We all know the holidays can be stressful. It's tough that it can't just be full of joy and wonder... like when we were kids. Shopping, travel, meals, etc. It all adds up. We can't help fix it all, but these crock pot Thanksgiving ideas CAN help add a little more "chill" to getting the Thanksgiving meal done.
Some folks prefer turkey to ham. Or visa versa. Either way, you can cook them in the crockpot.
That goes for side dishes too. There are LOTS of crockpot side dishes.
Am I recommending making up your whole holiday dinner in crockpots? Nope. Sure, you can. But you'll need to be like me and own a half dozen.
And that's cool. If you want to. But it's not necessary either.
This list is to help compile just a few holiday helpers. To make life a little less stressful in the kitchen. And ENJOY life a little more with less stress.
Have a great crock pot Thanksgiving everyone!
Crock Pot Thanksgiving Ideas
Crock Pot Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast
This bacon wrapped turkey breast has always been a favorite around here. And yes, the slow cooker crisps up that bacon!
And this recipe works great for feeding a smaller crowd. OR if you're planning on doing up both turkey and ham.
Does the bacon crisping always work? Nope. It depends on the bacon. So you'll need to get a really good quality of bacon. Not all fat, not all lean. Something in the happy middle.
I had a reader ask about turkey bacon. Sorry, turkey bacon will NOT work if you want this look. It's still yummy, but it won't look the same.
5-Ingredient Crock Pot Turkey
This 5-ingredient crock pot turkey is really yummy! Super delicious, tender and moist. BUT that's after it's cooked.
It's super ugly cooking. If you want to do a "full Thanksgiving presentation" sort of thing, I wouldn't make this.
If you want flavor, make this recipe though. The gravy was delicious but totally unnecessary. The meat was completely juicy without it.
This dishes main seasonings are honey and garlic. LOTS of garlic. Add using the slow cooker and some crock pot liners
PSSTT...It makes awesome leftover turkey sandwiches and freezes well too!
Easy Crockpot Turkey
Karen also has a really easy crockpot turkey recipe. You just need 3 ingredients to make the turkey itself. OR you can add just 3 more and make up an easy crockpot gravy to boot.
Very nice, very easy. And perfectly yummy too!
Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Ham Recipes
And now the ham. Not everyone eats ham. But those that do usually love to have it around for the holiday dinners.
Ham is very, VERY easy to do up in the crockpot. Do yourself a huge favor and use a crockpot liner like I talked about up with the turkeys. Cleanup is a breeze and it makes the ham moist and delicious.
5-Ingredient Spiral Ham
This is our favorite way for crockpot ham. We LOVE spiral ham. And making this 5-ingredient spiral ham is a breeze.
The pineapple juice adds your "wang", the garlic powder adds...well, garlic. And the Worcestershire melds it all together.
AND don't forget to save the ham bone! You can make this YUMMY crockpot ham and white bean soup very easily from the leftovers.
NO fuss. Less waste. NO stress. And a couple more meals. Perfect 🙂
5-Ingredient Honey Maple Slicing Ham
If you'd rather purchase a pre-cooked, slicing ham and just dress up the flavor...this one's a great option.
This one's main flavors include maple and honey. The clove is optional but adds yummy flavor many folks enjoy.
Cranberry Glazed Crockpot Ham
If you're looking for a jazzy and semi-traditional ham for the holiday menu...check out this one from The Seasoned Mom.
She uses both cranberries and raspberries to cook up one delicious looking holiday ham! Here's her Cranberry-Raspberry Glazed Ham recipe.
Slow Cooker Crock Pot Thanksgiving Vegetables
And now on to the side dishes. No holiday dinner is complete without the deliciousness of green bean casserole, corn casserole, AND holiday stuffing!
Here is a list of our personal favorites. I'm sure the list will grow BUT let me know if there's something you need. I'll try to find it!
Crockpot Green Bean Casserole
This one is another staple around here. It saves lots of oven space. Don't get me wrong here. I use a LOT of slow cookers over the holidays.
But I also use the oven. And there is never enough room for all the green bean casserole or stuffings. SOOO...Crock Pot Green Bean Casserole is always on the menu 🙂
There's nothing super complicated about this recipe. It's pretty much the classic green bean casserole made in the slow cooker.
The green bean crisps on top stay just a bit crunchy. The ones inside the casserole are creamy and delicious 🙂
EASY Crock Pot Dressing
Some folks call this dressing. Some call it stuffing. Others say its the same thing but only stuffing if you put it in the bird.
I've always been confused by the terminology. BUT no confusion about the taste!
This crockpot dressing is perfectly the texture we all prefer. Not too fluffy, not too dense. LOTS of flavors 🙂
For simplicity purposes this recipe is semi-homemade. We use the boxed stuffing mix then add Hawaiian bread cubes and veggies.
The result? DELICIOUS!
Slow Cooker Corn Casserole
Here's one of my personal favorites. Slow Cooker Corn Casserole! I just LOVE the creamy yumminess of all the flavors blending. It's one of my holiday favorites 🙂
This recipe cooks up great in the slow cooker too! It's just the perfect casserole consistency, there's no other way to say it.
And it cooks up great BUT its also wonderful as a leftover too. The flavors only enhance. YUM!
Honey Garlic Crockpot Brussel Sprouts
If you want something a little bit different than JUST the classic crock pot Thanksgiving dishes...here's our crock pot brussel sprout recipe too.
They cook up tender and delicious as well. They're just enough different to add another yummy recipe to the crock pot Thanksgiving menu 🙂
Herb & Butter Crock Pot Mushrooms
How about some mushrooms? Not everyone loves mushrooms, I get that. BUT some folks do. And these Herb & Butter Crockpot Mushrooms work great for an appetizer OR a yummy side dish...
Crockpot Potato Recipes
And now onward to the potato recipes. No holiday menu is complete without some sort of potatoes. Be they scalloped and cheesy, baked, mashed or sweet... Some sort is a general requirement.
Super Easy Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes
These cheesy crockpot scalloped potatoes are the bomb! Absolutely crockpot cheesy deliciousness 🙂
Slow Cooker Country-Style Mashed Potatoes
AND here's another amazingly delish crock pot Thanksgiving dish! Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes! These are creamy and super easy too!
Psstt...They also freeze well and make great leftovers.
That's the end of our crock pot Thanksgiving deliciousness for now. Let us know if you need any more recipes. We'll do our best to find them, create them or beg them off someone for you 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving AND have fun Rockin' That Crock!
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