Comfort Food: Tomato Macaroni and Cheese

Tomato Macaroni and Cheese–


This is something my husband refuses to eat. And yes, to the naked eye it looks a little scary. But, I grew up eating this every once in awhile. And it really tastes pretty darn good.

It’s one of the only meals I can get my kids to eat up. My little guy smacks his lips while proclaiming, “Mmm!!! Num, num, nummy!” Since he usually only eats plain pasta, I count this as a success.

It’s also one of those pantry meals–the ones you make because you haven’t been to the store for a few weeks and have nothing in the fridge. (Call it a food storage recipe.)

I LOVE THIS. I can even eat it cold. (Again, I am pregnant. There’s gotta be some connection…)

I sometimes halve the recipe because it makes a lot.

Tomato Macaroni and Cheese
from my Mom

Ingredients:
1 lb. elbow macaroni
2 (14.5 oz.) cans , or 1 (32 oz.) diced or whole tomatoes with juice
4-6 oz. cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:
Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain.

Place the canned tomatoes in a food processor or blender and pulse to break them up. (You can puree them if you don’t like chunks of tomatoes.)

Add the tomatoes to the cooked macaroni.

Put back on the stove and heat over medium heat. Add the cheese cubes. Stir while the cheese melts.

Season with salt and pepper. Serves 6-8 people. (We used to eat it with hamburger patties and toast.)

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6 Comments

  1. I’m so excited that you posted this. This is a meal my mom used to make for lunches a lot when I was a child. i still love it, but Ben also refuses to eat it, but that is just ben, he refuses to eat a lot of the food I make, it is depressing :(

  2. This is SO close to how my family does mac n cheese. This has been made by at least 4 generations in my family. We boil 1 lb macaroni, drain and arrange layers in a deep casserole dish. First is macaroni, then pour over tomato juice (we end up using 46 oz.), salt, pepper, shredded sharp cheddar cheese (we end up using 1 lb). Continue layers and top with cheese. Bake 350 until cheese is melted and top browns. This is a family favorite. When my youngest was very small, she asked me if she could have the macaroni dish when I die. lol It was her favorite dish growing up.

    1. Yum! That sounds delicious! All that cheese has got to be amazing! I still make this quite often for my kiddos and myself. My husband still hasn’t developed an attachment for it. haha

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