Fire up your crockpot and make this Slow Cooker Stuffing while your holiday turkey and vegetables cook in the oven!
Holiday meals just got a whole lot easier when we started cooking our stuffing in the slow cooker. The kitchen is already a crowded space with turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes and an assortment of vegetables being prepared.
Prepare in advance
We try to prepare as many dishes as we can in advance of a big holiday meal. You can make this slow cooker stuffing the day before and then slowly reheat the next day as your turkey is resting.
The Right Bread for the Job
I’m often asked what kind of bread do you use for stuffing. The answer is anything goes. You can even BUY croutons to use in stuffing! I’ve known non traditionalists to use jalapeno cheese bread in their stuffing – yum right?!
I like to use sourdough, bagels, a baguette French bread and sometimes even a whole wheat blend. It’s really important the bread is a couple days old as fresh bread does not cut into cubes easily.
How to prepare the bread
You can cut bread into slices and then into cubes. Or you can tear the bread into chunks which looks more rustic. Just make sure they are not too big.
How to dry bread cubes
You dry out bread cubes similar to how you make home made croutons. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and spread them out on a large baking sheet. You want them to be laid out evenly and flat, not bunched up. Bake until crunchy about 15 minutes, tossing every five minutes or so. Let cool until ready to use.
PRO TIPS:
- Prepare your bread the day before so the cubes are ready to go.
- Made this vegetarian by omitting the sausage and adding squash or apple plus nuts.
- Sometimes I add a handful of dried cranberries.
- Whenever possible use fresh herbs including carrot tops.
Holiday recipes to enjoy with your stuffing:
- Lemon Roasted Potatoes with Parsley Pistou
- Honey Roasted Carrots
- Roasted and Fresh Carrots with Lentils
- Brussels Sprouts with Candied Walnuts
If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans
Ingredients
- 3 mild italian fresh sausage
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 cups celery chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped sage or dried
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 tbsp fresh thyme
- 12 cups bread cubes lightly toasted
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1.5 cup chicken stock
- handful Cranberries dried or fresh
- Cooking Spray
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium high heat remove sausage out of casings, breaking up as they cook. Once browned and cooked through set aside.
- In same saucepan saute your onions and celery in butter until tender. Stir in sage, marjoram, salt, pepper and thyme. Mix this with your sausage, add bread cubes and parsley. Stir in chicken stock and mix well.
- Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray. Spoon sausage mixture into slow cooker. Cook on low for approximately 3-4 hours, stirring every hour.
- Add handful of dried or fresh cranberries into the mixture.
- Remove from slow cooker and dish into serving bowl. Serve warm.
Making stuffing in the crockpot is brilliant. Stealing this!
This stuffing was fantastic and saved so much space in the oven. Will make again!
After trying this recipe, it’s the only way we make stuffing now. Yum!
If I’m serving tomorrow can I cook today and reheat tomorrow?
Most definitely. Reheat in a casserole dish in the oven at 350 F. for about 15 minutes or so. Watch it so it doesn’t burn!
Made this for Friendsgiving and it was so stress free to not have to make room in the oven. Major hit here!
I don’t have fresh thyme, can I use dried?
Yes absolutely. About 1 tsp should do!
The sausage makes it so flavourful. Thanks.
Brilliant idea that it won’t have to consume much space in the oven! Thanks for sharing! Excited to make this for the holidays!
Such a fantastic stuffing for the holidays! I love all those flavors and how easily it comes together in the slow cooker. Yum!
Love stuffing with turkey and chicken and this one is full of all my favourite flavours – thanks!
Anything in a slow cooker- love using my slow cooker! And I can imagine stuffing would be so moist and perfect cooked in a slow cooker. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you for sharing vegetarian option too. Recipe sounds great…
I am starting to prepare for the holidays. I am so happy I can still find this recipe, it is my go-to every year!
It’s so easy and I love easy!