Herbed Crock Pot Stuffing
by Nov 16th, 2010 // Sides, Veggie Friendly
Herbed Crock Pot Stuffing
Every Thanksgiving I’m plagued by the same challenge: I only have one oven. It’s all about getting everything heated up and on the table without food drying out or cooling down. Just thinking about it usually gives me Turkey day anxiety, but this year I have one less thing to worry about. This year I’m making my stuffing in my brand spanking new crock pot! (Compliments of my friend, John, who was mortified by this rice cooker post.)
What’s genius about making stuffing in the crock pot is that it a) doesn’t take up any space in the oven b) cooks all day making the house smell awesome c) doesn’t dry out d) can be served directly out of the crock if you are so inclined.
Plus, my kid gets really excited about the “magic pot” – bread goes in and it magically turns into stuffing. Now for the recipe…
Herbed Crock Pot Stuffing
adapted from this Slow Cooker Stuffing recipe
Thanksgiving Planning: Start cooking Thanksgiving morning
Prep Time: 25 mins Cooking Time: 4 to 5 hours
Ingredients:
2 loaves french bread
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion chopped
2 cups celery chopped
12 oz mushrooms chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
sprigs fresh thyme (leaves removed, stems discarded)
6 fresh sage leaves (leaves removed, stems discarded)
salt & fresh ground pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2 to 3 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth if you aren’t married to a vegetarian!)
Cut bread into cubes, spread out on cookie sheets and toast them in the oven at 400 degrees until they are brown and crunchy. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook sage leaves in butter until soft. Remove sage leaves and add olive oil, onions, celery, thyme and parsley. Cook for a few more minutes and then add mushrooms. Cook until vegetables soften. In a large bowl toss together bread crumb and sauteed vegetables and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour enough broth over bread crumbs to moisten the mixture. Mix in eggs and toss again. Transfer to a slow cooker and cover. Cook on high for 45 minutes and then reduce heat to low and cook for 4 or 5 hours checking a few times to stir and add more broth when/if needed. If you like your stuffing on the toasty side, take the lid off the crock pot 30 to 40 minutes before serving and allow the stuffing to cook. Stir a few times while cooking this way to get it evenly browned. Serves a crowd.
I'm not usually a stuffing person, but this looks chock-full of flavor!
OH, this looks GOOD!
Mmm, I bet it smells great too.
Genius. For a vegetarian who won’t stuff a bird, this is perfect. It’s also an excellent reason to dust off a crock pot that has fallen into disuse.
yummm! now i have another crock pot recipe to use other than chili.
Oh gosh, I'm so excited for this: Not only do I have to cook the Turkey Day feast with one oven, but I also have to feed a vegetarian! Two birds, one stone, yes!
Oh, I'm so excited about this recipe. I was looking for a good one and I'm so glad I don't have to use the oven. It will be such a relief to put this in the crock pot. Thanks!
wow, great idea!
Seriously so timely and useful. Thank you. Just saw turkey broth liquid concentrate today at TJs too.
I heart stuffing and this looks divine.
Never would have thought to try stuffing. Thanks for the good idea.
I think my little one might like this one too. Thanks!!!
I may use this recipe… I asked my mom for her recipe and all she could say was 'oh, I don't know, I just use some of this and a pinch of that…' Not helpful at all!
great idea — thank you!
because of your blog, my christmas wish list looks more like a Sur La Table catalog than a traditional "Dear Santa" list….now I need a crock pot!
This is an amazing idea, I love stuffing and I love my crock pot.
Brilliant, I love this!
I love the idea of using the crock pot especially since it makes stuffing that doesn't dry out. I joke that my father-in-law's stuffing will cut your gums if you aren't careful. He loves his crunchy stuffing. Yikes!
What an amazing idea!! I think I will totally do this next week, while my chicken is roasting in the oven. Thank you for sharing all your wonderful ideas!! I've already made two of your recipes, and they have both been so delicious and easy. :0)
I'm scared! The dressing is my favorite part of the meal, and I always think it's tricky to make. It's hard to live up to Grandma's. The ingredients sound great, and I might give it a try if I feel brave enough.
Great way to free up oven space
Wow. While I absolutely adore my mother's Thanksgiving stuffing, I'm looking for a way to have delicious vegetarian stuffing without using a pre-packaged base. This looks like it might be just the ticket!
[...] Crock pot stuffing (I followed the recipe except I threw in some sausage, because sausage is good. It was excellent.) [...]
About how many cups of bread is two loaves?