My grandma made this every Sunday after church. The simplest ingredients create the most heavenly buttery noodles that melt in your mouth.

This slow cooker 4-ingredient Amish butter noodles recipe tastes exactly like something a Midwestern grandma would serve after Sunday church—simple, cozy, and ridiculously comforting. It’s all about wide egg noodles slowly soaking up a rich, buttery broth until they’re silky, tender, and almost melt in your mouth. The ingredients are pantry basics, but when they hang out in the slow cooker for a couple of hours, they turn into the kind of dish you keep going back to for just one more scoop. It’s perfect for busy days when you want that nostalgic, from-scratch taste without being tied to the stove.

Serve these buttery Amish noodles straight from the slow cooker with a generous sprinkle of black pepper. They’re perfect alongside roasted or rotisserie chicken, meatloaf, pork chops, or a simple pan-fried sausage. Add a green vegetable—like steamed green beans, roasted broccoli, or a crisp side salad—to balance the richness. They also make a great base for leftover shredded roast, turkey, or pulled chicken spooned over the top. For a cozy Sunday-style spread, pair with warm dinner rolls and a simple fruit salad.

Servings: 6

12 oz wide egg noodles (dried, not frozen)

Lightly coat the inside of your slow cooker with nonstick spray or a thin swipe of butter to help prevent sticking.

Pour the chicken broth into the slow cooker, then stir in the kosher salt. Cover and set the slow cooker to HIGH. Let the broth heat for about 30 minutes, or until very hot and steamy. This helps the noodles cook evenly and keeps them from getting gummy.

Once the broth is hot, add the dried wide egg noodles to the slow cooker. Gently press them down with a spoon so they’re mostly submerged in the hot broth. It’s okay if some edges stick up; they’ll soften as they cook.

Scatter the butter pieces evenly over the top of the noodles. Do not stir too aggressively; just lightly nudge the noodles so the butter can melt down through the layers as it cooks.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, gently stirring once or twice during cooking. Each time you stir, try to scoop from the bottom so every noodle has a chance to sit in the buttery broth. The noodles are done when they’re very tender and silky, and most of the broth has been absorbed into a glossy butter sauce.

If the noodles look too brothy near the end of cooking, remove the lid for the last 10–15 minutes so some liquid can evaporate. If they look a little dry, stir in a splash of warm broth or hot water until they’re coated in a loose, buttery sauce with a bit of pooling at the bottom.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with a pinch more salt if needed. Spoon the noodles into bowls straight from the slow cooker, drizzle with any buttery sauce from the bottom, and finish with plenty of freshly ground black pepper on top.

Switch the slow cooker to WARM to hold the noodles until serving, up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally to keep them from sticking and to redistribute the butter sauce.

For extra richness, you can replace 1/2 to 1 cup of the chicken broth with whole milk or half-and-half, stirring it in during the last 20–30 minutes of cooking so it doesn’t curdle. If you prefer a slightly tangy, old-fashioned flavor, add 1–2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon powder along with the salt (then taste before adding any extra salt). To make it feel more like a full meal, stir in 1–2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken or turkey during the last 15 minutes of cooking, just until heated through. A handful of chopped fresh parsley or chives at the end adds a nice pop of color without taking away from the classic buttery flavor. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and add a little extra butter or a splash of cream to keep it decadent. If you need to keep the noodles warm for a while, leave the slow cooker on WARM and add a splash of hot broth or water if they thicken too much. Food safety tips: Always use low-sodium broth so you can control the salt level; broths can vary a lot in saltiness. Keep cooked noodles out of the temperature “danger zone” (40°F–140°F/4°C–60°C) by not leaving them at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If you add cooked meat, make sure it’s been stored properly and reheated to at least 165°F (74°C). Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow container within 2 hours of cooking and use within 3–4 days, reheating gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce.