Crock Pot Stuffing

This Crock Pot Stuffing is the easiest way to make a big batch of flavorful, perfectly tender stuffing for Thanksgiving! Made with buttery sautéed vegetables, mushrooms, Granny Smith apple, seasoned stuffing mix, and chicken or turkey stock, it has all the cozy flavors you want on your holiday table—without taking up precious oven space.

The best part? You can make it ahead, keep it warm right in the slow cooker, and serve it straight from the crock pot. That makes this an especially great Thanksgiving side dish when you’re cooking for a crowd and every inch of oven space is precious.

Is it stuffing or dressing? What does your family call it? Let me know in the comments below! I’m from Pennsylvania and we’ve always called it stuffing. I never heard of “dressing” until we moved to the south. So maybe it depends where you grew up?

Any shortcuts I can take during a large stressful day of cooking I’m all for!

If you have leftover stuffing try my Leftover Stuffing Balls with Cranberry Dipping Sauce. The best day after Thanksgiving snack!

Also, if you love to make Thanksgiving sides in the crock pot as much as I do, you’ll love my Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes, Funeral Potatoes, Creamed Corn, and Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots.

Why You’ll Love Crock Pot Stuffing

• Frees up oven space for the turkey, rolls, casseroles, and pies.
• Perfect for a crowd and easy to double if you have a large slow cooker.
• Stays warm in the crock pot until you’re ready to serve.
• No dry stuffing! The combination of butter and stock keeps the stuffing moist and flavorful.
• No mushy stuffing! Sautéing the vegetables first and carefully controlling the amount of liquid helps give you tender, flavorful stuffing without turning it into a soggy casserole.
• Easy Thanksgiving side dish that requires very little last-minute work.

Ingredients

For the stuffing

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Granny Smith apple, diced (or your favorite- gala, Macintosh, Fuji all work)
• 12 ounces herbed seasoned classic stuffing mix, such as Pepperidge Farm
• 6 ounces turkey stuffing mix, such as Stove Top
• 4 cups chicken stock or turkey stock
• 2 bay leaves
• Nonstick cooking spray
• Crock Pot- 6 quart or larger. This is the one I’m using.

How to Make Crock Pot Stuffing

1. Sauté the vegetables

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and mushrooms.

Season with salt and black pepper and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.

Don’t skip this step! Sautéing the vegetables first brings out their flavor and helps prevent crunchy vegetables in the finished stuffing.

2. Prepare the slow cooker

Spray the inside of your crock pot well with nonstick cooking spray.

Add the diced Granny Smith apple, both stuffing mixes, and the sautéed vegetables.

3. Add the stock

Pour the chicken or turkey stock over everything and gently mix until well combined.

Place the bay leaves on top.

4. Slow cook

Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours.

Start checking around the 3-hour mark. The stuffing should be soft and moist, and the vegetables should be tender.

Remove the bay leaves before serving.

5. Keep warm and serve

Once the stuffing is finished, switch the slow cooker to the WARM setting. You can serve it directly from the crock pot, making this the perfect Thanksgiving side dish for a busy holiday meal.

Tips for Perfect Crock Pot Stuffing

Don’t add extra liquid right away

Four cups of stock gives this recipe the moisture it needs, but stuffing mixes can vary. If your stuffing looks adequately moistened after mixing, don’t add extra stock just because it seems dry on top. The bread will continue absorbing the liquid as it cooks.

Sauté the vegetables first

This is one of my biggest tips for great slow cooker stuffing. Cooking the onion, celery, and mushrooms in butter first makes them tender and develops their flavor before they go into the crock pot.

Don’t overcook it

Start checking your stuffing at 3 hours. Once the bread is tender and the vegetables are cooked, it’s ready. Leaving it on LOW for significantly longer can make the texture softer than you want.

Keep the lid closed

Every time you lift the slow cooker lid, heat and moisture escape. Try to resist checking it repeatedly, especially during the first few hours.

Use the WARM setting for serving

Once the stuffing is finished, switch the crock pot to WARM. This keeps it ready for dinner without requiring another serving dish or taking up space on your stovetop.

Make sure your crock pot isn’t too full

For the best results, use a slow cooker large enough to comfortably hold all of the ingredients. If you’re making a significantly larger batch for a very large Thanksgiving dinner, use a second crock pot rather than packing one too full.

How to Keep Crock Pot Stuffing From Getting Mushy

The key to avoiding mushy stuffing is not adding more liquid than you need and not overcooking it.

Sautéing the vegetables first also helps because you’re not adding raw vegetables and their additional moisture directly to the stuffing. Mix the ingredients well, cook on LOW, and begin checking at 3 hours.

Remember that the stuffing will continue to soften while it sits, so don’t cook it far beyond the point where the bread is tender.

How to Keep Crock Pot Stuffing From Getting Dry

If your stuffing seems dry while cooking, add a small amount of additional warm chicken or turkey stock—just a few tablespoons at a time—and gently stir.

Avoid pouring a large amount of extra stock over the stuffing all at once. It’s much easier to add more moisture than it is to fix stuffing that has become too wet.

The butter in this recipe also helps keep the stuffing rich and moist.

Can I Make Crock Pot Stuffing Ahead of Time?

Yes! This is one of the reasons I love making stuffing in the slow cooker for Thanksgiving.

You can prepare the vegetable mixture ahead of time and refrigerate it until you’re ready to assemble the stuffing. On Thanksgiving, combine the ingredients in the crock pot and cook according to the recipe.

You can also make the stuffing earlier in the day and switch the slow cooker to WARM once it’s finished.

Can I Keep Stuffing Warm in the Crock Pot?

Absolutely. Once the stuffing is cooked, switch the slow cooker to WARM and keep the lid on until you’re ready to serve.

If it starts to look a little dry while sitting on WARM, gently stir in a small splash of warm chicken or turkey stock.

Can I Use Turkey Stock Instead of Chicken Stock?

Yes! Turkey stock is an excellent choice for Thanksgiving and gives the stuffing even more turkey flavor. Chicken stock works perfectly too.

Can I Add Sausage?

Absolutely! Cooked, crumbled breakfast sausage or Italian sausage would be delicious in this stuffing. Cook the sausage completely and drain any excess grease before adding it to the crock pot.

Can I Add Other Ingredients?

Definitely! Stuffing is easy to customize. Try adding:

• Cooked sausage
• Dried cranberries
• Chopped pecans or walnuts
• Fresh sage
• Fresh parsley
• Rosemary or thyme
• Cooked bacon
• Diced pear instead of apple

If adding additional ingredients, keep an eye on the overall moisture level so the stuffing doesn’t become too wet.

What Size Crock Pot Should I Use?

A 6-quart slow cooker is a good choice for this recipe and gives you plenty of room to mix the ingredients without compacting them.

If you’re making a double batch for a very large Thanksgiving gathering, divide it between two slow cookers rather than overcrowding one.

Crock Pot Stuffing FAQ

Is Crock Pot stuffing the same as dressing?

They’re essentially the same type of Thanksgiving side dish, although technically stuffing refers to dressing that is cooked inside a turkey or chicken. Since this recipe is cooked separately in a slow cooker, it could technically be called dressing—but “Crock Pot stuffing” is the name most people recognize and search for.

Why is my Crock Pot stuffing mushy?

Usually, mushy stuffing is caused by too much liquid or overcooking. Start checking the stuffing at 3 hours, and don’t add additional stock unless it actually needs it.

Why is my stuffing dry?

The bread may have absorbed more liquid than expected. Add warm chicken or turkey stock a few tablespoons at a time, gently stirring after each addition.

Can I use homemade bread cubes?

Yes! You can substitute homemade dried bread cubes for the packaged stuffing mixes. Just keep in mind that homemade bread can absorb liquid differently, so you may need to adjust the amount of stock.

Can I make this stuffing without mushrooms?

Yes. Simply leave them out. You can add extra celery or another favorite stuffing ingredient instead.

Can I use salted butter?

Yes, but reduce the added salt if needed. Since stuffing mixes and stock can already contain quite a bit of sodium, taste carefully before adding additional salt.

How do I store leftover stuffing?

Let the stuffing cool and transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.

Can I freeze Crock Pot stuffing?

Yes. Allow the stuffing to cool completely, then place it in an airtight freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until hot throughout. If the stuffing seems dry after thawing, add a splash of chicken or turkey stock before reheating.

The Perfect Thanksgiving Side Dish

When you’re preparing Thanksgiving dinner, the oven is usually the busiest appliance in the kitchen. Making stuffing in the crock pot solves that problem while giving you a delicious, buttery side dish that can stay warm until dinner.

With tender vegetables, savory herbs, sweet-tart Granny Smith apple, and plenty of buttery flavor, this Crock Pot Stuffing is an easy Thanksgiving recipe you’ll want to make year after year.

Pin this recipe for Thanksgiving! It’s the perfect make-ahead side dish when you’re feeding a crowd and trying to keep your holiday cooking as stress-free as possible.

More Delicious Thanksgiving Sides

• Hashbrown Casserole
• Mashed Cauliflower
• Sausage and Wild Rice Casserole
• Maple Roasted Acorn Squash
• Scalloped Potatoes
• Zucchini Squash Casserole
• Bacon Corn Casserole
• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Creamy Mac and Cheese
• Bacon Brussel sprouts Au Gratin
• Green Bean Casserole from Scratch
• Roasted Fall Vegetable Salad

Video How To Make Crock Pot Stuffing