This is the kind of weeknight dinner I throw together when my brain is fried from work and I just need something cozy and carb-y without a lot of steps. Everything happens right in a glass casserole dish: you scatter in dry pasta, pour over garlicky melted butter, add broth, cream, and Parmesan, then let the oven do the work. It’s basically a no-fuss garlic butter Parmesan pasta bake that feels a little special but is simple enough to make on autopilot.
I like to serve this rich, buttery pasta with something fresh and crunchy on the side to balance it out—usually a simple green salad with a tangy vinaigrette or some steamed broccoli tossed with lemon juice. Garlic bread or a warm baguette is great if you’re feeding a crowd and want to stretch the meal a bit. For protein, add rotisserie chicken or seared Italian sausage on top of each bowl, and if you have it, a glass of crisp white wine or sparkling water with lemon rounds everything out.
Oven-Baked Garlic Butter Parmesan Pasta Bake
Servings: 4
Ingredients
12 oz (about 3 1/2 cups) dry short pasta (like penne or rotini)
1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1 tsp kosher salt (more to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning or dried parsley (optional, for a little color)
Directions
