Slow Cooker Stuffing

This Slow Cooker Stuffing recipe takes my Mom’s favourite classic stuffing recipe into an easy holiday meal side dish that frees up oven space.

Slow Cooker Stuffing

I love cooking huge meals primarily for the yummy side dishes. Delicious sides like Green Bean Casserole, Oven Roasted Red Potatoes, and Honey Glazed Carrots give all the comfort in a meal alongside turkey or a Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham.

I made this crockpot stuffing for thanksgiving this year, and it was a huge hit. Stuffing recipes like Chicken Stuffing Bake and Mashed Potato Stuffing Cakes are very much enjoyed in this home.

Sometimes I used Boxed Stuffing Recipes, yet when ingredients and the special occasion allows, I break out my Mom’s stuffing recipe from her metal recipe box. It’s been my go-to for so many years.

Sometimes though, when I get super crazy on the side dishes, oven space doesn’t allow for yet another dish. This is why I made stuffing in the slow cooker this year. And it turned out amazingly well.

The result is flavourful delicious stuffing that is moist {but not soggy}. It also has those nice crisp pieces along the edge. You know, those parts that everyone races for first.

So the outside pieces are similar to the stuffing you bake in the casserole dish, and the inside parts are much like the stuffing from inside the bird. Once combined, perfection!

WHY SHOULD I COOK STUFFING IN A SLOW COOKER?

I made crockpot stuffing because I usually stuff the bird, and then have a separate dish baking in the oven. Yet, there’s all that recent advise about not stuffing a turkey, and I didn’t have the oven space to spare.

The prime real estate that is the oven during holiday meal making, meant that my stuffing had to be made elsewhere.

This is where our favourite convenient small appliance comes in. Once again the slow cooker saved the day. Plus, I could make this ahead of time and concentrate on other tasks all day, allowing the crockpot to work the magic all on its own.

HOW TO MAKE STUFFING IN THE SLOW COOKER

This recipe is my Mom’s traditional bread stuffing recipe, with a change to the cooking method only. It’s a recipe near and dear to my heart, so I hope you enjoy as much as we do.

The ingredients include white and brown dried bread, butter, onions, celery, eggs, broth and a blend of perfect seasoning. It starts with stovetop cooking, so the onions and celery soften in a bath of butter.

Then once the mixture has cooled, you mix with the bread, seasoning, and the beaten eggs. This is the part where the ‘cooled mixture’ is important as you don’t want to cook the eggs when they are combined.

Now, the amount of chicken broth you’ll add is an estimate only, because the actual amount you’ll want is dependant on the type of bread you’re using and how dry it is. You want enough to moisten the bread but not make it soggy. Which is why it’s added in bits, and re-assessed during slow cooking.

Through the day I sample the stuffing, to see if more spices or broth is needed. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out. But, if you find you did add too much, stir in more dried bread crumbs and that may salvage the recipe, but you will still have some parts still soggy.

So taste-test this slow cooker stuffing many times and adjust as needed. This is my favourite excuse, because it’s delicious and ties me over well until dinner time.

TIPS FOR MAKING SLOW COOKER STUFFING

• As I said, do not over do it on the broth. Add little by little and remember that you can always add more at any time if needed.
• Preferences are strong when it comes to stuffing. So feel free to make it your own and add sausage, more or less onion or mushrooms etc.
• Cook time in the slow cooker is the best. You have high and low options, plus you can keep warm all day long and it’ll be fine.
• I use a store bought bag of brown and white bread mix as I like the differing textures. You could dry your own for homemade dried bread for stuffing if you wish as well

I’m glad my kitchen was so organized chaos this year because it allowed me to transform my Mothers traditional recipe into an easy adaptation that fits with modern life.

This CrockPot Stuffing recipe will be a regular for our holiday meals such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s easy and convenient – and a staple to any holiday meal.

Don’t forget to make use of my Recipes Using Stuffing post, which is also great for homemade stuffing as well. You might have leftovers from this recipe, so I’m here to help put them to good {yummy} use!

Slow Cooker Stuffing

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

This Slow Cooker Stuffing recipe takes my Mom's favourite classic stuffing recipe into an easy holiday meal side dish that frees up oven space.

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Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups celery, diced
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, diced
• 8 cups cubed dried bread
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 2 tsp parsley
• 3-4 cups chicken broth
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten

Instructions

1. In a pan on the stove, heat the butter and add in the onions, celery and mushrooms until softened. Add in the pepper, salt and poultry seasoning and cook for 1 more minute.

2. Allow the mixture to cool. Then place the bread cubes in a large bowl and add the cooled mixture, along with the thyme, rosemary and parsley. Gently mix to combine.

3. Gently stir the eggs into the chicken broth and add in thel iquid 1/2 cup at a time and gently toss to combine. You might not need all the liquid now, but reserve for later if needed. Remember, add only enough to moisten, but not soak.

4. Add mixture into greased slow cooker, and either cook on high for 30 minutes or on low for 3 hours. Check stuffing a few times, and taste. Add more seasoning or broth as needed.

5. It's done when hot throughout, it doesn't take long. Yet you can keep it on warm all day if needed.

6. Enjoy!

Notes

• - Remember, chicken broth should be added in small amounts and only if needed. This is before and during slow cooking. If too soggy, add more bread cubes and gently mix, yet it's best to avoid too much broth and thus, sogginess.
• - Alter vegetables to suit preferences such as more mushrooms, less onion, adding cooked sausage etc.
• - I use a store bought bag of brown and white bread mix as I like the differing textures. You could use your own homemade dried bread if you wish as well

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 255Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 1527mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 7g