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This Pork loin macaroni casserole is creamy, filling, and made with just five ingredients. The dry macaroni cooks right in the dish with tender pork and a simple soup-and-milk sauce, so there’s no separate pot to boil. It’s an easy, comforting dinner with minimal prep and plenty of leftovers.
Why You’ll Love It
- Just five ingredients — a simple, budget-friendly casserole with no complicated shopping list.
- No-boil pasta — dry elbow macaroni goes straight into the baking dish.
- One-pan cooking — the pork, pasta, onion, soup, and milk bake together.
- Creamy and hearty — tender noodles and pork cook in a rich, cozy sauce.
- Makes six servings — a satisfying dinner that stretches nicely.
Ingredient Notes
Use pork loin, not pork tenderloin. They are not the same thing, despite confusing grocery-store labeling. Pork loin is what works here: cut it into roughly 1-inch cubes so it cooks evenly and stays easy to scoop up with the macaroni.
For the condensed cream of mushroom soup, store brand works perfectly well. This is a casserole, not a presidential dinner. Two regular 10.5-ounce cans are needed.
Whole milk makes a richer casserole, but 2% works well too. Avoid going much thinner than that if possible—the sauce needs enough body to cook the pasta into that soft, cozy texture. And yes, it looks like an alarming amount of liquid when poured in. Leave it alone. The macaroni knows what it’s doing.
A small onion is enough. Chop it fairly fine so there isn’t one giant onion strip in a bite.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes — keep the pieces close in size; no ruler needed
- 2 cups dry elbow macaroni — plain old elbows, straight from the box
- 1 small onion, finely chopped — about the size of a tennis ball, give or take; Onions have never respected exact measurements
- 2 cans (10.5 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup — no water added
- 2 1/2 cups milk — whole milk is lovely, but 2% works well for weeknights
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch glass casserole dish. Use cooking spray, or smear a little butter around with a paper towel. Don’t skip greasing it—this casserole has a sneaky way of welding itself to the corners otherwise.
Spread the dry elbow macaroni across the bottom of the dish in an even layer. Scatter the finely chopped onion over the top. It will look sparse and a little strange at this point, like the beginning of a casserole that hasn’t gotten its confidence yet.
Arrange the raw pork loin cubes evenly over the macaroni and onion. Make sure the cubes are around 1 inch and not wildly different sizes. Larger chunks may need extra time.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the two cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup and the 2 1/2 cups milk until smooth. Or mostly smooth. A few stubborn little soup lumps are not going to ruin the casserole. A fork works if a whisk is unavailable.
Pour the soup mixture evenly over the pork, macaroni, and onion. Try to make sure most of the pasta is covered by liquid. Press down any macaroni pieces that are climbing up the sides, but don’t fuss with it forever. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Tight is important here—the pasta needs that trapped moisture to soften properly.
Bake the casserole, covered, for 1 hour. The kitchen will start smelling very homey around the 45-minute mark.
Remove the foil after the hour and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, uncovered, until the pork is cooked through, the macaroni is tender, and the top has a little golden color. Check a piece of pasta from near the middle, not just around the edges. If it’s still firmer than desired, add a splash of milk, cover the dish again, and bake it another 10 minutes. This happens sometimes, especially if the baking dish is deeper or the oven runs a little cool. Ovens are temperamental beasts.
Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. That little rest helps the creamy sauce settle down so it doesn’t puddle all over the plate.
Variations
For a cheesy version, sprinkle 1 to 2 cups shredded cheddar over the top during the last 15 minutes of baking. That is not part of the original five-ingredient version, but it makes a very nice golden top. Sharp cheddar adds more flavor than mild cheddar.
Condensed cream of Chicken soup or cream of celery soup can also be used instead of mushroom. The method stays exactly the same. Cream of chicken is especially good for a mushroom-free version.
Adding extra vegetables directly into the casserole can make it watery and oddly sweet. Keep the basic dish simple and serve vegetables alongside it. There is wisdom in letting a casserole be what it is.
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for about 3 days, covered tightly. The macaroni absorbs more sauce overnight, so it firms up a bit.
To reheat, spoon a portion into a microwave-safe bowl, add a small splash of milk if it looks dry, and cover it loosely. Heat until hot, stirring once if needed. For a bigger portion, cover the casserole dish with foil and warm it in a 350°F oven until heated through. Freezing after baking is not recommended—the pasta gets a little mushy.
To assemble ahead, put it together a few hours before dinner, cover it, and refrigerate it. Bake it straight from the refrigerator, but plan on adding 10 to 15 minutes so the center gets properly hot.
Final Notes
This is one of those meals that doesn’t ask much. On certain days, that matters more than a recipe being impressive.
The dish is plain, yes. Creamy and filling and maybe not the prettiest thing ever set on a table. But it gets eaten down to the corners. And sometimes that’s dinner doing exactly what dinner is supposed to do.
Oven Baked 5-Ingredient Amish Pork Loin Macaroni
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds pork loin cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups dry elbow macaroni straight from the box
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 cans (10.5 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup no water added
- 2 1/2 cups milk whole milk or 2%
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass casserole dish with cooking spray or a little butter.
- Spread the dry elbow macaroni across the bottom of the prepared dish in an even layer, then scatter the finely chopped onion over the top.
- Arrange the raw pork loin cubes evenly over the macaroni and onion, keeping the pieces around 1 inch so they cook evenly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and milk until smooth or mostly smooth.
- Pour the soup mixture evenly over the pork, macaroni, and onion, making sure most of the pasta is covered by liquid, then press down any macaroni pieces climbing up the sides and cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake the casserole, covered, for 1 hour.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, uncovered, until the pork is cooked through, the macaroni is tender, and the top has a little golden color.
- If pasta from near the middle is still firmer than desired, add a splash of milk, cover the dish again, and bake another 10 minutes.
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving so the creamy sauce can settle.