13 Thanksgiving Sides You Can Cook In A Slow Cooker Ahead Of Time

Thanksgiving is the ultimate feast of the year. Not only is there usually a giant turkey in the middle of the table, but this massive bird is typically surrounded by countless side dishes. While this feast is one of the tastiest meals of the year, for those doing the cooking, it can also be the most challenging. Luckily, there are plenty of Thanksgiving side dishes you can easily prepare in advance using a slow cooker.

If you have a crockpot or slow cooker, you can easily prepare several Thanksgiving staples a day in advance, including cranberry sauce, gravy, mashed potatoes, and sweet potato casserole. Other delicious Thanksgiving sides you can prepare in a slow cooker include butternut squash soup, green bean casserole, and macaroni and cheese. You can even prepare desserts and drinks like mulled wine and apple cobbler in a slow cooker.

Thanksgiving involves a lot of cooking and planning before the eating part begins. If you are in charge of cooking for this holiday, save yourself a lot of time and anxiety by preparing as many side dishes as possible in advance using a slow cooker. Below is a list of some of the best and easiest side dishes you can prepare in your crockpot or slow cooker hours or days before Thanksgiving.

13 Thanksgiving Slow Cooker Sides You Can Make In Advance

1. Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are as essential to Thanksgiving as turkey or pumpkin pie. Many people wait until the last minute to prepare mashed potatoes, but this means taking time away from other last-minute preparations. 

Instead of preparing mashed potatoes minutes before your holiday feast, you can make delicious creamy mashed potatoes in a slow cooker the day before or the morning of. Cooking potatoes in the slow cooker eliminates your need to use a giant pot to boil potatoes. You can either keep them warm throughout the day or heat them moments before you eat.

2. Glazed Carrots

Carrots are a colorful and tasty Thanksgiving side, and carrots glazed with honey, maple syrup, or even balsamic are a popular and elevated way to serve this dish. Instead of using one of your stove-top burners to make glazed carrots, you can add the ingredients to your crockpot or slow cooker and let it do the work for you. 

You can prepare carrots a day in advance. For the freshest results, take your carrots out of the slow cooker when they are still slightly crispy. This way, when you heat them up the next day, they won’t taste mushy and overcooked.

3. Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potato casserole is another classic Thanksgiving side dish. Whether you top your sweet potatoes with marshmallows or with pralines, you may think the only way to prepare this dish is in the oven.

You can prepare a delicious and flavorful sweet potato casserole in your slow cooker, and no one will be the wiser. You can make this dish a day in advance. But if you prepare it in advance, wait to add the marshmallow or praline topping until you heat it in the oven on the big day.

4. Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts used to be one of the most despised vegetables, but they are now one of the most popular vegetable side dishes throughout the year, including on Thanksgiving. If you like your Brussels sprouts tender and flavorful, then the slow cooker is the way to go. 

You can mix in some ham or bacon to add smoky flavor or give them a tang with balsamic glaze. Either way, you can prepare these in the morning and heat them right before you eat.

5. Macaroni And Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is an indulgent side that can enhance any Thanksgiving spread. If you are short on time or oven space, you can prepare a delicious and creamy macaroni and cheese in a crock pot. Once finished, transfer it into a casserole dish, and simply reheat it when ready to serve it. You can make macaroni and cheese a day in advance and it will still taste just as delicious on Thanksgiving.

6. Stuffing

Some believe you must prepare stuffing inside your turkey, or can only prepare it once the turkey is finished or almost finished. While this may be a tradition, it is by no means a mandate. You can prepare delicious and flavorful stuffing in a slow cooker, and you can even prepare it before your turkey goes into the oven.

If you want to ensure you have the signature juicy poultry flavor in your stuffing, before you serve it you can fold in additional drippings from the turkey pan to add moisture and last-minute flavor.

7. Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is another Thanksgiving side dish that is found on almost every holiday dinner spread. Green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and crispy onions may sound like a strange combination, but these three ingredients together make magic.

This is not a particularly difficult casserole to make, but if you are in a time crunch, or have limited space to cook, then you can prepare this dish in a slow cooker. Just remember to add the onions shortly before serving or when reheating, to ensure they maintain their crunch.

8. Turkey Breast

If you are cooking a Thanksgiving feast for a large group, a lone turkey might not be enough. If you are worried about the amount of turkey you have to feed your group, then consider cooking a large turkey breast in addition to your turkey.

You can slow-cook a large turkey breast to ensure it is juicy and tender and guarantees there will be plenty of white meat for your guests. It also means easier Thanksgiving cleanup, since you don’t need to cook two turkeys back-to-back. 

9. Butternut Squash Soup

If you plan on having a soup course on Thanksgiving, then butternut squash soup is a great option. This soup is the embodiment of fall in a bowl, and it is very simple to make. You can add all the ingredients to your slow cooker, and then let it slowly do the work.

You can even prepare this soup one or two days in advance, and then heat it on a burner or in the microwave right before you serve it.

10. Collard Greens With Ham

If you want to add some Southern tradition to your Thanksgiving meal, you can’t go wrong with slow-cooked collard greens with ham. Collard greens can be bitter when raw or undercooked, but when prepared with additional ingredients, like ham, stock, salt, and other seasonings, these greens transform into a delicious side dish. 

A slow cooker is a great way to prepare it without investing much time or energy.

11. Cranberry Sauce

If you love fresh cranberry sauce instead of stuff from a can, then you’ll be thrilled to know you can make it very easily in a slow cooker. Just add your cranberries, citrus juice, and sugar, and let time and the slow cooker do its thing. 

Since cranberry sauce is served cold, feel free to prepare it one or two days in advance and then store it in the fridge.

12. Mulled Wine Or Cider

You can even prepare festive holiday drinks in advance in a slow cooker. Mulled wine and spiced cider are the two most festive drinks in the fall, and you can make both in a slow cooker. Once the mixture has cooled, place it in an airtight container, and then reheat it when you are ready to serve it to your guests.

13. Apple Cobbler

Lastly, if you want to prepare a simple dessert you can cook it in a slow cooker, apple cobbler (or pumpkin and apple cobbler if you want to get extra festive) is a great option. It takes less than 20 minutes of preparation time before going in the slow cooker, and you can even start it when you get ready to serve dinner so it will be hot and fresh a few hours later.

Wrapping Up Thanksgiving Dishes You Can Prepare In A Slow Cooker

If you are in charge of preparing a Thanksgiving feast and are stressed out about pulling it off, then opt to let your slow cooker help you out. You can prepare many Thanksgiving staples in advance in a slow cooker, including mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, macaroni and cheese, and green bean casserole. You can prepare butternut squash soup and cranberry sauce days in advance, and you can even slow-cook mulled wine and desserts like apple cobbler. 

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