Thanksgiving is an exciting time to spend with our family and enjoy a good meal together. For anyone hosting the meal, they can vouch for the reality that all the meal planning, preparation, and cooking can take a lot of time and planning. So it never hurts to start on the menu early.
Although an oven, stove top, and even a trusty air fryer can be helpful in making scrumptious Thanksgiving entrees, it’s good to know that using a Crock-Pot can be more than useful if the oven space is looking tight.
But soups, stews, and sauces aren’t the only dishes a Crock-Pot can yield, as there are plenty of slow cooker recipes online that can provide massive culinary inspiration. And suitable for both beginners and master chefs alike, it’s safe to say there’s a Crock-Pot Thanksgiving dish recipe (or two) for everyone to try.
Aside from making mouthwatering Thanksgiving entrees (some people make holiday turkey this way!) and desserts, it’s important to note that slow cookers can also deliver yummy side dishes, as there are tons of foolproof ways to get crafty with popular holiday ingredients, such as sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and green beans. And even traditional side dish classics, such as stuffing, can get the creative Crock-Pot treatment, as we found a recipe that incorporates tasty yet unexpected ingredients like wild rice.
Not a stuffing person? Not to worry as there are plenty of risotto, cranberry sauce, and even meatball Crock-Pot Thanksgiving sides recipes (yes, really) that will please even the pickiest of eaters. From green bean casserole, cinnamon sugar glazed carrots, and slow cooker mashed potatoes, here are 25 easy slow cooker Thanksgiving dishes that can be made in a Crock-Pot.
Crock-Pot Vegetarian Stuffing
Please all the vegetarians in the family with this savory stuffing recipe, which uses delicious ingredients such as celery, mushrooms, apples, and sage. It’s full of flavor, which means everyone at the table is going to ask for seconds (then they’ll ask for the recipe), so it’s a good thing it can easily be made in the slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Cinnamon Sugar Glazed Carrots
In true fall fashion, cooking carrots, which don’t have a strong taste, with something like cinnamon brings it to life. With that twist, the basic side dish becomes a sugar-glazed star of the plate and it isn’t going to take a whole lot of time to transform it. Using the Crock-Pot, combine some brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and ginger, and it’s a whole new world. The dish takes three to four hours to cook on high, and it’s worth every second of waiting.
Crock-Pot Candied Sweet Potatoes
This candied sweet potato recipe is anything but blah, as it dresses up basic sweet potatoes with cinnamon, brown sugar, and mini marshmallows. It almost has the same taste as apple pie and the texture of apples but with the cold weather twist of sweet potatoes that goes so well with the Thanksgiving vibe.
Slow Cooker Brussels Sprouts With Cranberries, Pecans, and Butternut Squash
This recipe combines Brussels sprouts, cranberries, pecans, and butternut squash to form a Thanksgiving side dish that is not only super delicious but unique enough that all the guests will be talking about it. This recipe is perfect for a holiday meal because it’s full of seasonal flavor and it can be tailored if someone isn’t a fan of pecans because walnuts would work just as well.
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole
So many people love casseroles for Thanksgiving because they’re something that can be made ahead of time and they’re usually crowd-pleasers. An added bonus of this way of cooking is the slow cooker can be used for the casseroles. For example, a meal favorite, sweet potato casserole, can easily be popped into the slow cooker and it will be just as good as if the oven was used.
Wild Rice Stuffing With Wild Rice Cranberries and Almonds
Shake up the traditional stuffing dish with some help from this recipe, which adds wild rice, cranberries, and almonds to the fold. It’s not the typical stuffing we see for Thanksgiving, but this twist allows for guests who need to eat gluten-free or dairy-free to enjoy, too. The fact that it can be made in the Crock-Pot is a huge bonus.
Crock-Pot Squash Casserole
Delicious squash, cream of mushroom soup, and Ritz crackers combine forces to form a casserole that will truly wow any guest. Casseroles are the side dish of Thanksgiving, but that doesn’t mean we have to stick to making them in a casserole dish in the oven. This Crock-Pot recipe just requires us to pop it all in the pot together (after pre-boiling the squash) and set it for three to four hours.
3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
It’s hard to have a Thanksgiving meal without offering cranberry sauce, right? Although that jelly-like one in the can certainly works and there’s some who love it the most, making our own cranberry sauce is a whole lot easier than we may think. This is especially true when we make it in the Crock-Pot. It only requires three ingredients: fresh cranberries, orange marmalade, and brown sugar.
Slow Cooker Sweet Cornbread
Let’s be completely honest: Sweet cornbread makes the perfect alternative to traditional dinner rolls and it also happen to go perfectly well with all the Thanksgiving fixings. This recipe can be made in the slow cooker, which means even a new baker won’t fail. It earns bonus points because it only takes two hours to bake in the slow cooker!
Slow Cooker Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Looking for a spin on the classic Thanksgiving soup recipe? Trust that this curried butternut squash soup to definitely wow the family. It’s got some surprise flavors, like Granny Smith apples, and a touch of cream, that makes it warm the soul and our bellies. It’s easy to prep, set the slow cooker, and have it ready when you’re looking for a bowl of comforting soup.
Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
These green beans offer a delicious bite of flavor that pairs nicely with all those Thanksgiving entrees. Although they’re cooked in a slow cooker, they still have the perfect texture of green beans cooked perfectly. With just the right amount of snap, they can be cooked longer if the family prefers softer green beans. Also, it’s hard to go wrong with bacon.
Crock-Pot Cinnamon Apples
Add a bit of sweet to the menu with these cinnamon apples, which also function as an easy dessert idea. It’s one of the easiest side dishes that can simply be made in the Crock-Pot. Slice apples, add a little cinnamon, brown sugar, and maybe some bourbon, and it will be a big win.
Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Mushrooms
Spice up a classic turkey with some help from this garlic herb mushrooms recipe. All that’s needed are some mushrooms, garlic, a handful of dried herbs, and some time spent in the Crock-Pot, and in a few hours they’re ready. Plus it’s a side dish that will have everyone asking if they can get the recipe.
Cranberry Barbecue Crock-Pot Meatballs
There are some side dishes that seem to only come out during Thanksgiving meals, but we’re fans of trying something new and different. That is why these cranberry meatballs sound like they’d be perfect for the giving holiday. They’re delicious and super simple to make in the Crock-Pot. Trust these Crock-Pot meatballs to bring a pop of unexpected flavor to any Thanksgiving dinner menu.
Easy Slow Cooker Applesauce
People of all ages seem to love applesauce. From toddlers to grandparents, homemade applesauce is something that warms our stomachs and makes us happy. For Thanksgiving, whether it’s served for breakfast, dessert, or a part of dinner, it’s a welcome side dish. Thankfully, homemade applesauce doesn’t have to be complicated, as this Crock-Pot recipe makes the process practically painless.
Crock-Pot Chicken and Stuffing
Stuffing is one of the delicious side dishes we love about Thanksgiving. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that if we’re stuffing the turkey, we need to put the stuffing into the bird just before it goes into the oven to prevent food poisoning. But it’s safer to cook the stuffing separate from the turkey, and this can be done in a Crock-Pot. If turkey isn’t a hit in the house, try this chicken and stuffing recipe that goes nicely with all those Thanksgiving side vegetables.
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Risotto
Although the turkey often steals the show for Thanksgiving, side dish vegetables deserve love, too. The squash, leeks, and fresh basil make sure this risotto recipe is full of mouthwatering flavor. And yes, risotto can be made in the slow cooker without losing out on taste or texture.
Crock-Pot Sweet Potato Casserole
Typically casseroles are made in a casserole dish, but it doesn’t always have to be that way. Some of our Thanksgiving favorites, such as sweet potato casserole, can be thrown together and set in the Crock-Pot, and before we know it, we have a delish side dish. The candied nuts and gooey marshmallows take this sweet potato casserole recipe to a whole new level.
Slow Cooker Root Vegetables With Apple Cider Glaze
Root vegetables go really well with a full Thanksgiving meal. The vegetables are in season, which means they’re easy to find. And they can be made in the slow cooker without going soggy. This buttery apple cider glaze gives basic earthy root vegetables a delicious twist that will have the guests asking for seconds.
No-Boil Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes can do really well in the slow cooker and it means a whole lot less watching on our part. This no-boil recipe yields velvety rich mashed potatoes that go with practically anything on the holiday menu. Even a mashed potato aficionado can’t resist this version.
Slow Cooker Winter Sangria
Technically, sangria isn’t a side dish, we know, but we think it is the perfect drink for Thanksgiving and had no idea it could be made simply in the Crock-Pot. The winter version of sangria swaps ice cubes for slow cooked mulled wine served warm. Just a couple of hours in the slow cooker and drinks are ready to serve.
Slow Cooker Black Beans
There are a lot of different ways to dress up beans to fit them into a meal plan, and that holds true for Thanksgiving. Black beans serve up really well when cooked in the slow cooker, and it doesn’t take a lot of prep time to get it done. They can be added to rice with cranberries or served on their own. Also, depending on the seasonings, it can be a sweet or savory dish.
Creamed Spinach
We know this side dish is kind of polarizing. People either really love it or they really hate it, and we’re firm believers that it shouldn’t be written off without at least being tried first. The side dish can be prepped and cooked in the slow cooker, so it’s not going to take too much away from our limited time. Cooking creamed spinach this way leads to a rich, creamy texture that will wow the ones who love it already.
Slow-Cooker Creamed Corn
There’s something about creamed corn that reminds us of cozy meals with the family in the cold winter months. It’s a side dish that not all families love, but it’s a tasty combination of creamy, sweet, and hearty that warms our bellies. Creamed corn in a can exists, but it pales in comparison to an easy and simple slow cooker recipe that will be ready for everyone to enjoy.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Pudding
Yes, dessert deserves to be easy to make in the Crock-Pot, too. And thankfully it does. This delicious Crock-Pot pumpkin pie pudding is the best way to cap off a Thanksgiving meal and all the hard work that went into it. The ingredients cook on low heat for four to six hours, and it’s worth every bit of time. It’s the next best thing to pumpkin pie.
