This Slow Cooker Cornbread Stuffing is warm, buttery, savory, and wonderfully easy to make. Tender cubes of toasted cornbread are combined with seasoned stuffing mix, melted butter, and vegetable broth, then slowly cooked until the flavors come together in one comforting, crowd-pleasing side dish.

It is a lovely addition to a holiday table, but it is just as welcome beside roast chicken, ham, grilled pork, barbecue, or a simple Sunday dinner. Best of all, making it in the slow cooker frees valuable oven space for the turkey, casseroles, and desserts.

A Little Cornbread Stuffing History

Cornbread has long been a staple of Southern cooking, with roots that reach back to Indigenous communities across the Americas, where corn was ground and cooked in many forms long before European settlement. As cornmeal became a practical and affordable pantry ingredient throughout the South, cornbread naturally became part of everyday meals and special-occasion cooking alike.

In many Southern homes, a cornbread-based side dish is traditionally called “dressing” when baked separately in a pan, while “stuffing” refers to a similar mixture cooked inside poultry. Today, the terms are often used interchangeably, especially for slow cooker versions like this one. Whatever you call it, the appeal is the same: a savory, soft-centered dish with the comforting flavor of cornbread and herbs.

Servings

12

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cubed cornbread
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 packages seasoned stuffing mix

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease it.
  2. Spread the cubed cornbread in an even layer on the baking sheet. Toast for about 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, until the cubes are lightly golden and firm. This extra step helps the cornbread hold its shape and gives the finished stuffing a better texture.
  3. While the cornbread is toasting, place the butter and vegetable broth in a small pot over medium heat. Heat until the butter is completely melted.
  4. Stir the seasoned stuffing mix into the hot butter and broth mixture until evenly moistened.
  5. Grease the inside of the slow cooker with butter or cooking spray.
  6. Add the toasted cornbread cubes to the slow cooker. Pour the warm stuffing mixture over the top and gently fold everything together. Do not overmix, as keeping some of the cornbread cubes intact gives the stuffing its soft, rustic texture.
  7. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, until hot throughout and fragrant. Fluff gently with a fork before serving.
  8. Serve warm alongside turkey, roast chicken, ham, barbecue, or your favorite holiday meal.

Tips for Perfect Slow Cooker Cornbread Stuffing

  • Make ahead: Toast the cornbread cubes up to one day ahead and store them in an airtight container.
  • Add classic flavor: Sautéed onion and celery are delicious additions. A little dried sage, thyme, or poultry seasoning also works beautifully.
  • Add a little richness: For an even more traditional holiday-style stuffing, add a beaten egg to the mixture before slow cooking.
  • For a crisper top: Remove the lid during the final 20 to 30 minutes of cooking.
  • Make it vegetarian: Use vegetable broth and a plant-based butter substitute.
  • Make it your own: Crumbled cooked sausage, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, or diced apples can turn this simple stuffing into a more festive variation.

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