This slow cooker 5-ingredient Amish bell pepper noodle pot is the kind of dish that disappears at every summer potluck. My aunt started bringing it years ago, using peppers straight from her garden, and the slow cooker always comes home empty. It’s simple, comforting, and full of those fresh, sweet bell pepper flavors that really shine against soft egg noodles and a light buttery sauce. Everything goes into the slow cooker and simmers gently, so it’s perfect for busy days, church gatherings, or family cookouts when you want something warm and crowd-pleasing without fuss.
Serve this bell pepper noodle pot right out of the slow cooker on the “warm” setting so it stays cozy and ready for seconds. It pairs nicely with grilled chicken, sausages, or burgers at a summer potluck, and a crisp green salad or sliced garden tomatoes on the side helps balance the buttery noodles. Add a basket of crusty bread or dinner rolls to soak up the extra sauce. For family nights, I like to set out a small bowl of grated Parmesan and black pepper so everyone can finish their own bowl just how they like it.
Slow Cooker Amish Bell Pepper Noodle PotServings: 8
Ingredients
12 oz wide egg noodles (dry)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 large bell peppers (mixed red and green), seeded and cut into thin strips
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
Directions
Lightly coat the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray or a thin layer of butter to help prevent sticking.
Add the bell pepper strips to the slow cooker, spreading them in an even layer across the bottom so they cook evenly and get nice and tender.
Pour the chicken broth over the peppers, then sprinkle in the kosher salt. Stir gently to combine and make sure the peppers are mostly submerged in the broth.
Scatter the pieces of butter over the top of the peppers and broth. Cover the slow cooker with the lid.
Cook the pepper mixture on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, until the peppers are very tender and the broth is hot and fragrant.
Once the peppers are tender, stir the mixture and taste the broth, adding a pinch more salt if needed. The broth should taste pleasantly seasoned, since it will flavor the noodles.
Add the dry egg noodles to the slow cooker, pressing them down gently with a spoon so they are mostly submerged in the hot broth and nestled among the peppers.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the noodles are soft, silky, and have absorbed most of the broth. The mixture should look lightly sauced and glossy, not soupy.
When the noodles are tender, give everything a final gentle stir from the bottom up to distribute the peppers and buttery broth evenly without breaking the noodles.
Switch the slow cooker to WARM. Let the noodles rest with the lid on for about 5 to 10 minutes; this helps them finish softening and soak up the last of the sauce.
Stir again just before serving, then taste and adjust seasoning with a bit more salt if needed. Serve the noodles and peppers straight from the slow cooker so they stay warm for your potluck or family meal.
Variations & Tips
You can easily adapt this simple potluck dish to fit your family’s tastes and what you have in the garden. For extra color and sweetness, toss in yellow or orange bell peppers along with the red and green. If your crowd likes a little more richness, stir in 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sour cream or a splash of heavy cream at the very end for a creamier sauce, keeping in mind this will change it from a light buttery glaze to something more like a farmhouse-style noodle dish. For a touch of Amish-style herb flavor, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of dried parsley or dill when you add the broth. Picky eaters who don’t love visible peppers might prefer the peppers cut into smaller, thinner strips so they blend in more with the noodles. You can also swap chicken broth for vegetable broth to make it vegetarian, and use salted butter if that’s what you have, just reduce the added salt slightly and adjust at the end. If you need to hold the dish for a while on WARM, stir every 20 to 30 minutes and, if it looks dry, add a splash of warm broth or water to keep the noodles soft and glossy. For food safety, keep cooked noodles out of the temperature “danger zone” (40°F–140°F) by not letting the slow cooker sit turned off for more than 2 hours; if you’re transporting it to a potluck, keep the lid on, plug the slow cooker in as soon as you arrive, and discard any leftovers that have been at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Always check that the broth is steaming hot before adding the noodles so they cook properly and any bacteria are reduced to safe levels.
