My neighbor brought this over for a potluck and the melted cheese with crispy salami will change your life

This oven baked 5-ingredient Italian grinder pasta is exactly the kind of dish a neighbor drops off for a potluck and everyone immediately asks for the recipe. It has all the flavors of an Italian grinder sandwich—tangy sauce, savory salami, and plenty of gooey provolone—baked into golden rotini with crispy edges. It’s simple, comforting, and uses just five everyday ingredients, but that melted cheese with the toasted salami on top truly feels a little life-changing when you scoop it out of the pan.

Serve this pasta hot right out of the oven with a simple green salad dressed in Italian vinaigrette and some garlic bread or buttered rolls to soak up the extra sauce. A side of steamed green beans or roasted broccoli balances the richness nicely. For a potluck, keep it in the glass baking dish so folks can see that stretchy cheese when you lift out a scoop, and offer crushed red pepper and extra grated Parmesan on the side for anyone who likes a little extra kick.

Servings: 6

12 oz rotini pasta (about 3/4 of a 16 oz box)

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

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini and cook 2 minutes less than the package directions for al dente, since it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain the pasta well but do not rinse.

Return the hot drained pasta to the pot and pour in the marinara or pasta sauce. Stir until all the rotini is well coated and the sauce looks evenly distributed.

Spoon the sauced pasta into the prepared glass baking dish and spread it into an even layer, pressing it gently into the corners.

Lay the sliced provolone cheese evenly over the top of the pasta, overlapping slightly so most of the pasta is covered. This will give you that gooey, stretchy cheese layer when you scoop it out.

Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the provolone. Try to go all the way to the edges so you get some golden, crispy bits around the sides.

Scatter the sliced salami pieces all over the top, making sure to cover as much of the surface as you can. The exposed salami will toast and crisp up in the oven, which gives that “Italian grinder” flavor and texture.

Cover the dish loosely with foil, tenting it slightly so it doesn’t stick to the cheese, and bake for 15 minutes to heat everything through and start the cheese melting.

Remove the foil and continue baking for 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted, bubbling around the edges, and the salami on top is toasted and slightly crispy. If you like it extra browned, you can move the dish to the top rack for the last few minutes.

Let the pasta rest for about 5–10 minutes before serving so it can set up a bit. Then use a sturdy spatula to lift out big, gooey scoops, making sure to get plenty of the melted provolone, crispy salami, and saucy rotini in each serving.

For picky eaters, you can tuck the salami underneath some of the cheese so it doesn’t look as prominent, or use a milder meat like turkey pepperoni or sliced deli ham. If your family likes a little heat, sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes over the cheese before adding the salami. To sneak in some veggies, stir 1–2 cups of thawed frozen spinach, peas, or finely chopped bell peppers into the pasta and sauce before baking. You can also swap rotini for penne or ziti—just keep the volume about the same so the sauce-to-pasta ratio stays right. For a slightly lighter version, use part-skim mozzarella and reduced-fat provolone, and choose a leaner salami or turkey salami. If you need this to be gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free pasta and check that your salami and sauce are labeled gluten-free. Food safety tips: Cool leftovers to room temperature within 2 hours, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat portions until the center is steaming hot (165°F) before serving again. Because this dish contains cured meat and cheese, don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than 2 hours at a potluck, or 1 hour if it’s very warm in the room. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3–4 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.