My grandmother made this every Sunday during hard times, and we still request it at family dinners. Simple, filling, and absolutely delicious.

This is the kind of meal that quietly holds a family together. My grandmother made these oven baked 3-ingredient pork chops with canned green beans almost every Sunday during the lean years, when money was tight but we still gathered around the table. It’s simple, filling, and full of cozy, old-fashioned flavor. Everything bakes together in one vintage-style casserole dish, so the pork chops turn tender and golden while the green beans soak up all those savory pan juices. It’s the kind of recipe you can pull together on a busy weeknight with pantry staples, but it still feels special enough for a family dinner.

These pork chops and green beans are hearty enough to stand on their own, but they’re especially good with creamy mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles to catch all the savory juices from the pan. A simple side salad or sliced tomatoes with a sprinkle of salt and pepper adds a fresh bite to balance the richness. If you want to stretch the meal for a crowd, serve with warm dinner rolls or cornbread so everyone can mop up the flavorful drippings from the casserole dish.

Servings: 4

4 bone-in pork chops, about 3/4-inch thick

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a vintage-style 9x13-inch casserole dish or any similar baking dish.

Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and black pepper. This helps them brown nicely and keeps the seasoning simple, just like Grandma did.

Optional but recommended: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork chops for 2–3 minutes per side, just until lightly golden. They do not need to be cooked through at this point. This step adds extra flavor and helps them look beautifully browned in the casserole.

Spread the drained green beans evenly in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish, making a soft bed for the pork chops.

Nestle the pork chops on top of the green beans, laying them in a single layer so they all get some of the pan juices as they bake.

In a small bowl, stir the condensed cream of mushroom soup until smooth. You don’t need to add water or milk. Spoon the soup evenly over the pork chops and green beans, letting some drip down between the chops so everything gets coated.

Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes, or until the pork chops are tender, lightly golden on top, and reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). The green beans should be very soft and surrounded by savory, creamy pan juices.

Let the casserole rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Spoon the tender green beans and pan juices around and over the pork chops in each serving, just like you see in those cozy Sunday-dinner casserole dishes.

For picky eaters who don’t love mushrooms, you can swap the cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken or cream of celery while keeping the same simple, three-ingredient spirit. If your family likes a little extra seasoning, sprinkle a packet of onion soup mix or a teaspoon of garlic powder over the pork chops before adding the soup. To make it a bit more comforting and stretch the meal, add a layer of thinly sliced potatoes under the green beans, then bake as directed (you may need an extra 10–15 minutes until the potatoes are tender). For a slightly lighter version, use low-sodium canned green beans and a reduced-sodium condensed soup, and season with salt at the end so you can control it. If you prefer boneless pork chops, reduce the covered baking time by about 10 minutes and check for doneness early so they stay tender. You can also add a handful of sliced onions over the green beans for extra flavor, or finish the dish under the broiler for 2–3 minutes at the end to deepen the golden color on top. Leftovers reheat well in the oven or microwave, and the flavors often taste even better the next day.