My neighbor shared this secret side dish that tastes better than anything I've ever made. Only 3 ingredients for pure gold.

This slow cooker 3-ingredient Amish butter noodles recipe is the kind of neighborly secret you remember forever. My next-door neighbor brought a pan of these over after a long week, and I honestly couldn’t believe they came from a crockpot—and with only three ingredients. Thick homestyle egg noodles simmer low and slow in chicken stock until they’re silky and tender, then get drenched in nutty brown butter right in the slow cooker. It’s inspired by simple Amish-style cooking: humble pantry staples, big comfort, and no fussy steps. If you need a side dish that tastes like you spent all afternoon in the kitchen (but actually didn’t), this is pure gold.

Serve these slow cooker Amish butter noodles piled high on a warm plate with a sprinkle of fresh or dried parsley for color. They’re perfect next to roasted or rotisserie chicken, pork chops, meatloaf, or a simple pan-seared steak. I also love them with steamed green beans, roasted carrots, or a bagged salad on busy nights. If you’re feeding a crowd, pair them with a slow cooker pot roast and some crusty bread to soak up every bit of that buttery, savory sauce.

Servings: 6

1 pound thick homestyle egg noodles (wide, dried or frozen)

Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a bit of butter to help prevent sticking.

Pour the chicken broth into the slow cooker. Cover and turn to HIGH. Let the broth heat for about 30 minutes while you get everything else ready so it’s good and hot before adding the noodles.

Once the broth is hot, add the egg noodles to the slow cooker, spreading them out as evenly as you can so they’re mostly submerged in the liquid. Gently press them down with a spoon, but don’t stir too aggressively or they can break.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour, checking and gently stirring once or twice to make sure the noodles are cooking evenly and aren’t clumping. The noodles should be just about tender but still have a little bite; they will soften more as they sit.

While the noodles finish cooking, make the brown butter: Add the butter to a medium skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt completely, then continue cooking, swirling the pan often, until the butter foams and the milk solids on the bottom turn a deep golden brown and smell nutty, 5 to 7 minutes. Watch it closely so it doesn’t burn.

As soon as the butter is browned, remove the pan from the heat. If you’re worried about any overly dark bits, you can pour the brown butter through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl, but those toasty specks add great flavor.

When the noodles are tender and most of the broth has been absorbed into a glossy, slightly saucy consistency, pour the hot brown butter evenly over the noodles in the slow cooker.

Gently toss the noodles in the brown butter using tongs or a large spoon until every strand is coated and glistening. If the mixture looks a little loose, let it sit on WARM with the lid slightly vented for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken as the noodles soak up the remaining liquid.

Taste and, if desired, add a pinch of salt to the finished noodles (the chicken broth may already provide enough). Spoon onto plates, sprinkle with a little parsley if you like for color, and serve hot.

For extra richness, you can swap 1 cup of the chicken broth for 1 cup of water if your broth is very salty, then season to taste at the end. If you like a creamier texture, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sour cream or a splash of heavy cream after adding the brown butter (this technically adds an ingredient, but it’s nice when you’re not strictly sticking to three). For a slightly lighter version, reduce the butter to 3/4 cup; you’ll still get a glossy, flavorful noodle, just a bit less decadent. To stretch this into more of a main dish, stir in shredded rotisserie chicken right at the end and let it warm through on LOW for 10 minutes. If you only have regular straight egg noodles instead of wide homestyle, reduce the cook time and start checking at 35 to 40 minutes so they don’t over-soften. For make-ahead prep, you can measure the noodles and broth into the slow cooker insert and refrigerate it (uncooked) for a few hours, then set it in the base and start cooking when you get home; just add an extra 10 to 15 minutes to the cook time to account for the cold start, and brown the butter while the noodles finish. A sprinkle of dried parsley, black pepper, or garlic powder on your own plate won’t change the spirit of the recipe but can personalize it for your family’s taste.