My great aunt lived on this simple pasta during the hardest years and passed the recipe down to every generation. Proof that less is more.

My great aunt used to say that hard times teach you what really matters, and this slow cooker garlic spaghetti is proof of that. During the Depression, she kept herself going on little more than a sack of pasta, a jug of oil, and a bulb of garlic, and she still managed to feed whoever showed up at her door.

This recipe is a simple, three-ingredient wonder: spaghetti simmered right in a slow cooker until it’s soft, glossy, and fragrant with garlic. It’s the kind of meal you make when the pantry is bare, the paycheck is far away, or you just need something comforting and uncomplicated. It’s been passed down through our family as a reminder that less can truly be more.

This humble garlic spaghetti is lovely just as it is, straight from the slow cooker with a sprinkle of black pepper if you have it. To stretch it into a full meal, you can serve it alongside a simple green salad, sliced fresh tomatoes with a little salt, or any cooked vegetable you have on hand. A heel of crusty bread or a homemade biscuit is perfect for catching the extra garlicky oil at the bottom of the pot. If times aren’t quite so tight, a little grated cheese on top turns it into something that feels downright special.