Free up oven space this holiday season with slow cooker stuffing made with mushrooms, herbs, and cubed bread. A hands-off, flavorful side dish for Thanksgiving!
Slow-Cooker Stuffing is a must on your holiday and Thanksgiving menu! You’ll save oven space and start it hours before it’s time to serve, without it drying out. It’s the perfect savory side to plop on your plate next to your Thanksgiving turkey and homemade cranberry sauce, or winter salad with fig jam.
On my husband’s side, they make a more Southern style cornbread stuffing recipe and southern deviled eggs, but we’re pretty traditional on my side. See also: they call this dish dressing in slow cooker, so to each their own (I know there’s a difference, but for the sake of this post, they are interchangeable 😉)
What’s in this slow cooker stuffing
This incredible homemade mushroom stuffing is filled with savory flavor, classic herbs and wonderful textures with every bite. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make it:
- bread: use any bread you like for this recipe; sourdough, sandwich bread, a rustic loaf – up to you.
- butter: this helps add flavor to veggies and then gets mixed into the bread mixture for a toasty flavor.
- aromatics: celery sticks and a yellow onion for texture and to add moisture.
- mushrooms: fresh mushroom for extra texture and flavor. We are big mushroom fans around here! If you are not, you can leave out, and it won’t affect this crockpot stuffing at all.
- herbs: just poultry season. I use a dried spice to keep things simple.
- chicken broth: to add moisture. You can also use veggie broth to keep vegetarian.
- eggs: to help bind it altogether.
Can I use any type of bread for the stuffing?
- Absolutely! You can use just about any bread you like for this slow cooker stuffing—white sandwich bread, whole wheat, sourdough, or even a rustic loaf. Slightly stale bread works best for texture, but if your bread is fresh, simply toast it in the oven before using.
- You’ll need about 12 cups of bread cubes for this recipe. One loaf of sandwich bread usually works, while a rustic loaf may require two.
- When toasting, aim for lightly dried bread—not too dark or crispy. This ensures the cubes stay tender yet hold their shape, so your mushroom stuffing comes out moist, flavorful, and perfectly cooked in the slow cooker.
Can I make this stuffing recipe gluten-free?
Yes! Use gluten-free bread and check that your broth is gluten-free to make this recipe safe for gluten-sensitive diets. The cook time remains the same when using gluten-free, cubed bread.
HOW TO MAKE crockpot stuffing
Making this slow cooker mushroom stuffing is easier than you might think! With simple ingredients and a hands-off cooking method, you’ll have a flavorful, moist stuffing ready without crowding your oven. Follow these steps for a stress-free, delicious side dish at the holidays.
- Prep the bread: Spread the cubed bread on a baking sheet and bake for 15–20 minutes until lightly toasted and dried out. This gives your stuffing a nice, slightly crunchy texture.
- Sauté the veggies: In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and mushrooms, cooking until soft and translucent. The aroma alone will make your kitchen feel like the holidays!
- Mix the stuffing: In a large bowl, combine the toasted bread cubes, sautéed veggies, stock, and whisked eggs. Gently fold everything together, adding a little extra broth if needed. You want the bread to be moistened, not soggy, so it stays perfectly toasty inside.
- Cook in the slow cooker: Spray a 5–6 qt. slow cooker with cooking spray and transfer the stuffing mixture inside. Cover and cook on low for 3–4 hours until hot, flavorful, and perfectly tender.
Can I make this stuffing in the oven (if I don’t have a crockpot)?
Absolutely! If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can transfer the stuffing mixture to a 9×13 baking dish and bake it in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the stuffing is cooked through.
Can I prep this stuffing ahead of time?
Yes! You can prepare this stuffing the night before (no more than 2-days before) and refrigerate it in an airtight container (wait to add broth and eggs until ready to cook!) Just make sure to let it come to room temperature for about 30-minutes before transferring it to the slow cooker for even cooking.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate leftover stuffing in an airtight storage container for up to 4-days.
- To Reheat. Gently rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F. You can also keep stuffing warm in a slow cooker on the “warm” setting.
- To Freeze. Freeze stuffing in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
more easy holiday sides
- butternut squash soup
- brussels sprouts salad with bacon
- twice baked sweet potatoes
- homemade cranberry sauce
stuffing with mushrooms made in the slow cooker
Ingredients
- 12 cups bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes - see notes
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped - about 4 ribs
- 12 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced - can also use white button mushrooms
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon salt - plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3-4 cups chicken stock, unsalted – can also use broth - or vegetable broth if vegetarian
- 2 large eggs, whisked
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F the bread into 1/2 inch cubes and place them on a baking sheet. Spray the tops of the cubes with nonstick cooking spray or drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes to dry out and very lightly toast bread.
- To a skillet, melt butter over medium heat and saute onion, celery and mushrooms until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- To a large mixing bowl, add dried bread cubes, veggie saute, 2 cups of stock (or broth) and 2 whisked eggs. Gently fold to combine and add more broth if needed. You only want to moisten the bread and not soak it to keep the texture toasty.
- Transfer the stuffing mixture to a 5-6qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or until a thermometer reads 160 °F.
Notes
- white sandwich bread, whole wheat, sourdough, or even a rustic loaf. Slightly stale bread works best for texture, but if your bread is fresh, simply toast it in the oven before using.You’ll need about 12 cups of bread cubes for this recipe. One loaf of sandwich bread usually works, while a rustic loaf may require two.
- you can also use gluten-free bread. The cook time will remain the same. If you are gluten-free, make sure to check labels on broth as well.
Nutrition
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Yesterday due to all the fussing around preparing a large senior dinner for 40 people I decided I needed to do the stuffing ahead and cook it in the crock pot. I tried this recipe and it was SO delicious. I made a big crock pot full and almost all of it went. I got many compliments on it. I thought I would share. Best of all zero fuss. Do ahead and then plug the crock pot in whiule preparing all the rest of the stuff.
I’m so glad it worked out! 40 people – wow! Hope it was a great time