Homemade dog food is a wonderful way to control ingredients, avoid fillers, and ensure your pup gets the nutrition they need. With a crockpot (slow cooker), it’s even easier. Just set it and forget it—until mealtime. These slow cooker dog food recipes are healthy, hearty, and great for batch-cooking.
Crockpot Dog Food Recipes
Chicken and Rice Crockpot Dog Food
Ingredients:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup green beans (chopped)
- 3 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
Instructions:
- Prepare your ingredients: Rinse the rice, chop the vegetables into small, bite-sized pieces, and trim off any visible fat from the chicken breasts.
- Layer in the crockpot: Place the chicken breasts on the bottom of the crockpot. Pour in the brown rice, carrots, and green beans on top.
- Add liquid: Pour in water or low-sodium chicken broth, ensuring the rice and vegetables are submerged. This will help everything cook evenly and stay moist.
- Cover and cook: Set your slow cooker to low for 6–7 hours or high for 3–4 hours. Avoid lifting the lid too often, as this affects cooking time.
- Shred and stir: When finished, the chicken should shred easily with a fork. Remove the chicken breasts, shred them on a plate, and return the meat to the crockpot. Stir everything together so the meat, rice, and veggies are evenly distributed.
- Cool and store: Let the food cool completely. Serve a portion appropriate for your dog’s size, and refrigerate the rest for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Beef and Sweet Potato Crockpot Dog Food
Ingredients:
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 large sweet potato (peeled and diced)
- 1/2 cup peas (frozen or fresh)
- 1/2 cup spinach (chopped)
- 2 1/2 cups water or low-sodium beef broth
Instructions:
- Brown the beef: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until it’s fully browned. Use a spoon to break it into small crumbles as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat and transfer the beef to the crockpot.
- Prep vegetables: Peel and cube the sweet potato into small chunks. Chop spinach and measure out peas.
- Combine ingredients: Add the sweet potatoes, peas, spinach, and cooked beef to the crockpot. Pour in the water or broth to cover the ingredients.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours or high for 3 hours. Stir once or twice if you’re around.
- Mash for consistency: When done, the sweet potatoes should be soft enough to mash. Use a fork or potato masher to gently blend the mixture to your desired texture.
- Cool and portion: Allow the food to cool fully before feeding. Portion leftovers into containers and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Turkey and Quinoa Crockpot Dog Food
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup shredded zucchini
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 2 cups water or low-sodium broth
Instructions:
- Lightly cook the turkey: Optional but helpful—brown the ground turkey in a pan until no longer pink. This removes excess fat and ensures the meat is fully cooked.
- Rinse quinoa: Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cold water to remove its natural bitterness (saponin coating).
- Add to crockpot: Combine the cooked turkey, rinsed quinoa, shredded zucchini, and carrots in your crockpot.
- Pour in liquid: Add water or broth and stir everything gently to combine.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours or high for 2–3 hours, until the quinoa is tender and the veggies are soft.
- Mix and cool: Stir everything well, fluff the quinoa with a fork, and allow the food to cool fully before serving. Store any leftovers in sealed containers.
Crockpot Fish and Veggie Medley
Ingredients:
- 2 boneless fish fillets (such as tilapia or cod)
- 1/2 cup chopped green beans
- 1/2 cup cubed pumpkin (fresh or canned pure pumpkin with no sugar)
- 1/2 cup cooked oats or barley
- 2 cups water
Instructions:
- Prep ingredients: Cube fresh pumpkin or measure out canned. Chop green beans into small pieces. Pre-cook oats or barley if they’re not already prepared.
- Layer in crockpot: Place the fish fillets on the bottom of the slow cooker. Add pumpkin, green beans, and cooked oats or barley.
- Add water: Pour water over everything to keep it moist while cooking.
- Cook on low for 3–4 hours: The fish should flake easily and the veggies should be tender.
- Check for bones: Carefully remove the fish fillets and check thoroughly for any small bones. Flake the fish with a fork and return to the mixture.
- Mix and cool: Stir well and let the food cool completely before serving it to your pup. Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer in meal-sized portions.
Helpful Crockpot Dog Food Tips:
- Avoid harmful ingredients: Never use onions, garlic, salt, or seasoning blends—they’re toxic to dogs.
- Let food cool before serving to prevent burns.
- Portion control: Adjust serving size based on your dog’s weight, breed, and activity level.
- Batch cook and freeze: Make large quantities and freeze individual portions to save time later.
- Introduce slowly: If switching from kibble, mix in small amounts of the homemade food at first to allow for an easy transition.