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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
This is just the kind of slow cooker meal that I love! It's so perfect to use this time of year, especially during busy weeks or on the weekends. I love all of the veggies in here, especially the mushrooms. I've got to try this recipe! Looks fantastic!
Thank you, Gayle! Yes -- I hope that you'll try it soon. It's a keeper!
Do I squeeze the lemon?
Hi, Laura! You can, but you don't need to! I just place the lemon in the pot and it flavors the dish as it warms and cooks with the rest of the ingredients. 🙂
This is my favorite kind of slow cooker meal, along with a beef or pork roast. So much flavor and great anytime of the year.
Hi, Joanne! You'll love this easy meal! 🙂 Hope you get to try it soon!
This does look yummy and will be on my menu in a week or so. Thank you for sharing.
Great, Judy! Enjoy! 🙂
I'm glad Barb inspired this dish as it looks amazing! I'll have to try it soon!
Thank you, Kristy!
I've never tried making pork chops before, so this is going to be a fun adventure =)
Great! Enjoy, Diego!
Can I use bone in pork chops?
Hi, Megan! Yes, that should work fine! Bone-in pork chops usually require a longer cooking time, so just make sure that they're cooked appropriately before you turn off the Crock Pot. They should be fine in the slow cooker! 🙂
I'm looking for low sodium recipes for the crockpot. Can you come up with several ? Please!!! So many people have high blood pressure this would be a blessing for soooooo many of us. Thanks
Hi, Cheryl! Thank you for that request! I will definitely do some brainstorming and see if I can come up with some good ideas for you. 🙂
Making it right now. Been cooking about 4 hours and smells yummy. I wonder if instead of cream of mushroom soup you could use the same amount of Golden mushroom soup. I have another easy recipe using Gokden mushroom and it blends well with pork chops.
Hi, Linda! Yes, I think that you could definitely use the golden mushroom soup, too. The gravy would taste a bit different, but I'm sure it would still be delicious!
Do you have a dairy free idea? I have to stay away from dairy while nursing my baby. Maybe just use a few cups of chicken broth?
Hi, Cindi! You can definitely use chicken broth and it should come out fine as well -- it will just have a different consistency. There won't be any "gravy" because the liquid will not be thick, but the taste will still be good (and you could even heat up a store-bought gravy in a pan on the stovetop to serve with it if you can find a dairy-free option).
You don't want to add too much liquid to the pot, since the condensation from the cooking process and the natural liquids in the veggies will be released and held in the pot. I would start with about 1/2-cup to 1 cup of broth or white wine (or a combo of both), and you can always add more towards the end of cooking if you think it needs more.
Hope that helps! 🙂
Ok so I followed this recipe to the T!
Except unfortunately my husband doesn’t care for mushrooms.
I did sliced onions though! I forgot to get a lemon
So I just used a little lemon juice.it should be done in about
an hour! My question is?
When it’s done do I take the meat out with
The soup still mostly on top of it? Or should
I scrape it off a bit and stir it into the vegetables??
Right now at 5 hours the soup is still mostly
On top of onions and meat! Maybe it’ still meads a couple
of hours to go for the soup to get hot enough
To melt into the bottom?
You can tell I’m not used to using the slow cooker!
Would appreciate your help!
Best Regards,
MelissaRLB
Hey, Melissa! I like to give it all a stir to mix it up! Hope you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
I made this today and I am so pleased with how it turned out. I will definitely be keeping this recipe and making it again!
Wonderful! Thanks, Corinne!
My husband doesn’t like mushrooms so I have to alter the recipe a bit. Do you think cream of chicken will work as a good substitution for the cream of mushroom?
Yes, the cream of chicken or cream of celery soups should work well. 🙂
If my porkchops are thinner can I put them in frozen?
Hi, Bethany! Technically, food safety experts say that you should not put frozen meat in a slow cooker because it can take too long to come to a safe temperature (and they worry about illness from bacteria). That said, I have been known to use frozen meat and it's always been fine! 🙂
Made this today It was good except for the lemon taste. I would suggest leaving out the lemon!
Yes I agree. The lemon, for us, just ruined the dish. I will make it again just without lemon.
Confused. Veggies three hours but meat two high and two low? Do you take veggies out at some point.
Hi, Susan! No, you leave the veggies in the whole time. So Barb's suggestion to start the pot on high for two hours and then switch it to low for 2 hours includes the vegetables that are in the pot as well. Hope that helps, but let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂
Can boneles chicken breasts be substituted for the pork chops?
Hi, Maria! Yes, that should work, although chicken breasts can get a bit dry after 8 hours in the slow cooker, so you may want to use chicken thighs (which hold up better during that long cooking time). Otherwise, you could decrease the time so that the chicken breasts don't get overcooked, but then you'd likely need to parboil the potatoes and carrots before they go into the pot (or they will still be hard at the end of the shorter cooking time). Hope that helps!
Hi, Blair. Thank you for this great recipe!!! I tried it for the first time, a month ago without the lemon and it turned out good. As I'm writing this, I'm cooking up another batch, but, this time with the lemon as my husband loves the flavor of lemon as I do. I'm interested in knowing how both versions compare to each other. Still, I'm a little confused as to the high-low instruction. Can I just cook the recipe on either high or low without having to switch between the two??
Hi, Janie! Yes! You should definitely be able to cook the dish on just LOW or just HIGH, without switching. I gave those instructions because that's the recipe that the reader shared with me. I don't see any reason that one consistent cooking temperature shouldn't work. 🙂
Hi Did you brown chops first because it looks like it !! going to try this Sunday
Hi, Rhonda! Nope, I just followed the recipe exactly. You can brown them if you like, but I didn't take that extra step. 🙂
Hi
My name is meredyth. I was,wondering ???? in this recipe if you could substitute vegetable. I prefer brockly, stringbeans, or corn? Could you please let me know. My email address is [email protected]. Thanks recipe sounds delicious.
Meredytg
Hi, Meredyth! Yes -- you can definitely substitute with other vegetables. If you don't mind the veggies getting really well cooked and tender, add them at the beginning. Otherwise, wait until the last couple of hours to put them in the pot. Enjoy!
was wondering do i have to use the mushroom soup can i just use the potatoes carrots and celery with no mushrooms or onions
Hi, Kathleen! You can definitely try it without the soup, mushrooms or onions. It will obviously have a totally different taste, but it should technically work in the slow cooker still. 🙂
Hi Blair, I have not tried this yet, But I am going to very soon. I do boneless skinless chicken breasts in the crock pot and add 2-3 cans of cream of chicken soup, Let cook 5-6 hours on low. Then when they are done I fix some egg noodles and put the chicken and gravy over the noodles. So good. also good with mashed potatoes or stove top stuffing or both LOL. Thanks again for the wonderful recipes you share with us. Have a wonderful and blessed day. 🙂
Hi, Joann! I have a similar chicken and gravy recipe on the blog (that includes mushrooms), but maybe I need to share your recipe, too?! You can't beat how quick and easy it is. 🙂
I hope that you enjoy the pork chops!
Can you cook this the night before?
Hi, Lindsey! Yes, I think that would work. I always prefer the meal when it's fresh, but if you need to cook it all in advance, you can reheat it in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F just until warmed through. Enjoy!
How would you store it overnight?
I suppose you could allow it to cool completely in the slow cooker and then just cover the slow cooker liner with saran wrap and place the whole thing in your fridge. I would probably transfer everything to a baking dish or sheet pan and keep it covered in the refrigerator that way. 🙂
I'm making this recipe now, but forgot to slice the mushrooms. Will that alter the recipe at all ?
Hi, Thursa! No, that's not a problem at all. Enjoy the meal! 🙂
I made this recipe, it was deliscious !!! The next night, I sliced up the 2 leftover pork chops and it was like a stew, very good. I then froze the rest. My husband and I got 3 meals off this recipe. I highly recommend it. I also added green beans, a can of yellow wax beans and some corn. I'll be making this again. Terry
Thanks, Terry! I'm so glad that it worked well for you. Sounds like you did a great job of using up the leftovers, too. 🙂
Two questions...can you use shitake mushrooms as well? ...and do you brine the pork chops first?
Hi, Stacey! Yes -- any mushrooms will be great. I don't brine the pork chops in advance, but you can certainly do so if you like. 🙂
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!!
Hi - I am just confused on the timing of this. Does this mean HIGH for 5 hours and then LOW for 2?
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!
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 .
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!
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?
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. 🙂