This oven baked 4-ingredient Amish-style wax bean noodle bake is exactly the kind of cozy, no-fuss dinner I lean on after a long workday. It takes the simple comfort of egg noodles and canned wax beans and turns them into a creamy, stick-to-your-ribs casserole with almost no hands-on time. The method is as easy as it sounds in the headline: you pour uncooked egg noodles into a glass baking pan, mix canned wax beans with just two pantry ingredients right over the top, and let the oven do the rest. It has that humble, church-supper Amish casserole vibe—basic ingredients, big comfort, and everyone always asks for seconds.
Serve this wax bean noodle bake hot, straight from the glass baking pan, with a crisp green salad or simple steamed broccoli to balance the richness. Warm dinner rolls, garlic bread, or buttered toast are perfect for soaking up any extra creamy sauce. It also pairs well with roasted chicken, baked ham, or meatloaf if you want to stretch it into a bigger meal. For an easy weeknight setup, I like to add a bowl of fresh fruit on the table and call it done.
Oven Baked Amish Wax Bean NoodlesServings: 4-6
Ingredients
12 oz uncooked wide egg noodles
2 cans (14.5 oz each) cut wax beans, drained
1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups whole milk (or 2% milk)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste, optional)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass baking pan with cooking spray or a thin swipe of butter so the noodles don’t stick.
Pour the uncooked wide egg noodles evenly into the bottom of the glass baking pan, spreading them out so they’re in a fairly even layer.
Drain the canned wax beans well, then scatter them evenly over the dry egg noodles in the pan. Use clean hands or a spoon to gently spread them out so you get beans in every scoop later.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and the milk until the mixture is smooth and pourable. If using, stir in the salt and black pepper.
Pour the soup-and-milk mixture evenly over the wax beans and uncooked egg noodles in the glass baking pan. Using clean hands (or a large spoon), gently mix and toss everything together right in the pan until the noodles and beans are well coated and you don’t see any dry pockets. This should look like a loose, creamy mixture.
Use your hands or the back of a spoon to spread the mixture into an even layer in the pan, making sure the noodles are mostly submerged in the liquid so they can soften in the oven.
Cover the glass baking pan tightly with aluminum foil to trap steam, which helps the uncooked egg noodles cook through without drying out.
Bake, covered, in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes, until the noodles are tender when you poke a few with a fork and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
Carefully remove the foil (watch for steam), give the noodles and beans a gentle stir, and check the texture. If you’d like a slightly thicker, less saucy casserole, return the pan to the oven uncovered for another 5–10 minutes.
Let the casserole rest for about 5 minutes before serving so it can set up slightly and cool to a comfortable eating temperature. Scoop into bowls or onto plates and enjoy warm.
Variations & Tips
To make this even creamier, you can swap half of the milk for heavy cream or evaporated milk. If you’re not a fan of cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken or cream of celery both work well and keep the 4-ingredient core intact (egg noodles, wax beans, condensed soup, milk). For extra flavor without adding more main ingredients, sprinkle a little garlic powder, onion powder, or dried parsley into the soup-and-milk mixture before pouring it over the noodles. If you like a golden top, uncover the casserole for the last 10 minutes and sprinkle on a light layer of shredded cheese or buttered breadcrumbs (this technically adds another ingredient, but it’s a popular tweak). For a bit more protein, stir in leftover cooked chicken or ham cubes when you mix everything in the pan. Food safety notes: Always drain canned wax beans to avoid a watery casserole and to reduce excess sodium. Make sure the casserole is heated until it is bubbling and the center is hot (at least 165°F/74°C) before serving, especially if you add any pre-cooked meat. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a shallow, covered container and use within 3–4 days, reheating until steaming hot before eating.
