This is my no-brainer, don’t-know-what-to-make dinner: dry bucatini pasta baked right in a ceramic casserole pan with rich beef bone broth and just three more pantry ingredients. It’s inspired by simple Amish brown noodle casseroles, where noodles soak up a deep, savory broth in the oven instead of boiling on the stove. Everything happens in one pan, and the oven does the work while you tidy up or help with homework. The result is cozy, beefy noodles with a glossy brown broth that feels like a hug in a bowl.
I like to serve these brown broth noodles with a simple green salad or steamed green beans for something fresh and crunchy on the side. Buttered peas or roasted carrots are also great if you’re feeding kids who prefer softer veggies. A slice of crusty bread or warm dinner rolls is perfect for soaking up the extra broth. If you want to stretch the meal a bit more, add a plate of sliced apples or grapes to the table for an easy, no-fuss fruit side.
Oven-Baked Amish Brown Broth BucatiniServings: 4
Ingredients
12 oz dry bucatini pasta
4 cups beef bone broth (low-sodium, if possible)
3 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a medium ceramic casserole pan (about 9x13 inches or similar) on a light wood or heat-safe countertop so it’s ready to assemble.
Scatter the dry bucatini evenly into the ceramic casserole pan. It’s okay if some pieces overlap or stick up; they will soften as they bake.
Add the thinly sliced onion over and around the dry bucatini, tucking some slices down into the pasta so the flavor spreads through the whole dish.
Dot the top with the small pieces of butter, spacing them out so they melt and coat as much of the pasta and onion as possible.
Sprinkle the kosher salt evenly over the dry pasta, onions, and butter. If your broth is already salty, you can start with a little less salt and adjust later.
Slowly pour the beef bone broth over the dry bucatini in the ceramic casserole pan, making sure to wet all the pasta. Use the back of a spoon or clean hands to gently press any exposed noodles down so they’re mostly submerged in the broth.
Cover the casserole tightly with a lid or a double layer of foil to trap the steam. Place the pan in the preheated oven.
Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the oven, uncover it away from your face to avoid the steam, and gently stir the noodles, pulling any pieces apart that are clumping.
Cover again and return to the oven for another 10–15 minutes, or until the bucatini is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed into the noodles, leaving a glossy brown coating and a small amount of broth in the bottom.
Remove from the oven, uncover, and let the noodles rest for 5 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed. Serve warm straight from the ceramic casserole pan, spooning some of the brown broth over each portion.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can finely dice the onion instead of slicing it, so it almost melts into the broth and is less noticeable. If your family likes extra richness, stir in a small handful of shredded cheese (like mild cheddar or mozzarella) right after baking and let it melt into the noodles. To sneak in some veggies, you can add a cup of thawed frozen peas or finely chopped carrots during the halfway stir, then continue baking until tender. For more protein, stir in leftover shredded roast beef or cooked ground beef during the last 10 minutes of baking. If you need to keep sodium in check, use low-sodium beef bone broth and start with only 1/2 teaspoon of salt, then adjust at the end. Food safety tips: Always use beef bone broth that has been refrigerated properly and is within its use-by date. If using homemade broth, make sure it has been boiled at least once and cooled quickly before storing, and reheat it fully in the oven with the noodles. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of baking in a shallow container, and reheat thoroughly until steaming hot before serving again.
