Crumble raw ground beef over dry egg noodles, along with 3 ingredients, into a deep casserole dish for a classic comfort meal that’s the one everyone asks for

This oven-baked 5-ingredient Amish-style Yumasetti is the kind of cozy casserole you make when you want everyone around the table, talking and going back for seconds. It’s inspired by simple Midwestern and Amish cooking, where basic pantry ingredients are layered together and baked into something comforting and familiar. You literally crumble raw ground beef over dry egg noodles, pour on a creamy mixture, and let the oven do the rest. It’s the classic comfort meal that everyone asks for, especially on chilly nights or busy weekdays when you want dinner to be easy but still feel homemade.

Serve this casserole hot, straight from the oven, with a simple green salad or steamed green beans to balance the richness. Buttered peas or corn are always kid-friendly sides that fit the old-fashioned feel of the dish. Warm dinner rolls or thick slices of buttered bread are great for soaking up any creamy sauce left on the plate. If you like, add a dish of pickles or sliced fresh tomatoes on the table for a little brightness alongside all that cozy comfort.

Servings: 6

12 oz dry wide egg noodles

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a deep 9x13-inch casserole dish or any similarly sized deep baking dish with cooking spray or a thin coat of butter.

Pour the dry egg noodles evenly into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Spread them out with your hand so they cover the entire base in a fairly even layer. This is the bed that will soak up all the flavor as it bakes.

In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup and the milk until smooth and well combined. It should be pourable but still creamy; this mixture will cook the noodles and keep everything tender.

Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the dry noodles. This first layer of cheese melts down into the noodles and sauce as it bakes, adding a little extra richness.

Using clean hands, crumble the raw ground beef directly over the dry noodles and cheese in the casserole dish. Break it up into small, marble- to grape-sized pieces and scatter them as evenly as you can so every scoop later has some beef. This is the step where it should look like a close-up process shot: hands crumbling raw ground beef over dry egg noodles in the deep dish.

Slowly pour the soup-and-milk mixture evenly over the ground beef and noodles, making sure to cover the entire surface. Gently tap the dish on the counter or use the back of a spoon to nudge the liquid down into the corners so the noodles have plenty of moisture to cook.

Cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 50–60 minutes, or until the noodles are tender when you poke a fork down into the center and the beef is cooked through. If your oven runs cool, you may need an extra 5–10 minutes.

Carefully remove the foil, then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the hot casserole. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden around the edges.

Let the casserole rest on the counter for about 10 minutes before serving. This short rest helps the sauce thicken slightly and makes it easier to scoop neat portions. Serve warm, making sure to dig all the way down through the creamy noodles and beef so each serving gets a bit of everything.

For picky eaters, you can swap the cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken soup or a mix of the two for a milder flavor. If anyone in your house avoids visible mushrooms, blend the soup with the milk using an immersion blender to make it extra smooth before pouring it over the noodles. To lighten things up a bit, use 93% lean ground beef and 2% milk; just know the sauce will be slightly less rich. For extra flavor, stir 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of onion powder into the soup-and-milk mixture before baking. If your family likes a little crunch, add a topping: after the casserole has baked and you’ve added the cheese, sprinkle 1 cup of crushed butter crackers or plain cornflakes over the cheese and bake until golden. You can also add a veggie boost by scattering 1–2 cups of frozen peas or mixed vegetables over the noodles before crumbling on the beef; no need to thaw them first. If you’re cooking ahead, assemble the casserole up through pouring on the soup mixture, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours; when baking from cold, add 10–15 minutes to the covered baking time and check the noodles for doneness before adding the final cheese layer.