My neighbor brought this to the potluck and left with an empty dish and twenty recipe requests

This oven baked 4-ingredient creamy sun dried tomato pasta is exactly the kind of dish my neighbor brought to our neighborhood potluck—and she went home with an empty blue baking dish and about twenty people asking for the recipe. It’s a weeknight-friendly, dump-and-bake pasta that feels special enough for company, but simple enough to throw together after work. Everything bakes in one dish (no boiling the pasta first), and the sun dried tomatoes melt into the sauce, giving it that rich, restaurant-y flavor with almost no effort.

Serve this creamy sun dried tomato pasta straight from the oven with a big green salad (I love mixed greens with a simple balsamic vinaigrette) and some crusty bread or garlic toast to scoop up the extra sauce. It also pairs really well with roasted vegetables like broccoli or asparagus if you want to round out the meal. For potlucks, I let it rest for about 10 minutes so it sets up a bit, then bring it in the same blue baking dish with a wooden spoon tucked alongside for easy serving.

Servings: 6

1 pound (450 g) dry rigatoni pasta

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a medium-large blue ceramic baking dish (about 9x13 inches or similar) with a little of the oil from the sun dried tomatoes or cooking spray.

Add the dry rigatoni directly to the baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. The pasta should be uncooked at this stage—no need to boil it first.

In a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, 1/2 cup water, and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper (about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste). This extra water helps the dry pasta cook through in the oven.

Stir the chopped sun dried tomatoes into the cream mixture, making sure they’re evenly distributed. Pour this creamy tomato mixture over the dry rigatoni in the baking dish, using a spoon to nudge the pasta so most of it is submerged in the liquid.

Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese evenly over the top of the pasta and sauce, reserving the remaining 1/2 cup cheese for later.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil, making sure it’s well sealed so the steam stays in and cooks the pasta. Place the dish on the center rack of the preheated oven.

Bake covered for 35–40 minutes, until the pasta is mostly tender when you poke a piece with a fork and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. If your oven runs hot, start checking at 30 minutes.

Carefully remove the foil (watch out for steam), sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the top, and return the dish to the oven uncovered. Bake for another 8–12 minutes, until the cheese is melted, lightly golden in spots, and the sauce looks creamy and thickened.

Let the pasta rest on the counter for 10 minutes before serving. This helps the sauce set slightly so it clings to the rigatoni. Use a wooden spoon to scoop up big, cheesy portions, making sure you get plenty of sun dried tomatoes in each serving.

To make this a bit lighter, you can swap half of the heavy cream for whole milk, though the sauce will be slightly less rich and may not be quite as thick. If you want more protein, stir in 1–2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken or Italian sausage when you add the sun dried tomatoes. For extra flavor, add 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried basil to the cream mixture, or toss in a small handful of grated Parmesan along with the shredded cheese. If you don’t have rigatoni, other short, sturdy shapes like penne or ziti will work; avoid very small pasta that can overcook quickly. For a little heat, sprinkle in red pepper flakes before baking. Food safety tips: Keep the heavy cream refrigerated until you’re ready to use it, and don’t leave the finished pasta at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it’s very warm in your kitchen). Cool leftovers quickly, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate within 2 hours. Reheat thoroughly until steaming hot before serving again. If bringing this to a potluck, transport it in an insulated carrier if possible, and keep it covered so it stays warm and safe to eat.