Crock Pot Stuffing Recipe perfect for Thanksgiving! (2024)

Here’s a how-to guide to making stuffing in a CrockPot! This slow cooker recipe for everyone’s favorite holiday side dish is perfect for Thanksgiving! Do you call it stuffing or dressing? I have always called it stuffing, but recently, I have seen it called a dressing for Thanksgiving

Crock Pot Stuffing Recipe perfect for Thanksgiving! (1)

Crockpot Stuffing Recipe

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This recipe is so easy to make! The hardest part is cutting up all the bread and slicing the celery and onions. Outside of that, the Crock Pot does all the work.

When I made this recipe, I thought it would take a lot more bread than it does. I went out and bought four loaves of bread and started cutting up the bread.

After the first loaf, I realized the Crock Pot was full.

We ended up with tons of sandwiches for lunch after making this recipe. John laughed and asked if I planned to feed an entire army with my four loaves of bread.

I don't know why, but I thought it would take more bread than one loaf. Oops.

I made this with all white bread since that is what John and our neighbor requested. When I make it again, I will mix a few different types of bread to add flavor to the stuffing.

We love making this CrockPot Dressing with a mix of white, sourdough, and wheat bread. The multiple flavors add a great combination of colors to the dressing and flavors.

If you love slow cooker crockpot recipes and are looking for time savings and making life easier on Thanksgiving, check out this list of Thanksgiving Crock Pot Recipes!

I love using the CrockPot to make a crazy day a lot easier! You can save oven space and know that your stuffing is being handled and will be amazing!

The slow cooker makes making this classic Thanksgiving dinner side dish easy; it’s our go-to Thanksgiving stuffing recipe.

Crock Pot Stuffing Recipe perfect for Thanksgiving! (2)

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of the simple ingredients needed to make an epic Crock Pot Dressing! The printable recipe card at the bottom of the post includes specific measurements and step-by-step instructions.

  • Dry Bread Cubes
  • Celery
  • Onions
  • Sage
  • Salt
  • Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth
  • Unsalted Butter

Optional Add-ins: Dried Cranberries, Fresh Rosemary, Fresh Sage, Parsley, Poultry Seasoning, Mushrooms, Sausage, Thyme, Your Favorite Herbs, and Pepper to Taste

Equipment Needed

  • Knife or Kitchen Scissors (to cut bread into pieces)
  • Non-Stick Cooking Spray
  • Kitchen Spoon/Spatula
  • CrockPot: We suggest using a CrockPot with a digital timer that automatically switches the temperature to warm after a set time to ensure your dinner cooks perfectly without stressing about cooking time.
  • Serving Dish

Crock Pot Stuffing Recipe perfect for Thanksgiving! (3)

How to Make CrockPot Dressing

I've included complete instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here's a quick version.

  1. Combine all ingredients, minus the butter, until well mixed.
  2. Toss the mixture with butter.
  3. Cook on low

Preparation and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make uncooked stuffing beforehand, but freeze it immediately after mixing! According to the USDA, raw dressing grows bacteria when kept in your refrigerator.

Storage: Store your CrockPot Dressing in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy it within four days. The USDA also recommends keeping leftovers unrefrigerated for no more than two hours.

Freezing/How to Freeze: Keep leftover portions in an airtight, freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag and enjoy them within three months.

How to Reheat: The USDA doesn’t recommend your Crock Pot Stuffing leftovers in the slow cooker. Instead, reheat leftovers using your microwave or stove, depending on how many people you serve. You may need to add some broth to moisten it before reheating.

Recipe Variations

Substitutions: We use a mix of wheat, white, French bread, and sometimes sourdough bread, depending on what we have. The best bread is what you have available.

Vegetarian Option: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make this Crock Pot Stuffing recipe vegetarian.

Vegan Option: Vegans should use plant-based bread and butter to make this classic Thanksgiving recipe vegan.

Gluten-Free: Gluten-free eaters should use gluten-free bread to make this recipe gluten-free.

Smaller Serving Size + Larger Group/More Servings: This recipe makes 12 servings. Scale it up or down to your desired yield, keeping in mind that you may need to work in batches if you scale up.

Make It Spicy: Add red pepper flakes for stuffing with a kick.

Sugar-Free: The written recipe contains 3 grams of sugar per serving. The amount of sugar depends on the bread you use, so check the label before you buy.

Tips for the Best CrockPot Dressing

  • If you have a large bowl, mix everything in there before pouring it into the CrockPot. Just wait to pour the butter until everything is in the slow cooker.
  • If you want to dry the bread pieces ahead of time you can spread them on a baking sheet and let them sit out for a day or heat them in the oven.

What to Serve with CrockPot Dressing

No holiday dinner featuring turkey as the star protein is complete without dressing (or stuffing, depending on how you call it)! Here are some menu planning suggestions for your next Thanksgiving, Christmas, or holiday meal.

Sides: Pineapple Stuffing, Carrot Soufflé, Creamed Corn Casserole, Crock Pot Mashed Cauliflower, Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes, Jiffy Cornbread with Sour Cream, CrockPot Sweet Potato Casserole, gravy

Main Dishes: CrockPot Turkey Crock Pot Bourbon Maple Pork Loin, , , Crock Pot Orange Glazed Ham, Crock Pot co*ke Glazed Ham, Bourbon Baked Ham

Desserts: Eggnog Cookies, 4 Ingredient Christmas Crack, Easy Holiday Reindeer Chow, Church Window Cookies, No Bake Cherry Cheesecake Dip, Easy Eggnog Cake with Eggnog Glaze, Ambrosia Salad, Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball, Cranberry Fluff Salad

Drinks: Eggnog White Russian, Spiced Cranberry co*cktail, Cranberry Moscow Mule, RumChata Pudding Shots, Pomegranate Breeze Martini, Mulled Cherry Cider co*cktail

When to Serve

  • Dinner
  • Potlucks
  • Thanksgiving meal
  • Christmas
  • Any Holiday Dinner!

Great Slow Cooker Holiday Recipes

CrockPot Turkey

CrockPot Corn Pudding

CrockPot White Hot Chocolate

Crock Pot Ham

Crock Pot Candied Sweet Potatoes

Crock Pot Glazed Carrots

CrockPot Sweet Potato Casserole

Check out all of our CrockPot Thanksgiving Recipes and vegetarian CrockPot meals!

Do you love recipes? Check out our copy cat recipes, dessert recipes, and our Crock Pot Recipes.

Follow Tammilee Tips on MSN,Facebook,Instagram,Pinterest, andTwitterfor all of our recipe posts.

If you are running out of crockpot and need to use the oven or stove top don't worry you can make the always delicious Campbells Green Bean Casserole and Cracker Barrel Carrots.

Crock Pot Stuffing Recipe perfect for Thanksgiving! (4)

Crock Pot Stuffing Recipe

Crock Pot Stuffing Recipe perfect for Thanksgiving! The slow cooker makes this recipe so easy to prepare

3.86 from 7 votes

Print Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 271kcal

Author: Tammilee Tips

Ingredients

  • 14-15 cups Bread Cubes about 1 loaf of bread
  • 3 cups Celery chopped
  • 1 ½ cups onions chopped
  • 1 ½ Teaspoon Sage Spice
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 ½ cup Chicken Broth
  • 1 ¼ cup Butter melted

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients minus the butter until well mixed

  • Toss with butter

  • Cook on low for 4-5 hours

Kitchen Tools

  • Slow cooker

  • Vegetable Chopper

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Crock Pot Stuffing Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 271Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Cholesterol 50mg17%

Sodium 660mg29%

Potassium 183mg5%

Carbohydrates 18g6%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 710IU14%

Vitamin C 4.3mg5%

Calcium 69mg7%

Iron 1.3mg7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Love this recipe?Follow @TammileeTIps on Pinterest

Tried this recipe?Mention @TammileeTipsLife when you share a photo!

Recipe originally shared on September 7, 2015. Updated October 2020, November 2022

Crock Pot Stuffing Recipe perfect for Thanksgiving! (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to make stuffing the night before? ›

Yes! You can absolutely make stuffing ahead of time. It's a great way to get a jumpstart on Thanksgiving cooking and it frees up much-needed oven space.

How do you keep stuffing moist when cooking? ›

Typically, baking the stuffing inside the bird helps keep the mixture moist. “I prefer stuffing (in the bird) to dressing (outside of the bird) because all those delicious drippings that come off the turkey gets absorbed right into the stuffing,” Bamford says.

Is stuffing better with or without eggs? ›

Eggs add richness to the stuffing, and makes it cohere better. I'd use two eggs per pound of bread.

What is the difference between Thanksgiving dressing and stuffing? ›

"Stuffing is cooked in the cavity of the turkey, so the juices soak into the ingredients, making it more flavorful. Dressing gets cooked on its own and needs extra liquid to make it flavorful." So stuffing is cooked inside the bird. Dressing is cooked outside the bird, usually in a casserole dish.

Why add eggs to stuffing? ›

Broth: Chicken broth keeps the stuffing moist without making it soggy. Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture. Water: You can add a few tablespoons of water, if you'd like, to achieve your desired consistency.

Is it better to make stuffing with fresh or dry bread? ›

Follow this tip: Stale, dried-out bread makes the best stuffing. Either dry out your bread starting a few days before you plan to make the stuffing by letting it sit out or, if you don't have the extra time, cut the bread into cubes, and then toast over a low heat in the oven until dry.

Why does my stuffing come out mushy? ›

If the stuffing came out too wet and soggy (aka bread soup!) try not to over mix it, otherwise it'll turn into mush. Curtis Stone says to pour it on a large sheet tray and spread it out. Bake it on high heat to crisp it up, but make sure it doesn't burn.

How do you keep stuffing from falling apart? ›

The stuffing should be moist but not wet. If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom of the bowl, you've added too much. Add more bread to soak up the excess moisture. If the mix is still dry and crumbly, add more liquid and toss gently until it starts to clump together.

What is traditional turkey stuffing made of? ›

The BEST traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe is easy to make dried bread cubes, sausage, diced vegetables, and chicken broth. It's a great side dish to make ahead of time and it definitely tastes best homemade! Pair this easy homemade stuffing with our popular turkey recipe, homemade rolls, and Thanksgiving pie.

Are you supposed to cook the stuffing before putting it in? ›

Fully cook raw meat, poultry, or seafood ingredients before adding to stuffing. Combine the ingredients and place them in your bird immediately before cooking. Don't stuff whole poultry with cooked stuffing. In addition to the turkey, the stuffing's center needs to reach 165 F.

What can you use as a binder instead of eggs in stuffing? ›

Some common egg substitutes include:
  1. Mashed banana. Mashed banana can act as a binding agent when baking or making pancake batter. ...
  2. Applesauce. Applesauce can also act as a binding agent. ...
  3. Fruit puree. ...
  4. Avocado. ...
  5. Gelatin. ...
  6. Xanthan gum. ...
  7. Vegetable oil and baking powder. ...
  8. Margarine.
Mar 30, 2021

What do southerners call stuffing? ›

But for the Thanksgiving side dish in the South, the term dressing was adopted in place of stuffing, which was viewed as a crude term, during the Victorian era. Although dressing and stuffing are interchangeable terms, the signature ingredient of this Thanksgiving side dish in the South is cornbread.

What is stuffing called when it's not in the turkey? ›

Stuffing and dressing are commonly used as different names for the same thing—a dish consisting of bits of bread (or other starchy things) and various seasonings. The dish can be made by stuffing it (hence the name) inside a turkey or other bird that will be roasted, or by baking or cooking it separately.

Do you stuff stuffing in or out of turkey? ›

Stuffing cooked inside the turkey cavities is delicious, but it does slow down the cooking time and could be a potential health hazard if done incorrectly. For perfect no-worry results, opt for "dressing" instead – stuffing cooked alongside the bird instead of inside.

Can I refrigerate stuffing overnight before baking? ›

USDA recommends that you never refrigerate uncooked stuffing. Why? Remember, stuffing can harbor bacteria, and though bacteria grow slower in the refrigerator they can cause problems because stuffing is a good medium for bacteria growth, therefore a higher risk food in terms of cooking safely.

How long can stuffing stay in the fridge before cooking? ›

Do not refrigerate uncooked stuffing. If stuffing is prepared ahead of time, it must be either frozen or cooked immediately. To use cooked stuffing later, cool in shallow containers and refrigerate it within 2 hours. Use it within 3 to 4 days.

References

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