The Whole30 Slow Cooker: Whole30-Compliant Slow Cooker Recipes for Easy, No-Fuss Meals That Cook While You Work

by Melissa Urban

A New York Times Bestseller!

Since 2009, millions of people have transformed their lives with the Whole30. Now, co-creator Melissa Hartwig is making it even easier to achieve Whole30 success with delicious slow cooker recipes that make healthy eating a breeze, turning simple ingredients into delicious, hearty meals while you’re out and about. This follow-up to the best-selling The Whole30 Cookbook is packed with 150 creative and healthy recipes designed to get you out of the kitchen fast, so you can enjoy all the benefits of your Whole30-inspired lifestyle. The Whole30 Slow Cooker features delicious, no-fuss dinners that cook while you work; roasts that transform into tacos, salads, and soups, for easy meals throughout the week; and satisfying one-pot meals that make prep and cleanup a breeze. These creative meals use whole-food ingredients found in any supermarket, and as an added bonus, feature recipes and directions for making your meals Instant Pot-friendly!Achieve Whole30 success with 150 recipes designed for your busy

Effortless Slow Cooker Enjoy delicious, compliant dinners that cook while you work, from tender roasts to hearty stews.Smart Meal Transform a single roast into a week of incredible, easy-to-assemble meals like tacos, salads, and soups.One-Pot Dozens of satisfying recipes that make both preparation and cleanup an absolute breeze.Instant Pot Includes bonus instructions to adapt your favorite slow cooker recipes for the pressure cooker.Accessible Every recipe uses easy-to-find whole-food ingredients available at your local supermarket.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference, Health, Diets

336 pages, Hardcover

Published October 23, 2018

About the author

Melissa Urban is CEO of the Whole30 and an authority on helping people create lifelong healthy habits. She is a six-time New York Times bestselling author (including the #1 bestseller The Whole30); and has been featured by Dr. Oz, Good Morning America, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and CNBC. She lives with her husband, son, and a poodle named Henry in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Reviews

[Erika ♥OwlwaysReading♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish you could try the food before you spent the money & time to replicate the recipes. Such a bummer when the meal is just blah and you have leftovers. Also, a lot of the meals started tasting same-ie. When you eat a meal with NO SUGAR (unless natural from fruit), no grains (ex. wheat, oats, barley, corn, rice, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, and etc), no peanuts & soy, no milk (ex. cheese yogurt,), no etc etc etc you start to get the same tastes and flavors over and over again.

See... SAME-IE

[Brie Gardner · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book literally says "do not recreate baked goods, treats, or junk food with approved ingredients. Your cravings and has its won't change if you keep eating these foods, even if they are made with Whole30 ingredients." What the fuck??????? No real diet is going to keep you from eating what you want, especially if you're doing it within the diet. I immediately dismissed this book after reading that bullshit, and the rest of you should too. Also you can't eat much on this diet anyways, so do literally anything else. Fuck this diet, fuck this book, and fuck this author.

[Jen W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can’t wait to try some of these recipes! I really liked the way the book is laid out and that many of the recipes had pictures. My only complaint is that there is no nutritional information to know carbs, fat, fibre and calories per serving. I understand the Whole 30 is a food reset program but I’d still like to know the nutritional info.

[L.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

DISCLAIMER: This is more of a note to myself for later than an actual review.

I felt like I would I really like this, especially since I’ve successfully completed Whole30 a few times; I’ve decided to nix grains and beans (the only non-Whole30 ingredients I regularly consume); and was just gifted an InstantPot. But hard as I tried, I still feel like the WellFed Weeknights cookbook I’m reading looks tastier and more manageable. One review I read of this book said they were surprised to see that, for a lot of these recipes, it’s only one ingredient that’s prep, dump, and walk away, and I think that’s my issue. Just seems like a lot of steps and moving parts to chop, use an appliance AND the stove, AND to make a sauce—AND be the mother of a two-year-old (I know, Melissa specifically said NOT to say it’s “too hard” 🙄).

But I haven’t tried to make anything yet. And not all the recipes fit that agonizing description. When I’m more comfortable with my InstantPot, I’ll check this book out from the library again.

[Elizabeth (Literary Hoarders) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still rediscovering my slow cooker thanks to this recipe book. The meals aren’t quite as savory as the Nom Nom Paleo books, but they’re still delicious. It’s such a treat to see a slow cooker recipe book that doesn’t call for “cream of” soups. (Do they still sell those cans of glop?)

[Quinn's Quippy Quotes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This makes me feel like I can actually do this with a family of 4!

[Melissa Stolow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found 10 new recipes to try!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great recipes! Everything I've tried so far (3 recipes) have turned out fantastic. Highly recommend for anyone following a Whole30/Paleo lifestyle.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got out of the library to do another round of Whole 30. Generally good, but not worth buying in my opinion. Good to have a new slug of recipes and I appreciated the Instant Pot recipes (because I have one, but don't use it much). But I am definitely a set it and forget it type of slow cooker person and adding different ingredients at different times or using the cooker for a 1-3 hour gig? Nope, not interested. Might as well cook it on the stove where I've got more control. There were still enough recipes for me to try and enjoy. The barbacoa instant pot recipe, for example, looked simple and wasn't terribly clever, yet it ended up delicious.

[Abdullah Al · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ **Effortless Slow Cooker Meals for Busy Days!**

*The Whole30 Slow Cooker* is a fantastic resource for anyone who wants to enjoy convenient homemade meals while following the Whole30 program. I love the idea of combining slow cooker simplicity with recipes designed around Whole30-compliant ingredients, making everyday meal preparation feel much more manageable.

One of the biggest challenges of cooking at home is finding enough time to prepare satisfying meals during a busy week. This cookbook offers an appealing solution by focusing on dishes that can cook while you work or take care of other responsibilities. The slow cooker approach makes it easier to plan ahead and enjoy a home-cooked meal without spending hours standing in the kitchen.

I also appreciate the focus on Whole30-friendly cooking. Having a collection dedicated to this approach can help readers discover new meal ideas and feel more confident when planning their menus. Instead of repeatedly preparing the same dishes, home cooks can explore different flavors and ingredients while keeping their dietary goals in mind.

Another highlight is the emphasis on convenience without losing sight of homemade cooking. Slow cooker meals are especially useful for busy households, working professionals, and anyone who appreciates a simpler kitchen routine. Preparing ingredients ahead of time can also make weeknight dinners feel less stressful and more organized.

Overall, *The Whole30 Slow Cooker* is an appealing addition to the cookbook collection of anyone who enjoys practical, hands-off cooking. Its combination of slow cooker convenience and Whole30-compliant recipe inspiration makes it worth exploring for readers seeking easier ways to prepare everyday meals.

**Five stars for making Whole30-inspired home cooking more convenient, approachable, and suitable for busy lifestyles!**

[Shanawaj Shiraj · Rating 5 out of 5]

# ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Convenient and Flavorful Slow Cooker Inspiration

*The Whole30 Slow Cooker: Whole30-Compliant Slow Cooker Recipes for Easy, No-Fuss Meals That Cook While You Work* sounds like a practical cookbook for anyone looking to simplify everyday meal preparation. I especially like the combination of slow cooker convenience and Whole30-compliant recipes, making it easier to plan meals around a specific eating approach while managing a busy schedule. The hands-off cooking concept is ideal for people who want to come home to a satisfying, ready-to-serve meal without spending hours preparing dinner. This cookbook also sounds useful for discovering new ideas for hearty soups, flavorful meat dishes, and vegetable-packed meals. Overall, it seems like a valuable kitchen companion for readers seeking convenient recipes, straightforward preparation, and less stressful weekday cooking.

[Omar Faruk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adhering to Whole30 can be challenging, especially when time is limited. This book simplifies the process by offering slow cooker recipes that are strictly compliant—no hidden sugars, grains, or dairy. The meals are hearty and satisfying, proving that elimination diets don’t have to be miserable. The ingredient lists are clean, focusing on whole foods and ethical sourcing. I loved the "Beef and Broccoli Style Chicken" and the "Tomato Basil Chicken Stew," both of which were rich in flavor and nutrients. The prep is minimal, allowing you to load the pot in the morning and return to a hot, healthy dinner. Compliant, convenient, and nourishing, this book is a vital tool for anyone navigating the Whole30 program.

[robert juarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered the Instant pot near the end of 2017. In January I embarked on the Whole30 program for 90 days. These two are a perfect match. Since the Whole30 program dramatically changes, how you eat, I was concerned about how hard it would be to keep with the program. Enter Instant Pot. I learned how easy it became to stick to the diet. The instant pot was a quick and easy way to prepare healthy and tasty meals. This book brings these two wonders together with recipes that bridge the simplicity of cooking with the benefits of the Whole30 program. I highly recommend the book as well as the program and cooking utensil.

[Shamim Reza · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★

This cookbook is a great choice for anyone who wants to make Whole30 meals with less time and effort in the kitchen. I especially liked the slow cooker approach because it makes it easy to prepare a meal and let it cook while handling a busy schedule. The recipes are simple, comforting, and offer enough variety to keep everyday meals interesting. The instructions are straightforward, making the book approachable even for cooks who are new to slow cooking. A practical and convenient resource for anyone following Whole30 and looking for flavorful, no-fuss homemade meals.

[Heather S]

Some good info at the beginning about the Whole 30 program and nutrition (but nothing new if you've read other Whole 30 books), but I found the recipes kind of overwhelming. I recommend checking out the mix and match food guide at the end of "It Starts with Food" as a starting place if you want to do Whole 30 or just eat more Whole 30ish, as the official Whole 30 cookbooks are a bit more intimidating.

[Susan]

This book was hard to find on Goodreads! Interesting.

Anyway, many of these recipes will probably work for my family, which is a nice change. A few we're going to try first:
sweet potato and jalapeno pork stew
Mexican pork stew
Asian pork noodle bowls
chicken thighs with parsnips and potatoes
salmon with smoky vegetable hash

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only slow cooker portions of these recipes, otherwise they’re identical to other whole30 recipes where you make the meal w pots and pans. I expected this to be set it and forget it for all or a majority of the recipe when, in fact, it was the chicken set and forget, the rest make. Not for me.

[Rachel Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are many great recipes in here and I appreciate the Instant Pot section. The downfall of official Whole30 recipes is that you have to have so many items and spices in your pantry and you use them in very small quantities. I may eventually use maybe 2 recipes out of this whole book.

[Loraine Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really, this is the Whole30 recipe book I've had the most success with when it comes to liking the recipes and to family-friendly recipes. I recommend it if you want healthy slow-cooker recipes or are on Whole30.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some solid recipes here.

[Jennzah · Rating 4 out of 5]

the recipes are good and easy to follow. yum!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with most Whole 30 recipes, several of these had LOTS of ingredients which turns me off, but the ease of using the slow cooker is definitely helpful!

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great help for the eh30 diet. Interesting and tasty recipes.

[T · Rating 2 out of 5]

eh. not much here

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

photos weren't particularly appetizing.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice collection of recipes, many of which I can't wait to try!

[Karie Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven’t Tried them but look yummy!

I haven’t tried any of the recipes yet, but they all look delightful! I have some shopping to do before i start!

[Steph]

Excited to make some of these recipes!!

[Megan Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed most recipes in this book, and recommend for anyone doing whole30 as a must have!

[Pamela Chavarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love my slow cooker cook book...definitely helps save time in meal prepping for successful Whole30 rounds.