INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups dry pasta (elbows, shells, or Creste de Gallo)
• 1 can white beans, drained
• 3 cups milk (dairy or oat works)
• 1 ½ cups shredded cheese (cheddar, jack, or a mix)
• 2 tbsp butter (or 2 tbsp olive oil)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp shallot powder if you have it
• Lots of black pepper
• Dried chives if you have them
• Optional: ½ cup grated parmesan for extra flavor
• Optional topping: breadcrumbs tossed with a little butter

Equipment: 9×13 or similarly sized baking dish, ungreased.

How To Make It

1. Dump + Stir

Add pasta, beans, milk, butter, salt, and seasonings directly into the baking dish. Stir to make sure pasta isn’t clumped.

2. Cover tightly with foil

This traps steam so the pasta cooks evenly.

3. Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes

4. Remove foil, stir well

The pasta will be mostly cooked and the sauce will look thin — totally normal.

5. Add cheese

Stir in about 1 cup cheese so it melts into the sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

6. Bake uncovered for 10–15 minutes

Until golden, bubbly, and irresistible.

7. Rest 5 minutes

It thickens as it cools.