My sister brought this to the church potluck and came home with an empty dish

This oven baked 4-ingredient tuna melt pasta is exactly the kind of dish that disappears at small-town church potlucks. My sister first brought a bubbling glass casserole of it to a Sunday potluck, and she came home with nothing but an empty dish and a lot of recipe requests. It has all the cozy flavors of a classic tuna melt sandwich—cheesy, creamy, and comforting—stretched into a hearty pasta bake that’s easy on the budget and simple enough to toss together on a busy weeknight.

Serve this tuna melt pasta hot straight from the oven with a simple green salad or some steamed green beans to balance the richness. Garlic bread or warm dinner rolls are perfect for scooping up the creamy sauce that clings to the noodles. At potlucks, I like to set it next to a bowl of grapes or sliced apples for something fresh and kid-friendly. A little black pepper or hot sauce at the table lets the grown-ups bump up the flavor without scaring off picky eaters.

Servings: 6

12 oz dry pasta (elbow macaroni, shells, or rotini)

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

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, 1–2 minutes less than the package directions, since it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain well.

While the pasta cooks, drain the tuna thoroughly and flake it with a fork to break up any big chunks.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and 2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese until well combined. (It will be thick, that’s okay.)

Add the drained pasta and flaked tuna to the bowl with the soup-cheese mixture. Gently fold everything together until all the noodles are coated and the tuna is evenly distributed.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared 9x13-inch glass casserole dish, smoothing it into an even layer with the back of a spoon.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top to create a good, cheesy crust.

Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top is melted, golden, and slightly crisp in spots.

Let the casserole rest for about 5–10 minutes before serving so it can set up a bit and won’t slide all over the plate. Use a metal serving spoon to scoop big, cheesy portions, making sure to dig all the way down so everyone gets plenty of creamy noodles and tuna in each scoop.

You can easily adjust this casserole to fit your family’s tastes while keeping it simple. For extra creaminess, stir in a splash of milk (2–4 tablespoons) with the soup and cheese; just know this technically adds an extra ingredient. If your kids are picky about tuna texture, use chunk light tuna and mash it finely with a fork before mixing it in so there are fewer big pieces. For a milder flavor, swap half of the cheddar for shredded mozzarella. If you like a little crunch, you can sprinkle some crushed crackers or plain potato chips over the cheese before baking, but again, that would go beyond the basic 4-ingredient version. To stretch it for a bigger crowd, add an extra 4–6 oz of pasta and a bit more cheese on top. For food safety, always use tuna from cans that are not bulging, rusted, or damaged, and check the expiration date. Drain the tuna well and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to mix the casserole. If you assemble the dish ahead, cover and refrigerate it and bake within 24 hours; add 5–10 minutes to the bake time if it goes into the oven cold. Leftovers should be cooled, covered, and refrigerated within 2 hours and eaten within 3–4 days, reheating until hot and steaming all the way through before serving again.