Crock Pot Stuffing takes my favorite classic stuffing recipe and turns it into an easy make ahead side dish. This stuffing is perfect to serve along side turkey dinner!
Once I started cooking my stuffing in my slow cooker, it’s the only way I make it now! Not only is it easy and delicious, it can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance making it the perfect side during a busy meal! Turkey dinner is a big undertaking so I try to plan ahead as much as I can both before the meal and on turkey day (I use this turkey dinner planner to keep everything in order).
When you walk into my kitchen a few hours before that golden turkey is out of the oven, you’ll see slow cookers and vegetable steamers all lined up on one side of the kitchen. I try to have all of the sides and accompaniments prepared ahead of time. I no longer boil my mashed potatoes, I make slow cooker mashed potatoes and I often have veggies like carrots and broccoli washed and sitting in the veggie steamer ready to go (and of course this Crock Pot stuffing)! When the turkey is ready, it comes out of the oven and literally the only thing I have to do is cook up the gravy while it rests.
I do have to make a confession… while I always make a ton of dishes for any turkey dinner including rolls, veggies, salads and all that other jazz that goes along with turkey the only thing I care about is the stuffing (and gravy). Truly, if I just had a big ol’ plate of stuffing, I’d be a happy camper (and I always ALWAYS take seconds of the stuffing).
The Best Bread for Stuffing
You can make delicious stuffing with ANY kind of bread from hot dog buns to leftover bagels or crusts of bread. To make perfect stuffing, you’ll need to ensure your bread cubes or crumbs are dry before beginning.
My personal favorite bread for stuffing is using half white sandwich bread and half brown sandwich bread and drying it myself. It gives the best texture and flavor allowing for the seasonings and celery/onion mixture flavor to really shine through.
My second choice is dried unseasoned bread cubes from the store. I prefer to add my own seasonings and control the sodium. (I use a homemade poultry seasoning).
How to Dry Bread for Stuffing
There are two ways I dry bread for stuffing:
1. Make day old bread: Cut your bread into cubes and leave it on the counter uncovered at least 24 hours (stirring occasionally).
2. Dry Bread Crumbs in the oven: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lay fresh bread cubes in a single layer and cook 25 minutes stirring half way or until dried. Ensure your bread doesn’t toast or brown.
An important note about adding the broth! You are going to add just enough broth to the cubes to moisten them. Depending on the type of bread you use your broth amount could vary by up to a cup or more! You want enough broth so that the cubes are moist but not mushy as the onions/celery and other add ins will also add a bit of moisture to the stuffing.
Cooks Tip: If you accidentally add too much liquid and your stuffing is too wet, don’t despair! Add in a couple of handfuls of dry bread cubes or store bought croutons. They’ll soak up any extra moisture creating the perfect consistency.
While I like a simple classic stuffing, if you’re more adventurous, you can most certainly add in whatever you’d like such as fresh or dried cranberries, fried mushrooms or even cooked sausage. Once you make this easy Crock Pot stuffing, it’ll definitely become your go to!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning store bought or homemade
- 2 medium yellow onions diced
- 2 cups sliced celery
- 6 cups dry white bread cubes *see note
- 6 cups dry brown bread cubes *see note
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs or to taste, thyme, sage, rosemary ,optional
- 3 cups chicken broth plus an additional 1 cup if needed
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Heat butter over medium heat until melted. Stir in poultry seasoning, black pepper and salt. Add celery & onions and cook until softened (do not brown). Cool completely.
- Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Add cooled celery and onion mixture, parsley and fresh herbs if using.
- Add chicken broth a little bit at a time just to moisten and gently stir. You may not need all of the broth (see note below). Stir in eggs.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight if making ahead of time.
- Grease a 5-6 qt slow cooker well. Place stuffing in the slow cooker and turn onto high for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to low and cook an additional 3-4 hours or until hot and cooked through. If stuffing is done before your meal is ready it can remain on warm.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Side Dish
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I accidentally got cubed stuffing that is seasoned. Would it still be ok to use all the seasonings you recommend?
Absolutely, you may need to reduce the salt a little bit. You can mix everything except the egg and have a little taste and adjust seasonings before adding the eggs. Let us know how it goes!
I am hoping to make this for Christmas this year. Would a box of the Mrs. Cubinsons stuffing cubes be okay for this? Thank you!
Yes, those would certainly work. I’m not certain of the package size but you’ll need a total of 12 cubes of bread. Enjoy and let us know how it goes.
This is a great stuffing basic recipe! It’s very similar to my grandpa’s recipe he was always responsible for the stuffing and turkey. He always used a box grater and would grate the onion and celery and 1 large 1carrot, and the juices from each went into the stuffing as well. I also add minced garlic to the butter when sautéing the veg. Sometimes I’ll also add some apple and sage sausage meat I browned the night before. All goes into the crockpot and gets cooked there. No crockpot or need to double/triple the recipe? Use an oven safe Dutch oven, prep the stuffing a day ahead and keep overnight in the fridge. Just pop it in an 350 oven for 45 minutes while the turkey rests.
Your grandpa’s additions sounds amazing, Seana! Thank you for sharing.
I’m making this recipe for a potluck and need to double (or maybe even triple) the recipe. How big of a crockpot will I need if I double or triple the recipe? Thanks!
While it could be doubled (or tripled), it likely wouldn’t fit into one 6qt slow cooker, since it’s best that a 6-quart slow cooker isn’t more than ¾ full. You could try doubling it in a 10-quart slow cooker or you could try making it in two separate slow cookers. I hope that helps!
Hello! For the tablespoon of fresh herbs, does that call for 1 tbs each of thyme, sage, and rosemary? Or 1 tbs total between the 3? Thanks!
I use 1 tablespoon total.
Hello. I would like to use this wonderful recipe for my Thanksgiving that I will be hosting for the first time this year. So I was wondering, if I were to add sausage to this recipe, when would I do this? I’m planning to make the stuffing ahead of time (night before), and then cook the day of. Therefore, would I cook the sausage with the vegetables, and then add it all to the mix and leave overnight, or would I cook up the sausage the day of and then add to the stuffing mixture Thanksgiving day? Thank you.
You can cook the sausage and add it the day before. Enjoy the recipe!
Hello! I have a question about the eggs. Do you just crack them on top and fold them in or do you mix them with a whisk in a separate bowl and then pour them over?
I like to use a fork to mix them slightly then add them to the stuffing mixture.
Always my go-to for the holidays. It frees up oven space and makes it so easy to prepare stuffing! Bonus, I wasn’t in charge of making the turkey this year and my house still smelled great all morning while this was cooking! – SWP Employee
I’d like to make this for my son to take to work for a potluck. Should I make it the day before and have him take it and use the crockpot to reheat? Or how would you suggest I do it?
You can prepare the day ahead and cook on the day of serving or you can reheat it in the crockpot, either will work just fine. If it’s chilled from the fridge, it may need a little bit of extra cooking time. Enjoy!
My favourite stuffing recipe! Always a big hit with our family. Just wondering if l can prepare a few days ahead of time and refrigerate and cook 2-3 days after refrigeration?
Yes! It can be prepared and then cooked the day of. You can remove it from the fridge up to 60 minutes before cooking, it should cook through in the time in the recipe. If it is done early, you can turn the slow cooker to warm.
I made this last year and it was delicious. I don’t remember adding the egg…but will follow the recipe this year ☺️. Looking forward to eating this tomorrow
Love your recipes!
This recipe can work with or without the egg Tracey! I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes. Happy Thanksgiving!
I might have missed it but at what point do you add the egg? I don’t see it in the instructions.
Thanks!
At the end of step 3 after you stir in the chicken broth. Enjoy Erica!
Hi
I am just wondering if I used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, would the taste be very different?
thanks
It will change the flavor slightly (I find it’s a bit sweeter) but will still work. Enjoy Kristy!
2 questions- Do you need to use a whole cup of butter? What is the reasoning? Also, is there another fat I could use or is butter essential?
You can use less butter if you’d like. The butter is used for cooking the vegetables and adds great flavor.
how do you reheat it the day after you make it?
This can be reheated on low in the slow cooker.
Does egg have to be included? I’ve never added egg before.
You can omit the eggs if you prefer, but we find it helps to hold the stuffing together and provides some moisture and flavor to the recipe.
I never used to add egg to my stuffing. After I tried it once, I always use eggs. It really does hold the mixture together more like Holly said….and more moist. No more dry crumbly stuffing!
Nowhere in the instructions does it say to add the eggs…Do you add when you add the broth?
Hi Crystal, if you scroll down to the recipe card, the eggs are added in step 3 with the broth.
I wish you had more vegetable recipes. I have been a vegetarian for almost 25 years. I have outlived most of my family members by decades because diet has such an effect on longevity. I’ve always loved vegetables and whole grains, so it’s not a sacrifice for me.
The reason I don’t buy most cookbooks, including yours, is that most of the recipes feature some kind of meat or seafood. It doesn’t make sense to me to have a bunch of recipes that I will never use.
The recipes I have made from your site are delicious, but the ones I can use are really limited. I wish you would add more plant-based ones, please.
Thank you for the feedback Essie! While I’m not vegetarian, like you I love vegetables and whole grains. I hope to include more of these as I create new recipes.
My husband is vegan, and when I’m making his meals I often use Nora Cooks. That site has great plant based recipes, really the best site I’ve personally mostly use for my husbands meals. Spend with pennies is my go to making my meals, and when I cook for others. Everything I’ve made so far has been excellent, and I can also often substitute some ingredients with plant based ones and end up with a tasty vegan meal!
My turkey is ready way too early ! Could I speed the stuffing up by cooking it on high for longer or would that ruin it? Thanks !
Yes you can. You could also transfer it to a baking dish and bake it in the oven if needed.
Is there a modification that can be done to cook this in an insta pot?
I haven’t tried this in an IP before so I can’t say for sure.
I luv this stuffing, my mother in law gave it to me 30 years ago. I add 3-6 mild Italian sausages and one cup of diced apple. Also I use one loaf of turkey ready pre seasoned stuffing loaf. I cut my bread in small cubs and cook in oven at 300 degrees for 15-17 min. without flipping half way. I believe the sausage makes it.
Can I cook 2 days in advance in crockpot and then re-heat in crockpot day of. Cooking for my husband and just want him to be able to plug in when his family is at our home and not have to worry about mixing etc. thanks
Yes, this can be cooked 2 days ahead of time. You could also mix it completely and then cook the day of serving.
Do you season your breadcrumbs while drying? Or just use the poultry season in the mixture with celery and onions.
I don’t season them in addition to the poultry seasoning although you could if you’d like to!