My aunt made this for Sunday dinner and nobody left the table for an hour

This oven baked 4-ingredient marry me shrimp pasta is exactly the kind of dish my aunt would pull out for Sunday dinner—the kind where everyone goes quiet for a minute and then suddenly nobody moves from the table for an hour. It’s rich, cozy, and feels a little fancy, but it’s built for real life: a bag of shrimp, a box of pasta, a jar of Alfredo, and a jar of sun-dried tomatoes. Everything bakes together in one casserole dish into a creamy, sun-dried tomato–laced sauce that clings to every piece of penne and every plump shrimp. If you love the vibe of “marry me” chicken but want something you can toss in the oven after a long day, this is it.

Serve this creamy shrimp pasta straight from the casserole dish with a big spoon and let everyone help themselves. It pairs really well with a simple green salad (think mixed greens with a lemony vinaigrette) to cut through the richness, and some warm garlic bread or a sliced baguette to swipe through the extra sauce. A crisp white wine, like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, or sparkling water with lemon keeps things light. For a bigger spread, add roasted broccoli or asparagus on the side so you’ve got a full Sunday-style dinner with minimal effort.

Servings: 4-6

12 oz dry penne pasta

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

Par-cook the penne: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook for about 6–7 minutes, just until it’s very firm and undercooked (it will finish in the oven). Drain well and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, chop the sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces if they aren’t already chopped. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels so they don’t water down the sauce.

In the baking dish, whisk together the Alfredo sauce and chopped sun-dried tomatoes until evenly combined. This is your quick “marry me” style sauce—creamy, tangy, and rich.

Add the drained, undercooked penne to the baking dish and toss gently in the sauce until every piece is coated. Make sure the pasta is mostly submerged in the sauce so it bakes up creamy and not dry.

Scatter the shrimp evenly over and through the pasta, gently stirring or nudging some shrimp down into the sauce so they’re nestled throughout and not just sitting on top.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil to trap in steam. Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the foil (watch for hot steam).

Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque and pink, the pasta is tender, and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. If the top looks a little dry at any point, you can stir gently in the corners to pull some sauce up over the pasta.

Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes out of the oven so the sauce thickens slightly and clings to the pasta. Then bring the dish straight to the table, grab a big serving spoon, and scoop generous portions of shrimp and penne, making sure you get plenty of that sun-dried tomato cream sauce in every serving.

If you have a few extra minutes, you can dress this up without adding more than a couple of pantry staples: sprinkle grated Parmesan or shredded mozzarella over the top before baking uncovered for a cheesier, more gratin-style finish, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes and a teaspoon of Italian seasoning to the Alfredo and sun-dried tomato mixture for a spicier, more herb-forward sauce. You can also swap penne for any short pasta you have on hand (rigatoni, ziti, or rotini all work well) and use frozen shrimp—just thaw them fully in the fridge, drain, and pat dry before baking. For a lighter feel, stir in a couple of handfuls of baby spinach right before baking; it will wilt into the sauce. Food safety tips: Always start with raw shrimp that are fully thawed if previously frozen; do not bake from frozen, as they may cook unevenly. Shrimp are done when they turn opaque and pink and reach 145°F in the thickest part. Avoid leaving the finished casserole at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if your kitchen is very warm); refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers and enjoy within 2–3 days, reheating until steaming hot before serving.