Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 4 to 6 hours on LOW, plus 30 to 45 minutes for the macaroni
Total time: about 5 to 7 hours
Servings: 5 to 6
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Method: Slow cooker / Crockpot
Equipment
- 6-quart slow cooker (oval fits the chops best)
- Whisk or large spoon
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Measuring cup for the broth
- Tongs
Ingredients
For the pork chops
- 5 to 6 thick-cut pork chops, 1 to 1½ inches thick, bone-in or boneless (about 3 lb / 1.4 kg)
- 1 packet (1 oz / 28 g) dry ranch seasoning mix
- Black pepper, to taste
For the creamy sauce
- 2 cans (10.5 oz / 298 g each) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 4 tbsp (57 g) butter, cut into cubes
- 1½ cups (360 ml) chicken broth, divided
For the pasta
- 2 cups (about 250 g) dry elbow macaroni
- An extra ½ to 1 cup (120 to 240 ml) chicken broth or water, for cooking the pasta
Optional extras
- 8 oz (225 g) sliced mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan, stirred in at the end
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
1. Pat the chops dry. Blot both sides with paper towels. If you like deeper flavor, sear them in a hot skillet for 1 to 2 minutes per side first. The video skips this, and the recipe works without it.
2. Lay the chops in the slow cooker. Arrange them in a single layer on the bottom of the pot, overlapping slightly if you need to. Leave out the pasta for now.
3. Season. Sprinkle the ranch packet evenly over the chops, as shown in the video, and add a few grinds of pepper. Scatter the mushrooms and garlic over the top if using.
4. Add the soup. Spoon both cans of cream of mushroom soup over the chops in generous dollops, spreading them so each chop is covered.
5. Add butter and broth. Place cubes of butter on top of the soup. Pour 1 cup of the broth gently around the edges, not over the top, so the sauce stays on the chops.
6. Cover and cook. Put the lid on and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the pork reaches at least 145°F (63°C) at the thickest part. For the fork-tender, shreddable texture in the video, cook bone-in chops closer to 6 or 7 hours on LOW.
7. Whisk the sauce. Lift the chops onto a plate and whisk the sauce in the pot until smooth. It should be loose and creamy. Stir in the remaining broth and any Parmesan.
8. Add the macaroni. Stir the dry macaroni into the sauce, adding the extra ½ to 1 cup of broth or water so the pasta has enough liquid to absorb. Turn the slow cooker to HIGH, cover, and cook for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the pasta is tender.
9. Return the chops. Nestle the pork chops back on top of the pasta, cover, and keep warm for 5 to 10 minutes.
10. Serve. Spoon the creamy macaroni onto plates, top with a pork chop, and ladle extra sauce over everything. Garnish with parsley.
Recipe Notes and Tips
Why add the macaroni late? Dry pasta cooked for hours breaks down into a mushy paste and soaks up all the sauce. Adding it at the end gives tender pasta and a creamy sauce. If you want the one-step method from the video, use a shorter cook time: 2 to 3 hours on HIGH, with thicker, bone-in chops, and expect softer pasta.
Choose thick chops. Thin chops dry out and turn stringy. Look for at least 1 inch thick, and bone-in chops stay juicier.
Watch the salt. Ranch seasoning and condensed soup are both salty, so you probably don’t need to add any. Low-sodium soup and broth help.
Pasta needs liquid. If the sauce looks too thick after adding the macaroni, stir in more broth, ¼ cup at a time.
Boneless chops cook faster. Check them 1 to 2 hours earlier than bone-in chops.
Use a thermometer. Slow cookers vary a lot, and a thermometer is the easiest way to avoid dry pork.
Slow cooker liners work fine and make cleanup easier.
Variations
- Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles: The final shots in the video show both. Skip the macaroni step and serve the chops and gravy over either one.
- Pulled pork style: Cook until the pork shreds, then pull it apart and stir it into the sauce.
- Garlic mushroom version: Add fresh sliced mushrooms and minced garlic for a heartier, more restaurant-style gravy.
- Lighter version: Use reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup, cut the butter to 2 tbsp, and use whole wheat macaroni.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free soup, ranch seasoning, and pasta, and check the broth label.
- Cream of chicken swap: Replace one can of mushroom soup with cream of chicken for a milder sauce.
Troubleshooting
- The macaroni is mushy. It was added too early or cooked too long. Add it in the last 30 to 45 minutes and check it at 30.
- The pasta is still hard. The sauce was too thick. Add more broth, cover, and cook another 10 to 15 minutes.
- The pork is dry. The chops were too thin or cooked too long. Use thicker bone-in chops and check temperatures early.
- The sauce is too thick. Whisk in broth or milk a little at a time.
- The sauce is too salty. Use low-sodium products next time, and serve over unsalted noodles or potatoes.
What to Serve With It
- Steamed green beans or broccoli
- Honey-glazed carrots
- A simple green salad
- Warm dinner rolls
- Buttered corn
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
Storage
Refrigerate: Store pork, pasta, and sauce together in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days. The pasta will absorb sauce as it sits.
Freeze: Freeze the pork and sauce for up to 3 months. Pasta softens in the freezer, so it’s better to freeze without it.
Reheat: Warm in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of milk or broth, or microwave at 50% power in short bursts, stirring in between.
Nutrition (Estimated, Per Serving, Based on 6 Servings)
- Calories: about 640
- Protein: about 42 g
- Carbohydrates: about 40 g
- Fat: about 33 g
- Sodium: high, so choose low-sodium products to reduce it
These numbers are approximate and vary with the cut of pork and the brands you use.