My grandmother made this every Sunday after church and now I finally understand why

This oven baked 4-ingredient creamed chip beef pasta is exactly the kind of cozy, stick-to-your-ribs dish my grandmother would slide onto the table every Sunday after church. It’s simple, budget-friendly, and uses the same pantry-style ingredients she relied on when she needed to feed a crowd without a lot of fuss. Everything bakes together in one casserole dish into a creamy, white-sauce-coated pasta with salty bits of dried beef tucked into every bite. It’s the kind of recipe you throw together in minutes, then let the oven do the work while you catch up with your family, and suddenly you understand why Grandma kept coming back to it week after week.

Serve this creamed chip beef pasta piping hot straight from the casserole dish, with a big spoon for scooping. It pairs nicely with a simple green salad dressed in something tangy to balance the richness, or just some steamed green beans or peas if you’re feeding picky eaters. Warm dinner rolls, garlic bread, or even plain buttered toast on the side are perfect for mopping up the extra creamy sauce. For a comforting, Sunday-style spread, add a bowl of fruit salad or sliced apples so there’s something light and fresh on the table too.

Servings: 6

12 oz dry penne pasta

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch or similar oval casserole dish so the pasta doesn’t stick.

Rinse the dried beef under cool running water to remove excess salt, then pat it dry with a paper towel and chop it into small bite-size pieces. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and the milk until the mixture is smooth and no big lumps remain.

Stir the uncooked penne pasta into the soup mixture, making sure every piece of pasta is coated. Fold in the chopped dried beef, spreading it evenly throughout the mixture.

Pour everything into the prepared casserole dish, using a spoon to spread the pasta into an even layer so it cooks uniformly. Make sure the pasta is mostly submerged in the sauce.

Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil to trap the steam and help the pasta cook through. Place it on the middle rack of the preheated oven.

Bake, covered, for 35–40 minutes, until the pasta is just tender when you bite into a piece. Carefully remove the foil (watch for hot steam).

Give the pasta a good stir, scraping the bottom of the dish to loosen any bits that may have settled. If the sauce looks too thick, you can stir in a splash more milk right in the dish.

Return the uncovered casserole to the oven and bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly around the edges and creamy, and the pasta is fully cooked but not mushy.

Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for about 5–10 minutes. This short rest helps the sauce thicken slightly so it clings to the penne, just like those cozy Sunday casseroles from Grandma’s table.

Serve straight from the casserole dish with a large spoon, making sure to scoop from the bottom so every serving gets plenty of creamy sauce and bits of dried beef.

To make this feel even more like Grandma’s Sunday table, you can play with a few simple tweaks without adding a lot of fuss. For extra creaminess, stir in 1/2 cup of sour cream or a handful of shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese when you uncover the casserole, then bake until melted and bubbly. If you have picky eaters who shy away from the stronger flavor of dried beef, you can use less dried beef, or swap half of it for chopped cooked ham or rotisserie chicken while still keeping the basic four-ingredient idea for yourself. For a little color and texture, you can stir in 1–2 cups of frozen peas or mixed vegetables during the last 10–15 minutes of baking so they warm through without getting mushy. If you prefer a milder sauce, use 2% milk instead of whole milk, or add an extra splash of milk at the end to loosen the sauce. Food safety tips: Always rinse and pat dry the dried beef to remove excess surface salt and brine. Keep the milk and any leftover casserole refrigerated promptly; don’t let the baked pasta sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Reheat leftovers thoroughly until steaming hot in the center, either in the oven, covered with foil, or in the microwave, adding a spoonful of milk if the sauce has thickened too much. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days, and discard if there is any off smell, discoloration, or slimy texture.