Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Growing up, my Mom always made us her Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe with roasted tomatoes. At that time, I always hated when she would add tomatoes to the macaroni and cheese. I would beg her to make us a batch without, but she always made it the same way every time.
As an adult, I now understand that she was completely right! The tomatoes add an extra burst of flavor and texture to the recipe. Any time you hit a juicy tomato with your fork, you know you’re in for the perfect bite. After all, what’s better than cheesy noodles, juicy tomatoes and crispy breadcrumbs? Not much!
About this Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
As soon as I tried this baked macaroni n’ cheese recipe yesterday, I was flooded with so many great memories. This dish truly is a part of my childhood. Perfect any night of the week, this recipe is comfort food at its finest.
When prepping the pasta be sure to cook it al dente. The pasta will continue to cook in the cheese sauce in the oven so you do not want it to get soggy. You’ll also want to reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water. This will be used for the cheese sauce if it begins to get too thick. Just be careful as the pasta water is salted and you do not want to make your cheese sauce too salty.
Make sure you use an oven safe pan when prepping this dish. That way cleanup will be a breeze. Serve this dish as your main meal or as a side. Either way, this baked macaroni and cheese recipe is guaranteed to be a family favorite.
How to Store
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave until heated through. You can add a small amount of water or broth when reheating the macaroni and cheese to reconstitute the sauce so it’s creamy again.
Looking for more macaroni n’ cheese recipes? Try my Taco Macaroni and Cheese or my Stovetop Buffalo Macaroni and Cheese. Both are so delicious and easy to make.
Baked Macaroni n’ Cheese
Ingredients
Pasta
- 10-12 ounces elbow macaroni
- ½ cup reserved pasta water , use as needed to thin out cheese sauce
Cheese Sauce
- ¼ cup salted butter, or 4 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons AP flour, all purpose flour
- 1 cup 2% milk
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 6 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 28 ounces whole roasted tomatoes, drain off the juice and give the tomatoes a rough chop. I like larger pieces in my recipe.
Toasted Breadcrumbs
- ½ cup panko, toasted
- 1 tablespoon butter
Equipment
- 1 pasta pot
- 1 colander
- 1 oven safe saute pan
Instructions
Prep the Oven / Toast the Breadcrumbs
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.Add a dollop of butter to a nonstick skillet. Add the panko breadcrumbs and lightly toast until golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside. Be careful as the breadcrumbs will toast quickly.
Cook the Pasta
- Boil a pot of water and cook the elbow macaroni noodles according to the package. (al dente preferred) Reserve a 1/2 cup of water. Drain the pasta in a colander and set the pasta aside.
Make the Cheese Sauce
- In an oven-safe pan, add the butter and AP flour over medium heat to form a roux.Once the roux begins to bubble, slowly add the milk and whisk well. Next, add the low sodium chicken broth. Whisk until well combined.
- Once the sauce is creamy, no lumps add the cubed Velveeta and shredded mozzarella cheese. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir until fully melted, no lumps.
Combine
- Add the al dente pasta to the cheese sauce and toss until well coated. **If the cheese sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water. Just be careful because the pasta water is lightly salted and you do not want the cheese sauce to become too salty. Option to use low sodium broth or water instead. **
- Drain the whole roasted tomatoes and chop them into large pieces. Gently fold the tomatoes into the macaroni and cheese. You do not want to over stir the tomatoes, or they will break down.
Bake
- Top the entire dish with the toasted breadcrumbs and bake covered for 15-20 minutes. Broil uncovered for 1-2 minutes for an extra crispy top. Serve immediately and enjoy!
One Comment on “Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe”
This reminded me of the macaroni my grandma made us as kids.