Home » Side Dishes » Classic Slow Cooker Stuffing – a Thanksgiving favorite!
Published: November 9, 2017Updated: October 16, 2019Author: Jenn Laughlin
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Save precious oven space with this classic Slow Cooker Stuffing recipe! Since converting my mom’s Thanksgiving stuffing to the crock-pot I’ve been OBSESSED with the results. It comes out perfectly tender on the inside and crisp on the outside!
I’m so excited to be able to say that the best stuffing of my LIFE came straight out of the slow cooker and there is no turning back!
Classic Slow Cooker Stuffing
We’ve been making my mom’s traditional stuffing recipe for ages now. We used to simply stuff in the bird and call it a day until I took a food safety course and was basically schooled on how risky that practice was! Myyyyy bad!
Naturally we just moved the stuffing to a casserole dish and plopped it in the oven, but the problem was that it took up major Thanksgiving Day real estate that we couldn’t afford to give up.
The solution was kind of life changing, because moving our go-to stuffing recipe to the slow cooker was quite possibly the best thing to ever happen to it!
The stuffing came out super moist and almost bread-pudding-esque in the center (softened and moist but not runny) and crispy on the outside — aka my idea of stuffing perfection!
Since we have two slow cookers tucked away for such occasions, I’m now able to pop my stuffing in one and my mashed cauliflower potatoes in the other and basically rock the holidays. We also do our cranberry sauce in the crock-pot the night before.
slow cooker stuffing: PRO TIP
For this particular recipe, I have the ultimate make-ahead hack!
Snag the recipe above and complete steps 1 through 4. Remove from heat and allow veggies to cool. Place in an airtight container in your fridge. When you’re ready to make your stuffing the next day simply add it to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients and set it to low. SO EASY!
I started doing this last year and it made me so happy to have basically the easiest dump-and-go stuffing on the planet. It was just as delicious as fresh-made and made cooking on Thanksgiving so much easier.
Keep reading after the recipe for some of my favorite prep-ahead tips to make Thanksgiving eats easy!
Classic Slow Cooker Stuffing
Save precious oven space with this classic Slow Cooker Stuffing recipe! Since converting my mom’s Thanksgiving stuffing to the crock-pot I’ve been OBSESSED with the results. It comes out perfectly tender on the inside and crisp on the outside!
4.82 from 11 votes
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Slow Cooker Stuffing
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours hours 38 minutes minutes
Total Time: 2 hours hours 53 minutes minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Author: Jenn Laughlin – Peas and Crayons
Ingredients
- 1 large onion (2 cups diced)
- 4-6 stalks/ribs celery (2 cups minced)
- 12-18 oz button mushrooms (3 cups minced)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 TBSP unsalted butter
- 1-2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups vegetable broth*
- 1 14 oz pkg Pepperidge Farm Cubed Herb Seasoned Stuffing**
- 1 egg (whisked)
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- Large dutch oven, pot, or high-sided skillet.
- 6 QT Slow Cooker
Instructions
Chop those veggies!
Heat a large high-sided skillet or a dutch oven with 3 TBSP butter on medium-high heat until frothy.
Add onion + celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are brown around the edges and veggies begin to tenderize.
Next add minced garlic and mushroom and cook until veggies have softened to your liking.
Season then add broth.
Lightly butter the sides and bottom of your slow cooker and add your veggie mixture. Top with dry stuffing mix and a whisked egg. Mix well and secure the lid.
Cook via slow cooker on the LOW setting for 2.5-3 hours. May be cooked a bit longer if desired or switched to the warm function while you await dinner!
Feel free to top with an optional sprinkling of parsley and/or crushed breadcrumbs for an edible (+ pretty!) garnish. For an extra soft stuffing feel free to drizzle some extra broth, gravy, or butter on the stuffing while hot.
Notes
* Chicken broth may be used in place of veggie broth, if desired.
**I grew up with my mom using Pepperidge Farm’s Herb Seasoned Stuffing mix as the base for her Thanksgiving stuffing and still make it that way today! It’s total nostalgia for me. If making your own stuffing mix using stale or toasted bread, simply season to taste, as I’m using a pre-seasoned blend as my starting point. XO
Keep reading after the recipe for some of my favorite tips to make cooking all your tasty Thanksgiving recipes so super easy!
Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 55kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 316mg, Potassium: 142mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 238IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 10mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?I want to see! Tag @peasandcrayons on Instagram and Facebook!
easy thanksgiving dishes tips + tricks
- MEAL-PLAN LIKE A MOFO!
- I’m a big fan of pulling all our family recipes ahead of time and printing anything new out that we plan on trying so there’s no confusion or time wasted scouring the house/internet for the missing recipe.
- MEASURE IN ADVANCE:
- Anything that can be pre-measured the day before can save some serious time in the kitchen. I love measuring out all my dry ingredients for bread/roll/dessert recipes and keeping them in little lidded containers with a post it on top. It keeps me organized and prevents us from going crazy measuring #allthethings
- PRE-CHOP THOSE VEGGIES:
- Same goes for your vegetables! The day before I chop things like brussels sprouts, celery, onion, green beans, etc… and portion them out in the fridge in baggies and label the amount with a sharpie so I know where they go the next day. It’s a total lifesaver!
- MAKE SIDES THE DAY BEFORE!
- Things likehot cornand cranberry sauce can easily be made the day before and reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.
looking for a few more holiday sides?
- Spicy Southern Hot Corn— my husband’s FAVORITE!
- Slow Cooker Apple Cranberry Sauce
- Stuffed Mushroom Casserole– holy cow I love this stuff!
- Cranberry Goat Cheese Log with Walnuts, Pecans, and Parsley
- Honey Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Feta– READER FAVORITE!
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About The Author:
Jenn Laughlin
Hi! I’m Jenn and I’m here to help you eat your veggies! It'll be fun, painless, and pretty darn delicious as I teach you to plan your meals around fresh, seasonal produce with a little help from healthy freezer and pantry staples.
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