How To Cook Small Meals In A Large Slow Cooker

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Cooking for one? We’ll show you how to cook small meals in a large slow cooker by using an oven safe bowl. Plus, we’re sharing several single serving slow cooker and Crock Pot recipes specially created to serve one person. No need to rush out to purchase a small slow cooker, adapt recipes to the size of your slow cooker.

A spoonful of pot roast from a slow cooker next two a bottle of beer and two baguettes

We love our slow cooker and here at One Dish Kitchen we have several delicious slow cooker recipes that serve one or two people.

What if you have a large slow cooker though? Do you need to purchase a small one?

The answer is no. You can cook small portion, easy Crockpot meals in a large slow cooker. We will show you the easy way to adapt recipes to the size of your slow cooker!

How To Adapt Recipes To The Size Of Your Slow Cooker

For the slow cooker recipes featured on this website, I suggest using a 1.5 to 3-quart slow cooker.

If you have a large slow cooker, that’s fine too. You can easily adapt your large slow cooker into a small slow cooker by placing an oven safe bowl inside of the bowl of your slow cooker. This absolutely works and I’ve done it many times.

Steps for placing a small bowl inside a large slow cooker to adapt a recipe to fit your slow cooker

Rules to follow…

Be sure to use an oven safe bowl inside the big bowl of the slow cooker.
Slow cookers work best when they are about two-thirds to three-quarters full. When the bowl isn’t full enough, the food will cook faster and possibly burn. If the bowl is too full, the food may need to be cooked longer than the suggested cooking times.
Always cook with the lid on your crockpot and try to avoid opening the lid while cooking.

Cooking a meatloaf in a small bowl placed inside a large slow cooker

Best Slow Cooker When Cooking For One

If you decide that you would like to purchase a small slow cooker, the size I recommend for single serving recipes is a 1.5 to 2-quart slow cooker.

This size isn’t big enough to hold a big roast or a whole chicken, but this size slow cooker will work for many other recipes. (See below for recipes)

Small slow cookers work just as well as large slow cookers and with the removable stoneware crock, clean up is a breeze.

Not only are small slow cookers great for making single serving meals, they are also perfect for keeping dips and sauces warm.

Chicken with orange sauce inside a small slow cooker

What Is The Difference Between A Slow Cooker And A Crock Pot

Many people use the names slow cooker and Crock Pot interchangeably.

A Crock Pot is a type of slow cooker which was introduced in the 1970’s and originally marketed as a bean cooker. Over the years, it has been redesigned and has evolved into the model we are most familiar with today.

The Crock Pot and Crock Pot styles have a stoneware pot that sits inside a surrounding heating element.

A slow cooker refers to the appliance and there are many manufacturers of all sorts of slow cookers.

Some slow cookers have a heating element on the bottom and the pot (usually metal or stoneware) sits on top. These pots are heated solely from the bottom.

Both a Crockpot and a slow cooker can be used to cook any of the slow cooker recipes below.

Slow Cooker Recipes For One

Here are a few of our most popular slow cooker recipes for one:

sesame chicken over rice in a yellow bowl

Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken For One

4.95 from 20 votes

Quick and easy slow cooker sesame chicken for one made with a sweet honey sesame sauce. The perfect amount if you're cooking for one.

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chicken thighs topped with marinara sauce next to roasted potatoes on a clear plate

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken For One

5 from 10 votes

A recipe that's been in our family for years, this slow cooker Italian chicken is a winner! Made with simple ingredients and packed with amazing flavors. This single serving version features tender, juicy chicken with a flavorful tomato-based sauce. Wonderful served over pasta, rice, or potatoes.

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a bowl of red beans and rice next to a plate of cornbread

Slow Cooker Red Beans And Rice For One

5 from 8 votes

This Small Batch Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice recipe is filled with sausage, the trinity of vegetables, plenty of creole seasoning, and tons of flavor. Our classic Louisiana recipe scaled down to serve one or two. Recipe video included in our easy to make recipe.

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chicken piccata topped with capers and onions on a blue plate

Slow Cooker Chicken Piccata For One

4.80 from 10 votes

Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Piccata For One, this delightful low carb meal has the wonderful lemony flavors found in a traditional Chicken Piccata but without the added carbs and calories from the breading. A single serving meal perfect for anyone cooking for one.

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Slow Cooker Orange Chicken For One

4.83 from 17 votes

Light and incredibly delicious Orange Chicken recipe. A healthier twist on traditional Orange Chicken and full of flavor. This single serving slow cooker chicken recipe is so easy to make and tastes so much better than takeout!

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Slow Cooker Meatloaf For One

4.93 from 14 votes

This Mini Slow Cooker Meatloaf is tender and juicy and so easy to make! Made with onions, garlic, spices and topped with a sweet and tangy sauce. This simple recipe makes the perfect amount to serve one or two people. Included in the recipe are instructions for converting a Crockpot or Crockpot-style slow cooker into a single serving slow cooker.

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chicken burrito bowl on a silver tray next to fresh cilantro and an avocado.

Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowl For One

4.96 from 25 votes

Create a delectable, single-serving Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowl, brimming with tender chicken, sweet corn, hearty black beans, and juicy tomatoes. Irresistible!

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For information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.

For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.

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