Macaroni and tomatoes have a special place in many people’s hearts. This straightforward recipe can be tailored to suit your family’s taste buds with any number of ingredients found in your pantry.
If you’re looking to reduce the calories in macaroni and tomato, add some roasted broccoli as a side. Not only is this vegetable low in calories, but it’s an excellent source of calcium and vitamin K as well.
Ingredients
A simple recipe made with only pantry ingredients, lamberts tomato and macaroni is the ideal comfort food. You can customize it to suit your taste preferences, and serve it alongside any meal!
This macaroni and tomatoes dish is the main component, but you can add other ingredients to make it even more delectable. For instance, sauteing onions and garlic in olive oil or using bacon grease adds additional flavor, as does Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and grated parmesan cheese for extra zest.
Another option is to substitute canned whole tomatoes with diced or stewed tomatoes, depending on what you have on hand. You could also add cooked ground beef or chicken for extra protein.
Add some tomato soup for an extra flavor boost, or sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
I like to add a dash of seasoned salt to this recipe for an extra kick and to balance out the acidity from tomatoes.
To prepare this recipe, start by boiling a pot of water and cooking macaroni according to package directions. Drain and return it back into the pot along with all other ingredients.
Once all ingredients are mixed together, bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat and cook until bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and let sit for around 20 minutes before serving; this allows the pasta to absorb more of the sauce for an even creamier and richer taste.
Prep Time
This recipe takes less than 20 minutes to prepare, making it the ideal choice for a speedy meal or light supper. Plus, you can use up any leftover meat or vegetables you may have on hand!
To begin making this dish, you’ll want to cook the macaroni until al dente. To do so, fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Stir in the pasta then drain well.
Next, you’ll need to gather all your ingredients. For optimal flavor and results with this classic dish, opt for high quality components – like butter that has been aged properly.
In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter. Next, stir in bacon and use an impressive kitchen tool – red hot grilling tongs! Finally, add another essential ingredient – good quality tomato. With this dish you can get as fancy or simple as desired!
Cook Time
Macaroni and cheese is a beloved comfort food that’s easy to make at any time of year. But, it’s essential to know how long to bake it for optimal flavor – until the cheese has melted and the sauce bubbly.
How long you should bake macaroni and cheese depends on several factors, including the recipe you’re making as well as personal preferences. Some people enjoy their mac and cheese gooey and soft while others like it more firm. You can also experiment with adding different mix-ins for extra flavor!
Your oven’s cooking time may differ, but 25 minutes is a general guideline. This should result in a creamy pasta dish with an irresistibly golden brown top that has been thoroughly cooked through.
You can adjust the cooking time if desired for a thinner sauce or prefer your dish slightly thicker. For instance, cooking the cheese sauce a bit longer in Step 6 will give it a thicker consistency, or reduce baking time by several minutes to maintain firm macaroni and cheese.
Making your mac and cheese sauce more stable by adding a roux helps it not to separate into greasy pools when baked. A roux is composed of equal parts melted butter and flour that’s whisked together over medium heat.
Once the roux is ready, whisk it into milk. You may wish to add other liquids such as chicken stock to this mixture for a rich and creamy sauce.
Once your sauce has reached your desired thickness, pour it over cooked macaroni and top with Parmesan and breadcrumbs. Place this dish into the oven and bake until the top is golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
This delicious and hearty meal can be served with a green salad or other vegetable side dishes. Plus, it makes an excellent recipe to freeze for later use.
Servings
This classic Southern dish is easy to make and guaranteed to have you coming back for more. A balanced ratio of water to pasta is key for success, while some quality salt and pepper will do wonders in making this dish a hit. Additionally, opt for dry or semi-dry pasta rather than the typically wet variety if possible – quality is your number one ally in making this dish successful!
This recipe will be proudly displayed on your kitchen counter for years to come.