10 Thanksgiving Crock Pot Recipes

Free Your Oven With Celebration-Worthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole

The Spruce

Most of us use our crockpot to cook one or two dishes for Thanksgiving. But did you know that you can cook almost an entire Thanksgiving dinner in the crockpot? And it doesn't have to be an alternative Thanksgiving menu.

Think of your crock pot as a kitchen assistant. Side dishes, desserts, and main dishes can be assembled, then you just forget about them until it's time to eat. It's like having a couple of sous chefs on hand.

Mix and match these recipes and be sure to add a few fresh items. Crisp green salads and sweet fruit salads not only vary temperature and texture but color and flavor on your holiday plate.

  • 01 of 10

    Three-Ingredient Crock Pot Turkey Breast

    Three ingredient crock pot turkey

    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

    Cranberries and dry onion soup mix add fabulous flavor to the three-ingredient crock pot turkey breast in this simple recipe. You start with a frozen turkey breast, and you can choose bone-in or boneless. It's an easy way to make up to six servings of succulent turkey.

  • 02 of 10

    Traditional Crockpot Stuffing

    Traditional Crock Pot Stuffing

    The Spruce

    If you're cooking for a crowd, making extra stuffing in the crockpot is a great way please everyone. This traditional stuffing recipe cooks perfectly in your crock pot and will serve 12. If you're roasting the big bird in the oven, you can start this in the crock pot and everything will be ready by dinner time.

  • 03 of 10

    Crockpot Garlic Smashed Potatoes

    Slow cooker mashed potatoes recipe

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

    You've probably realized you can cook and mash potatoes the usual way and then keep them hot in the crock pot on Thanksgiving. But this crock pot garlic smashed potatoes recipe keeps all of the steps in the slow cooker itself. You don't even have to peel the potatoes if you like a more rustic dish. That means a lot less mess and fewer steps, and your family will love the result.

  • 04 of 10

    Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole

    Crockpot green bean casserole recipe

    The Spruce  / Anastasiia Tretiak

    This version of the classic casserole uses canned soup and frozen green beans. Since it requires very little effort, you can spend time focused on other dishes, or relax with a glass of wine instead of on this slow cooker green bean casserole.

    Continue to 5 of 10 below.
  • 05 of 10

    Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce

    Slow cooker cranberry sauce recipe

    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

    This is a simple fresh slow cooker cranberry sauce with only four ingredients that includes a small amount of water, the cranberry sauce―or relish―and takes just minutes to prepare. 

  • 06 of 10

    Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup

    slow-cooker-butternut-squash-soup-4771456-06

    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

    Use your slow cooker to create a delicious butternut squash soup. This recipe is very interesting because it uses apples and coconut milk, along with cayenne, garlic, nutmeg, and thyme. It definitely doesn't lack flavor, and that's why everyone will love it.

  • 07 of 10

    Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole

    Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole

    The Spruce

    This slow cooker sweet potato casserole recipe is another side dish that is easy to make. Just peel, slice, and cook with your favorite additions. This recipe uses classic crunchy brown sugar and pecan topping. 

  • 08 of 10

    Crock Pot Roasted Vegetables

    Crock pot roasted veggies

    The Spruce

    You can roast any hard root vegetables you love in the crock pot to serve as classic sides with the feast. Crock pot roasted vegetables includes carrots, potatoes, turnips, rutabagas, or sweet potatoes and it will be ready when the turkey is.

    Continue to 9 of 10 below.
  • 09 of 10

    Crock Pot Spinach Dip

    spinach dip

    Alexandra Grablewski / Digital Vision / Getty Images

    Keep the crowd happy while the rest of dinner cooks with this easy, hot crockpot spinach dip. It's perfect with crackers, carrot sticks, or celery sticks. Plus, it's a vegetable serving, right?

  • 10 of 10

    Crock Pot Pumpkin Pie Pudding

    Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pudding

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Here's a fun pie alternative. Cook the pumpkin pie pudding in your crock pot. You can serve it decorated with pie crust cutouts baked in your oven. Or, top it with crushed nuts.