• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
    • Media and Advertising
  • Contact
  • Subscribe

No. 2 Pencil

Cook, Bake & Create

  • Recipe Index
    • Single Serving
    • One-Pot Meals
    • Slow Cooker
    • Cookies
    • Dessert
    • Breakfast
    • Dinner
    • Drink
  • Instant Pot
  • Slow Cooker
  • Easy Dinner Recipes

Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

November 20, 2020 by Melissa 56 Comments

Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe – Packed with sausage, apples, cranberries and fresh herbs. Save space in the oven with this holiday favorite. 

Slow Cooker Stuffing

Slow Cooker Stuffing

This Slow Cooker Stuffing is going to be your new favorite Thanksgiving side. Not only does it free up a spot in your oven, it is out of this world delicious. It’s packed with sausage, apples, and tart cranberries. Combine that with the fresh sage, rosemary, and flat leaf parsley, and it is Thanksgiving perfection. This slow cooker stuffing stays moist and flavorful, while the sides get crunchy and delicious from the heat of the slow cooker walls.

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Stuffing

Slow Cooker Stuffing Ingredients

  • Olive Oil
  • Onion
  • Celery
  • Sausage
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Fresh Sage
  • Fresh Rosemary
  • Fresh Parsley
  • Golden Delicious Apple
  • Dried Cranberries
  • Chicken Stock
  • Bread Cubes
  • Butter

How to Make Stuffing in the Slow Cooker

  1. Start by sautéing onions and celery is a large sauté pan. Brown one pound of sausage. I usually use a 1 pound chub of breakfast sausage.
  2. Stir in fresh herbs, dried cranberries, and diced apples, and get ready for your kitchen to smell like Thanksgiving. Once those fresh herbs hit the warm pan, it is heavenly!
  3. Now grab the big bag of unseasoned bread cubes and add them to the slow cooker. I’ve tried making my own bread cubes, but in this recipe, store bought is the way to go. They save you time and they have a better texture than fresh. Pour the sausage mixture over the top and stir together. Finally, stir in heated turkey or chicken stock and melted butter.
  4. Cook for about 4 hours on low. Sprinkle with additional parsley before serving.

Stuffing in the CrockPot

More Thanksgiving Recipes

  • Garlic Herb Butter Thanksgiving Turkey 
  • Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes 
  • Crock Pot Green Bean Casserole 
  • Corn Casserole 
  • Pumpkin Cheese Balls 
  • Instant Pot Mac & Cheese 
  • Sweet Potato Casserole
  • Easy Pecan Pie 
  • Best Pumpkin Pie 

Sausage Apple Thanksgiving Stuffing

If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to tag me on Instagram at @no2pencilblog

5 from 4 votes
Print
Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 20 mins
 

Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe - Packed with sausage, apples, cranberries and fresh herbs. Save space in the oven with this holiday favorite. 

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Slow Cooker Stuffing, Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe
Servings: 10
Calories: 469 kcal
Author: Melissa
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 1 pound sausage
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage minced
  • 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley chopped
  • 1 golden delicious apple cored and diced
  • 3/4 cups dried cranberries
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken stock or turkey stock
  • 6 cups unseasoned bread cubes for stuffing
  • 4 tablespoons of melted butter
Instructions
  1. Saute onions and celery in olive oil over medium heat, until they start to soften.
  2. Add sausage, breaking up as it cooks.
  3. Season sausage with 1 teaspoon of salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
  4. Once sausage is cooked through, stir in fresh herbs.
  5. Stir in apples and cranberries.
  6. In a large slow cooker, combine breadcrumbs and sausage mixture.
  7. Stir in turkey stock and melted butter.
  8. Cook on low for about 4 hours.
  9. Sprinkle with additional fresh parsley.
Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 469 Calories from Fat 270
% Daily Value*
Fat 30g46%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Cholesterol 45mg15%
Sodium 1158mg50%
Potassium 310mg9%
Carbohydrates 38g13%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 12g24%
Vitamin A 662IU13%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 62mg6%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

5 Easy Dinner Ideas for Busy Weeknights

My five FAVORITE recipes for busy families!

  • Quick to make
  • Light on your budget
  • Easy to clean-up
  • and...most important...absolutely DELICIOUS


Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit

Filed Under: Crock Pot, Dinner, Recipes, Slow Cooker, Thanksgiving

Previous Post: « Slow Cooker Spiked Apple Cider
Next Post: Classic Homemade Eggnog Recipe »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sarah @ the magical slow cooker

    November 11, 2013 at 3:20 pm

    This looks so yummy, I will have to make this for thanksgiving for sure!

    Reply
  2. Jaime

    November 18, 2013 at 2:27 pm

    Looks like the recipe calls for “breadcrumbs”, but I’m wondering if this should have been “bread cubes” instead?

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 19, 2013 at 11:40 am

      Yes, thank you for noticing! I’m going to update the recipe. Thank you!!!

      Reply
      • Jaime

        November 19, 2013 at 12:22 pm

        Awesome. I was 99% sure, but then there was that little part of me that thought that might be a nuance of this particular recipe. I have it on my list for one of my Thanksgiving contributions. Thanks!

        Reply
      • Jana

        October 23, 2015 at 9:52 am

        Where would you buy bread cubes? In the section of the grocery store with bread crumbs? I’m new at this (Hosting Thanksgiving) and I’ve never heard of bread cubes before. Thanks so much for your help!

        Reply
        • Melissa

          October 25, 2015 at 7:24 am

          Now that Thanksgiving is getting closer, you should be able to find them pretty easily! My grocery store often has a display with all Thanksgiving related food. Look for a big bag that looks like croutons.

          Reply
  3. Lindsey

    November 23, 2013 at 8:40 pm

    About how many does this recipe serve? I have 14 coming and I’m wondering if I should double it.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 25, 2013 at 2:34 pm

      Hi Lindsey!

      It serves 8-10.

      Reply
  4. Katy

    November 24, 2013 at 10:19 am

    This looks great! Definitely going to try this one. Just curious, what size slow cooker did you use? The recipe said “large” but I’m wondering just how large it needs to be. 🙂 Thanks!

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 25, 2013 at 2:31 pm

      Thank you! Mine is a six quart:0)

      Reply
  5. Jennifer

    November 27, 2013 at 7:39 am

    Can I use the bagged Pepperidge Farm unseasoned stuffing mix?

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 27, 2013 at 9:02 am

      Hi Jennifer,

      I haven’t tested it with a mix. So your results may vary. Let me know if you try it. Happy Thanksgiving!

      Reply
  6. Stacey

    November 27, 2013 at 9:21 am

    I am about to make this and wanted to double check, can I make this today and then reheat it tomorrow for Thanksgiving dinner? I am taking it to someone’s house so will need to reheat it either way.
    Thanks!!

    Stavey

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 27, 2013 at 9:47 am

      I’m making mine right now, actually! I’m cooking the onions, celery and sausage and mixing everything together except the apples. I’ll add the apples and cook it in my slow cooker tomorrow.

      You can cook it today and reheat it tomorrow, if that’s easier for you.

      Reply
  7. Stacey

    November 27, 2013 at 9:23 am

    Sorry, one more question, my husband bought Italian style smoked sausage, can I use this or should I go buy breakfast sausage? Thanks so much.
    Stacey

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 27, 2013 at 9:45 am

      I don’t think smoked sausage will work the same. You need ground breakfast sausage you can break up as it cooks.

      Reply
  8. Kiwi

    November 27, 2013 at 1:48 pm

    Hi Melissa,
    I’m actually cooking the stuffing as a last minute favor.
    They already brought regular loaves of bread to use, will
    using that really make an extreme difference?

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 27, 2013 at 4:17 pm

      You’ll need to cube them and bake them on a low heat until dry and crispy. Then use less broth. You’ll have to add a little broth at a time to make sure it’s not soggy. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  9. cadie

    November 28, 2013 at 7:11 pm

    I made this today for the very first time and it was extremely well received. everyone loved it, and it was so easy to make. i followed the recipe to a T and it turned out perfectly. i think it might even be better than my grandma’s stuffing. just dont tell her!

    Reply
  10. Stephanie Gaudin

    November 29, 2013 at 12:09 pm

    We used this recipe for thanksgiving and had to use orange flavored dried cranberries as it was all we could find. There was very little left over! I noticed however after 5 hours on low I still had a lot of liquid in the bottom and never got any crispness. Any advise?

    Reply
  11. Leigh Olson

    December 1, 2013 at 9:13 am

    Loved this Stuffing! I made it this Thanksgiving and it was a great compliment to my turkey, mashed potatoes, brown gravy and caramelized carrots! Yummy! I found some “old fashioned” dried bread that was seasoned and omitted putting any more in. Worked beautifully. So excited to have a yummy stuffing that I love!! Thank you!

    Reply
  12. Cheryl

    November 12, 2014 at 8:01 am

    hi there! I am hoping to make this this year for Thanksgiving. My mother-in-law has some sort of issue where she cannot have dried cranberries. I’m wondering what your thoughts are about replacing those with dried cherries?

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 12, 2014 at 9:35 pm

      I think that sounds great! I love that idea!

      Reply
  13. Amy

    November 21, 2014 at 1:45 pm

    So not a huge fan of sausage. Should I try ground turkey or just leave the meat part out completely? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 22, 2014 at 2:28 pm

      Do you like turkey sausage? That would make a great sub.

      Reply
  14. erin

    November 21, 2014 at 1:54 pm

    Have you tried other types of apples, maybe Granny Smith?

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 22, 2014 at 2:27 pm

      I haven’t, but I think Granny Smith would be just fine!

      Reply
  15. Jenn

    November 22, 2014 at 10:36 am

    Have you ever tried doubling this recipe? If so, did it come out ok, and what adjustments would need to be made? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 22, 2014 at 2:32 pm

      You can double it with no adjustment except cooking time. I haven’t made a double batch in the slow cooker, so I can’t say for sure how long it will take. Adding an hour might do the trick, but I would give yourself extra time just in case. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  16. jess

    November 23, 2014 at 10:40 am

    Do you drain the sausage mixture before combining it with the bread crumbs ?

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 24, 2014 at 7:31 pm

      I don’t. I use Farmer John breakfast sausage and have never had it release enough fat to have to drain.

      Reply
      • jess

        November 27, 2014 at 7:12 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
  17. Kandi

    November 26, 2014 at 12:13 pm

    Hi Jennifer. I am excited to try your reciepe. I cook gluten free and have baked corn bread and am going to cube it and then bake it so that the cubes are crispy. Do you think I should use the same amount of broth?

    Reply
    • Renee

      November 25, 2015 at 10:27 pm

      i asked the same thing. i havent recieved a reply yet, but i think im going to add a little corn bread. Wish me luck, if it turns out bad i have a box of stove top dressing for back up.

      Reply
  18. Valerie

    November 27, 2014 at 8:05 pm

    I made this today for my family’s Thanksgiving, and I put carrot into it, and I used Sweet Italian Sausage and vegetable stock, and it was so good! I got rave reviews for it, so thank you for the recipe. This will now be a staple at Thanksgiving dinner!

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 28, 2014 at 12:58 pm

      That’s so great to hear! Thank you!!!

      Reply
  19. Jan Campadore

    November 28, 2014 at 1:33 pm

    This recipe beats all other stuffing recipes!! My family absolutely loves it! I’ve made it two years in a row now and everyone raves about it. I decided to double the batch so we could enjoy it as leftovers. Can’t wait to dig in again. Thanks so much for this delicious recipe.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 28, 2014 at 1:50 pm

      Thank you, Jan! So happy to hear they love it! Happy day after Thanksgiving!

      Reply
  20. charis

    November 30, 2014 at 7:41 am

    Made this yesterday for a late Thanksgiving dinner and it was delicious. I am glad it was a large recipe because with just my sister and I there are still lots of leftovers. I will definitely be making again. I used turkey sausage and seasoned stuffing and added chervil.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 30, 2014 at 9:25 pm

      Thank you so much! Love hearing that!

      Reply
  21. Kelly

    December 17, 2014 at 7:18 pm

    This was fantastic! My husband and I couldn’t get enough, and I made it again right after Thanksgiving so we could gorge ourselves on it. It will be at our Christmas table, too. Thanks so much!

    Reply
  22. Dottie Hash

    November 6, 2015 at 6:35 pm

    I always add some toasted pine nuts to mine.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 7, 2015 at 7:42 am

      That sounds delicious, Dottie!

      Reply
  23. Carre

    November 12, 2015 at 9:03 am

    Do you think you could stuff a turkey with this recipe? I made it last year and it was delicious!

    Reply
  24. Linda

    November 23, 2015 at 9:24 am

    Can you make this the day before Thanksgiving?
    Thank you

    Reply
  25. Renee

    November 25, 2015 at 10:24 pm

    can you add cornbread to the mixture?

    Reply
  26. Emma

    October 8, 2016 at 12:37 pm

    has anyone tried doing this recipe in the oven instead?

    Reply
  27. Allie

    November 19, 2016 at 7:28 am

    If we were to add pine nuts, when do you suggest to add them?

    Reply
    • Melissa

      November 22, 2016 at 6:47 pm

      I haven’t tried adding them, but I think I would toast them before and add them in with the rest of the ingredients.

      Reply
  28. Erica

    November 13, 2017 at 8:18 pm

    How do you think this recipe would turn out without the sausage? I love the apple, cranberry part, but my family isn’t a fan of meat in their stuffing. Would any adjustments need to me made? Also, would a double batch fit in a single crock pot? I also noticed some people said they used stuffing mixes. I am guessing that if you used a stuffing mix you would omit the herbs and seasoning listed in the recipe?

    Reply
  29. Kim

    January 28, 2018 at 12:58 pm

    I love this recipe! Not only because it tastes amazing, but because since my husband retired he has been doing most of the cooking ( he’s amazing!) and he has been trying out different ways to cook a turkey. He has BBQ’d one on the rotisserie and gas grill, today is spatchcocking it and cooking over charcoal on his Komodo Joe (egg), and next wants to try deep frying one. I always used to STUFF the turkey, but can’t with these methods. So I LOVE that I can do it in the crockpot (and I don’t have to try jamming it all into a turkey-which I never have enough room) and I feel this recipe is as good or better tasting, which I didn’t expect! I didn’t change anything except I use sourdough bread, because I love it. Thank you!

    Reply
  30. Jamie

    November 22, 2018 at 6:05 am

    5 stars
    My parents always did a sausage and apple stuffing when I was growing up. When it was my turn to bring a side somewhere for Thanksgiving, I looked for an actual recipe and found yours. I have been making this now for years and it is always a hit. I do use fresh cranberries (less is more) instead of dried and it usually gets made the day before and then baked in oven on Thanksgiving but I follow everything else.

    Thanks for a new twist on the sausage and apple stuffing. It’s perfect.

    Reply
  31. wilhelmina

    November 20, 2020 at 4:57 pm

    5 stars
    I love how no fuss this stuffing is! It frees up space in my oven on busy holidays and best of all, it tastes amazing! What a winner!

    Reply
  32. Jen

    November 21, 2020 at 6:13 am

    5 stars
    I love that the slow cooker can do most of the work and not take up any coveted oven or stove top space. So perfect when juggling multiple dishes at once.

    Reply
  33. Ginny

    November 21, 2020 at 9:12 am

    5 stars
    I love how simple this was and the flavor combination was fantastic.Thank you!

    Reply
  34. Tiffany

    November 27, 2021 at 12:39 pm

    I made this stuffing for Thanksgiving this year and it was incredibly delicious, as well as easy to prepare! Our stores were all out of unseasoned bread cubes, so I used Pepperidge Farm Sage and Onion stuffing cubes. It was by far my favorite side dish! This will become a regular in our rotation. We have enjoyed the leftovers with fried eggs for breakfast — YUM. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

Welcome to No. 2 Pencil where you will find original recipes, fresh craft ideas, and easy home decor ideas.

Read More

5 Easy Dinner Ideas for Busy Weeknights

My MOST POPULAR dinner recipes for busy nights.

Get them free . . . just sign-up below!

Archives

© Copyright 2018 Number 2 Pencil · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy · Log in