The best grilled cheese you’ve ever had runs head-long into your tomato soup and BOOM. You get baked mac and cheese with tomatoes. One of the best comfort foods (and the maybe the best macaroni and cheese) gets yet another transformation into this southern classic.
A couple of years ago, a reader asked me if I had a recipe for macaroni and cheese with tomatoes. I thought she meant macaroni and tomatoes (minus the cheese) which I know well. But she was insistent that no–there was an actual real version of macaroni and cheese that had tomatoes in it and that it was pretty doggone amazing.
I had my doubts.
Until I made it for myself. And now I realize I might be a borderline hard-headed idiot for not making it sooner.
The secret is using stewed tomatoes. Write that down. STEWED. Not diced, not chili-ready, not with basil and oregano. Stewed tomatoes are so good on their own–they’ve been cooked down with celery,onion and seasonings and have a slow-cooked flavor straight out of the can. (You can make homemade stewed tomatoes, but who has time for that? Me. Either.)
They might be my new food love.
Make your baked mac and cheese with tomatoes in a large skillet and add your tomatoes as the sauce thickens (before you add the cheese) and bake it all up together. For something fresh, you could add some cooked chicken to the party for a one-dish dinner or some of your favorite vegetables like peas or broccoli.
And just try not to fall in love with those tomatoes. And the macaroni. And the cheese. And the crunchy bread crumbs…it’s just one more way to love something that’s already amazing.
Get my traditional baked macaroni and cheese, spicy macaroni and cheese, or my 18 best tips for super creamy macaroni and cheese here.
Baked mac and cheese with tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 14- ounce can stewed tomatoes with the juice chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 3/4 cup plain Panko bread crumbs optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the pasta and cook 2 minutes less than the package directs. Drain and set aside.
- In a large oven-safe skillet (if you don't have a skillet that goes in the oven you can transfer your mac and cheese to a baking dish in a bit), melt the butter and add the flour.
- Stir until the flour cooks and the raw flour flavor is gone--about a minute or so.
- Add the milk, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat 5 minutes then add the tomatoes and stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens--another 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add the cheese and stir until it melts.
- Add the pasta and stir.
- If transferring to a baking dish, spray the dish with non-stick spray. If not, transfer your skillet to the oven and top with the bread crumbs if you are using them.
- Bake until golden and bubbly--about 35-40 minutes. Serve warm.
Mary Jo says
My husband and I really enjoyed this meal! The only ingredient I added was browned ground turkey.
This is a perfect meal for a cold winter evening. Next time I’ll try sharp while cheddar cheese.
Rachel Ballard says
It’s my FAVORITE Mary Jo! I’m so glad you liked it too! –Rachel
Bob says
Very good
Rachel Ballard says
Thanks Bob! This one is one of my all time favorites for sure. –Rachel
Steve says
Great recipe thanks
Rachel Ballard says
You’re welcome Steve! It’s one of my favorites.
Kelly says
I followed all measurements exactly but became concerned as it looked really soupy before putting it in the oven. I ended up adding a little more macaroni but lost some creaminess in the end. Next time I’ll recipe as is except I’ll use a sharp cheddar cheese as I found the dish was a little bland.
Rachel Ballard says
Hey Kelly,
Let’s see if I can give some thoughts. First, you may want to take a look at the comments on this post because they may be helpful: https://feastandfarm.com/baked-macaroni-cheese
My next thought if your sauce was soupy is that it simply wasn’t thick enough. I’d never describe my sauce as soupy and if it was dripping off the end of your spoon before you added your cheese, it’s too thin. It should be thick enough to hold a line on the back of a spoon when you dip it in the sauce and then draw your finger through it. It should stay.
And as for blandness, salting in this recipe is merely a guideline and tricky to nail down for some people. My suggestion is to always taste the sauce before you add your pasta and adjust any salt as needed. Every cheese is going to vary in saltiness and certainly adding a more powerfully flavored cheese will help. Maybe you can give it another try and see if you can get it to five stars? 🙂 I believe in you! –Rachel