Easiest Slow Cooker Vegetable, Beef, And Barley Soup

This one is almost a one-pot meal. With the exception of cooking the barley (which you can do ahead of time), all you have to do to make this soup is throw all of the ingredients into your slow cooker, and come back eight hours later to a delicious meal! You can also cut the cooking time by turning it up to high heat for four hours. It contains thyme sprigs and bay leaves for earthiness, as well as tomato paste, hearty vegetables, and beef. This is Sunday dinner at its finest: comforting, classic American beef stew!

The Easiest Slow Cooker Vegetable, Beef, and Barley Soup by Cook Smarts

Slow Cooker Texas Chili

Nothing says Texas like chili con carne! In the traditional format, this recipe is made without beans and calls for lean beef, ancho chili powder for smokiness, and green chilis for heat. Slow cooker chili is perfect for game day, a chilly fall afternoon, or an easy weeknight dinner. Top your bowl with plain Greek yogurt and chopped green onions for a low calorie, yet protein-packed meal.

Slow Cooker Texas Chili by Skinny Ms

Simple Crock Pot Chicken And Dumplings

This slow cooker chicken and dumplings recipe puts regular chicken soup to shame. It's the epitome of comfort food, made all the easier with a slow cooker. It sounds complicated, but it's incredibly simple. Just add all the ingredients to the slow cooker, stir to combine, and cook for five hours. In the last hour, the dumplings go in, so leave yourself a few minutes to complete the process. In the end, you're left with a creamy chicken soup, loaded with tender chicken and topped with delightful dumplings.

Simple Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings by The Slow Roasted Italian

Love these slow cooker soup recipes? We think you'll enjoy one of these related recipes on Yummly:

Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Chicken Noodle Soup
Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup