Spoon garlic herb cream cheese and these 3 ingredients over egg noodles into a baking dish for a weeknight meal you will crave on repeat

This cozy oven-baked garlic herb noodle bake is exactly the kind of weeknight comfort food I lean on when the day has been long and everyone’s hungry at the same time. It’s inspired by simple Amish-style buttered noodles, but we take a little shortcut with a tub of store-bought garlic herb cream cheese. You literally just spoon the cream cheese and three pantry ingredients over dry egg noodles in a baking dish, slide it in the oven, and let the heat do the work. The noodles soak up all that creamy, garlicky goodness and come out tender, rich, and so satisfying—perfect for busy families who still want a homemade meal.

Serve these creamy garlic herb noodles as the star of the plate with a simple green salad and steamed or roasted vegetables—broccoli, green beans, or carrots all work well. They’re also wonderful alongside baked chicken, pork chops, or meatloaf if you want to stretch the meal for a larger family. A sprinkle of extra fresh herbs or a little black pepper on top right before serving makes it feel just a bit special. If you have crusty bread or dinner rolls on hand, they’re great for scooping up the extra sauce from the bottom of the pan.

Servings: 4

8 oz (about 4 cups) uncooked wide egg noodles

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

Spread the uncooked egg noodles evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Try to keep them in a fairly even layer so they cook through at the same rate.

In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth and milk until well combined. Taste and add the optional salt if your broth is very mild; skip or reduce the salt if your broth is already salty.

Slowly pour the broth and milk mixture evenly over the dry egg noodles in the baking dish, making sure most of the noodles are moistened. Gently press down any noodles that are sticking up so they’re at least lightly covered with liquid.

Using a spoon, dollop the garlic herb cream cheese all over the top of the noodles. Think of little spoonfuls scattered across the surface rather than one big clump. This is the step that should look like the close-up process shot: hands spooning the cream cheese right over the uncooked noodles in the dish.

With the back of the spoon, lightly spread some of the cream cheese so it’s dotted and streaked across the top. It doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth; it will melt and blend into the liquid as it bakes, creating a creamy garlic herb sauce around the noodles.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, making sure to crimp the edges so steam doesn’t escape. This helps the noodles cook evenly and keeps the sauce from drying out.

Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the foil (watch out for hot steam), then give the noodles a gentle stir to help the cream cheese fully melt and coat everything.

Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until the noodles are tender and most of the liquid has turned into a creamy sauce. If the top looks a little dry before the noodles are fully tender, you can stir in a splash more milk or broth and bake a few minutes longer.

Remove from the oven and let the noodles rest for 5–10 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools. Sprinkle with black pepper and parsley, if using, then serve warm straight from the baking dish.

For extra protein, stir 1–2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken, diced ham, or browned ground beef into the noodles when you first pour in the broth and milk. To sneak in vegetables for picky eaters, add 1–2 cups of frozen peas, mixed vegetables, or small broccoli florets right on top of the noodles before spooning on the cream cheese; they’ll cook along with everything else. If you prefer a richer dish, swap half of the milk for heavy cream, or add 2 tablespoons of melted butter to the broth mixture for more of that classic Amish buttered noodle flavor. For a little crunch, top the noodles with a handful of crushed butter crackers or breadcrumbs during the last 10 minutes of baking. You can also use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to keep it vegetarian, as long as your cream cheese fits your dietary needs. Food safety tips: Keep the cream cheese refrigerated until you’re ready to use it, and don’t leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours total. If you add any cooked meats, make sure they were cooled and stored properly before using, and that the finished casserole is heated through and steaming hot in the center. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of baking and reheat thoroughly before serving.