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Slow-Cooker Thanksgiving Sides

Slow-Cooker Thanksgiving Sides

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas / Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford / Food Styling: Vanessa McNeil Rocchio

Forget about juggling bake times and wedging casseroles around a 20-pound turkey in a tiny oven. Using your slow cooker is the secret to an easy Thanksgiving dinner.For some people, Thanksgiving dinner is all about the side dishes: stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, everything delicious that can pile your plate high when you go back for seconds. Here are several delicious slow-cooker side dishes that help make planning Thanksgiving meals simple. These are new twists on classic side dish recipes, including Cornbread Dressing, Slow-Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Bacon, and Green Bean Casserole and Cranberry Sauce. We've even updated one of our favorite Southern side dish recipes, Candied Yams, so this Thanksgiving delight can be made in a slow cooker. So settle in with your family for a meal, and plan your Thanksgiving around these mouthwatering slow-cooker side dishes.

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Slow-Cooker Green Bean Casserole

Recipe: Green Bean Casserole

Is it a Southern Thanksgiving if you don't have green bean casserole on the table? We think not – but that doesn't mean you have to plan to fit another casserole dish in the oven. Save valuable space and time by taking a different route with our slow-cooker twist. We went beyond the can to create a spectacular version of this Thanksgiving classic. A warm, creamy green bean casserole belongs on every Southerner's holiday table, and this version doesn't skimp on any of our favorite ingredients. Use alfredo sauce as a creamy, shortcut base to your casserole. Diced water chestnuts give this Thanksgiving side some texture.Throw in some mushrooms, Parmesan, and French-fried onions, and let your slow cooker work its magic. Before serving, sauté up a few additional onions with some pecans for a crunchy topping to your green bean casserole. Folks won't be able to tell you saved time in your Crock-Pot!

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Slow-Cooker Green Beans

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Green Beans

Free up stove-top space with this easy green beans recipe.

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Slow-Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks

Using prewashed and chopped greens help to make this dish convenient and ideal for cooking during the holidays

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Slow-Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

Sweet potatoes are often a part of Thanksgiving, and this recipe gives you a new twist on that classic flavor. Orange juice gives this dish a little sweetness, while pieces of crumbled bacon will give you something to savor, and rosemary will give it an aroma all its own. Delicious together, this sweet-and-salty side could not be easier to prep on Thanksgiving morning. Best part? It's made in the slow cooker, so you're saving valuable stovetop space. When you're ready to serve it, sprinkle a mixture of parsley, orange zest, and garlic over the top: you'll get just the right amount of herbs, spice, and bite in every mouthful.

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Balsamic Root Vegetables

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Recipe: Balsamic Root Vegetables

For a delicious twist, top with a sprinkling of cooked and crumbled bacon just before serving.

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Cornbread Dressing

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Cornbread Dressing

Enjoying a fantastic cornbread dressing doesn't have to mean checking your oven to see if your dish is ready. If you want to walk into your kitchen and enjoy the aroma of freshly made cornbread dressing without the fuss, you will love our slow-cooker countertop recipe. This recipe cooks slow and low, letting all the savory flavors combine. The cornbread dressing is sweet with onions and rich with butter. We are sure you will love the scent of freshly chopped sage. For a finishing touch, spoon this deliciously warm dressing into pretty bowls, and you can delight in every mouthwatering bite.

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Green Bean Casserole and Cranberry Sauce

Beth Dreiling Hontzas / Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford / Food Styling: Vanessa McNeil Rocchio

Fresh Cranberry Sauce and Green Bean Casserole are a snap to make in the slow cooker.Recipes:Green Bean Casserole
Cranberry Sauce

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Wild Rice Pilaf

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Vanessa McNeil Rocchio

Recipe: Wild Rice Pilaf

Wild rice has a bold, earthy, nutty taste, and a rich, fragrant aroma. Combining it with brown rice creates a delicious combination that is simmered to perfection gently in a slow cooker. Lightly coating the rice with butter or oil before adding the chicken broth prevents the grains from sticking together. Less liquid is used during slow cooking because it doesn't evaporate as quickly as when cooking rice on the stovetop. The chicken broth will add a delicious flavor to the rice as it cooks, sweetened by the onion and the dried cherries. You will love the added texture and flavor of the lightly toasted pecans. Enjoy!

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Candied Yams

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Rose Nguyen

Recipe: Candied Yams

We updated the Southern staple candied yams recipe so that it can be cooked in a slow cooker. It's an extra-easy choice to heat and take to your next family gathering or potluck dinner.

Step-by-Step Video: Slow-Cooker Candied Yams

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Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese

Your Thanksgiving meal won't be complete without a warm pot of homemade mac-and-cheese.

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Easy-Does-It Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Helen Norman

Recipe: Easy-Does-It Mashed Sweet Potatoes

You can use the same procedure for your favorite mashed potato recipe with white potatoes.

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Take Your Slow-Cooker

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas / Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford / Food Styling: Vanessa McNeil Rocchio

If you're taking a slow-cooker dish to grandmother's house, you may want to invest in a model that features a lock top and insulated carrying case. Or you can attach heavy-duty rubber bands around the handles and lid and then wrap the slow cooker in towels or newspaper.

Still looking for a recipe to take to Thanksgiving dinner? Check out Simply Spectacular Thanksgiving Sides for more ideas.

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