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Home » Recipes » Courses » Lunch

Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes

Published: Jun 30, 2019 by Terri Gilson · Modified: Sep 3, 2021 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

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Jump to Recipe
photo collage -large bowl of mac and cheese on bottom and small bowl on top
Macaroni and Cheese with tomatoes in red bowl

I will never forget his reaction when I put the bowl down in front of him and he took his first bite. His face lit up with glee and he immediately turned to the business of shoveling huge spoonfuls of Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes into his mouth, as fast as he possibly could. HELLO solid food....

Mac and Cheese with tomatoes being lifted out of red bowl with spoon

And when the bowl was empty, he thrust his hands together and desperately starting signing "MORE" over and over again. He was only about 6 months old.

Jump to:
  • 🥘 3 Ingredients
  • 💭What cheese is best for making for mac & cheese?
  • ⏲️ Baking time
  • 📋 Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes Recipe
  • 🍝More Pasta Recipes!

Teaching my kids basic sign language before they could talk was one of the best things I ever did. It empowered them because they could still communicate with us and it was a lot less frustrating for everyone. Apparently, kids comprehend at least 100 words before they can actually verbalize them, so signing is a great way for kids to express themselves. And having the ability to ask for more of this delicious macaroni and cheese was pretty darn empowering!

This Macaroni cheese and tomatoes was not only my son’s very first real solid food (aside from pablum), it was my daughter's and likely mine as well. And when I need comfort, this is exactly what I yearn for. And although I've been making it for myself and my kids for years, it's still waaay better if my mom makes it! But isn't everything so much better when your Mom makes it?

Mac and Cheese in a white casserole bowl with wooden spoon scooping it out

I recently reconnected with an old friend from elementary school and out of the blue she said she still remembered my Mom's old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese! And while I'm sure there are other people out there who make it this way, I've never actually come across anyone that does.

It's so simple, yet so amazing! And this Old Fashioned Date Nut Loaf  is another one of those simple, yet amazing recipes that my family has been making for generations. What I love most about these recipes is that they are made with real ingredients - the same ingredients that have been around for generations. 

🥘 3 Ingredients

It doesn't get much easier than 3 ingredients: elbow macaroni, canned tomatoes and cheddar cheese! It actually blows me away that three little ingredients can be so delicious!

And if I’m going to eat macaroni, I want to make it as healthy as possible. Since whole wheat pasta takes such a long time to cook (and I find it a bit too dense), I prefer to use “smart pasta”. Smart pasta tends to cook faster than whole wheat but you still get 4X as much fibre than white pasta. Although it’s not quite as healthy as the whole wheat, you are still getting those additional benefits. And if you’re not a fan of whole wheat, it’s a good alternative. To keep the fat content down, I will also regularly use low-fat cheese. But you need to be careful and keep a close watch on the cheese in the oven because it has a tendency to burn even quicker than regular cheese.

Read More about Smart Pasta HERE

💭What cheese is best for making for mac & cheese?

Sharp cheddar is best, in my opinion. However, I use low-fat sharp cheddar to bring down the calories and fat content. My kids don't even notice. But if you are using a lower fat cheese, you just need to make sure that you watch it closely in the oven, as low-fat cheese will burn much faster than regular cheese.

⏲️ Baking time

This tomato mac and cheese has a baking time of 3-5 minutes because I only put it in the oven to melt the cheese. And although I used a casserole dish to pretty up the photos, I usually just bake it in the same pot I cook the macaroni in on the stove top (just make sure your pot is oven safe!~) or I use my Dutch oven. I love that it's a one-pot meal and so quick to make! 

macaroni cheese and tomatoes in red bowl

My son will be 14 years old next month and he still loves this baked mac and cheese with tomatoes. However, these days he could probably devour the entire pot! It's become the ultimate comfort food for my kids as much as it is for me and I'm sure that this recipe will continue on comforting many more generations....

I hope you get as much comfort from it as we do!

Mac and Cheese with tomatoes being lifted out of red bowl with spoon
Print
5 from 4 votes

📋 Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes Recipe

This old fashioned baked Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes is made 3 simple ingredients - macaroni, cheddar cheese and tomatoes. It's real food and comfort food at its finest!
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine American, Canadian
Keyword cheese, Mac and cheese, macaroni, tomatoes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 576kcal
Author Terri Gilson
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 375 g -box of uncooked elbow macaroni I use Smart pasta (see post)
  • **2 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
  • 28 oz -can diced tomatoes * you can substitute stewed tomatoes
  • 500 g - package of sharp/old cheddar cheese, grated * add more (or less) to your liking

Instructions

  • Cook elbow macaroni as per instructions. * I add some olive oil to prevent it from sticking, but that's optional. Drain macaroni through colander.
    Macaroni draining in colander
  • Return to pot or casserole dish and add tomatoes.
    Tomatoes being added to macaroni
  • Mix tomatoes into macaroni.
    Tomatoes being mixed with macaroni
  • Heat oven to broil (500 degrees F) and top with shredded cheese.
  • Bake macaroni and cheese with tomatoes on middle rack under the broiler for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned (to your preference). * I put a cookie sheet underneath to prevent spills from dripping down. * Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.
    Mac and cheese with tomatoes baking in the oven
  • Serve hot.
    Mac and cheese with tomatoes cooling

Notes

 
💭What cheese is best for making for mac & cheese?
Sharp cheddar is best, but I use low-fat sharp cheddar to bring down the calories and fat content. My kids don't even notice. But if you are using a lower fat cheese, you just need to make sure that you watch it closely in the oven, as low-fat cheese will burn much faster than regular cheese.
💭Can I freeze this recipe?
I have frozen it many times and it still tastes great! Although, obviously it's much better fresh. But because there isn't any milk in it, like many mac and cheese recipes, this one freezes quite well. 
My Amazon Recommendations (affiliate links)

Nutrition Facts
📋 Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 576 Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 18g113%
Cholesterol 88mg29%
Sodium 712mg31%
Potassium 465mg13%
Carbohydrates 53g18%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 31g62%
Vitamin A 990IU20%
Vitamin C 12.3mg15%
Calcium 667mg67%
Iron 4.1mg23%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 712mg | Potassium: 465mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 990IU | Vitamin C: 12.3mg | Calcium: 667mg | Iron: 4.1mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bernice Hill

    July 02, 2019 at 10:23 am

    It's been way too long since I've had mac n cheese with tomatoes! Such a classic dish...I'm sending this recipe to my sister to make for my year old niece! She does some signing as well but is also talking quite a bit for her age. They grow up way too fast!

    Reply
    • Terri Gilson

      July 05, 2019 at 5:51 am

      Thanks, Bernice! I hope your niece enjoys it like my son did. Yes, they do grow up waaaay tooo fast!

      Reply
  2. Joss

    July 02, 2019 at 1:34 pm

    My kids and I are huge fans of tomatoes in mac and cheese, this is great!

    Reply
    • Terri Gilson

      July 05, 2019 at 5:51 am

      Thank you, Joss!

      Reply
  3. Colleen

    July 02, 2019 at 4:28 pm

    We love tomatoes in our mac & cheese! This looks so good, and has me craving . I think I know what's for dinner tonight!

    Reply
    • Terri Gilson

      July 05, 2019 at 5:51 am

      Hope you enjoyed it, Colleen!

      Reply
  4. Denise@urbnspice

    July 04, 2019 at 1:24 pm

    I had mac and cheese with tomatoes for the first time at 17 years old when a friend made it for me. I thought at the time that I had been missing out on a great idea! It is such a yummy dish and one that I can honestly say is pure comfort food to me. I enjoyed your cute story of your signing son - my four year old grandson still signs sometimes "more" without realizing he is doing it. I am sure he would be signing for more of your wonderful mac and cheese with tomatoes dish, Terri. Thanks for the cute story and the inspiration. 🙂

    Reply
    • Terri Gilson

      July 05, 2019 at 5:53 am

      Thank you, Denise. Yes, it's funny how they keep signing long after they start talking. Soo cute at that age. Enjoy your sweet little grandson!

      Reply
  5. Heidi

    May 18, 2021 at 12:43 am

    This is a version of what I grew up eating from my great grandmas kitchen. Recently I’ve started wondering where it came from regionally lol

    Reply
    • Terri Gilson

      May 20, 2021 at 8:12 am

      That's really cool, Heidi! I wonder that now too!

      Reply

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I'm Terri, a passionate home cook and baker, an award-winning recipe developer and a busy working mom that is trying to eat healthy and fit everything into not enough hours in a day! My mission is to share not only my recipes, cooking hacks and tips with you, but also my secrets to successful weight maintenance.

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