There are nights when the whole family is hungry, everyone is tired, and nobody can agree on what sounds good. That is exactly when a simple slow cooker supper like this comes to the rescue. This creamy turkey pasta has the plainspoken comfort of Amish-style home cooking, where pantry staples, tender meat, and a rich, practical sauce come together without any fuss. Spreading mayonnaise over the turkey may sound unusual at first, but it keeps the cutlets moist as they cook low and slow, making a cozy meal that tastes like something a country kitchen has been making for generations.
Serve this dish with buttered green beans, glazed carrots, or a simple side salad with cucumbers and tomatoes to brighten up the creamy sauce. Warm dinner rolls or a thick slice of homemade bread are mighty welcome for mopping up the extra sauce, and if you want to round things out even more, a bowl of stewed apples or applesauce makes a sweet little Midwestern touch alongside the savory pasta.
Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Amish Mayo Turkey Pasta
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 pounds turkey cutlets
1 cup mayonnaise
1 packet dry onion soup mix (about 1 ounce)
1 can cream of chicken soup (10.5 ounces)
12 ounces egg noodles
Directions
1. Lightly grease the slow cooker if desired, then lay the turkey cutlets in an even layer in the bottom. Spread the mayonnaise all over the top of the turkey, then sprinkle the onion soup mix evenly over that. Spoon the cream of chicken soup across the top and spread it gently so the meat is covered.
2. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or until the turkey is tender and cooked through. If the cutlets are large, you can break or slice them into bite-size pieces right in the cooker during the last 30 minutes so they mingle nicely with the sauce.
3. Near the end of the cooking time, boil the egg noodles in salted water according to the package directions. Drain well, then add the hot noodles to the slow cooker and toss gently until they are coated in the creamy turkey sauce.
4. Let the pasta sit in the slow cooker for 5 minutes so it can soak up a bit of the sauce, then serve hot in bowls or on plates.
Variations & Tips
Add a vegetable: If you want to make it a fuller one-pot supper, stir in cooked peas or steamed broccoli right before serving. They add color and a bit of freshness without changing the easygoing nature of the dish.
Use chicken instead: Boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken cutlets work beautifully here if turkey is not what you have on hand. Keep the same method and cooking time, and check that the meat is fully cooked before shredding or slicing.
Thin the sauce if needed: Some slow cookers run hotter than others, so if the sauce seems a little too thick, stir in a splash of warm broth, milk, or pasta water before adding the noodles. That will loosen everything up and help the sauce coat the pasta more evenly.
Choose the right noodles: Egg noodles are especially fitting for this kind of old-fashioned comfort food, but rotini or wide pasta ribbons can be used in a pinch. Just cook them separately and add them at the end so they do not go soft in the slow cooker.
Season at the table: The soup mix already brings a good bit of flavor, so wait until serving time before adding extra salt. A little black pepper or chopped parsley on top is often all it needs.