This slow cooker pork pasta is the kind of practical Midwestern supper that earns a regular place in the dinner rotation: minimal ingredients, very little hands-on work, and a rich, comforting finish. Spooning cottage cheese over pork tenderloin may sound unusual at first, but as it cooks, the cheese softens into a creamy sauce that blends beautifully with the pork and pasta for a hearty, family-style meal.
Serve this with a crisp green salad, steamed green beans, or roasted broccoli to balance the richness of the pasta. Warm garlic bread or buttered rolls fit right in, and if you want a brighter note on the plate, a spoonful of chopped parsley or a little black pepper over the top just before serving helps wake up the creamy sauce.
Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Amish Cottage Cheese Pork Pasta
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds
2 cups cottage cheese
1 packet dry ranch seasoning mix, about 1 ounce
1 can cream of chicken soup, 10.5 ounces
8 ounces egg noodles
Directions
1. Place the pork tenderloin in the slow cooker. Spoon the cottage cheese over the top, then add the ranch seasoning and cream of chicken soup. Spread the mixture lightly so the pork is mostly covered.
2. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until the pork is very tender and easy to shred.
3. Remove the pork to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. Stir the sauce in the slow cooker until smooth and well combined, then return the shredded pork to the cooker.
4. Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles in salted boiling water according to the package directions. Drain well.
5. Stir the cooked noodles into the pork and sauce, or serve the creamy shredded pork mixture spooned over the noodles. Let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes so the sauce clings to the pasta, then serve hot.
Variations & Tips
Add a vegetable: Stir in a cup of frozen peas or steamed broccoli at the end of cooking for a little color and to turn it into more of a complete one-pot meal.
Use a different pasta: Egg noodles are especially traditional and work well here, but rotini, shells, or even wide pappardelle-style noodles can hold the creamy sauce nicely if that is what you have on hand.
Make the sauce smoother: If you prefer a more uniform sauce, whisk the cottage cheese, ranch seasoning, and soup together before spooning it over the pork, or blend the sauce briefly after cooking before returning the shredded meat.
Watch the cook time: Pork tenderloin is lean, so check it toward the earlier end of the cooking window. Once it shreds easily, it is ready; overcooking for too long can make it a bit dry even in a creamy sauce.