Slow Cooker Stuffing

Name: Slow Cooker Stuffing
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 300 min
Total time: 330 min
Ingredients: 14 cups cubed bread ((see recipe notes below on kind of bread0); 1 cup unsalted butter; 3 cups diced onion (approximately 2 large onions); 2 cups diced celery; 4 cloves of garlic (minced or pressed through a garlic press); 1 ½ tsp. salt (plus more to taste); 1 tsp. black pepper; 1 Tbsp. poultry seasoning; 2 Tbsp. fresh herbs (use a mixture of fresh thyme, rosemary and sage); ¼ cup fresh parsley; 2 ½ - 3 ½ cups of chicken or turkey broth; 2 large eggs (beaten)

By Sarah Olson

32 Comments

Nov 12, 2023Updated Aug 25, 2024

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Free up oven space when preparing your Thanksgiving dinner with this delicious Slow Cooker Stuffing. Making stuffing in your crock pot will delight every stuffing lover sitting at your table with its tender and fragrant flavors.

Need even more oven space and have other slow cookers? Try our Slow Cooker Brussels Sprouts, Slow Cooker Pineapple Casserole, and Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole.

Can I make stuffing in a crockpot?

Preparing your holiday feast, particularly if you’re making the whole turkey and all the trimmings, could require a schedule with precision timing. And if you factor in the lack of real estate inside the oven, getting dinner on the table can be quite a feat. That’s where your trusty crockpot comes in. If you are looking for a short cut recipe see my easy recipe for slow cooker stove top stuffing.

Do the prep work for this great dressing recipe ahead of time and then on the day of, toss it in the crock and let the slow cooker do all the work for you. The end result is a delicious stuffing your family and friends will love.

What’s the difference between stuffing and dressing?

The biggest difference between stuffing and dressing is not their ingredients. In fact, they’re the exact same ingredients. It turns out location is the biggest difference between the two.

And what we mean by location is both the location the recipe is being cooked in relation to the turkey (or any other entree) and in terms of geography in which the recipe is being made.

The savory bread recipe stuffed inside the turkey (or similar), is simply stuffing and when that same savory bread recipe is baked in a large casserole dish outside the turkey, is dressing.

Now as to geography, turns out Southerners are more apt to use the term dressing, whereas the rest of the nation generally uses the word stuffing.

Recipe Ingredients

Image of ingredients for slow cooker stuffing on a table.

Bread — You’ll need a loaf of both white and wheat bread turned into dried bread cubes.
Broth — Low sodium turkey or chicken broth (or chicken stock) is best, but vegetable broth could be used as well. Homemade chicken broth is also a wonderful option. You can use leftover slow cooker chicken stock.
Eggs — Two large eggs, beaten, will act as a binder.
Butter — To control the salt content and taste, we used unsalted butter.
Produce — fresh celery, onions, and garlic provide the aromatic base of flavor.
Herbs and seasonings — Fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, and parsley along with salt, black pepper, and poultry seasoning are what will bring the recipe together giving this homemade stuffing the rich, comforting taste everyone loves.

How do you dry out bread for stuffing?

Dry, day old bread will make the best dressing. Getting the bread ready can be done days in advance. There’s a couple of different methods for preparing the bread.

Method One — Cut the bread into cubes. Place the fresh bread cubes on a sheet pan or if possible on a cooling rack on a sheet pan (to catch any crumbs and allow air to circulate better.) Dry bread cubes for at least 24 hours.

Method Two — Cut the bread into cubes. Place them on a sheet pan like in method one, and place in a preheated 275°F oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even drying. Watch closely so the bread does not toast. Allow to cool completely on the counter, then store in an airtight container until ready to make the recipe.

Step-by-Step Directions

Three images showing how to make the vegetables, seasonings and butter in a skillet.

Step One – Heat a pan or large skillet over medium heat, melt butter (4 tablespoons), increase to medium high heat and add the chopped celery and onions until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Step Two – Add the rest of the butter, garlic, salt, black pepper, poultry seasoning, and finely chopped fresh thyme, fresh sage, fresh rosemary, and fresh parsley.

Step Three – Mix everything well and cook for another minute or two or until the celery and onions have softened.

Four images showing how to add bread cubes and vegetables to slow cooker for stuffing.

Step Four – Place bread cubes in a 6 quart slow cooker.

Step Five – Pour in two cups of broth, the beaten eggs, and add celery and onion mixture. Gently stir with a large spatula until everything is well combined.

Step Six – Cook on high for 30 minutes. Then reduce heat to low and cook for an additional 3-4 hours. After 2 hours, check to see if the stuffing needs additional broth. If so, add more, slowly, one cup at a time. Use the spatula to pull the dressing away from the sides to prevent it from over-browning. Taste for seasoning, making any needed adjustments.

Step Seven – Once cooked, leave on warm until you’re ready to serve. We love to serve this with Slow Cooker Turkey Breast, Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce and Slow Cooker Candied Yams.

Recipe notes and tips for crock pot stuffing

Everyday sliced sandwich loaf bread is best for this recipe. Use one loaf of white and one loaf of wheat bread. The wheat bread increases the depth of flavor in the overall recipe.
Reserve some bread cubes from step 4 in case you add too much broth during either step 5 or 6. The additional bread will soak up the excess liquid.
Add more broth and melted butter if the stuffing is a tad too dry.
You know your slow cooker best. If your appliance runs a bit hotter on the low setting, every hour or so check to make sure the sides of the stuffing are not burning. Use a spatula to pull the dressing away from the sides.
If you don’t have enough broth, bouillon cubes could be used, but you may need to adjust the amount of salt in the recipe.
Check for salt during every step of the cooking process. Between the butter (if not using unsalted), the broth, and the added salt during seasoning, the dish could get salty quickly, and more so if you used broth made from bouillon cubes or granules.

Recipe FAQs

Can I add sausage to this?

Yes, add 1 pound of crumbled, cooked sausage, like Jimmy Dean into the crockpot with the bread mixture. You could also use Italian sausage.

Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh herbs?

Yes you can. Fresh is our recommendation but dried will work well too. Start with a teaspoon of dried thyme, sage, and/or rosemary, adding more as it melds with the sautéing onions and celery.

Can I use store bought dried cubed bread?

Yes you can. You’ll want approximately 14 cups of dry bread cubes. Look for a bread cube mixture containing both wheat and white bread.

How can I make this stuffing recipe a bit more fancy?

There are a lot of ways you can jazz up this simple, yet delicious slow cooker dressing. You can add mushrooms, leeks, dried cranberries, and roasted chestnuts.

How do I store the leftovers?

Add any leftovers to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

What is the best way to reheat the leftovers.

Place any leftovers in a baking dish (or casserole dish) and drizzle with a bit of melted butter or a few tablespoons of broth. Cover and bake in the a 325°F oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.

More stuffing recipes

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