Recipe Roundup

17 Easy Braises (and Slow-Cooker Recipes) That Don't Feel Too Wintery for Spring

Sometimes cooking slow is easier than cooking fast.
Photo of milkbraised pork recipe a braising recipe from Molly Baz. Pork on a plate with braised greens.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone

If your days are stacked and busy, but you're able to be around the house, braising recipes and slow-cooker recipes can actually require less labor and less focus than many quick and easy dinner ideas. While we're not forsaking our sheet pan suppers anytime soon, doing a longer braise or slow-cooked meal once a week can yield enough dinners to feed you for a few nights. Which means you might actually get an evening off. Here are 17 slow-cooker recipes and braises for your oven that are pure comfort food, without feeling too winter-appropriate.

  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton
    3/17

    Easy Lamb Tagine With Pomegranate

    Sweet and tangy pomegranate juice brings a depth of flavor and rich color to this meltingly tender lamb stew. Serve with polenta or a grain salad and then nextover remaining lamb into sandwiches the next day.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    4/17

    Big-Batch Black Beans

    This simple, large batch of seasoned black beans can be frozen, refrigerated, and repurposed in endless ways for easy, family-friendly meals.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Frances Boswell
    5/17

    Coconut Milk–Braised Chicken

    No searing, no chopping, one baking dish. This is a braise that still feels bright, thanks to a squeeze of lime and whatever fresh herbs you have on hand for garnish.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Chelsie Craig
    6/17

    Easiest Chicken Adobo

    For adobo that’s sweet, salty, tangy, garlicky, and ready in a fraction of the time, don’t peel and slice each garlic clove: Just cut open a whole head and simmer it in the sauce.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Linda Xiao
    7/17

    Double-Pork Carnitas

    A combination of pork belly and pork shoulder, slow-cooked to tenderness and then crisped in a pan, yields carnitas with unparalleled texture and richness.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee
    8/17

    Slow Cooker Ribollita

    Ribollita is like a heartier version of minestrone, thickened with bread and redolent with garlic. It is a beautiful soup when it’s fresh from the pot, but it is also perhaps the most noble of leftovers.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    11/17

    Slow-Cooker Chipotle-Orange Pork Tacos

    The definition of set-it-and-forget-it, this slow cooker recipe makes great pork for tacos (or you can use the leftovers to make this stir-fry.) 

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Jennifer Ophir
    12/17

    Very Versatile Baked Beans With Cabbage

    Onions, garlic, cabbage, and tomatoes melt into a thick rich blanket of sweet richness for these hearty baked beans. Serve in tortillas, over toast, topped with eggs, or alongside some sausages.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
    13/17

    Slow-Cooker Chicken Congee

    This simplified version of the traditional savory rice porridge uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs cooked with rice in a slow-cooker. Dress it with avocado, limes, peanuts, chile oil—and as many toppings as you like.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Marcus Nilsson
    14/17

    Braised Brisket With Hot Sauce and Mixed Chiles

    How can you look at this and not crave brisket tacos?

    Get This Recipe
The Epicurious editorial team develops original recipes, and publishes stories about cooking better, faster, and more creatively, sustainably, and affordably. See our full masthead, here. ... Read More
Read More
Juggling a Lot Right Now? Cook Slow, Not Fast
Juggling a Lot Right Now? Cook Slow, Not Fast
Managing remote work and your child's distance learning doesn't leave a lot of brain space (or dedicated time) for cooking even the quickest meals. But sometimes cooking quickly isn't the right move, anyway.

Maggie Hoffman

How Big-Batch Cooking Will Help You Make Dinner (and Breakfast) (and Lunch) With Your Ingredient Stash
How Big-Batch Cooking Will Help You Make Dinner (and Breakfast) (and Lunch) With Your Ingredient Stash
You might have more groceries in your house than ever before. Here's how to make the best use of everything you've got.

Joe Sevier

The Best Slow Cooker for Soups, Braises, Dips, and More
The Best Slow Cooker for Soups, Braises, Dips, and More
We have a new favorite (and it’s not the Crockpot).

Emily Johnson

The No-Fail Way to Cook Rice Faster
The No-Fail Way to Cook Rice Faster
Scorched pan bottoms be gone.

Katherine Sacks

The Most-Saved Recipes in the Epicurious App This Week
Like grilled chicken wings and a citrus bitters cocktail.
The Most-Saved Recipes in the Epicurious App in May
Like green falafel smash burgers and a crispy rice salad.
23 Fresh Basil Recipes for Pesto and Beyond
Grilled corn with basil butter, pineapple shrimp noodles, slow-cooker pork with zesty basil sauce, and more.
41 Father’s Day Breakfasts to Say, “Thanks, Dad”
Extra-tender cinnamon rolls, everything-bagel quiche, a chorizo and egg crunchwrap, and more ways to show your gratitude.
The Best Mac and Cheese You'll Ever Make (Restaurant-Quality)
In this edition of Epicurious 101, professional chef and culinary instructor Frank Proto demonstrates how to make the best mac and cheese at home. From the perfect melty sauce to a delicious toasted crust, follow Frank’s guide and never make a dry mac and cheese again.
31 Fourth of July Desserts for Star-Spangled Summer Fun
Like butter-pecan icebox cake, sour cherry pot pie, sheet pan shortcake, and more.
Pro Chefs Blind Taste Test Every Hot Dog
Chefs Cara Nicoletti, Pat LaFrieda, and Matt Abdoo are used to thinking outside the box when it comes to cooking; however, today on Epicurious, we’ve asked them to give us their unfiltered, honest reviews of some prominent hot dogs found on supermarket shelves. Which hot dogs pack the most bang for your budget, and which should you avoid at all costs?
Cheese Expert Tries Every Trader Joe’s Cheese
Trader Joe’s is famous for its cheese selection, but which ones are actually worth buying? Cheese expert Liz Thorpe joins Epicurious to taste test everything from classic Brie and sharp cheddar to more adventurous flavors like chocolate stilton and spicy scotch bonnet. Join Liz as she breaks down the best buys, hidden gems, and which cheeses to skip on your next Trader Joe’s run.