There are some dishes that carry a whole season of life in one baking dish, and these oven baked 3-ingredient pork chops are one of them. This is the kind of simple supper that helped stretch a budget and still put something hearty and comforting on the Sunday table. A few plain pantry staples, a slow bake in the oven, and those pork chops turn fork-tender under a blanket of cream of mushroom soup. It is humble food in the very best Midwestern sense, built on thrift, patience, and good sense in the kitchen.
Serve these pork chops with mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or plain white rice so there is plenty to catch that creamy mushroom gravy. On the side, green beans, sweet corn, peas, or a simple lettuce salad fit right in. If you want to round it out the old-fashioned way, add warm dinner rolls and a little applesauce for a supper that feels like home.
Oven Baked 3-Ingredient Pork Chops with Cream of Mushroom Soup
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4 bone-in or boneless pork chops, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 packet (about 1 ounce) onion soup mix
Directions
1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish or casserole dish.
2. Arrange the pork chops in a single layer in the baking dish.
3. In a bowl, stir together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and onion soup mix until well combined.
4. Spoon the soup mixture evenly over the pork chops, covering them well.
5. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the pork chops are very tender and easy to pull apart with a fork.
6. Remove the foil, spoon some gravy over the top, and serve hot.
Variations & Tips
For extra gravy: If your family likes plenty of sauce for potatoes or noodles, stir in 1/2 can of water or milk with the soup before pouring it over the chops. That will make the gravy a little looser and give you more of it.
Best cut to use: Center-cut loin chops, rib chops, or even thicker boneless pork chops all work here. Just remember that thicker chops may need the longer end of the baking time to get truly tender.
Make it heartier: Tuck sliced potatoes or a layer of thinly sliced onions under the pork chops before adding the soup mixture. They will soak up all that flavor as the dish bakes.
Don’t rush the oven: The real secret to this old recipe is the gentle bake. A lower oven and a covered dish help the chops soften slowly, and that is what gives you that nearly falling-apart texture.
Add a little color: If you like, sprinkle chopped parsley over the top before serving. It is not traditional, but it brightens the finished dish nicely without changing the simple flavor.