Another one for mac and cheese lovers: Mac and Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes
I’ve always been such a big fan of Mac and Cheese. The boxed stuff was a biggie in college. Everyone ate that because it was cheap and quick. I don’t reach for the boxed kind anymore… because making homemade mac and cheese is infinitely more delicious, and it’s really not very difficult to make either.
If you want more of a “normal” macaroni and cheese recipe, I recommend checking out either my Classic Macaroni and Cheese recipe (super creamy and so good), or my Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese (equally good and it’s a very popular recipe).
This Mac and Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes is more of a “gourmet” macaroni and cheese. It’s for people who like tomatoes. And if you really like tomatoes, you’ll love when they are roasted and added to this dish!
When you roast tomatoes, they kind of crinkle up, the sugars in the tomatoes rise to the surface, and they taste so sweet and delicious. Tomatoes are a perfect addition to pasta when they’re roasted. They’re addicting!
In this recipe, you’ll be giving the tomatoes their separate time in the oven- about 35 minutes roasted with fresh thyme, olive oil, garlic and salt. It’s just enough time to bring out those sweet flavors in the tomatoes before you combine them with the mac and cheese ingredients.
The cheeses used in this recipe are a sharp white cheddar and Fontina. These blend well to combine a creamy cheese sauce that is rich in flavor. These particular cheeses are a really great complement to sweet tomatoes.
Whole wheat pasta is combined with the cheese sauce and roasted tomatoes, and it’s topped with a few breadcrumbs before it goes into the oven. Bake time is about 25 minutes.
At this point, you can go pour yourself a glass of crisp and chilly white wine, and make a green salad to go with your Mac and Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes!
Try this recipe when you can find some really nice summer tomatoes. Every bite is delicious!
If you happen to be looking for a few more recipes using roasted tomatoes, you might try Slow Roasted Tomato Hummus or Spaghettini with Roasted Tomatoes. My Lemon Oregano Salmon with Roasted Tomatoes is a good one. Caesar Salad with Pancetta and Roasted Tomatoes is one of my all time favorite salads too!
Mac and Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 8 (2 pounds) plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 16 ounces multigrain whole wheat elbow macaroni
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 5 cups 1% milk
- 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup (4 ounces) shredded Fontina cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup dried breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat foil with cooking spray. Arrange tomato slices in a single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle oil over tomatoes. Sprinkle with thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and garlic. Bake for 35 minutes or until tomatoes start to dry out. Keep oven preheated.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.
- Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium-heat 8 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add cheddar, fontina, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat. Stir in tomatoes and pasta. Spoon into the prepared casserole dish. Combine grated parmesan, breadcrumbs, and paprika; sprinkle over pasta mixture.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
