There is a special kind of comfort in a supper that asks very little of you and still comes out tasting like home. This old-fashioned dish of oven baked pork chops with canned butter beans is the sort of thrifty Sunday meal many Midwestern families leaned on when the pantry looked thin but everyone still needed a hearty plate. The beans soak up all those savory pan juices while the pork chops turn tender and browned on top, making a simple three-ingredient casserole that feels humble, filling, and deeply familiar.
Serve these pork chops and butter beans with a pan of cornbread, hot biscuits, or plain white rice to stretch the meal even further and catch every bit of the rich juices. A spoonful of chow-chow, cooked greens, sliced tomatoes, or applesauce on the side also fits beautifully, especially if you want a supper that tastes like something set on a family table after church.
Oven Baked 3-Ingredient Pork Chops with Canned Butter Beans
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4 bone-in pork chops, about 3/4 inch thick
2 cans butter beans, undrained, 15 to 16 ounces each
1 packet dry onion soup mix, about 1 ounce
Directions
1. Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish or similar baking dish.
2. Pour the undrained butter beans into the baking dish and spread them out evenly. Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix over the top.
3. Lay the pork chops on top of the beans in a single layer. Spoon a little of the bean liquid over the tops of the chops so they stay moist as they bake.
4. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes more, until the pork chops are cooked through and nicely browned around the edges.
5. Let the dish rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving so the juices settle into the beans. Spoon the butter beans onto plates and set a pork chop over each serving.
Variations & Tips
Use boneless chops: If boneless pork chops are what you have on hand, they work just fine, though they may cook a little faster. Start checking them about 10 minutes early so they do not dry out.
Make it stretch farther: For a bigger family meal, serve this over rice, mashed potatoes, or torn-up biscuits. Those butter beans make a lovely gravy-like base once they mingle with the pork juices.
Add a little pepper: If you do not mind stepping past the strict three-ingredient tradition, a few turns of black pepper or a pinch of paprika on the chops before baking adds a little extra depth without changing the character of the dish.
Choose the right baking dish: A shallow casserole dish helps the pork chops brown better than a deep pot. If the chops are crowded, use a larger dish so they can sit in a single layer.
Save the leftovers: Leftovers reheat well the next day in a covered dish in a low oven or in the microwave. The beans often taste even better after they have had time to soak up the seasoning overnight.