October is officially Crocktober, and honestly, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate fall than letting the slow cooker make dinner for us!

We’ve rounded up 31 of our favorite Crocktober recipes—one for every day of October. You’ll find easy weeknight dinners, hearty soups and stews, party dips, snacks and even a few sweet surprises along the way.

So dust off that crockpot, pick tonight’s recipe and let dinner basically cook itself. 31 days. 31 recipes. Let’s do Crocktober!

What Is Crocktober?

Crocktober is exactly what it sounds like: October + crockpot! We’re making one crockpot recipe every day this month, and you’re invited. Start at October 1 or jump in wherever you are!

31 Crocktober Recipes to Make This October

Week 1: October 1–7

The secret to ridiculously tender pulled pork isn’t a smoker and you definitely don’t need to wake up at 2 a.m. to make it.

Making slow cooker pulled pork should be easy, but knowing which cut to buy, how long to cook it, and how to keep it tender and flavorful can leave you with more questions than answers. This crockpot pulled pork recipe walks you through exactly how to get juicy, fall-apart pork—and what to do if things go wrong!

Our daughter is always asking for pulled pork tacos for dinner, but man, getting up at 2 a.m. to start the smoker or oven and then having it going for 13 hours was starting to kill me. There had to be an easier way!

So I found a way to get that tender, smoky-sweet pork we love while leaving the oven and smoker free and letting the slow cooker do all the work. Now I’ve got pork for Sunday tacos and extra in the freezer for next time!

What is the Best Cut of Pork for Pulled Pork?

Pork butt (also called pork shoulder), also called Boston butt, makes the best pulled pork. It’s a well-marbled cut from the upper portion of the pork shoulder, and all that fat and connective tissue breaks down during the long cooking time, giving you incredibly juicy, tender pork that’s easy to shred.

Some readers have asked, “Can I use pork loin?” but the truth is, a pork loin has a low fat content and its muscle will not break down the same as the shoulder or butt. It literally will not turn out. 

If you have pork loin in your freezer, try orange glazed pork loin recipe instead. 

Never use these cuts of pork for pulled pork:

• Boston butt
• Picnic shoulder
• Pork loin
• Pork tenderloin

Here’s what you need to know to buy the right pork shoulder/butt

1. Always buy your pork shoulder bone in

Paula Deen’s Corn Casserole is already one of the most beloved holiday side dishes, but making it in the slow cooker might be my favorite version yet. It’s rich, creamy, buttery, and packed with sweet corn flavor, all while freeing up valuable oven space for the rest of your holiday meal.

With just 6 simple ingredients and almost no prep work, this Crock Pot corn casserole is made for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any family gathering. Just mix everything together, let the slow cooker do its thing, and add plenty of melty cheddar at the end.

Ingredients You’ll Need

One of the best things about Paula Deen’s corn casserole is how such simple ingredients turn into something so good. It’s somewhere between cornbread and corn pudding, with a creamy center and plenty of sweet corn.

• Creamed Corn: Adds moisture, sweetness, and that signature creamy texture.
• Frozen Sweet Corn: Gives you little bursts of corn and more texture throughout the casserole.
• Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix: The shortcut that gives the casserole its slightly cornbread-like texture.
• Sour Cream: Keeps the casserole rich, creamy, and moist.
• Butter: Because it’s Paula Deen’s corn casserole. You KNOW there’s butter. 😂
• Cheddar Cheese: Melts over the top for the perfect savory finish.

How to Make Slow Cooker Corn Casserole

This easy Crock Pot corn casserole couldn’t be simpler. Just mix the ingredients, let the Crock Pot do the work, and finish with cheese for a creamy, comforting side dish everyone will love.

1. Mix the ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together the creamed corn, frozen

These crockpot mashed potatoes are unbelievably creamy and buttery, made with Russet potatoes cooked right in the slow cooker with chicken broth, then mashed with warm cream, butter and cream cheese. They’re ready in about 5 hours and give you rich, fluffy mashed potatoes without taking up valuable stovetop space.

That alone makes them a lifesaver for Thanksgiving and Christmas! Get the potatoes going early, let the crockpot do its thing, then mash everything right in the slow cooker and keep them warm until dinner is ready.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Russet Potatoes: Their high starch content makes wonderfully light, fluffy mashed potatoes.
• Kosher Salt: Seasons the potatoes from the beginning and brings out their flavor.
• Butter: Added while cooking and again while mashing for rich, buttery flavor.
• Chicken Broth: The potatoes cook right in the broth instead of water, adding savory flavor from the very beginning.
• Cream: Warm it before adding so the potatoes stay hot and absorb it easily. Half-and-half or milk also works.
• Cream Cheese: Our secret for extra-rich, creamy potatoes that hold their texture beautifully.
• Salt and Pepper: Add to taste at the end so you can get the seasoning just right.

Best Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes

Russet potatoes are our favorite for crockpot mashed potatoes. They’re high in starch and naturally fluffy, so they break down easily and absorb all that butter and cream beautifully.

Yukon Gold potatoes also work and will give you a slightly denser, naturally buttery and creamy mashed potato. You can even use a combination of Russets and Yukon Golds if you want the best of both worlds.

How to Make Crockpot Mashed Potatoes

The best part? There’s no big pot of water to boil or babysit on the stove. The potatoes cook right in

This crockpot lasagna is cheesy, saucy and loaded with layers of tender noodles, beef and Italian sausage, cottage cheese and plenty of mozzarella. With about 20 minutes of prep and no need to boil the noodles first, you get all the layers of a classic homemade lasagna without hovering over a pot of pasta or heating up the oven.

And YES, you really can put the noodles in uncooked! They soften right in the sauce as the lasagna slowly cooks, which is exactly why this has become one of my favorite ways to make lasagna.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Ground Beef: Adds hearty, beefy flavor to the meat sauce. We combine it with Italian sausage so neither one overpowers the lasagna.
• Italian Sausage: The easiest way to add loads of flavor without measuring a bunch of extra seasonings. Mild or hot Italian sausage will both work.
• Yellow Onion: Mince it fairly small so it melts into the meat sauce as it cooks.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic adds another layer of savory flavor to the sauce.
• Marinara Sauce: This is one place where using a really good jarred sauce makes a difference. We love Rao’s, but use your favorite marinara or Bolognese sauce.
• Heavy Cream: Just a splash rounds out the acidity of the tomato sauce and makes it a little richer. It’s optional, so feel free to leave it out.
• Lemon Juice: It might sound unexpected, but a little squeeze brightens the rich meat and cheese layers.
• Cottage Cheese: Creates the creamy cheese layer in place of traditional ricotta. We love the texture and mild flavor.
• Egg: Helps bind the cottage cheese mixture so the lasagna holds its layers better when sliced.
• Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan adds salty, nutty flavor to the cottag