Not every White House dinner needs a French chef and a five-course spread (though Jackie had that covered too… she’d brought René Verdon over from Paris just for the job). Sometimes all you really need to impress your guests is a simple comforting casserole. Jackie Kennedy served this exact casserole in March of 1961 for her sister Lee and brother-in-law Prince Radziwill, and somehow four humble ingredients ended up on the same table as Camelot-era glamour.

I love that about this recipe (it’s proof that comfort food and elegance were never actually opposites, no matter what anyone tells you). Cottage cheese was having its moment in 1961 –trendy, wholesome, a little bit fancy in that mid-century way — and here it gets folded into egg noodles with two other simple ingredients until the whole thing turns rich and creamy in the oven.

What Ingredients Do You Need for Jackie Kennedy’s Casserole?

Just four ingredients stand between you and one of the easiest, most delicious casseroles you’ll ever make. You’ll need:

• Egg noodles.
• Full-fat cottage cheese. (Don’t try to go low-fat — the fat is what keeps everything creamy.)
• Sour cream.
• Fresh chives. But other herbs would work too!

Why cottage cheese in a noodle casserole?
It sounds like an odd match on paper, but cottage cheese melts down into something closer to ricotta once it hits the heat of the oven. It’s creamy, a little tangy, and rich without being heavy. It was one of the most popular “health foods” of the era, which is part of why Jackie leaned on it so often. Look for the full-fat, small-curd kind for the best texture. (And hey, it’s a great way to get some protein in.)

How Do You Make Jackie Kennedy’s Casserole?

Despite having White House pedigree, this takes no special skills to make! It’s basically a matter of boiling some water and stirring a few things together. It’ll come together almost as fast as it disappears. Here’s how you do it:

Boil the egg noodles until just tender, then drain them well — you don’t want extra water diluting the sauce. While they’re still warm, stir in the cottage cheese, sour cream, salt, pepper, and chives until everything’s evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to a buttered casserole dish and scatter a few pats of butter over the top, which is what gives it that golden, slightly crisp finish.

Slide it into the oven and bake until the noodles just start to brown at the edges and the whole dish is bubbling around the sides. Let it sit for a minute or two before serving — it firms up just enough to hold its shape on the plate while still being comforting and creamy.