There is something especially comforting about a baked pasta that asks very little of the cook and still comes out tasting like a meal you meant to fuss over. This Amish-style cherry tomato pasta leans on plain pantry goodness, the sort of sensible supper that feels right at home in a country kitchen, where a casserole dish and a handful of ingredients can still make something memorable. By letting the tomatoes bake down over the pasta with cream cheese, broth, and a little onion, you get a cozy, thrifty dinner with hardly any extra pots to wash.
This pasta is lovely served with buttered green beans, a crisp cucumber salad, or a slice of warm crusty bread for sopping up the creamy tomato sauce. If you want to round it out for company, a simple roast chicken or a plate of sausages goes nicely alongside, though the dish is hearty enough to stand on its own for an easy weeknight supper.
Oven Baked 5-Ingredient Amish Cherry Tomato Pasta
Servings: 6
Ingredients
12 ounces dry gemelli pasta
4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
2 cups chicken broth
1 small onion, finely chopped
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a medium ceramic casserole dish.
2. Spread the dry gemelli evenly in the casserole dish, then scatter the chopped onion over the top.
3. Drop the halved cherry tomatoes over the pasta, distributing them as evenly as you can.
4. Tuck the cubes of cream cheese across the top, then pour the chicken broth gently around the dish so the pasta is mostly covered.
5. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
6. Remove the foil, stir well to blend the softened cream cheese, burst tomatoes, and broth into a sauce, then return the dish to the oven uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the pasta is tender and the top looks a little bubbly.
7. Let the pasta rest for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce can settle and cling to the noodles.
Variations & Tips
Make it meatless: Use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth if you want to keep the dish vegetarian. The tomatoes and cream cheese still give plenty of richness and flavor.
Add a little seasoning: Even with just five main ingredients, a pinch of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, or dried basil can make the whole casserole taste more rounded. If your broth is salty, wait until after baking to taste and adjust.
Choose the right pasta shape: Gemelli works nicely because it holds onto the creamy sauce, but rotini or cavatappi can stand in if that is what you have in the cupboard. Just keep an eye on tenderness, since bake times can vary a bit by shape and brand.
Watch the liquid level: If your pasta seems dry when you remove the foil, add a splash more broth before the final bake. Tomatoes can vary in juiciness, and a little extra liquid helps the noodles finish softening.
Finish it your way: A sprinkle of chopped parsley, a dusting of Parmesan, or even a few red pepper flakes at the table can dress this up without taking away from its plain, homespun charm.