My grandmother always made this after the spring holidays to stretch the food budget. Just 4 ingredients transform basic pantry staples into the most comforting savory bowl of goodness.

This slow cooker 4-ingredient leftover ham noodles recipe is the kind of budget-stretching comfort food my grandmother leaned on right after the spring holidays. When the fridge held a big hunk of ham and the pantry had just the basics, she’d turn them into a rich, savory pot of tender egg noodles and chunky ham in golden broth. It’s simple, cozy, and uses what you likely already have on hand—perfect for busy weeknights when you still want something that feels like a warm hug in a bowl.

Serve these slow cooker ham noodles straight from the crock into wide bowls, making sure to scoop plenty of broth, noodles, and chunky ham in each serving. They’re lovely with a side of steamed or roasted vegetables, a simple green salad, or buttered peas if you’re feeding kids. Warm dinner rolls, biscuits, or even just buttered toast are perfect for soaking up the extra broth. If you like, set out black pepper and a little hot sauce at the table so everyone can season their own bowl to taste.

Servings: 6

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Add the chicken broth to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.

Whisk in the condensed cream of chicken soup until mostly smooth and combined with the broth. It’s okay if there are a few small lumps; they will melt as it cooks.

Stir in the diced leftover ham, making sure it’s evenly distributed in the broth mixture.

Cover the slow cooker and cook the broth, soup, and ham on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, or until the mixture is hot and gently simmering around the edges. This step lets the ham flavor the broth and gives you a richer, more savory base.

About 30 to 45 minutes before you plan to eat, give the broth a quick stir and add the uncooked wide egg noodles, pressing them down into the liquid so they are mostly submerged.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the noodles are tender but not mushy. The broth will thicken slightly as the noodles cook and soak up some liquid, giving you a glossy, cozy mixture.

Once the noodles are cooked to your liking, give everything a final gentle stir, tasting and adjusting with a little extra salt or pepper at the table if needed, depending on how salty your ham is.

Turn the slow cooker to WARM and serve the ham noodles straight from the crock, making sure each bowl gets plenty of thick, tender noodles, chunky pink ham, and that rich golden broth.

If your family prefers extra-brothy noodles, add an additional 1 to 2 cups of chicken broth when you first start the recipe; the noodles will still thicken things up as they cook. For kids who like things extra creamy, you can swap the cream of chicken soup for cream of mushroom or cream of celery, or even use half a second can of soup and reduce the broth slightly. If your leftover ham is very salty, choose unsalted or no-salt-added broth and wait to season at the table. To sneak in a few veggies for picky eaters, stir in a cup of frozen peas or corn during the last 10 minutes of cooking the noodles—no need to thaw first. For a heartier meal, you can serve these noodles over a scoop of mashed potatoes, like my grandmother did on especially lean weeks. Leftovers reheat well on the stovetop over low heat; just stir in a splash of broth or water to loosen the noodles if they’ve soaked up too much liquid in the fridge.