Easy Baked Pork Chops with Creamy Tomato Sauce
If you’re looking for inspiration for a dinner meal that takes just minutes to prepare but tastes amazing, this Easy Baked Pork Chops recipe is it! With bone-in pork chops smothered in mouthwatering creamy tomato sauce and then baked to perfection, this is one of the best pork chop recipes because it’s easy and fast to assemble and tastes incredibly delicious!
Serve these tender, saucy pork chops over rice or mashed potatoes with a side of salad or steamed veggies, and you’ve got a complete weeknight dinner that your whole family will love!
The secret to the delicious sauce is no secret at all – it’s just a can of Alfredo sauce, a can of tomato sauce, and a few common spices. At the end of the baking time, you’ll sprinkle on some cheese, and voila! Dinner is ready.
My family’s favorite way to eat Easy Baked Pork Chops with Creamy Tomato Sauce is with rice, though pasta and mashed potatoes are also tasty options. Add steamed frozen veggies, and you have a hearty, delicious, yet simple meal ready to serve, perfect for a family weeknight dinner.
What You’ll Need to Make Easy Baked Pork Chops
4 to 6 Bone-in Pork chops (see note)
1 24 oz. jar pasta sauce
1 16 oz. jar alfredo sauce
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika
Colby Jack or sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta for serving
Note: This recipe calls for 4 to 6 pork chops, but the sauce amount remains the same regardless of the number of chops you use.
For reference, 4 pork chops will plentifully serve my family of six; my younger children share pork chops, while my hungry teenage sons can easily polish off a whole one each. That said, one pork chop is a lot of meat, so if you’re trying to cut back on grocery costs, you can be frugal and make this recipe stretch a little farther by dividing all the pork chops into 2 servings each, and there is plenty of sauce for at least six servings. If you choose to use 6 chops, you will probably need an 11×15 or larger baking pan to avoid overlapping the chops.
The pan pictured in this recipe was purchased at a discount home goods store, but here’s one from Amazon (affiliate link) that looks both beautiful and functional.
How to make Oven Baked Pork Chops with Creamy Tomato Sauce
- Remove the pork chops from the fridge 20-30 minutes before preparing if time allows. This will help ensure that they cook evenly.
- Heat oven to 400°. Spray a 9×13 baking pan if cooking 4 chops, or an 11×15 pan if cooking 6 chops, with non-stick spray.
- Generously sprinkle both sides of each pork chop with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then place in the pan.
- Pour the tomato sauce over the chops, followed by the alfredo sauce. Swirl with a spatula to partially combine. Next, sprinkle on the paprika.
- Place the pan on the middle rack of the heated oven, and bake for 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the internal temperature of the pork chops reaches 145°.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and increase the oven temperature to 425°. Sprinkle on the cheese, and put the pan back in the oven. Bake for an additional 5-8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and begins to brown slightly.
- Alternately, if you are using a broiler-safe pan, such as a ceramic pan, you can use the broiler to crisp up the cheese if desired. Instead of heating the oven to 425°, turn off the oven and turn on the broiler. After sprinkling on the cheese, return the pan to the middle rack of the oven. Watching carefully, broil the pork chops for 2-3 minutes or just until the cheese starts to brown.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven and let the pork chops rest for 10 minutes. Serve with rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes.
- Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions About Baking Pork Chops
Is it better to bake pork chops at 350 or 400?
This recipe calls for a 400° oven. Using a hotter oven helps speed up the baking time so you can get supper on the table just a little sooner.
Should pork chops be covered when baking?
This recipe does not require covering because the sauce keeps the pork chops from drying out while in the oven.
How do you keep pork chops from drying out when you bake them?
Baking pork chops in the oven can be a bit tricky because it is easy to overbake them, causing them to dry out. Thankfully, because the pork chops in this recipe are smothered in a delicious, creamy sauce, they stay deliciously tender throughout the baking process. Covering pork chops with a sauce like Creamy Tomato Sauce is the secret to juicy, tender pork chops every time.
Do pork chops have to be browned before baking?
Many bake recipes for baked pork chops in a sauce will recommend browning the chops before baking. However, because Creamy Tomato Sauce is so flavorful, this recipe doesn’t require browning of the pork chops before baking, which is excellent because one less step means less time working at the stove and fewer dishes to wash afterward, so you have more time for enjoying your meal and the spending time with the people you love.
Can pork chops be pink when they are fully cooked?
Pork chops will maintain a slight pinkish color even when fully cooked. Using a meat thermometer is the easiest and safest way to ensure that you cook your pork chops to perfection. Here’s a helpful article from Taste of Home with more information.
Is it better to cook pork chops in the oven or on the stove?
I love to bake pork chops in the oven because once you pop the prepared pork chops in to bake, you can do other things while they bake. Stove-top cooking of pork chops requires more hands-on work.
I’m new to cooking pork. Where can I learn more about how to cook it properly?
Here is a helpful article from Spruce Eats about mistakes to avoid when cooking pork.
More Cozy Recipes You’ll Love!
Easy Baked Pork Chops with Creamy Tomato Sauce
Equipment
- 1 9×13, or larger, baking pan
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 Bone-in Pork chops see note
- 1 teaspoon salt I prefer pink Himalayan salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 24 oz. jar pasta sauce
- 1 16 oz. jar alfredo sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ cups Colby Jack or sharp cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Remove the pork chops from the fridge 20-30 minutes before preparing if time allows. This will help ensure that they cook evenly.
- Heat oven to 400°. Spray a 9×13 baking pan if cooking 4 chops, or an 11×15 pan if cooking 6 chops, with non-stick spray.
- Generously sprinkle both sides of each pork chop with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then place in the pan.
- Pour the tomato sauce over the chops, followed by the alfredo sauce. Swirl with a spatula to partially combine. Next, sprinkle on the paprika.
- Place the pan on the middle rack of the heated oven, and bake for 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the internal temperature of the pork chops reaches 145°.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and increase the oven temperature to 425°. Sprinkle on the cheese, and put the pan back in the oven. Bake for an additional 5-8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and begins to brown slightly.
- Alternately, if you are using a broiler-safe pan, such as a ceramic pan, you can use the broiler to crisp up the cheese if desired. Instead of heating the oven to 425°, turn off the oven and turn on the broiler. After sprinkling on the cheese, return the pan to the middle rack of the oven. Watching carefully, broil the pork chops for 2-3 minutes or just until the cheese starts to brown.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven and let the pork chops rest for 10 minutes. Serve with rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
Notes
If you enjoy this recipe, please leave a five-star rating and share it with a friend.
Many thanks to my sister-in-law, Penny, for the original inspiration for the delicious baked pork chop recipe!
Cara, this recipe was so easy and super delicious. It brought back memories of enjoying Penny’s recipe years ago. Thank you for making it so simple. We loved it.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Linda, and that it brought back fond memories of times with family. 💗