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Slow Cooker Stuffing is so easy to make and is full of flavorful herbs. This crockpot side dish will save oven space and be a hit alongside your turkey.
Crockpot Stuffing Recipe
For many people, stuffing is their favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. If we’re being honest, it’s not mine (just pass me the rolls and mashed potatoes) lol but my family loves it and I do much prefer homemade stuffing over the box kind.
Technically stuffing should be…stuffed…inside the Thanksgiving turkey, but I’ve always prepared it outside the bird. Which I suppose makes this dressing, but I just can’t change it in my brain. If you’re after dressing, try this old fashioned sage cornbread dressing.
My traditional stuffing is baked with lots of fresh herbs and so good, but to save on oven space, making it in the slow cooker is the perfect solution.
The process is very similar to my french toast casserole, or even bread pudding, but savory.
Why you’ll love crock pot stuffing recipe
Traditional Recipe – This classic recipe is a staple at Thanksgiving dinner but great for any holiday meal.
Easy Stuffing Recipe – If you’ve only made the boxed stuff, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to make from scratch.
Family Favorite – It’s just not Thanksgiving day without stuffing! It’s a must in the list of side dishes.
Equipment you’ll need
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Ingredients
- Bread – Which type of bread you use is up to you, but I recommend a hearty loaf like French, Italian, or sourdough). Make your own bread cubes by cutting it into approximately 1″ pieces and letting it dry out so it’s not super fresh.
- Butter – I use salted butter, it’s a personal preference, but you can use unsalted.
- Celery & Onion – You’ll saute onion and celery before adding to the slow cooker, which give great flavor. You can dice them as small or large as you like. I prefer smaller.
- Parsley – Fresh parsley is more than just a garnish, it has a peppery, earthy flavor.
- Seasonings – Poultry seasoning (usually a mix of sage, thyme, rosemary, onion powder, and nutmeg – here’s a homemade substitute for poultry seasoning), dried sage, and salt & pepper.
- Chicken Stock – Homemade chicken stock or chicken broth. You can use low sodium if that’s your preference.
- Eggs – Two eggs help to bind everything together.
Herbs for Stuffing 🌿
In this slow cooker stuffing, I use fresh parsley and dried sage along with poultry seasoning.
Dried herbs are more potent than fresh so keep that in mind if using fresh vs dried.
Herbs that work well in stuffing:
- Parsley – fresh parsley has a clean, almost peppery taste.
- Sage – also slightly peppery, fresh sage has hints of lemon & mint.
- Rosemary – a little goes a long way with rosemary because it has a strong smell and taste. It also has peppery, minty, sage-like flavor.
- Thyme – thyme is a great balance between savory and sweet, floral and woodsy, minty and earthy.
How to Dry Out Bread 🍞
You’ll want to use stale bread for this recipe so the egg mixture can really absorb and the bread will hold up.
If you have time, cube the bread and let it sit out on the counter overnight to dry out.
If you want to speed up the process, cube the bread, lay it onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 170° for about an hour. The bread should feel dry and a bit crisp to the touch.
How to make easy Crock Pot Stuffing
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- STEP ONE: First, melt butter in a large skillet and saute the onion and celery until soft.
- STEP TWO: Next, pour the sauteed vegetables into a large bowl and add the dry bread cubes. Season with the seasonings and stir to distribute.
- STEP THREE: Whisk together the eggs and chicken stock in a small bowl, then pour over the bread and stir until well combined.
- STEP FOUR: Spray a 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray and pour in the mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours.
What to serve with slow cooker thanksgiving stuffing
Whether you’re serving a whole turkey or a turkey breast, stuffing needs a place at a holiday dinner.
Pair it with other classics like slow cooker green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, make ahead mashed potatoes, cheesy potatoes, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, mashed potatoes, and gravy.
Tips & Suggestions
- If you don’t want to use fresh bread, you can use two bags (24 oz) of the cubed stuffing (seasoned or unseasoned). If you go that route, you’ll likely need more broth (4 cups instead of 3).
- If you want add meat, you can brown a pound of mild Italian sausage with the butter, onion, and celery.
- If you prefer a “wetter” stuffing, up the broth to 4 cups.
- To keep the stuffing vegetarian, use vegetable stock in place of chicken stock.
How to reheat and store slow cooker stuffing
How to store leftovers
Move leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How to reheat stuffing
Reheat portions in the microwave or in the oven.
Can I freeze slow cooker stuffing?
Yes. Store leftovers in freezer safe containers or freezer bags and freeze for up to 6 months.
When ready to eat, move to the refrigerator to thaw overnight, and then reheat in the microwave or oven.
FAQs
Yes, your stuffing should be pretty moist before adding to the slow cooker. It might even look wetter than you think it should but it needs to be when in the slow cooker.
Yes, you can, but a hearty loaf (Italian, French, sourdough, etc.), not like sandwich bread.
Yes, sausage is a common addition to stuffing. Add a pound of your favorite ground sausage to the vegetables and saute until browned then continue with the recipe.
Yes, you can prep it the night before, cover it, and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to start the slow cooker.
Need more Thanksgiving side dish recipes? Try these:
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole
Slow Cooker Broccoli Casserole
Click here for my entire collection of side dish recipes.
Easy Slow Cooker Stuffing
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 cups hearty bread cubed small (french, sourdough, etc.)
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 4 ribs celery chopped small
- 1 large onion diced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley minced
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
To prepare bread crumbs
- Either leave the cubed bread out for 8-12 hours to get stale, or arrange the bread cubes on baking sheets and bake in a preheated 350° oven for 10-15 minutes to dry out.
To make the slow cooker stuffing
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the onions and celery and saute until soft, about 10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss sauteed vegetables with the bread cubes.
- Add the parsley, poultry seasoning, sage, salt and pepper and toss again.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken stock and eggs. Add to the bread cube mixture and toss until well combined.
- Spray a 6 quart slow cooker with non-stick spray and pour in the stuffing mixture.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours.
Notes
- Use dinner rolls or a loaf of hearty bread (french, sourdough, etc.) to make the bread crumbs.
- If your bread is especially dry, you may need to use an additional cup of stock (making 4 cups total).
- To keep the stuffing vegetarian, use vegetable stock in place of chicken stock.
- Stuffing can be prepped the day before and kept in the fridge.
- If you don’t want to use fresh bread, you can use two bags (24 oz) of the cubed stuffing (seasoned or unseasoned). If you go that route, you’ll likely need more broth (4 cups instead of 3).
- If you want add meat, you can brown a pound of mild Italian sausage with the butter, onion, and celery.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
