When slowly cooked, root vegetables morph into sweet deliciousness. Use vegetable (or mushroom) broth here, and you’ve got a hearty, vegan, and gluten-free dinner.

This dish was featured as part of our Slow Cooker Recipes photo gallery.

For an easy, flavorful slow cooker dish using meat, try our chicken adobo recipe. Or for more vegetarian options, try our split pea soup.

  • Yield: 6 to 8 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 30 mins, plus 3 1/2 hrs cooking time
  • Active: 30 mins

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions, large dice
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Pinch saffron threads
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 large), large dice
  • 1 pound carrots (about 4 to 5 medium), peeled and large dice
  • 1 pound parsnips (about 4 medium), peeled and large dice
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 pounds sugar baby pumpkin or butternut squash (about 1 small), peeled, seeded, and large dice
  • 1 pound sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and large dice
  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins, also known as sultanas
  • 1 bunch spinach, trimmed and washed (about 4 cups loosely packed)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar, plus more as needed

  1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the ginger, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cayenne, saffron, and a pinch of pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  2. Transfer the mixture to a slow cooker, add the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and broth, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours.
  3. Add the pumpkin or squash, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and raisins, season with salt, and stir to combine. Cover and continue to cook on high until a knife easily pierces the vegetables, about 2 hours more, stirring after 1 hour. Add the spinach and gently mix (do not overmix). Let sit until wilted. Gently stir in the vinegar, taste, and season with more salt, pepper, and vinegar as needed.