My grandmother stretched every dollar during hard times with this exact dish. She always said the tomatoes made the cheapest cuts taste like Sunday dinner.

Oven baked 3-ingredient pork chops with canned diced tomatoes and onion is the kind of simple, budget-friendly dinner that still feels comforting at the end of a long day. It has that practical old-fashioned charm of a meal made from pantry basics, and the tomatoes help keep the pork moist while turning into a light, savory sauce as everything bakes together. It is easy to see why a thrifty home cook would come back to this recipe again and again.

This dish is especially good with mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, rice, or a slice of warm bread to soak up the tomato juices. For vegetables, green beans, corn, or a simple side salad make easy pairings that keep dinner balanced without adding much extra work.

Oven Baked 3-Ingredient Pork Chops with Canned Diced Tomatoes and Onion

Servings: 4

Tender pork chops baked with diced tomatoes and onion in a white casserole dish

Ingredients

4 bone-in or boneless pork chops, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

Pork chops, sliced onion, and canned diced tomatoes arranged for cooking

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a white oval casserole dish or any medium baking dish large enough to hold the pork chops in a single layer.

2. Spread half of the sliced onion in the bottom of the dish. Arrange the pork chops on top, then scatter the remaining onion over the chops.

Raw pork chops layered with sliced onion in a casserole dish

3. Pour the undrained diced tomatoes evenly over the pork chops, making sure each chop gets some of the tomato and juice.

Pork chops covered with diced tomatoes before baking

4. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 20 to 30 minutes more, or until the pork chops are tender and cooked through to 145°F in the center.

Baked pork chops with softened tomatoes and onions in the casserole dish

5. Let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon the tomatoes and onions over the top and serve hot with the pan juices.

Plated baked pork chops with tomato onion topping and mashed potatoes

Variations & Tips

Add a little seasoning: Even though this recipe works with just three ingredients, a sprinkle of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, or Italian seasoning can add more flavor if you have them on hand. This is an easy way to keep the recipe economical while adjusting it to your taste.

Choose the right chops: Thicker pork chops stay juicier in the oven, while thinner chops may cook faster and need a little less time. If your chops are very thin, start checking early so they do not dry out.

Make it heartier: Add sliced potatoes or extra onion underneath the pork chops so they cook in the tomato juices. It turns the dish into more of a full one-pan dinner, which is especially handy on busy weeknights.

Use what you have: Canned petite diced tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, or even stewed tomatoes can all work here. Each one gives the dish a slightly different texture, but they all help keep the pork tender and saucy.

Meal prep tip: Leftovers reheat well for lunch the next day. Store the pork chops with the tomato mixture in an airtight container, then warm gently so the meat stays tender instead of overcooking.