By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 2, 2026
Serves 16
162 cal · 330 min
Melissa's Slow Cooker Stuffing
Recipe GLPR89f086e18122aa
A wholesome slow cooker stuffing made with whole-wheat bread, fresh vegetables, tart cranberries, and apple chunks, bound together with eggs and seasoned chicken broth. This herbaceous side dish brings together sautéed celery, onion, and mushrooms with a warm blend of poultry seasoning, sage, and thyme for a comforting, hearty companion to any meal.
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Ingredients
3/4 stick light butter
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
2 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
16 slices whole-wheat bread, cubed
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped apple
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 large egg, beaten
2 egg whites, beaten
1 cup water
Directions
Melt the light butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the chopped celery, onion, mushrooms, and dried parsley to the skillet.
Sauté the vegetable mixture, stirring frequently, until the celery is tender and the onion becomes translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes.
In a very large bowl, combine the bread cubes, dried cranberries, and chopped apple.
Pour the cooked vegetable mixture over the bread cubes and gently fold together until well distributed.
Sprinkle the poultry seasoning, dried sage, dried thyme, garlic powder, and ground black pepper over the bread mixture.
Drizzle the low-sodium chicken broth and water over the mixture, using just enough to lightly moisten the bread (do not oversoak). Gently fold in the beaten egg and egg whites until evenly incorporated.
Transfer the entire mixture to a slow cooker and cover with the lid.
Cook on High heat for 45 minutes, then reduce the heat to Low and continue cooking for 4 to 8 hours until heated through and the top is lightly set.
Comments
This is an honest make-ahead play for holiday cooking, and Charlotte-area stores stock everything easily—butter, celery, onion, mushrooms, and whole-wheat bread are standard across Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, Walmart, and ALDI; dried cranberries and poultry seasoning are reliable finds. At roughly $0.45–$0.60 per serving (driven by whole-wheat bread and fresh produce rather than any premium item), it lands lean for a 16-serving side dish. The 330-minute window is fair: most of that is hands-off slow-cooker time, though you should budget 20–25 minutes for chopping celery, onion, mushrooms, and parsley on the front end. The real strength is that it reheats beautifully and feeds a crowd without drama; the only caveat is that it requires an egg binder, so it is not vegan, and whole-wheat bread gives it a firmer crumb than traditional white-bread stuffing—which suits a slow cooker but may not match nostalgia.
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