Slow cooker soup recipes have saved me time and time again. I don’t like to feed my family too much fast food, but on busy nights there aren’t too many other options. That’s why I love to toss dinner into the slow cooker and let it cook all day. When the day is done and we can finally go home, there’s a hot, home-cooked meal waiting for us. If you take the time to fill the slow cooker the night before, all you have to do in the morning is turn it on. Here’s some of my favorite slow cooker soup recipes, but I’d love to hear yours too.

1 Quick and Easy Clam Chowder

Quick and Easy Clam Chowder This is one of my favorite slow cooker soup recipes because it tastes like something you’d get in a restaurant, but you don’t have to put in much effort to get it ready. It’s super simple, super fast and totally delicious.

Ingredients:
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1 can condensed cream of potato soup
1 can New England clam chowder
2 cans minced clams
1 quart half-and-half
1 pint heavy whipping cream

Directions:
Place all the ingredients in the slow and cooker and stir well to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

All Recipes: allrecipes.com

2 Cheesy Potato Chowder

Cheesy Potato Chowder I absolutely love potato soup, but the cheese in this one takes it to a whole new level. This is the perfect soup for a cold winter night and it makes great leftovers the next day.

Ingredients:
6 medium unpeeled red potatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
3 ½ cups frozen broccoli cuts
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup skim milk
2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup fat-free sour cream
4 medium green onions, chopped

Directions:
Place the all the ingredients, except the sour cream and green onions in a slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cook on low for about 6 hours, or until the potatoes are tender and the broccoli is hot. Stir in the sour cream and green onions just before serving.

Betty Crocker: bettycrocker.com

3 Posole

Posole Posole is a traditional Mexican soup. It’s perfect for any day you need dinner ready but don’t have time to cook, but it’s also the best choice if you have a cold because it’ll clear you up in no time.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
4 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1 medium onion, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 (15.5 ounce) cans hominy, rinsed and drained
2 (4.5 ounce) cans chopped green chiles, undrained
1 cup packaged angel hair slaw
½ cup thinly sliced radishes
½ cup diced peeled avocado
2 limes, cut into wedges

Directions:
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil, and then add the pork. Brown the pork on all sides, about 8 minutes. Place the pork, broth, onion, cumin, oregano, pepper, cloves, crushed red pepper, garlic, hominy and green chiles in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. Garnish with slaw, radishes, avocado and limes just before serving.

4 Slow Cooker White Bean Soup with Andouille and Collards

Slow Cooker White Bean Soup with Andouille and Collards If you’re looking for a sort of ethnic soup that will fill you up, this is the one. It’s loaded with delicious ingredients, but it’s also full of nutrients. That’s something you can really feel good about when you serve this soup to your family.

Ingredients:
1 pound dried white beans
½ pound andouille sausage links, cut in half and sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch collard greens, stems discarded and leaves cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Olive oil and breadsticks, for serving

Directions:
Place the beans, sausage, onion, celery and thyme in the slow cooker. Add the chicken broth and stir. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or until the beans are tender. About 20 minutes before serving, remove the thyme and add the collard greens. Cook an additional 15 minutes. Add the vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with breadsticks on the side.

Real Simple: realsimple.com

5 Black Bean Mushroom Chili

Black Bean Mushroom Chili This is the perfect meatless meal, but the mushrooms make it super hearty so you won’t even miss it. This a healthy soup that’s perfect for dinner and warms up wonderfully for lunch the next day. Kids love this one!

Ingredients:
1 pound dried black beans
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup mustard seeds
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds
½ teaspoon cardamom seeds
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces tomatillos, husked, rinsed and coarsely chopped
¼ cup water
5 ½ cups mushroom broth
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 to 2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 ¼ cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup reduced-fat sour cream
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes, cut into wedges

Directions:
Soak the beans in 2 quarts of water overnight. Drain. Combine the oil with the mustard seeds, chili powder, cumin and cardamom in a Dutch oven over high heat. Stir, cooking for about 30 seconds. Add the onions, mushrooms, tomatillos and water. Cover and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes and chipotle peppers and stir well. Put the beans in a slow cooker and add the mushroom mixture. Cook for 5 to 8 hours. Serve with cheese, sour cream, cilantro and lime.

Eating Well: eatingwell.com

6 Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup My family loves chicken tortilla soup, so a recipe I can cook in the crock pot is perfect. Served with a warm tortilla and a scoop of avocado, this soup is filling and delicious.

Ingredients:
1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5-ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10-ounce) bag frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
Vegetable oil

Directions:
Put the chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles and garlic into a slow cooker. Add the water and chicken broth, then sprinkle in the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf, the corn and the cilantro and stir well. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve with tortillas, brushed with vegetable oil and warmed in the oven.

All Recipes: allrecipes.com

7 Swedish Yellow Split Pea Soup with Ham

Swedish Yellow Split Pea Soup with Ham This is such a comforting and filling soup recipe. It’s easy to make, but the ingredients infuse lots of flavor so it’s not like anything you’ve ever tried before.

Ingredients:
3 cups yellow split peas
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups diced yellow onion
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup finely diced celery
8 ounces ham, trimmed and diced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
Black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Wash the split peas until the water runs clear. Put all the ingredients, except the pepper, in the slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Season with pepper and serve.