French Slow Cooker Recipes

🧅 1. French Onion Soup

Surprisingly easy and impressive.

Ingredients:

• Lots of onions (yellow or white), butter, garlic

• Beef or veg stock, thyme, bay leaf, splash of brandy or wine

• Baguette slices + melted cheese (Gruyère or Comté)

Method:

1. Caramelise onions first if you can (or slow cook them alone for 3 hrs then add stock).

2. Add stock and herbs. Cook low 6 hrs.

3. Serve with cheesy toasts floating on top.

🐟 2. French-Style Fish Stew (Provençal-Style)

Light but flavourful — perfect if you want something less heavy but still impressive.

Ingredients:

• Firm white fish (cod, pollock, hake) — added at the end

• Optional: prawns or mussels for variety

• Tomatoes (tinned or fresh), garlic, onion, fennel (or celery if you can’t find fennel)

• White wine, fish or vegetable stock

• Herbs de Provence or thyme + bay

• Olive oil, lemon zest

Method:

1. Add everything except fish to the slow cooker.

2. Cook low 5-6 hrs or high 3-4 hrs.

3. Add fish and seafood in the last 20–30 minutes so it poaches gently.

Serve with rouille toast (garlic mayo on baguette) or rice.

🥘 3. Bœuf Bourguignon

Rich, warming, and deeply French — this one is made for slow cooking.

Ingredients:

• Stewing beef (chuck or bourguignon cuts)

• Carrots, onions, garlic

• Lardons or streaky bacon

• Mushrooms

• Red wine (Burgundy if you’re feeling fancy, or any full-bodied red)

• Beef stock, tomato purée, thyme, bay leaves

Method (Simple Slow Cooker Version):

1. Brown beef and lardons (optional but adds flavour).

2. Toss everything into the slow cooker.

3. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.

4. Before serving, thicken with a little cornflour if needed.

Serve with buttery mash, crusty baguette, or pasta (very French home-style!).

🐓 4. Poulet à la Moutarde (Creamy Mustard Chicken)

French country cooking at its finest — rustic but elegant.

Ingredients:

• Chicken thighs or drumsticks (skin-on gives more flavour)

• Dijon mustard + wholegrain mustard

• Crème fraîche or double cream

• Onions, garlic

• A splash of white wine

• Thyme or tarragon

Method:

1. Brown chicken for extra depth (optional).

2. Mix cream + mustards + herbs + wine.

3. Add onions to the base of the slow cooker, layer chicken, pour over sauce.

4. Cook on low 6-7 hours or high 3-4 hours.

Serve with rice, green beans, or even French-style potatoes (pommes vapeur).

🐖 5. Cassoulet

The classic from the southwest — slow-cooked beans, pork, and sausage. Traditionally an all-day affair, but the slow cooker makes it easy.

Ingredients:

• Toulouse sausages (or any good garlicky sausage)

• Pork shoulder or belly (cubed)

• Tinned white beans (cannellini or haricots)

• Onion, garlic, carrot

• Tomato purée, thyme, bay leaf

• Optional: duck confit legs (if you want to impress!)

Method:

1. Brown sausages and pork if you have time.

2. Layer beans → veg → meats → herbs in the slow cooker.

3. Add stock or a mix of stock + white wine.

4. Cook low 7-8 hrs or high 4-5 hrs.

Serve with crusty bread and a sprinkle of parsley. Rustic and deeply satisfying.

🐑 6. Navarin d’Agneau (French Lamb & Vegetable Stew)

A classic spring lamb stew, but it works beautifully year-round.

Ingredients:

• Lamb shoulder or neck (cubed)

• Carrots, potatoes, turnips (or parsnips), peas

• Tomato purée, garlic, onion, thyme, bay leaf, stock

Method:

1. Brown lamb if you like.

2. Add everything except peas.

3. Cook low 7-8 hrs / high 4-5 hrs.

4. Add peas in last 30 mins.

Rustic, warming and very "bistrot".

🍷 7. Coq au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine)

Similar to Boeuf Bourguignon but with chicken — slightly lighter.

Ingredients:

• Chicken thighs or drumsticks

• Bacon lardons, mushrooms, onions, garlic

• Red wine, chicken stock, thyme, bay leaves

Method:

Same method as the bourguignon — into the slow cooker and let the wine work its magic.

🥩 8. Boeuf à la Mode (Braised Beef à la French Countryside)

A classic French braised beef, gently cooked until meltingly tender.

Ingredients

• Beef brisket or chuck, cubed

• Carrots, onions, celery

• Garlic, bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf)

• Red wine and beef stock

Method

1. Brown the beef (optional).

2. Add vegetables, herbs, wine, and stock to slow cooker.

3. Cook low 7–8 hrs or high 4–5 hrs.

Serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread.

🌿 9. Ratatouille Provençale (Vegetarian)

Perfect on its own with crusty bread or as a side to grilled meat.

Ingredients:

• Aubergine, courgette, peppers, onion, garlic, tomatoes

• Olive oil, thyme or Herbes de Provence

Method:

1. Layer vegetables like lasagna or mix.

2. Drizzle olive oil & season well.

3. Cook low 6 hrs or high 3 hrs.

It becomes melt-in-the-mouth and intensely sweet.

🥕 10. Carottes Vichy à la Mijoteuse (Vichy Carrots)

A simple, elegant side dish of sweet glazed carrots in the French style.

Ingredients

• Carrots, sliced

• Butter

• Sugar

• Salt, pepper

• Fresh parsley

Method

1. Place carrots, butter, sugar, salt, and pepper in slow cooker.

2. Cook low 2–3 hrs until tender and glossy.

3. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.