Slow cooker stuffing/dressing is an easy and delicious addition to your dinner table. Easy enough to make any day of the week but delicious enough for a holiday!
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I love watching true chefs work their craft. I can (and have!) spend hours watching TV food artists julienne, braise, scald and flambe their culinary masterpieces.
I am sure that their magnificent dishes should motivate me to up my cooking game. Still, all I can usually manage is to walk over to my slow cooker to peer through the glass lid.
Rather than trying to emulate culinary greatness, I spend my days trying to figure out which recipes steps can be skipped. Of course, I never want to compromise the finished product.
Lazy is a true art form, as far as I am concerned. I am determined to find out just how can lazy I can go and still serve great food.
This traditional stuffing (technically, it’s "dressing" since I don't actually stuff it in anything) is a perfect example. Just about every slow cooker stuffing/dressing recipe starts by softening celery and onion - in. a. skillet. When I see that step written in a recipe, my internal warning sirens go off immediately.
All I process is: MORE POTS TO WASH! So I set out to see if it is possible to make a great stuffing without this step. And, it is!!! Therefore, this recipe is officially the easiest way to make delicious slow cooker stuffing/dressing all in one pot!
Lazy, Delicious Slow Cooker Stuffing/Dressing All in One Pot Hacks:
- A standard 6 quart slow cooker with a ceramic insert was used when this method was tested. You do not need a slow cooker model that has a brown/sauté capability. (Although, I imagine it would work just fine in slow cookers that do have that feature. If you try it, please let me know!)
- I use a softer potato bread.
- You can make this with either butter or a butter alternative to keep it dairy free. I generally go with the the dairy free option and use Olive Oil Smart Balance
- The key to a good slow cooker stuffing is to add liquid to bread cubes until they are damp but not soaked. This requires paying careful attention while adding the liquid. If you find your bread cubes barely wet, slowly add more liquid, but if your cubes become soaked, stop! It should not be a pile of mush as you go to cook it but rather, a pile of damp bread cubes. To help avoid this, try adding the liquid a little at a time.
- I always suggest using a slow cooker liner because.... I am lazy and it makes for much easier clean up.
More Great Homemade Side Dishes
Lazy Slow Cooker Stuffing/Dressing
Equipment
- 6 quart slow cooker
- paring knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
base
- 11 cups cubed bread If you prefer, use the pre-cut kind from the market. I like potato bread, but other kinds can be used as well.
- 1 cup butter alternative (can use real butter, if you prefer) I use Olive Oil Smart Balance
- 2 cups diced celery
- 2 cups diced onion
liquid coating
- 1 cup chicken broth use veggie broth if you want to keep it vegetarian
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- line slow cooker with liner for easy clean up (optional)
- turn slow cooker on to high and add butter alternative (or real butter if using) to start the melting process
- dice onion and celery and add to slow cooker
- mix content of slow cooker and cover to allow onion and celery to soften. This should take 1 - 1½ hours depending on the heat of your slow cooker
- whisk eggs
- add chicken broth, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper to egg and mix together well.
- when onion and celery has softened, add cubed potato bread and mix thoroughly
- SLOWLY, stir broth/egg mixture into bread cube mixture - just until the cubes become damp. It is important not to oversaturate the bread, even if it means not using all of the liquid.
- cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours
- switch to warm and keep on warm until ready to serve
- Enjoy!!
Nutrition
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Ranae says
Does the top get crispy?
admin says
If you would like to crisp the top, pop it under the broiler for a few minutes right before serving. Or, try cooking it on high and the sides will get crispy. Thanks for taking the time to ask!!
Denise Osborne says
Love this recipe! I ran short on time, so I sauteed the onion and celery in a cast iron. I also cooked it on low for one hour, then turned it up to high for 1 more hour. The sides were nice and crispy.
admin says
I love when it gets crispy on the sides (that’s the best part). Thank you so much for sharing - so glad you enjoyed it!
Dana says
Your wording on the amount of liquid to be used may be confusing to some. I’m sure it means “Do not over saturate the bread even if it means you don’t use it all, however your wording is awkward.
I’m definitely going to try this !
The Lazy Slow Cooker says
Hi Dana, Thank you for that feedback. I really appreciate it. I am going to reword to make it clearer. But, you are correct. It is meant to say if your bread if all wet, don’t feel like to have to use up all of the liquid. We don’t want soggy bread cubes. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!