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Photo: Johnny Autry
Get out the Crock-Pot for these Thanksgiving sides that are so simple to put together. We let the slow cooker do the heavy lifting in these recipes, including classics like Slow-Cooker Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Onions and Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole with Bourbon Pecans. With these set-and-forget dishes in your arsenal, you can keep the stovetop and oven clear for the turkey and your favorite fixings.
01of 13Slow-Cooker Honey Whole-Wheat RollsVictor ProtasioView RecipeThe slow cooker yields super-tender, pillowy whole-wheat rolls. If you prefer them crustier, arrange the finished rolls on a baking sheet, brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. Broil, watching carefully, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
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Slow-Cooker Honey Whole-Wheat Rolls
Victor Protasio
View Recipe
The slow cooker yields super-tender, pillowy whole-wheat rolls. If you prefer them crustier, arrange the finished rolls on a baking sheet, brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. Broil, watching carefully, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
02of 13Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole with Bourbon PecansJohnny AutryView RecipeCooking the sweet potatoes in a slow cooker frees up space on the stove if you’re cooking a big holiday dinner—plus you can serve it straight from the crock if you’d like.
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Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole with Bourbon Pecans
Johnny Autry
Cooking the sweet potatoes in a slow cooker frees up space on the stove if you’re cooking a big holiday dinner—plus you can serve it straight from the crock if you’d like.
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Easy Slow-Cooker Potato-Leek Soup with Boursin
04of 13Slow-Cooker Quinoa Salad with Arugula & FetaView RecipeChock-full of quinoa, chickpeas and vegetables, this salad is a meal in itself. The roasted red peppers, lemon, olives and feta add texture and flavor to this Mediterranean diet recipe.
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Slow-Cooker Quinoa Salad with Arugula & Feta
Chock-full of quinoa, chickpeas and vegetables, this salad is a meal in itself. The roasted red peppers, lemon, olives and feta add texture and flavor to this Mediterranean diet recipe.
05of 13Slow-Cooker Green Bean Casserole with Crispy OnionsView RecipeThanks to fresh green beans, an easy homemade cream sauce and crispy onion topping, this green bean casserole recipe is healthier and more delicious than traditional recipes that use canned soup, beans and onions. Plus, the slow cooker saves you time cooking at the stove. Make sure to use fresh green beans, as frozen green beans will become mushy.
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Slow-Cooker Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Onions
Thanks to fresh green beans, an easy homemade cream sauce and crispy onion topping, this green bean casserole recipe is healthier and more delicious than traditional recipes that use canned soup, beans and onions. Plus, the slow cooker saves you time cooking at the stove. Make sure to use fresh green beans, as frozen green beans will become mushy.
06of 13Slow-Cooker Cheesy PotatoesView RecipeWhat’s not to love about this easy dump-and-go slow cooker recipe? It has potatoes and ooey-gooey cheese, all combined with a can of condensed cream of chicken soup! Whip up this kid-friendly side dish anytime you have a crowd to feed.
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Slow-Cooker Cheesy Potatoes
What’s not to love about this easy dump-and-go slow cooker recipe? It has potatoes and ooey-gooey cheese, all combined with a can of condensed cream of chicken soup! Whip up this kid-friendly side dish anytime you have a crowd to feed.
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Slow-Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes
08of 13Slow-Cooker Carrot-Leek BisqueView RecipeCreamy and delicate slow-cooker carrot soup is a welcome appetizer. The addition of millet–a whole grain similar to quinoa—adds body to the soup as well as protein and fiber. Garnish with additional black pepper, if desired.
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Slow-Cooker Carrot-Leek Bisque
Creamy and delicate slow-cooker carrot soup is a welcome appetizer. The addition of millet–a whole grain similar to quinoa—adds body to the soup as well as protein and fiber. Garnish with additional black pepper, if desired.
09of 13Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole with MarshmallowsView RecipeThe genius hack in this recipe: topping sweet potatoes with marshmallows while they’re still piping hot from the slow cooker yields a baked marshmallow topping that’s typical with baked sweet potato casseroles.
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Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
The genius hack in this recipe: topping sweet potatoes with marshmallows while they’re still piping hot from the slow cooker yields a baked marshmallow topping that’s typical with baked sweet potato casseroles.
10of 13Slow-Cooker Creamy Butternut Squash-Apple SoupView RecipeThe sweetness of the Granny Smith apple shines through the creaminess of the blended butternut squash, a combination that is sure to whet appetites. Don’t be afraid to keep blending the soup-more air yields tastier, frothier soup. Garnish with additional fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired. To make this a vegan butternut squash soup, omit the heavy cream and use your favorite plant-based milk or yogurt instead.
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Slow-Cooker Creamy Butternut Squash-Apple Soup
The sweetness of the Granny Smith apple shines through the creaminess of the blended butternut squash, a combination that is sure to whet appetites. Don’t be afraid to keep blending the soup-more air yields tastier, frothier soup. Garnish with additional fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired. To make this a vegan butternut squash soup, omit the heavy cream and use your favorite plant-based milk or yogurt instead.
11of 13Classic Slow-Cooker StuffingView RecipeSave space in your oven and use your slow cooker to whip up this easy, classic stuffing. Hearty whole-grain bread gets toasted in the oven for only 10 minutes (and you can toast the cubes ahead of time!) while your slow cooker does the rest.
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Classic Slow-Cooker Stuffing
Save space in your oven and use your slow cooker to whip up this easy, classic stuffing. Hearty whole-grain bread gets toasted in the oven for only 10 minutes (and you can toast the cubes ahead of time!) while your slow cooker does the rest.
12of 13Barley-Squash GratinView RecipeBarley is an excellent source of fiber, and in this slow-cooker recipe it’s paired with nutrient-dense spinach and butternut squash. Topped with shredded Parmesan cheese, this side dish will be happy sharing a plate with whatever else you’re serving.
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Barley-Squash Gratin
Barley is an excellent source of fiber, and in this slow-cooker recipe it’s paired with nutrient-dense spinach and butternut squash. Topped with shredded Parmesan cheese, this side dish will be happy sharing a plate with whatever else you’re serving.
13of 13Slow-Cooked Sweet and Sour CabbageView RecipeThe combination of cloves, cabbage and cider vinegar gives this slow-cooker cabbage recipe its sweet-and-sour flavor. Don’t skip the apples-the hit of natural sweetness is worth the time it takes to core and chop them.
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Slow-Cooked Sweet and Sour Cabbage
The combination of cloves, cabbage and cider vinegar gives this slow-cooker cabbage recipe its sweet-and-sour flavor. Don’t skip the apples-the hit of natural sweetness is worth the time it takes to core and chop them.
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