29 Thanksgiving Crockpot Recipes

Your oven can only hold so much on Thanksgiving. The slow cooker is the fix. It roasts the turkey breast, bakes the stuffing, keeps the mashed potatoes hot, and even turns out a pecan pie while the oven handles everything else.

This list covers the whole menu. You get mains like turkey and ham, classic sides like green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole, a dip and a soup to start, three desserts, and two warm drinks for the crowd. So grab your crockpot and start planning.

1. Crockpot Turkey Breast

A boneless, skin-on turkey breast gets brushed with melted butter, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. It then rests on a bed of celery, carrots, and onion wedges with a cup of broth underneath.

That vegetable raft lifts the meat off the bottom and flavors the broth as it cooks. Pull the turkey at 160 degrees so it stays juicy.

For crisp skin, broil it for three to five minutes before slicing. The recipe serves four, so it suits smaller gatherings.

Source details: spendwithpennies.com

2. Crock Pot Cranberry Turkey Breast

Four ingredients make this one of the easiest turkeys you will ever serve. A boneless breast of five to seven pounds goes into the slow cooker with the netting left on, then gets covered in a mix of whole berry cranberry sauce, onion soup mix, and orange juice.

Cook it on low for five to seven hours until it reaches 165 degrees.

Skim the fat from the cooking liquid, thicken it with a cornstarch slurry, and you have a built-in cranberry gravy. It feeds eight without any bird to clean.

Source details: togetherasfamily.com

3. Slow Cooker Whole Turkey

Yes, a whole bird fits. An eight to nine pound turkey gets rubbed inside and out with salt, paprika, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.

Smashed garlic goes over the skin, a quartered lemon goes inside, and the legs get tied. The turkey then sits on chopped onion, carrots, and celery in a seven quart oval cooker.

Six to eight hours on low gives you moist meat that starts to fall apart if you leave it longer. Measure your cooker before you buy the bird.

Source details: thelittlekitchen.net

4. Slow Cooker Ham

Honey, brown sugar, melted butter, two kinds of Dijon mustard, and fresh thyme make the glaze for this eight to ten pound bone-in spiral ham. Whisk it together in minutes and brush two thirds of it over the ham and between the slices.

Cook on high for two to three hours or low for four to five. If the ham is tall, fold the slices down so the lid fits.

Finish by adding the reserved glaze and broiling for three to four minutes until it caramelizes.

Source details: thelittlekitchen.net

5. Crock Pot Turkey and Gravy

The gravy builds itself here. Onion, carrot, celery, and garlic get browned in butter, dusted with flour, then whisked with chicken broth, thyme, and bay leaves before going into a seven to eight quart crock pot.

A bone-in, skin-on turkey breast of six to seven pounds cooks breast side down in that mixture for five to seven hours on low. Use more pepper than salt when seasoning it.

Strain the liquid into a saucepan afterward and you have a rich gravy for the turkey, potatoes, and stuffing.

Source details: life-in-the-lofthouse.com

6. Crock Pot Stuffing

Cranberries, a crisp apple, and toasted pecans give this stuffing its personality. Cubes of rustic whole grain or sourdough bread dry in the oven while onions and celery soften in olive oil and butter with fresh sage and thyme.

Everything goes into a six or seven quart slow cooker with two beaten eggs and three cups of turkey broth.

The center stays moist and the edges turn golden and crispy. It makes about 14 cups and can be assembled the night before, with broth added just before cooking.

Source details: wellplated.com

7. Slow Cooker Sausage Stuffing

No browning, no sauteing, and no extra skillet. A pound of cubed French bread dries out overnight right in the lined slow cooker, then gets tossed with diced butter, sweet onion, celery, fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, and chicken broth.

Raw Italian sausage gets crumbled over the top in small pieces. Hot sausage adds depth without real heat, but mild works too.

Four to five hours on low cooks the sausage through and softens the vegetables. Stir in fresh parsley at the end so it stays bright green.

Source details: averiecooks.com

8. Crock Pot Stuffing with Cornbread & Bacon

A whole nine by thirteen pan of cornbread, cut into cubes, is the base for this Southern style dressing. The cubes get folded into eggs, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, chicken broth, onion, and poultry seasoning.

Half of ten slices of crumbled bacon goes into the mix. The rest sits on top with cubes of butter, where it renders and flavors everything underneath.

Cook on low for four to six hours or high for three to four, then leave it on warm until dinner. It serves twelve.

Source details: upstateramblings.com

9. Slow Cooker Mushroom Stuffing

A pound of chopped cremini mushrooms brings the meaty, savory flavor to this vegetarian friendly stuffing. They cook in butter with onion, celery, garlic, fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme until tender.

Stale cubes of white or sourdough bread go into a greased slow cooker with the vegetables and three quarters of a cup of chopped walnuts for crunch.

Whisked eggs and broth get poured over and tossed through, then it cooks on low for three to four hours. Use vegetable broth to keep it fully vegetarian. Serves twelve.

Source details: karalydon.com

10. No Boil Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

No boiling, no straining, no draining. Five pounds of peeled red or yellow potatoes, cut into one inch chunks, cook in a four quart slow cooker with chicken broth, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Three to four hours on high or six to seven on low gets them fork tender. Stir quickly every hour and close the lid fast so the heat stays in.

Mash right in the pot, then stir in melted butter, sour cream, parsley, and optional cream cheese. Add warm milk to loosen.

Source details: spendwithpennies.com

11. Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes

Half Yukon Gold, half sweet potato. The quarter inch slices get layered in a six quart cooker with generous salt and pepper between each layer, alternating the two kinds so every scoop has both.

The sauce is a proper one. Butter and onion get a flour dusting, then milk whisked in slowly, plus fresh garlic, nutmeg, sharp cheddar, thyme, and Parmesan.

It cooks for just under three hours and comes out tender without curdling or going soupy. The recipe serves eight and is a favorite for Christmas Eve too.

Source details: wellplated.com

12. Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Casserole

Potluck cheesy potatoes, made in the crockpot so they stay hot for hours. Cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cream cheese, four cups of cheddar, a cup of Parmesan, melted butter, onion flakes, and ranch dressing mix get stirred together in a six quart cooker.

Seven cups of shredded hash browns go in next and cook on high for three and a half hours.

Stir, top with French fried onions, drape paper towels under the lid to catch moisture, and cook thirty more minutes. It feeds twenty.

Source details: thegunnysack.com

13. Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

Creamy, kid approved, and usually the first dish gone at a gathering. Two cups of elbow macaroni get boiled for just six minutes, since they finish cooking in the sauce.

Butter and sharp cheddar melt together on the stove, then join sour cream, condensed cheddar soup, milk, dry mustard, salt, and pepper in the slow cooker with the drained pasta.

Cook on low for two to two and a half hours, stirring a couple of times. Gruyere, Monterey Jack, or white cheddar all work as swaps. Serves eight.

Source details: sixsistersstuff.com

14. Healthy Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole

Two apples are the secret ingredient. They cook down with four pounds of cubed sweet potatoes, water, a quarter cup of honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt for three to three and a half hours on high.

Mash everything right in the pot, or use a mixer for a silkier texture. Stir in milk and an optional two tablespoons of butter.

Toasted chopped pecans go on top, and the cooker switches to keep warm so it stays hot until every guest is served. It makes ten servings.

Source details: kristineskitchenblog.com

15. Crock Pot Sweet Potato Casserole

Brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and marshmallows make this the traditional version. Three and a half pounds of sweet potatoes, cut into half inch pieces, get coated in brown sugar, melted butter, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, water, and salt.

They cook on high for three and a half to four hours until soft, then the cooker drops to low.

Right before serving, two cups of mini marshmallows go on top and melt under the lid in three to five minutes. Finish with whole or sugared pecans. Serves ten.

Source details: saltysidedish.com

16. Slow Cooker Amish Maple Turkey Breast

Source details: lifewithjanet.com

17. Slow Cooker Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

Olive oil, salt, and pepper are all two pounds of halved Brussels sprouts need to start. They cook on low for three to four hours or high for one to two until tender.

The finishing touch is a quick balsamic reduction. Half a cup of balsamic vinegar simmers with a little brown sugar for about ten minutes until it reduces by half.

Drizzle that over the sprouts and add toasted pine nuts and Parmesan if you like. Start the reduction about thirty minutes before the sprouts are done. Serves six.

Source details: chefsavvy.com

18. Crockpot Green Bean Casserole

Source details: eatingonadime.com

19. Crockpot Sweet Potatoes With Marshmallows

Source details: thenovicechefblog.com

20. Crock Pot Jiffy Corn Casserole

Two boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix, two cans of cream style corn, two cans of whole kernel corn, eggs, sour cream, melted butter, and a cup of cheddar make a big, fluffy casserole. Sugar, Creole seasoning, and red pepper flakes round it out.

Beat the eggs with the creamed corn, then stir in the rest and pour it into a greased slow cooker on high.

Lay paper towels under the lid to catch condensation. It takes about two and a half hours and is done when the center sets.

Source details: thecaglediaries.com

21. Crockpot Cranberry Sauce

Fresh cranberries, orange juice, and a pinch of cinnamon turn a holiday staple into something far better than the canned kind. Half a cup each of brown sugar and white sugar go into the crockpot with the cinnamon, orange juice, and water.

A twelve ounce bag of cranberries gets stirred in to coat. Cook on high for three hours, stirring every hour.

Mash the berries, then cook with the lid off for forty five minutes to thicken. Orange zest, red wine, or fresh ginger are easy add-ins.

Source details: cleverlysimple.com

22. No Knead Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls

Homemade rolls in under two hours with no kneading and no long rise. The dough is lukewarm water, a packet of instant yeast, a tablespoon of sugar, three cups of flour, melted butter, and salt, stirred together with a wooden spoon.

Shape twelve balls, set them on parchment in an oval six quart slow cooker, and let them rest ten minutes.

Ninety minutes of cooking gives rolls with a soft, chewy center and a thin crust. Use instant yeast, not active dry.

Source details: averiecooks.com

23. Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip

Warm, gooey, and ready for guests who arrive before the turkey is carved. A chopped can of artichokes, an eight ounce block of cream cheese cut into cubes, a cup of sour cream, a cup of mozzarella, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt go into the slow cooker.

Eight ounces of fresh spinach gets piled on top.

Cook on low for two hours and stir after the first hour so the spinach wilts into the cheese. Serve with crackers, toasted bread, or raw vegetables.

Source details: bitesizedbash.com

24. Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup

A light starter that is vegan, gluten free, and nut free. Seven to eight cups of cubed butternut squash go into the crockpot with diced white onion, garlic, chopped carrot, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, and optional chili flakes.

Add just enough vegetable stock to barely cover the squash. Cook on high for three to four hours or low for four to five.

Blend it smooth right in the pot, then stir in coconut milk for a creamy finish. Leftovers taste better the next day and freeze well.

Source details: runningonrealfood.com

25. Crock Pot Pecan Pie

A refrigerated pie crust gets pressed into the bottom and sides of a lined six quart slow cooker. The filling is three beaten eggs, a cup of corn syrup, a cup of brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and two cups of pecan halves.

Pour it over the crust without going past the edges and cook on high for three hours.

Turn the pot off, remove the lid, and let it sit for at least an hour to set. Lift the whole pie out by the liner and slice.

Source details: dessertsonadime.com

26. Slow Cooker Pumpkin Dump Cake

Six ingredients and five minutes of prep. Two cups of pumpkin puree get stirred with a cup of brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt, then spread over the bottom of a greased six quart slow cooker.

A box of spice cake mix gets worked into a cup of softened butter until crumbly and spread over the pumpkin layer.

Four hours on low turns it into a soft, spice cake with a crumbly top. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Source details: simplystacie.net

27. Creamy Turkey Rice Soup (Crockpot or Stovetop)

Source details: crayonsandcravings.com

28. Crockpot Mashed Potatoes

Source details: amandascookin.com

29. Slow Cooker Pumpkin Apple Crisp

Pumpkin pie and apple crisp in one bowl. Six sliced Granny Smith apples get tossed in pumpkin puree, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg, then spread in the slow cooker.

The topping is old fashioned oats, white whole wheat flour, cinnamon, cold butter worked in by hand, and a little more maple syrup.

Cook on high for two to two and a half hours until the apples are soft. Let it stand thirty minutes with the lid on, then add whipped cream or ice cream.

Source details: kristineskitchenblog.com

Pick a main, two or three sides, and one dessert from this list and your oven will finally have room to breathe on Thanksgiving.

Need to round out the menu? Browse our Thanksgiving side dishes, Thanksgiving appetizers, and Thanksgiving desserts for everything that does not fit in the crockpot.