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Creamy Tomato Macaroni & Cheese

Creamy Tomato Macaroni and Cheese

This Creamy Tomato Macaroni and Cheese can be on your table in under 1 hour!
35 minutes
6 - 8 servings

This Creamy Tomato Macaroni & Cheese can be on your table in under 1 hour!

Welcome to January!  The holidays are over, the tree is down and it’s time again for routines.  And I’m more than ready for it.  I love this time of year.  It feels fresh, the nights are cozy and it’s the perfect time for comfort food.  I actually really enjoy cooking this time of year…there is just something so comforting about hearty and comforting food in cold winter months.

Creamy Tomato Macaroni and Cheese

The best kind of comfort food.

Hearty, yummy comfort food.  But it’s got to be quick too!  Most days I need to be able to get dinner on the table in one hour or less.  So I’m always looking for new recipes to be able to achieve this.  And I also need recipes that use ingredients that I have on hand most of the time.  There’s a time for fancy recipes with fancy ingredients, but there’s nothing like having a recipe that’s simple and uses ingredients I have in the house.

Creamy Tomato Macaroni and Cheese

And this Creamy Tomato Macaroni and Cheese is exactly that kind of recipe.  If I have my dinner pantry stocked, more often than not I have all the ingredients on hand, making dinner prep easier than ever.

Creamy Tomato Macaroni and Cheese

Ready in under 1 hour!

Not only is this dish easy to put together, but it’s quick too…you can have it on your table in under 1 hour! It’s so good for those nights when you just don’t know what to make for dinner.  And the addition of tomato sneaks in some extra nutrition too!

Recipe Tips:

  • Cheese: Any mild, medium or sharp Cheddar Cheese or Monterey Jack cheese is delicious in this dish.
  • Tomatoes: I like to use canned tomatoes because the extra juice in them makes this dish nice and creamy.
  • Make Ahead Tip: I put my finished macaroni in an oven proof dish, covered it, and kept it in a 300 degree oven until dinner time. (Maximum time was 15 minutes.)

Creamy Tomato Macaroni and Cheese

Jo-Anna Rooney
This Creamy Tomato Macaroni and Cheese can be on your table in under 1 hour!
5 from 12 votes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Pasta
Servings 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb elbow macaroni
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes I sometimes add 1 1/2 cups
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 cups cheese mild, medium or sharp Cheddar Cheese or Monterey Jack
  • 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cook the pasta according to package directions. Then drain and set aside.
  • In a pan, melt the butter and cook the onion and garlic until lightly browned.
  • Add the flour to the onion mix and stir, mixing thoroughly.
  • Whisk in the milk, and stir until the mixture is thickened.
  • Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes and oregano. Stir until the tomatoes are warmed through.
  • Gradually stir in the grated and parmesan cheeses.
  • Add the pasta and stir.
  • Serve right away and enjoy!

Notes

I put my finished macaroni in an oven proof dish, covered it, and kept it in a 300 degree oven until dinner time. (Maximum time was 15 minutes.)
Did you try this recipe?Follow and tag @prettysuburbs on Pinterest so we can see what you've made!

Recipe adapted from All You Need is Cheese

Let’s look again… mmmmmmmmm

Creamy Tomato Macaroni and Cheese

Creamy Tomato Macaroni & Cheese

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 PIN IT!

Have a delicious day!

This post was originally published in October 2012.  I just updated the photos!

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5 from 12 votes

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35 Comments

  1. This mac & cheese looks fab! I love the idea of making it a tomato version!

    1. Thank you Katie! I love the tomato addition too! Just a little more yummy!
      Jo-Anna

  2. Oh yum! I loooove mac n cheese and the addition of the tomato is pure genius.

  3. GENIUS, I say GENIUS – can’t wait to try this – looks creamy and delish!

  4. The tomato addition really makes it special. Yum!

  5. I found this on Pinterest and made it tonight, it was AMAZING!! I used a mix of Monterey Jack, Sharp Cheddar and parmesan cheeses and it was so good. It is very filling for a main dish, next time I may make it a side for grilled chicken. It would be good with Sweet Italian Sausage too!

  6. My Mom use to make Mac & Cheese and add a can of tomato soup, it gave it a little zip and she always used extra sharp cheddar cheese and topped it with bread crumbs. It was yummy.(I still do it )

  7. Alexis B. says:

    Made it & it was good! Next time tho, I will double the sauce to make it creamier! Thanks for this wonderful recipe!

  8. hey i tried this with just a touch of spices. im 13 and i made this today for my family. they loved it!