My bridge partner brought this to our potluck and it was the first dish to disappear

My bridge partner Doris carried this into our church basement potluck in a scuffed cream-colored casserole dish, and I swear it never even made it to the far end of the table before it was scraped clean. It tastes like a cozy bowl of French onion soup and a pan of baked pasta decided to meet in the middle. This oven-baked four-ingredient French onion pasta leans on pantry staples and a store-bought soup mix, the way a lot of us Midwestern cooks have done for decades. It’s the kind of dish you can pull together on a chilly evening or before a card game, let it bubble away in the oven, and watch it become the first thing to disappear.

Serve this rich, cheesy French onion pasta with something crisp and bright alongside—think a simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette or sliced cucumbers and tomatoes dressed with a little vinegar and salt. Warm dinner rolls or buttered garlic bread are right at home on the plate, perfect for scooping up any stray onions and melted Gruyere. For a heartier spread, add a platter of roast chicken or baked ham, but honestly, this dish can stand on its own with just a bowl and a spoon.

Servings: 6

12 oz dry short pasta (such as penne, rotini, or fusilli)

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a medium cream-colored oval casserole dish (about 2 to 2 1/2 quarts) with a bit of oil or butter so the pasta doesn’t stick.

In a large mixing bowl or directly in the casserole dish if it’s deep enough, combine the dry pasta, beef broth, and both packets of French onion soup mix. Stir well to make sure the soup mix is evenly distributed and no dry pockets remain.

Spread the pasta mixture out evenly in the casserole dish, making sure all the pasta is mostly submerged in the liquid. It’s fine if a few pieces poke up; they’ll get a little toasty on top.

Cover the casserole tightly with foil to trap the steam. Place the dish on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes, until the pasta is just tender when you pull back the foil and taste a piece.

Once the pasta is tender, remove the foil and gently stir the casserole, scraping up any flavorful bits from the edges and making sure the onions and broth are coating the pasta. If it looks very dry, you can splash in a few extra tablespoons of hot water or broth, but it should be thick and saucy, not soupy.

Sprinkle the shredded Gruyere evenly over the top of the hot pasta. Return the uncovered casserole to the oven and bake for another 8 to 12 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to brown in spots.

If you like a deeper, more caramelized top, switch the oven to broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely so the cheese doesn’t burn. You’re looking for golden, blistered patches like the top of a crock of French onion soup.

Let the casserole rest for about 5 minutes so the sauce can thicken slightly and the cheese sets just a bit. Bring the dish straight to the table with a sturdy serving spoon, and scoop down deep so everyone gets tender pasta, onions, and those stretchy strands of Gruyere.

For a little extra richness, you can stir in 1/2 cup of heavy cream or sour cream when you pull the foil off and before you add the cheese. If you’d like more traditional French onion flavor, sauté 2 to 3 thinly sliced onions in butter until deeply golden and stir them into the pasta mixture before baking—this does add another ingredient and a bit of time, but it makes the dish taste closer to classic French onion soup. Swiss or provolone can stand in for Gruyere if that’s what you have, and a handful of toasted breadcrumbs mixed with the cheese gives a pleasantly crunchy top. To stretch the meal, add 1 to 2 cups of cooked shredded rotisserie chicken or sliced cooked sausage when you stir the pasta after the initial bake. If you need to make it ahead, bake the pasta covered until just tender, cool slightly, then top with cheese and bake again right before serving until hot and bubbly. For food safety, be sure the casserole is heated all the way through to at least 165°F if you add any cooked meats or make it ahead, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers. Reheat leftovers, covered, in a 350°F oven until steaming hot in the center, adding a splash of broth if it seems dry.