My neighbor brought this to a potluck once and it disappears fast. I couldn't believe it only takes 4 ingredients!

This oven baked 4-ingredient Amish country pasta bake is the kind of humble, church-basement casserole that shows up at potlucks and vanishes before you can go back for seconds. It’s built on pantry staples—ground beef, elbow macaroni, tomato sauce, and a little processed cheese—baked together until the pasta is tender and the top is bubbling and browned around the edges. While it’s not a traditional Old Order Amish recipe, it’s very much in the spirit of Midwestern Amish-country comfort food: simple, filling, and designed to feed a crowd with minimal fuss.

Serve this pasta bake straight from the glass baking dish with a big green salad dressed in a tangy vinaigrette to cut through the richness. Garlic bread or buttered dinner rolls are natural partners, especially if you like something to swipe through the extra sauce. For a little color and freshness, add steamed green beans or roasted broccoli on the side. It also reheats well, so it’s a good make-ahead option for busy weeknights—just pair leftovers with a crisp side salad or sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.

Servings: 6

1 pound ground beef (80–90% lean)

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass baking dish so the pasta doesn’t stick.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook for about 2 minutes less than the package directions for al dente; the pasta will finish cooking in the oven. Drain well and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small crumbles with a spoon, until browned and no pink remains, 6–8 minutes. If there is a lot of fat in the pan, carefully spoon off most of it, leaving just a thin coating for flavor.

Reduce the skillet heat to low and pour in the tomato pasta sauce or plain tomato sauce. Stir to combine with the beef and let it simmer gently for 2–3 minutes so the flavors come together. Taste and, if your sauce is very plain, you can add a pinch of salt or pepper, but it’s optional.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained macaroni with the hot beef and tomato sauce mixture. Add the cubed processed cheese and stir until the cubes are evenly distributed; they don’t need to be fully melted yet, just mixed throughout.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared 9x13-inch glass baking dish, spreading it into an even layer so the pasta and meat are evenly distributed. Make sure some of the sauce comes to the top so the pasta doesn’t dry out.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. This allows the pasta to finish cooking and the cheese to melt into the sauce.

Remove the foil and return the dish to the oven. Bake uncovered for another 10–15 minutes, or until the top looks slightly browned in spots, the edges are bubbling, and the cheese is fully melted into a rich sauce.

Let the casserole rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. This short rest helps the pasta bake set up a bit so it scoops more neatly and the sauce thickens slightly.

To keep the 4-ingredient spirit, think of these as optional ideas rather than requirements. If you prefer a bit of heat, use a spicy tomato sauce or stir in a small pinch of red pepper flakes with the sauce. For a slightly lighter version, you can substitute ground turkey for the beef; just be sure to cook it thoroughly until no pink remains and season lightly with salt since turkey is milder. If you only have plain tomato sauce, a teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning and a pinch of sugar can make it taste more like jarred pasta sauce, though that would technically add ingredients beyond the core four. You can also swap the elbow macaroni for another short pasta like small shells or rotini, but keep an eye on cooking time so you still undercook it slightly before baking. Food safety notes: always cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C); if you’re unsure, use an instant-read thermometer while the beef is still in the skillet. Drain excess grease carefully to avoid splatters, and never pour hot fat directly down the sink. If you’re preparing this ahead, cool the baked casserole quickly, cover, and refrigerate within 2 hours. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C) before serving, and use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days.