Baked mac and cheese with tomatoes
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.
How long to bake a doubled version
A doubled version of this recipe will fit easily into a 9×13 baking dish. Just bake it until the center is hot and the edges bubble–about 30 minutes should do it.
As long as you don’t put the mac and cheese into a dish that’s too small and make it super deep, the standard bake time should be close.
Recipes to serve with your mac and cheese with tomatoes:
- Crispy fried chicken tenders
- Classic stuffed peppers
- Homestyle meatloaf with brown sugar glaze
- Dressed up green beans
Try these other no-fail mac and cheeses recipes too:
- Baked macaroni and cheese
- Spicy macaroni and cheese
- Truly easy microwave easy mac and cheese
- Three cheese stovetop mac and cheese
- 18 best tips for super creamy macaroni and cheese
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.
I am wondering if the liquid from the tomatoes should be added? If I have to chop the tomatoes, should I save the liquid and add it along with the chopped tomatoes?
Hi Ian, nope I wouldn’t add the juice. If you do you’ll make your sauce too thin. You could replace some of the milk in your recipe with some of the juice if you wanted to but you’ll miss some of the creaminess. –Rachel
I have made this macaroni and cheese with tomatoes a couple times now. Of course like any good cook you alway tweak it a little lol. I use 1 1/4 cups of half and half and 1 cup of 2% milk. I drain two cans of Hunts diced tomatoes. I increase the pepper to 1/2 tsp. I use 1 1/2 cups of Kraft Medium Cheddar cheese, and 1/2 cup of shredded Land O’Lakes American cheese from the deli.. I shred the cheese myself. I never use bagged cheese. I bake it for 35 minutes then top it with Townhouse crushed buttery crackers and bake another 6 minutes. Omg it’s the best macaroni and cheese I have ever had!
Yes, good cooks do tweak! It’s true Lauri and you are very welcome to do so. You had me at American cheese (good quality) and the butter crackers on top. I love, love, love this recipe as-is and I’m so glad you made it your own too. YUMMERS. –Rachel
I cannot wait to try this. My Grandma made Mac & Cheese with tomatoes like this every time we visited her. She lived in New York state and used extra sharp New York cheddar cheese (Grandma & Mom called it ‘rat cheese’.) It gave the Mac & Cheese a delicious sharp taste that was accentuated by the acidic tomatoes. My Mom made it too, but she always complained that it wasn’t the same as Grandmas. Now that they are both gone, I’ve tried to recreate it, but it is even further from taste of Grandmas then my Moms was. I’ve tried searching online for recipes with tomatoes but haven’t had much luck. The recipes I’ve found are even further away from the taste of Grandmas than mine! Here’s hoping that your recipe will end my long search for the perfect Mac & Cheese with Tomatoes.
Gosh no pressure Lisa! Hahaha! Well here’s the thing–our grandmas had ingredients that can be hard for us to get today. Maybe she used her own home canned tomatoes (I use stewed ones here) and that home canned flavor may never be replicated in your own dish. BUT this recipe is very close to what my own grandmother made and it’s a really solid dish. If you’ve never made mac and cheese from scratch or haven’t used a flour and milk base, do check out my original and read the comments for some tips: https://feastandfarm.com/baked-macaroni-cheese/ for all the details and please let me know how it turns out. I hope it takes you home in your heart. There’s no better place to be 🙂 –Rachel
Sounds like a MUST try!
Morning Rachel
Your recipe looks yum. Going to try it the weekend. Quick question. Am i able to preper the entire dish but only bake it a few hours later. I would like to take it with to friends but want to do all the prep work at home and just bake before we eat or can I bake it and then just warm it up later.
thanx so much
Jo Ann
Hey Jo Ann, Yes you sure can! Bake it fresh if you can. If you bake it and warm it up it will be pretty thick. It just not that same. Let me know how everyone likes it, okay? –Rachel
I just put it together and it is in the oven baking. It smells soooooo good. Will let you know how it tastes.
Hey Chris! Well? How was it? Don’t leave me hanging over here!
This is close to our family recipe except you make he Mac and cheese and then on top you put crushed ritz crackers, whole canned tomatoes squished and the juice and then pats of butter and bake. So good!
Mmmm…I’d like this with crushed crackers on top! I’ll have to try it that way. 🙂 Thanks Melissa!
Nor’east rain storm off the north Atlantic… it’s cold! I made this as real “comfort food” and it was delicious! I added some crushed red pepper for a little heat… yum-yum. I will definitely make this one again!
So glad you liked it MizLiz! I hope every time you make it you’ll say “That Rachel, she’s made me the best cook ever! I love her!” LOL. So glad to have you here!
This sounds amazing!
I love all your recipes!!! Thank you.
Hahahaha! I’m so glad you do Leanne!