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This slow cooker stuffing is made from scratch with toasted sourdough, butter, celery, onion, and plenty of fresh herbs. It cooks right in the crockpot, so your oven stays free for the turkey. Most of the prep can even happen the day before.
More Homemade Stuffing Recipes: Homemade Stuffing | Classic Sausage Stuffing | Cornbread Stuffing
Before You Get Started
Slow cooker stuffing is mostly hands-off. The bread and the moisture are what decide how it turns out.
- Dry the bread completely — Dry cubes soak up the broth and still hold their shape. Soft bread turns to paste under the lid.
- Use a sturdy bakery loaf — Rustic sourdough has a firm crumb that stays chewy after hours of cooking. Soft sandwich bread falls apart.
- Lay a towel under the lid — Steam collects on the lid and drips back onto the stuffing. A clean kitchen towel catches it, so the top doesn’t get soggy.
RECIPE overview
How to Make Slow Cooker Stuffing
You’ll toast the bread, soften the vegetables, and let the slow cooker handle the rest. Since it cooks outside the turkey, some people call this dressing, but it’s the same classic holiday side either way.
1. Toast the Bread Cubes
Cut the sourdough into ¾-inch cubes. A 1-pound loaf gives you about 12 cups.
Spread the cubes on one or two rimmed baking sheets and toast them at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing once, until they’re very dry and lightly golden. They should feel crisp all the way through, like croutons.
If you’d rather skip the oven, cube the bread the night before and leave it out on the counter to dry. Bagged dried bread cubes work too. You’ll need about 12 cups.
Ask the bakery to slice it: Many bakeries will cut the loaf into ¾-inch slices for you, so cubing takes just a few minutes at home.
2. Soften the Celery and Onion
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until they’re soft and the onion looks translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until you can smell it.
Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. If the vegetables go in piping hot, they can start to cook the eggs and leave little scrambled bits in the stuffing.
3. Mix the Stuffing
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, broth, parsley, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Add the toasted bread and the vegetables, along with all the butter from the pan. Fold gently with a large spatula until every cube is moistened.
The bread should look damp all over, with no broth pooling in the bottom of the bowl. Fold, don’t stir. Stirring hard breaks the bread into crumbs, and they turn mushy as they cook.
If you can’t find fresh herbs, use 2 teaspoons of dried for each one.
Make it heartier: Add cooked, crumbled sausage or crisp chopped bacon along with the vegetables. If you love a smoky stuffing, my Bacon Stuffing is another great option. A handful of dried cranberries or a diced apple adds a little sweetness, too.
4. Slow Cook Until Hot in the Center
Grease a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray. Spoon in the stuffing and press it down lightly so it’s even, but don’t pack it tight.
Stretch a clean kitchen towel over the top of the crock, then set the lid on and fold the ends of the towel up over the lid so they stay away from the heating base.
Cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours or on LOW for 4 to 6 hours. It’s done when the center is hot and reads 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Since the eggs go in raw, it’s worth checking the very middle, not just the sides.
Cook on HIGH for crispier edges: HIGH browns the stuffing where it touches the crock, so you get golden, buttery edges. LOW cooks more gently and evenly, with a softer texture throughout. If you love the crunchy bits, scoop from the edges first.
5. Check the Texture and Serve
Lift the lid and take a look. The center should be moist and tender and hold together when you scoop it, and the edges should be set and golden. Fluff it gently with a large spoon and sprinkle on some extra parsley.
If dinner isn’t quite ready, switch the slow cooker to WARM. It holds well there for a while, and it keeps the stuffing from browning any further.
Pair It With the Classics: Foolproof Thanksgiving Turkey | Homemade Turkey Gravy | Homemade Cranberry Orange Sauce
If Your Stuffing Is Too Wet or Too Dry
Every slow cooker cooks a little differently, so check the texture before you serve. Both of these are easy to fix.
If it looks soggy, cook it uncovered. Remove the lid and towel and cook on HIGH for another 20 to 30 minutes, so the extra moisture steams off. Next time, make sure the bread is fully dry before mixing.
If it looks dry, add a splash of warm broth. Drizzle about ¼ cup over the top, fold it in gently, and cover for 15 minutes. On HIGH, dry edges are normal, so check the center before adding more.
Building the rest of the holiday menu? My Thanksgiving Side Dishes collection has plenty more ideas, from creamy mashed potatoes to green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole.
Storage Tips
Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
A Simple Holiday Timeline — This is where the slow cooker really helps. Here’s how to spread out the work so the stuffing is ready right when dinner is:
- The day before: Toast the bread (or leave it out to dry overnight) and cook the celery and onion. Store the bread in a zip-top bag at room temperature and refrigerate the vegetables.
- About 3½ hours before dinner: Warm the vegetables in the skillet just until the butter melts, then mix everything together and start the slow cooker on HIGH.
- When it’s done: Switch to WARM until you’re ready to eat.
Wait to mix everything until just before it goes in the slow cooker. The stuffing has raw eggs, so it shouldn’t sit mixed in the fridge overnight.
- Planning Thanksgiving? My Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Ideas and Planning Guide has menu ideas and planning tips to keep the whole day on track.
Storing and Freezing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, pack the stuffing into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Leftover stuffing and turkey make an easy next-day dinner in a Creamy Turkey and Stuffing Casserole.
Reheating: Spread the stuffing in a baking dish, add a splash of broth, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F until it’s heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover it for the last few minutes if you want the top to crisp back up.
For single servings, microwave with a sprinkle of broth and a damp paper towel over the top so it doesn’t dry out.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can stuffing stay on the warm setting?
Up to about 2 hours is a good guide. The warm setting keeps it at a safe temperature, but the edges keep drying out and darkening the longer it sits.
If it starts to look dry, fold in a splash of warm broth and put the lid back on. For longer holds, transfer it to a covered dish and reheat it in the oven right before serving.
Can I use boxed stuffing mix instead?
Unseasoned bagged bread cubes are the better shortcut here. Use about 12 cups and follow the recipe as written. Seasoned boxed mixes already have salt and dried herbs, so skip the added salt and taste the broth mixture before adding the fresh herbs. Boxed mix also has smaller pieces that soak up liquid faster, so expect a softer stuffing and start checking it early.
Can I make this without eggs?
Yes. The eggs bind the stuffing so it holds together when you scoop it. Without them, it’s looser and more spoonable, but the flavor is the same. Keep the broth the same and add a splash more at the end if it seems dry. Without raw eggs, you can also mix everything the night before and refrigerate it in the greased crock, then add about 30 minutes to the cook time since it starts cold.
Can I double the recipe?
Not in a 6-quart slow cooker, since one batch fills it. For a bigger crowd, make two batches in two slow cookers, or make about 1½ batches in an 8-quart. A fuller crock takes longer to heat through, so check the center with a thermometer before serving.
How do I make it taste like it was cooked in the turkey?
Use turkey stock in place of some or all of the chicken broth. You can also spoon a few tablespoons of pan drippings over the stuffing once the turkey comes out of the oven and fold them in gently. You’ll get that rich, roasted flavor without the food safety worries of cooking stuffing inside the bird.
More Holiday Dinner Recipes
- Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Slow Cooker Spiral Ham
- Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
- Green Bean Casserole (From Scratch!)
- Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Slow Cooker Stuffing
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 1-pound loaf rustic sourdough bread cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter cut into pats
- 4 large ribs celery diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 large yellow or white onion diced (about 2 cups)
- 3 large cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Toast the bread: Spread the bread cubes on one or two large rimmed baking sheets. Toast for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing once, until very dry and lightly golden. Let cool slightly.
- Cook the vegetables: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
- Mix the stuffing: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, broth, parsley, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Add the toasted bread and the vegetable mixture. Gently fold until the bread is evenly moistened.
- Slow cook: Transfer the stuffing to the slow cooker and press it down lightly. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours or LOW for 4 to 6 hours, until the center is hot and reaches 165°F.
- Serve: Fluff gently and garnish with additional fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Bread: Use a high-quality rustic sourdough loaf from the bakery, not the bread aisle. Rustic Italian or French bread works too. Ask the bakery to cut it into ¾-inch slices to make cubing easier.
- No-toast option: Cube the bread the night before and leave it out to dry overnight. You can also use about 12 cups of dried, bagged bread cubes.
- Less moisture: Lay a clean kitchen towel over the crock under the lid to catch condensation. If the stuffing still looks wet when it’s done, cook it uncovered on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Crispy edges: The edges brown and crisp more on HIGH than on LOW. Cook on HIGH if you want that texture.
- Dried herbs: Fresh herbs are best, but you can use 2 teaspoons of dried for each fresh herb.
- Make ahead: Toast the bread and cook the vegetables up to a day ahead. Refrigerate the vegetables separately, then combine everything just before cooking, since the recipe uses raw eggs.
- Add-ins: Fold cooked, crumbled sausage or crisp bacon in with the vegetables before slow cooking.
- Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating: Reheat covered in a baking dish at 350°F with a splash of broth, or microwave individual portions, until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
