When you need a filling supper that leans on pantry staples and a good old-fashioned piece of ring bologna, this Amish-inspired noodle bake is the kind of dish that feels right at home on a Midwestern table. It has that practical, no-fuss spirit so many of us grew up with: dry pasta, sliced bologna, a creamy soup base, and cheese all tucked into one baking dish and left to turn into a bubbling, hearty meal with hardly any extra work.
This bake is especially good with buttered green beans, a crisp cucumber salad, stewed tomatoes, or a little dish of applesauce on the side. If you want to stretch it for a bigger family meal, serve it with warm dinner rolls or simple toasted bread to catch every bit of the creamy sauce.
Oven Baked 5-Ingredient Amish Ring Bologna Noodle Bake
Servings: 6
Ingredients
12 ounces wagon wheel pasta, dry
14 ounces ring bologna, sliced into thin rounds
2 cans (10.5 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup
3 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch ceramic baking pan.
2. Spread the dry wagon wheel pasta evenly in the prepared baking pan.
3. Spoon the condensed cream of mushroom soup over the pasta, then pour in the milk and stir gently right in the pan to combine as evenly as you can.
4. Scatter the sliced raw ring bologna over the top, tucking some pieces down into the pasta mixture so the flavor gets through the whole bake.
5. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top, cover the pan tightly with foil, and bake for 40 minutes.
6. Remove the foil and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes more, until the pasta is tender, the sauce is bubbling, and the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Variations & Tips
Cheese swap: Colby, Monterey Jack, or a mild cheddar blend all melt nicely here if that is what you have on hand. A sharper cheddar will give the bake a little more bite.
Soup change: Cream of chicken or cream of celery can stand in for cream of mushroom if your family prefers a different flavor. The texture will stay creamy and comforting either way.
Extra seasoning: Ring bologna brings plenty of savor on its own, but a little black pepper, dried onion, or a pinch of paprika can be stirred into the soup and milk if you want to dress it up.
Baking tip: Since the pasta goes in dry, make sure the pan is covered well for the first part of baking so the noodles can soften properly. If the mixture looks too thick near the end, stir in a splash of hot milk before the final few minutes in the oven.
Make-ahead note: You can assemble the dish a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Add a few extra minutes to the baking time if it is going into the oven cold.