This Crock Pot Stuffing recipe, discovered in the Calgary Herald, promises to elevate your holiday feast to new heights of flavor and simplicity. Designed for both seasoned chefs and beginners alike, this dish boasts a Canadian flair and is tailored for those seeking healthier, vegetarian-friendly options without compromising on taste. With a prep time of just 10 minutes and a total cook time of 3 hours and 10 minutes, this recipe falls comfortably within the realm of quick and convenient meal solutions, making it perfect for busy weeknights or festive occasions like Christmas.
Loaded with aromatic ingredients like onions, celery, tart apple, and a fragrant blend of herbs including sage, savory, thyme, and fresh parsley, this stuffing is a delightful melange of flavors and textures. The buttery sauté of onions, celery, and apple creates a tantalizing aroma that will fill your kitchen with warmth and anticipation as the dish comes together.
To commence the culinary journey, begin by sautéing the onions, celery, and apple in a generous amount of butter until the onions achieve a translucent hue, signaling their readiness to meld with the other ingredients. This initial step lays the foundation for the dish’s rich and complex flavor profile, setting the stage for a memorable dining experience.
Once the vegetables have been properly sautéed, it’s time to introduce the herbaceous ensemble of sage, marjoram, salt, pepper, savory, and thyme, infusing the mixture with layers of depth and nuance. The careful balance of these seasonings ensures that each bite of the stuffing is a harmonious symphony of flavors, leaving a lasting impression on the palate.
With the vegetable mixture now imbued with the essence of the herbs, it’s time to combine it with the bread cubes and fresh parsley, creating a cohesive blend that will serve as the heart and soul of the dish. Tossing the ingredients together ensures even distribution of flavors, ensuring that each morsel of stuffing is imbued with the savory essence of the seasonings.
Next, pour vegetable stock over the mixture, allowing it to seep into the bread cubes and infuse them with moisture and flavor. This step not only ensures that the stuffing achieves the perfect balance of moistness and texture but also imparts a rich, savory undertone that elevates the dish to new heights of culinary excellence.
Once the stuffing mixture is thoroughly combined and seasoned to perfection, transfer it to your trusty crock-pot, where it will undergo a transformation over the course of the next few hours. Covering the pot and cooking on high for the initial hour allows the flavors to meld and intensify, while reducing the heat to low for the remaining 2-3 hours ensures that the stuffing achieves the ideal consistency and texture, with occasional stirring to ensure even cooking.
As the stuffing simmers away, filling your home with irresistible aromas, you can rest assured knowing that a delectable culinary masterpiece is taking shape, ready to delight your taste buds and satisfy your cravings for comfort and nourishment.
Finally, as the dish nears completion, remember to adjust the seasoning to taste, adding a final sprinkle of salt and pepper if needed to enhance the flavors and bring them into perfect harmony. For vegetarians, opting for vegetable stock ensures that everyone at the table can partake in the culinary festivities, enjoying this delicious dish without compromise.
With its stellar rating of 5 stars and glowing reviews from over 160 satisfied home cooks, this Crock Pot Stuffing recipe is a testament to its unrivaled taste and simplicity. Clocking in at just 221.5 calories per serving and boasting a nutritional profile that includes 7 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 13.3 milligrams of cholesterol, 615.1 milligrams of sodium, 34.3 grams of carbohydrates, 2.7 grams of fiber, 5.9 grams of sugar, and 5.7 grams of protein, this dish offers both indulgence and nourishment in equal measure.
So whether you’re hosting a festive holiday gathering or simply craving a taste of home, this Crock Pot Stuffing recipe is sure to impress with its robust flavors, simple preparation, and unbeatable convenience. Serve it alongside your favorite main dishes and seasonal sides for a meal that’s guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on family and friends alike.
