Stuffing doesn't have to be solely for Thanksgiving! With this easy slow cooker stuffing recipe, you can have Thanksgiving-style stuffing any time of the year. The slow cooker is a great way to make so many different dishes easily and efficiently.
You'll need to bake the bread and brown the sausage before putting everything together in the slow cooker. This is definitely a slow cooker recipe for the weekend, when you have the time to do the prep work. Even without the prep work, this recipe doesn't need to cook for long enough to be capable of being left alone while you're at work.
Once you try this homemade stuffing, you won't feel tempted to buy stuffing mix from the store again. Why bother when you can make your own stuffing so easily at home? Of course, this recipe can be made as part of a larger Thanksgiving dinner.
While the stuffing cooks, you'll have plenty of time to make other dishes. Of course, you'll have to bake the bread before the turkey goes in the oven. Make sure you plan your cooking with that in mind. If you're attending someone's Thanksgiving dinner, this can be a great dish to bring. Many people enjoy stuffing on its own, rather than stuffed into a turkey.
Slow Cooker Thanksgiving-Style Stuffing
Ingredients:
Vegetable oil spray
2 pounds high-quality white sandwich bread, cut into ½-inch cubes (16 cups)
12 ounces Italian sausage, removed from its casing
4 tablespoons (½ stick ) unsalted butter
2 onions, minced
3 celery ribs, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried
2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
1. Line slow cooker with aluminum foil collar and coat with vegetable oil spray. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 250°F. Spread bread over two rimmed baking sheets and bake, shaking pans occasionally, until edges have dried but centers are slightly moist, about 45 minutes, switching baking sheets halfway through baking. Let bread cool for 10 minutes; transfer to very large bowl.
2. Brown sausage well in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up large pieces with wooden spoon, about 5 minutes; transfer to bowl with dried bread.
3. Add butter to sausage drippings left in pan and melt over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, thyme, and sage and cook until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in ½ cup broth, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to bowl with bread.
4. Whisk remaining 2 cups broth, eggs, salt, and pepper together, then pour over bread mixture and toss gently to incorporate; transfer to prepared slow cooker. Cover and cook until stuffing is heated through, about 4 hours on low.
5. Remove foil collar and let stuffing cool for 10 minutes before serving. (This dish can be held on warm setting for 1 to 2 hours before serving.)