My sister made this 4 ingredient dinner for me after a long shift and I have been dreaming about it ever since

This oven baked 4-ingredients spring onion pasta is the kind of dinner that feels like a hug after a long shift. My sister actually made a version of this for me one night when I came home totally wiped from work, and I have been dreaming about it ever since. It’s creamy, cozy, and tastes way fancier than the effort it takes. Everything bakes together in one dish: pasta, cream, a pile of sliced spring onions, and a generous snowfall of Parmesan. The oven does the work while you change into sweats and decompress, and you sit down to a bowl of silky, cheesy pasta with roasted, sweet-onion flavor in every bite.

Serve this spring onion pasta in warm bowls with extra grated Parmesan and a crack of black pepper on top. A simple side salad with mixed greens and a tangy vinaigrette helps balance the richness, and some crusty bread or garlic toast is perfect for scooping up the creamy sauce from the bottom of the bowl. If you like a little heat, red pepper flakes or a drizzle of chili oil on the table lets everyone customize their own bowl. A crisp white wine, sparkling water with lemon, or iced tea all pair nicely without overpowering the gentle onion and Parmesan flavors.

Servings: 3-4

8 oz (about 225 g) short pasta, such as rigatoni, penne, or fusilli (dry, uncooked)

3/4 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish (about 8x8-inch or similar 2-quart dish) with a little olive oil or nonstick spray.

Add the dry pasta directly to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer so it cooks evenly in the sauce.

In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the heavy cream (or half-and-half), salt, and about 1 cup of the grated Parmesan cheese until mostly smooth. It will be thick, and that’s okay.

Scatter the sliced spring onions evenly over the dry pasta, making sure they’re fairly spread out so you get some in every bite.

Pour the creamy Parmesan mixture over the pasta and spring onions. Use a spoon to gently press the pasta down so it’s mostly submerged in the liquid. It’s fine if a few edges poke out; they’ll get a little toasty.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil to trap the steam, and place it on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the pasta is mostly tender when you poke a piece with a fork.

Carefully remove the foil (watch out for steam). Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan evenly over the top of the pasta.

Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 10–15 minutes, until the top is melty, bubbly, and lightly golden brown and the pasta is fully cooked and creamy underneath.

If you’d like a deeper golden top, you can broil the pasta for 1–2 minutes at the end, watching very closely so the cheese doesn’t burn.

Let the baked pasta rest for about 5 minutes so the sauce can thicken slightly. Spoon into bowls, making sure to scoop up the creamy sauce from the bottom, and top with extra Parmesan and black pepper if you like. Eat in comfy clothes, ideally after a long day, and enjoy.

To keep the spirit of a 4-ingredient, post-work comfort dinner, think of add-ins as optional bonuses rather than requirements. For a little heat, sprinkle red pepper flakes over the top with the final layer of Parmesan before baking uncovered. If you want more protein without extra dishes, tuck a few cooked chicken sausages or leftover shredded rotisserie chicken into the pasta before pouring over the cream mixture. For extra green, add a handful of frozen peas or chopped baby spinach during the last 10–15 minutes of baking so they stay bright. You can swap some or all of the Parmesan for Pecorino Romano if you like a saltier, sharper flavor, or stir in a spoonful of cream cheese with the cream for an even silkier sauce. If you need to make this ahead, assemble the dish up to the point of baking, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 8 hours; add 5–10 minutes to the covered bake time to account for the cold dish. Leftovers reheat well with a splash of cream or milk stirred in before microwaving so the pasta stays creamy instead of drying out.