Spring Sunday Bake: Just 4 ingredients. I make it when I want dinner handled hours ahead.

This 4-ingredient oven beef is the kind of hands-off Sunday bake I lean on when I want dinner handled hours ahead and the house to smell amazing. Everything goes into one deep baking dish, gets tucked under a creamy, cheesy top, and then just slowly bubbles away in the oven until the beef turns tender and fibrous underneath that golden, caramelized layer. It’s simple Midwestern comfort food—no fancy steps, just a cozy, practical casserole-style roast that lets you enjoy your afternoon while dinner takes care of itself.

Serve big spoonfuls of this bubbly, golden-topped beef over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or steamed white rice to soak up all the savory juices. A simple green side—like buttered green beans, a tossed salad, or roasted carrots—keeps the plate balanced. Warm dinner rolls or crusty bread are great for swiping through the creamy sauce left in the baking dish. For a relaxed Sunday, I’ll set the baking dish in the center of the table and let everyone scoop their own, family-style.

Servings: 6

2 to 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into large chunks

Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Lightly grease a deep ceramic baking dish (about 9x13 inches or similar) so cleanup is easier later.

Pat the beef chunks dry with paper towels and spread them in an even layer in the bottom of the baking dish. The pieces should be snug but in a single layer so they cook evenly and become tender and fibrous.

In a small bowl, stir together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and the dry onion soup mix until well combined. It will be thick and very flavorful—that’s your simple sauce base.

Spoon the soup mixture evenly over the beef, making sure all the pieces are coated and mostly concealed. Use the back of the spoon to spread it into a fairly smooth layer; this helps create that bubbly, caramelized top as it bakes.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Place it in the preheated oven and bake for 2 1/2 hours, undisturbed. During this time the beef will slowly cook down into tender, succulent shreds under the sauce.

Carefully remove the dish from the oven and take off the foil (watch for steam). Gently stir once to make sure the beef is coated in the sauce, then smooth the top again so the meat is mostly hidden beneath the creamy layer.

Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top, fully covering the surface so the beef and sauce are concealed under a blanket of cheese.

Return the uncovered baking dish to the oven and bake for another 20–30 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and the cheese is melted, golden, and caramelized around the edges. If you like a deeper golden top, you can broil it for 1–3 minutes at the end, watching closely.

Let the dish rest for about 10 minutes before serving. The sauce will thicken slightly, and you’ll see steam rise when you break through the golden top to reveal the tender, fibrous beef underneath.

For picky eaters, use cream of chicken or cream of celery soup instead of mushroom if they’re not fans of mushrooms; the process stays the same. You can swap the mozzarella for another mild, good-melting cheese like Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or a blend—just keep the full, concealing layer so you still get that bubbly, golden top. If your family prefers extra sauce, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water or beef broth to the soup mixture before spreading it over the beef, which will give you more juices to spoon over potatoes or noodles. For a slightly lighter version, trim the beef well and use a reduced-sodium soup and onion mix. To make it feel more like a full casserole without adding more ingredients, simply serve it over a bed of frozen mashed potatoes or egg noodles you’ve cooked while the beef finishes. Leftovers reheat nicely in a covered dish at 325°F until warmed through, or in the microwave in short bursts, and they’re wonderful tucked into soft rolls for easy sandwiches the next day.