Introduction: Baking noodles in the oven is quick, easy, and perfect for busy weekdays when you want a delicious meal without spending hours in the kitchen. Follow these ten simple steps to create a satisfying and mouth-watering dish of oven-baked noodles that everyone will love.

1. Gather your ingredients:

– 12 oz noodles (choose any variety such as spaghetti, fettuccine, or macaroni)

– 1 tbsp olive oil

– 1 lb ground meat (beef, chicken, or turkey)

– 1 large onion, chopped

– 2 cloves garlic, minced

– 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

– Salt and pepper to taste

– 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

– Optional: additional vegetables (such as mushrooms or bell peppers) or herbs (such as basil or oregano)

2. Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare a large baking dish by lightly greasing it.

3. Cook the noodles: Following the package instructions for your chosen noodles, cook them in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain the noodles and set them aside.

4. Cook the meat: In a spacious skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add your ground meat of choice, breaking it up with a spoon and cooking it until browned. Drain any excess fat.

5. Sauté onion and garlic: Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet with browned meat. Cook until fragrant and slightly softened—about 4 minutes.

6. Add tomatoes: Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir well to combine with the meat mixture.

7. Season generously: Season your sauce with salt and pepper to taste; add optional vegetables or herbs at this point if desired.

8. Assemble the dish: In your prepared baking dish, add a layer of half the noodles first. Evenly spread half the meat sauce over the noodle layer, followed by a sprinkling of one cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat the process once more—noodles, sauce, and cheese—to create two complete layers.

9. Bake: Place your assembled oven noodle dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

10. Serve: Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes before slicing into servings. Enjoy your delicious, easy oven noodles with a side of your favorite salad or steamed veggies!

Conclusion: With these ten straightforward steps, you can have a home-cooked meal that’s sure to please everyone at the table. Once you’ve mastered this basic recipe, feel free to get creative with your sauces or toppings and make this easy oven noodle dish your own!