Mom’s Crockpot Stuffing

This is a slow cooker stuffing made from bread cubes, sautéed onion and celery, butter, chicken broth, sage and thyme. The vegetables are cooked in butter on the stove, everything is mixed in a bowl, and the crockpot does the rest on low for 6 to 8 hours. It makes 8 servings and frees up the oven on a busy holiday.

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The recipe is simple: 20 minutes of prep, then a long, hands-off cook. Most of what decides the texture is the bread, covered below.

What Goes in the Bowl

The full amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom. These are the ingredients that matter.

• Bread cubes (1 pound): they soak up the broth and turn tender. A hearty bread holds up best over a long cook.
• Onion (1 cup, diced) and celery (1 cup, diced): sautéed in butter first, they become sweet and aromatic. The onion’s moisture also helps keep the stuffing from drying out, and the celery adds some crunch.
• Butter (1/2 cup): cooks the vegetables and enriches the whole pot.
• Chicken broth (2 cups): wets the bread and adds savory flavor.
• Dried sage and dried thyme (1 teaspoon each): the traditional stuffing herbs. Sage has a slightly peppery note.
• Salt (1/2 teaspoon) and black pepper (1/4 teaspoon): basic seasoning.
• Parsley (1/2 cup, chopped): adds color and a fresh note against the butter.

Choosing the Bread

A sturdy, crusty bread such as sourdough or a rustic loaf keeps its shape in the crockpot and absorbs the broth without turning mushy.

Cooking It Right

Take your time with the onion and celery. Letting them soften in the butter builds the base of flavor for the whole dish, so do not rush that step.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the stuffing is heated through and set. Short on time? It can also cook on high for about 3 to 4 hours. Check the consistency as it cooks, because times vary with the crockpot model.

To save time on the day, chop the vegetables and measure the ingredients the night before and refrigerate them. Combine everything in the morning and set it in the crockpot.

Ways to Change It

• Protein: mix in cooked sausage or diced turkey. The sausage can be sautéed with the onions and celery.
• Nuts: pecans, walnuts or chestnuts, chopped coarsely and folded in before the mixture goes into the crockpot, add crunch.
• More herbs: rosemary, oregano or basil can go in alongside the sage and thyme.

What to Serve With It

Stuffing goes with roast turkey or glazed ham, and a crisp green salad on the side balances the meal. Gravy, homemade or store-bought, soaks into the stuffing and adds moisture.

Leftovers can be mixed with eggs and cheese for a savory breakfast casserole, or stuffed into bell peppers or mushrooms as an appetizer.

How Long It Takes

Prep takes about 20 minutes, which covers chopping the onions and celery and combining the ingredients. Cooking is 6 to 8 hours on low. The total is 6 hours and 20 minutes at the short end.

Nutrition per Serving

A serving is 1 cup. The card lists approximately:

• Calories: 220
• Fat: 10g, with 5g saturated, 3g unsaturated and 0g trans
• Carbohydrates: 32g, with 3g fiber and 2g sugar
• Protein: 5g
• Sodium: 400mg
• Cholesterol: 15mg

FAQ

How do you make stuffing in a crockpot?

Sauté the onions and celery in butter until soft. Combine them in a bowl with the bread cubes, chicken broth and seasonings, move the mixture to the crockpot, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Can you prepare stuffing the night before?

Yes. Prepare the ingredients the night before and refrigerate them. Combine everything in the morning and set it in the crockpot.

What can you add to the stuffing?

Herbs, nuts or cooked sausage all work well.

Is this stuffing vegetarian?

Not as written, since it uses chicken broth. Vegetable broth can replace it for a vegetarian version. The butter stays.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us