Stuffing is a moist, savory side dish that is traditionally paired with a holiday bird. Its name comes from the practice of stuffing the cavity of the turkey with the savory blend of ingredients before it is roasted. Also known as dressing, stuffings typically contain seasoned bread cubes or crumbs, herbs, and other ingredients. Our base is bread, but you can find other recipes using potatoes or rice.

These days, it’s not recommended to stuff this dish into a turkey before roasting, as it’s hard to make sure it cooks to the proper temperature when it’s inside a turkey cavity. But baking it separately can be a problem if you’re out of oven space when cooking a big meal like Thanksgiving. That’s where this slow-cooker recipe is a real lifesaver.

All it takes is 15 minutes of prep and 5 ingredients, including your fresh veggies, to throw this best slow cooker stuffing together. As it cooks away in your slow cooker, you don’t even need to think about it until it’s time to put it on the table. It frees up your oven and allows you to devote your attention to other parts of the meal.

This simple recipe is even easier than the classic recipe, because it starts with pre-seasoned bread stuffing cubes, cutting down on the number of ingredients it takes to pull this recipe together and the time it would take to measure them. And cooking it in the slow cooker rather than your oven, means you’re guaranteed to have a scrumptiously moist side dish every time you make it. But don’t relinquish this amazing recipe to just special occasions! This family favorite is equally delicious next to roast chicken or beef, skillet pork chops, or even meatloaf.

Slow-Cooker Sides That Free up the Oven