This is a one pot dinner that will warm you from the inside out! The tender and juicy Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Vegetables are coated in a creamy mushroom gravy for the ultimate cool weather comfort food!
How to Make Slow Cooker Pork Chops | 1-Minute Video
I know I say this all of the time, but it's honestly true: one of my favorite aspects of maintaining this blog are the relationships with readers like YOU! I love sharing my recipes and ideas, but I love hearing from you guys, learning from you, and listening to your ideas even more.
You are all so inspiring, you have so many wonderful stories, and I truly value the connections that we make when you send me an email, leave me a comment, or reach out on social media.
Quick Prep Dinner Ideas
During my live 5-Day Meal Planning Challenge back in August, we had a wonderful closed Facebook group where I could work with the challengers on a daily basis to share recipes, ideas, and solutions with each other.
As usual, I received SO MANY amazing quick-prep dinner ideas from these ladies...and they even gave me permission to share their favorites here on the blog.
Today's recipe comes from one of my readers in that Facebook group. Barb Schmidt mentioned that she had just prepared these slow cooker pork chops for her Marine son who was returning to his base the next day "after two way-too-short weeks at home."
If the dinner was good enough for Barb's son's special going-away meal, then I knew that it must be a keeper!
The original recipe that Barb used was from Taste of Home, but I have used Barb's changes and my own adaptations here. The end result is a pot full of GOODNESS!
Instead of dry, over-cooked meat, you're treated to tender, juicy pork chops, flavorful veggies, and a rich, creamy gravy. I can see why Barb's son enjoyed this last bit of home-cooked comfort before returning back to duty!
How To Make Slow Cooker Pork Chops
The key to creating tender, juicy, and delicious slow cooker pork chops is all in the layers! So much flavor goes into this pot, starting from the bottom: red potatoes, carrots, and celery.
The pork chops go on top of the vegetables,
and are seasoned with dry onion soup mix.
Spices that go right into the pork and into the gravy as it simmers!
Making The Perfect Gravy
Locking in even more flavor, I added delicate mushrooms, onions, and fresh lemon on top,
and finished it off with two cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup. I know that it looks like a very thick "sauce," but the moisture from the vegetables and from the cooking process thins the soup and creates a perfect gravy at the end.
Barb mentioned that she likes to double the recipe to feed her hungry Marine, but she uses just 3 cans of the soup for her double recipe (instead of 4). If you have a large crowd to feed (and a very large Crock Pot), then this would be a great solution.
A balanced, wholesome, and comforting meal could not be easier! Everything is done at the end of the day, just when your family is ready to sit down at the table, enjoy some time together, and indulge in a satisfying dinner.
Thanks to Barb, to her son (for his service to our country), and to all of my other readers that bring me incredible inspiration on a daily basis! "Sharing is caring," and that's what this is all about.
Top Tips For Making Slow Cooker Pork Chops
- The total cooking time will also depend on your personal preference. After just a couple of hours in the slow cooker, your pork chops will likely be cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 145°F. At this point, they will have a firm texture that's almost like a chicken breast. If you cook the chops longer, they become more tender and almost fall apart like pulled pork.
- Keep an eye on your meal the first time it cooks and turn it off when your veggies have reached the desired tenderness and your pork is cooked through.
- After 3 hours on HIGH in my slow cooker, the potatoes were perfectly tender and the carrots were "crisp-tender," which is how we prefer them. Barb mentioned that she chops her carrots and potatoes in her food processor before putting them in the Crock Pot because that way they turn out very tender.
- She also cooks her pork chops on HIGH for 2 hours and then on LOW for an additional 2 hours. Every slow cooker cooks at a slightly different temperature, so you just have to get to "know" your Crock Pot and figure out if it cooks hotter than others.
- Feel free to add other veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower or squash.
More Slow Cooker Recipes To Try:
- Slow Cooker Brisket Recipe
- Slow Cooker Turkey Sloppy Joes
- Slow Cooker Chinese Meatballs with Peppers and Onions
Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Vegetables and Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 lb. bag of baby carrots
- 2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 8 small red potatoes, quartered
- 4 boneless pork chops, about ¾-inch thick (about 1.5 lbs. total)
- 1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup and dip mix
- 1 lb. fresh baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup frozen peeled pearl onions, or 1 regular onion, sliced
- 2 cans (10.5 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup (NOT diluted)
- Optional: 1 lemon, halved (some readers prefer the recipe without the lemon, so only add it if you like a fairly prominent lemon flavor in your dish)
Instructions
- Place carrots, celery, and potatoes in the bottom of a large slow cooker. Top with pork chops. Sprinkle dry onion soup mix seasoning over the pork chops.
- Add lemon (optional), mushrooms, and onions on top of the pork.
- Cover with cream of mushroom soup (not diluted).
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.
Video
Notes
- The total cooking time will also depend on your personal preference. After just a couple of hours in the slow cooker, your pork chops will likely be cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 145°F. At this point, they will have a firm texture that's almost like a chicken breast. If you cook the chops longer, they become more tender and almost fall apart like pulled pork.
- Keep an eye on your meal the first time it cooks and turn it off when your veggies have reached the desired tenderness and your pork is cooked through.
- After 3 hours on HIGH in my slow cooker, the potatoes were perfectly tender and the carrots were "crisp-tender," which is how we prefer them. Barb mentioned that she chops her carrots and potatoes in her food processor before putting them in the Crock Pot because that way they turn out very tender.
- She also cooks her pork chops on HIGH for 2 hours and then on LOW for an additional 2 hours. Every slow cooker cooks at a slightly different temperature, so you just have to get to "know" your Crock Pot and figure out if it cooks hotter than others.
- Feel free to add other veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower or squash.
- Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information listed for these Slow Cooker Pork Chops includes all of the vegetables and all of the gravy in the pot (as well as a large pork chop). In reality, that's a very large serving and you likely will not consume all of the sauce and veggies in one serving, so nutritional information will vary.
Danielle
Just put this in! I used 6 boneless pork chops since we have a bigger family so I added half of another packet of the onion soup mix and half of another can of cream of mushroom soup. Can't wait to try this!!
Danielle D Harris
Can I substitute chicken breast or thighs?
Blair Lonergan
Hi, Danielle! Yes, either would work. I find that chicken thighs stay juicier in the slow cooker, so that would be my preference. The meat will be fall-apart tender at the end, so you might even want to shred it with two forks.
Megan M
Hi - I am just confused on the timing of this. Does this mean HIGH for 5 hours and then LOW for 2?
Blair
Hi, Megan! No, you want to cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours. While Barb (the reader who shared this recipe) said that she cooks for 2 hours on HIGH and then switches to LOW for 2 more hours, I haven't done it that way and I don't think it's necessary. Hope that helps!
Bonnie Dietrich
What to do if you don't have onion soup and mushroom on hand what can you use to make the gravy and can you put any vegetable in it
Blair
Hi, Bonnie! That's tough, because you'll definitely be creating an entirely new recipe. I would suggest seasoning the sauce with your own favorite seasoning blends in lieu of the onion soup mix (don't forget plenty of salt and pepper). As far as the soup goes, you can use any flavor of condensed soup that you have on hand.
As far as the vegetables go, yes -- you can use just about any veggies that you like. Some vegetables cook faster than others, so keep that in mind. For instance, frozen peas or frozen corn can be stirred in at the end since they heat through almost instantly.
Enjoy!
Bert
Could I use pork steaks in the recipe along with baby carrots and quartered potatoes? Do you think I would a just my time to be sure the veggies get done?
Blair Lonergan
Hi, Bert! I don't cook with pork steak often, so I'm definitely not the expert, but I think it would probably work well. Pork steaks are cut from the Boston Butt, which is a really fatty piece of meat with a lot of connective tissue. This cut lends itself well to low, slow cooking so that the tougher connective tissue has a chance to break down and become succulent and juicy. As a result, I think the steaks would work well in the Crock Pot recipe. You shouldn't need to adjust the timing for the vegetables at all. Let me know if you give it a try!
Brandie Toten
I cooked this today...AMAZING!!tks
Blair Lonergan
Great! Thanks, Brandie!
Meredyth Beattie
Hi.... I was wondering, I don't like fresh mushrooms alone or cooked in my meal. Is there some other vegetable I could use in the recipe and still keep the rich flavor? I don't mind the condense cream of mushroom soup, it's just the taste of fresh mushrooms that don't thrill me.
I would very much like to make this recipe. Everything else in it is delicious .
Blair
Hi, Meredyth! Great question -- I'm sure you're not alone. 🙂 You have some options here, so feel free to try whatever sounds best. You can just use about 2 extra cups worth of carrots, celery, potatoes or onions...or a combination of these. If you're interested in adding a different type of vegetable, you might like diced butternut squash or sweet potatoes, or something like broccoli or green beans. Enjoy!
Holly
The recipe shows 11 ounces of dry onion soup mix. That's a lot of onion soup mix! I'm guessing it's a typo & 1, 2 ounce package will be enough. Am I correct?
Blair
Hi, Holly! It's kind of hard to tell, so I added the parentheses to clarify, but those 1's are separate. It should say 1 1-ounce packet. Not 11 ounces or 2 ounces -- just a total of 1 ounce. Hope that makes sense. 🙂
Lois
Looks delicious. If you use either squash, broccoli or cauliflower
When you put them in?
1. With the potatoes, etc. or
2. With the mushrooms.
Thanx. Lois
Blair
Hi, Lois! I would add those extra veggies on top with the mushrooms. Enjoy!
Rose
Under notes you state Barb cooked the pork chops, etc in the slow cooker for 2 hours on high and 2 hours on low. So After 4 hours they are done using this option. Correct?
Blair
That's correct! 🙂
Holly
Hi, yes, this is how I cooked them & they were done in 4 hours.
Eloise
I made this but I didn't add the lemon and it was delicious. Next time I'll chop the onions and place them with the other vegetables instead of on top and cut the celery in smaller pieces. Overall a great meal. My adult children loved it.
Blair
That's great, Eloise. Thank you for letting me know. So glad that it was a hit! 🙂
Eloise
It was more than a hit. I doubled the recipe, my boys are big eaters. Everyone loved it. Their only request is that I make homemade biscuits when I make it again. This one is definitely a keeper and will be made again and again and again and again and so forth. Thanks.
Suz
Delicious flavor, tender chops, and veggies were perfect too! It’s a crockpot keeper!
Blair Lonergan
That's so great to hear, Suz! Thank you!
Kristin
Can you bake this in the oven?
Blair Lonergan
Hi, Kristin! Yes, that should work fine! I would bake the pork chops at 375 degrees F. You'll want to dice the potatoes and veggies very small so that they're tender by the end of the baking time, or give them an extra head-start before adding the pork. Cover the dish or pot and bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until pork is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. The cooking time will vary based on the size and thickness of your pork chops.
Alisa
Just realized my dry onion soup mix is actually "beefy onion soup mix". What do you think? Will that wreck the flavor?
Blair Lonergan
Hi, Alisa! I think it will probably be okay! 🙂