Vegan Crockpot Recipes: The Ultimate Comfort Food

When the weather grows colder, the daylight hours get shorter, and you lose all desire to do anything but huddle under a blanket by the fireplace, you'll know it's time to pull out the vegan crockpot recipes. They're simple as well as economical, most are very healthy, and the slow cooker happens to do all of the hard work for you, which leaves plenty of extra time to make a mug of soy hot chocolate and get a start on a good book.

Crockpot Dishes for Vegans

Slow cooker recipes are infinitely adaptable, so feel free to subtract any of the below ingredients, substitute with your favorites or add alternatives to make these vegan crockpot recipes your own.

Moroccan Squash Stew Recipe

The below stew features butternut squash, which has a beautiful color and a mellow flavor that melds well with other ingredients. It makes about four servings.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 T. olive oil
• 4 c. vegetable broth or vegetable stock
• 2-3 T. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 raisins
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 c. frozen peas

Procedure

1. Pour the olive oil into a heavy pan, and warm it over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for five to 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent and beginning to brown.
2. Put the onion, garlic, and all additional ingredients except the peas into the slow cooker. Cook on low for five to eight hours or on high for three to four hours.
3. Add the frozen peas in the last 15 to 30 minutes of cooking.

Vegan Chili Recipe

Having a party? Make vegan chili, and serve with dairy-free cornbread or freshly baked biscuits. The below chili recipe, based on an AllRecipes version, makes enough to serve at least eight.

Ingredients

• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 4 veggie burgers, crumbled
• 3 28-oz. cans diced tomatoes
• 3 T. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can black beans or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 c. frozen corn

Procedure

1. Pour the olive oil into a pan, and warm the pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, green pepper, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, and salt. Saute for five to eight minutes or until the onion becomes translucent and the peppers and celery are softened.
2. Transfer the sauteed mixture to your crockpot. Add all remaining ingredients except the frozen corn. Cook the chili on low for five to eight hours or on high for three to four hours.
3. About 15 to 30 minutes before serving, add the frozen corn and mix it in thoroughly.

Add-Ons for Vegan Crockpot Recipes

The bare-bones ingredients are all you need to make a simple soup or stew, but there's a laundry list of potential add-ons that can intensify flavors of a dish, provide an interesting textural contrast, or just make it taste better. Below are a few examples:

• Thinly sliced green onions
• Crumbled veggie bacon
• Vegan shredded "cheese"
• Freshly cracked pepper
• Tamari or soy sauce
• Toasted nuts
• Toasted coconut flakes
• Pepitas
• Pine nuts or sunflower seeds
• Red pepper flakes
• Turmeric
• Sea salt

Slow-Cooked Vegan Goodness

The crockpot can cut down on your time in the kitchen and still deliver a tastey meal. Feel free to experiment with crockpot recipes; tweak them and tailor them to suit your tastes.