This slow cooker 3-ingredient poor man buttermilk noodles recipe is straight out of my Midwest childhood, the kind of thing my grandmother would pull together in the summer when money was tight and the house was already too hot to turn on the oven. It looks and tastes like you fussed over a creamy, tangy sauce for hours, but it’s embarrassingly simple: just wide egg noodles, buttermilk, and butter. The slow cooker does the work, and the buttermilk gives the noodles that cozy, old-fashioned flavor that feels like it belongs next to a big bowl of garden green beans or sliced tomatoes from the backyard.
Serve these buttermilk noodles straight from the slow cooker while they’re glossy and hot, with a generous sprinkle of black pepper on top. They’re perfect as a budget-friendly main dish with a side of steamed or roasted vegetables, sliced garden tomatoes, or a simple cucumber salad. If you’re stretching dinner, pair them with leftover rotisserie chicken, pan-fried sausage, or a couple of fried eggs on the side. A small green salad or some crusty bread to soak up the extra sauce rounds it all out without adding much effort.
Slow Cooker Poor Man Buttermilk NoodlesServings: 4
Ingredients
12 oz wide egg noodles (dried, not frozen)
3 cups buttermilk, well shaken
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
1/4 cup water (only if needed to loosen sauce at the end)
Directions
Lightly coat the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray or a thin layer of butter to help keep the noodles from sticking.
Add the dried wide egg noodles to the slow cooker. Spread them out as evenly as you can so they’re mostly in a flat layer; it’s okay if they overlap a bit.
Pour the well-shaken buttermilk evenly over the noodles, pressing down gently with a spoon so most of the noodles are moistened. They won’t be completely submerged and that’s fine.
Dot the cut-up butter pieces over the top of the noodles. Sprinkle the salt and black pepper evenly over everything.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring gently every 30 minutes. Each time you stir, make sure to bring the noodles from the edges toward the center so they cook evenly and get coated in the sauce.
After about 1 1/2 hours, start checking the noodles more frequently. They’re done when the noodles are tender but not mushy and the buttermilk and butter have turned into a silky, glossy, slightly tangy sauce clinging to each noodle.
If the sauce looks too thick or the noodles seem a bit dry, stir in up to 1/4 cup water, a tablespoon at a time, until it loosens into a creamy coating again.
Taste and adjust seasoning with a little more salt and plenty of black pepper. Serve immediately straight from the slow cooker while the noodles are hot and glossy. The sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it sits on the warm setting.
Variations & Tips
For extra richness, you can stir in a small splash of cream or a spoonful of cream cheese at the very end, letting it melt into the sauce before serving. If you want a little protein without spending much, fold in leftover shredded chicken, diced ham, or cooked crumbled sausage after the noodles are tender, then cover and warm through for 5 to 10 minutes on LOW. For more flavor without more cost, add a pinch of garlic powder or onion powder with the salt and pepper, or finish with a handful of chopped fresh parsley or chives if you have them on hand. You can also swap part of the buttermilk for regular milk if you’re running low; just keep at least half buttermilk for that tangy flavor. Food safety tips: Keep the slow cooker on LOW or WARM once the noodles are done and avoid leaving them at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow container within 2 hours of cooking and use within 3 days, reheating gently with a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce. Do not cook these noodles on HIGH, as the buttermilk can curdle and the noodles may overcook and become mushy.
