Slow Cooker Stuffing (or Dressing ... or whatever you call it!)

Stuffing in the slow cooker? You bet! Slow Cooker Stuffing is moist, flavorful, and easy. -- Not to mention, it frees up that oven space for all those other tasty holiday side dishes we love.
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My favorite part of the big Thanksgiving meal is by far the stuffing -- Or dressing, as some call it. And I must say, I'm a cook-it-inside-the-bird kind of girl. As far back as I can remember, my Mom has always stuffed our Thanksgiving turkey full of delicious stuffing. And I've always happily gobbled it up (pun intended) as soon as its hit the table.

I just can't get enough of the tasty stuff.

But there's a great alternative to stuffing cooked in the bird -- Slow Cooker Stuffing. Or I guess, Slow Cooker Dressing since it's not actually stuffed inside the turkey?? -- Oh hey, whatever you want to call it is fine with me.

If you just want to cook a turkey breast for Thanksgiving, meaning there's no actual place to stuff the stuffing, or just in general don't like cooking the dressing inside the bird. Or you want to enjoy some meat other than turkey but still want some stuffing deliciousness to go with it -- Slow Cooker Stuffing is a great way to go.

Sure, there are lots of recipes for baking dressing in the oven. But many of the baked stuffings I've tried turn out too dry for my taste. I really love a stuffing that's more of a "scoopably" soft consistency than a cut-it-in-squares consistency. Oh, I love stuffing that's nice and moist.

Chock full of fresh bread cubes, celery, onion, sage, thyme, and fresh parsley, this stuffing is not only moist but flavorful, too.

And when it comes to moist and "scoopable," this slow cooker stuffing absolutely fits the bill. Chock full of fresh bread cubes, celery, onion, sage, thyme, and fresh parsley, this stuffing is not only moist but flavorful, too.

Not to mention as an added bonus, making stuffing in the crock pot frees up that oven space for all those other tasty holiday side dishes we love!

What's to Love About This Recipe?

• Fabulous flavor - Chock full of fresh bread cubes, celery, onion, sage, thyme, and fresh parsley, this Slow Cooker Stuffing delivers up that fabulous classic stuffing flavor we love.
• Super easy to make - Chop up a handful of ingredients, toss them in the crock pot, and let the slow cooker do its thing! It's truly that easy to whip up a pot of Slow Cooker Stuffing.
• Simple, classic ingredients - Nothing fancy here. Just basic, classic stuffing ingredients of bread cubes, celery, onion, chicken broth, butter, and seasonings come together to create this stuffing deliciousness. 
• Crock pot convenience - Set it and forget it! Combine those ingredients in the crock pot, and then let that slow cooker do its thing.
• Frees up that oven space - No oven space needed here. Set that crock pot of stuffing on the counter to cook, and free up that oven space for all those other tasty holiday side dishes you love!

Slow Cooker Stuffing Ingredients:

This Slow Cooker Stuffing recipe is comprised of basic, classic stuffing ingredients -- resulting in that signature stuffing flavor we all know and love. To whip up a crock pot full, you'll need:

• Dry bread cubes - Forms the foundation of the stuffing. These are dry bread cubes made at home simply from a loaf of bread, not anything prepared or seasoned in a package from the store. -- Just cut bread slices into 1/2-inch cubes and bake them in the oven until dry. We often use all whole wheat bread, but you can use any variety of bread you choose, or a mixture of different breads.

• Celery - A classic stuffing ingredient that helps create that signature stuffing flavor we love. About 4 stalks of celery, finely chopped, are needed.

• Onion - Finely chopped onion also seasons the stuffing, helping create that classic stuffing flavor.

• Fresh parsley - Lends flavor to the stuffing, as well. We recommend sticking with fresh parsley, rather than dried, for the flavor and herb-flecked look it creates within the stuffing.

• Dried sage - A signature taste in stuffing, dried sage nicely flavors the stuffing.

• Dried thyme - Another signature flavor in stuffing, dried thyme brings earthiness to the stuffing's taste.

• Salt & pepper - Seasons and enhances the flavor of the stuffing's other ingredients.

• Chicken broth -  Moistens the stuffing. We recommend Swanson brand canned broth for its rich flavor. Homemade chicken broth or stock are always a great choice, too, if you have some on hand.

• Butter - Melted butter also helps moisten the stuffing, bringing richness to it, as well. We recommend using unsalted butter, but salted works just fine, too, if you prefer.

How to Make Slow Cooker Stuffing:

Made with simple, classic stuffing ingredients and crock pot convenience, Slow Cooker Stuffing is incredibly easy to make.

Start by preparing some (super easy!) homemade dry bread cubes. -- Cut about 18 slices of bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread the cubes on a rimmed baking sheet or large roasting pan and bake them in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until they're dry. Then turn the oven off and leave the bread cubes in the warm oven for about another 30 minutes -- which just helps make sure all the moisture is out of them.

Then combine the dry bread cubes with some chopped celery, onion, and fresh parsley, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Pour chicken broth and melted butter over the bread mixture, and toss everything to together to mix it well.

Place the bread cube mixture in a slow cooker, cover, and cook on the LOW heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.

That's it! When you open that crock pot up, you'll have a pot of moist and flavorful stuffing to devour and enjoy.

So if you're a cook-stuffing-in-the-bird kind of person, like me, but don't want to cook a whole turkey -- Or perhaps you like to make your stuffing separate from the turkey but don't want to tie up space in your oven -- give this slow cooker stuffing version a try.

It's one moist, flavorful, and super easy stuffing alternative!

Check out these other tasty slow cooker side dishes:

• Crock Pot Creamed Corn
• Crock Pot Green Bean Casserole
• Slow Cooker Macaroni & Cheese
• Slow Cooker Bacon Macaroni & Cheese
• Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs
• Slow Cooker Applesauce
• More side dishes

Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have you back soon!

slow cooker stuffing recipe, slow cooker dressing recipe, crock pot dressing recipe, how to make stuffing in the crock pot, crock pot Thanksgiving side dishes

Side Dishes

American

Yield: 12-14 servings

Author: Tracey | The Kitchen is My Playground

Slow Cooker Stuffing

Stuffing in the slow cooker? You bet! Slow Cooker Stuffing is moist, flavorful, and easy. -- Not to mention, it frees up that oven space for all those other tasty holiday side dishes we love.

Prep time: 45 MinCook time: 5 HourTotal time: 5 H & 45 M

Ingredients

• 12 c. dry bread cubes*
• 2 c. chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
• 1 c. finely chopped onion (about 1 large)
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp. dried sage
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 3/4 c. chicken broth (about a 14.5 oz. can)
• 1/3 c. butter, melted

Instructions

1. Combine dry bread cubes, chopped celery, onion, parsley, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Pour chicken broth and melted butter over the bread mixture; toss to mix well.
2. Place mixture in a slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on LOW heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.

TRACEY'S NOTES:

1. * To make the dry bread cubes, cut bread slices into 1/2-inch cubes (it'll take approximately 18 slices of bread). Spread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet or large roasting pan and bake at 300 degrees for about 15 minutes or until dry, stirring two or three times during baking. Then turn the oven off and leave the bread cubes in the warm oven for about another 30 minutes.
2. I often use all whole wheat bread, but you can use any variety you choose, or a mixture of different breads.
3. We recommend Swanson brand canned chicken broth for its rich flavor. Homemade chicken broth or stock are always a great choice in place of the canned if you have some on hand.

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