This is the mac and cheese of my childhood with a few upgrades from how my mom made it. The tangy pop from the tomatoes lets the rich blend of cheeses really shine and the crunchy topping adds great texture. There’s room in my world for a variety of mac and cheese styles and this one nears the top.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr |
| Active: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the baking dish
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 pound small or medium shell pasta (or your favorite shaped pasta!)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- One 10.75-ounce can condensed tomato soup
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 8 ounces sharp Cheddar, freshly grated
- 4 ounces sharp American deli cheese, torn into large pieces
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs, seasoned or unseasoned
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-inch square (or 2-quart) baking dish with butter.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook the pasta until is al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions, and drain.
- Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Whisk in the flour, onion powder, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Whisk in the condensed tomato soup and milk and bring to a simmer, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, then stir in the Cheddar and American cheese with a wooden spoon. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.
- Stir the cooked pasta into the sauce and pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish pan. In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and remaining 1 tablespoon of butter with your hand, then sprinkle over the pasta.
- Bake until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 228 |
| Total Fat | 16 g |
| Saturated Fat | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 10 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 11 g |
| Cholesterol | 46 mg |
| Sodium | 402 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 228 |
| Total Fat | 16 g |
| Saturated Fat | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 10 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 11 g |
| Cholesterol | 46 mg |
| Sodium | 402 mg |
Reviews
I thought the sauce to pasta ratio was perfect. I did use evaporated milk for more creaminess and didn’t take sauce off of heat until it thickened. Other than that, the recipe is great!
Rlthis is just right . Love this recipe called my mom and ask her if she did all this. She said yes with a smile
Really great and easy recipe, but the amount of pasta is WAY too little for the sauce. You need a full pound of shells. Also, the directions say to cook until al dente, 2 minutes. Nooooo…about 6 is correct. Even undercooking the pasta wouldn’t help the liquid ratio issue. After all that, you need a larger baking dish. Not quite 9×12 but since that’s pretty standard, go for it.
Not just the best Mac and cheese I’ve ever made, but the best I ever ate. I did tweak by using double the amount of pasta and 12oz of cheese instead of 8.
A staple from our childhood…tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich…this dish reminds us of all the things we like about that combo. This is a subtle and creamy sauce making it much lighter than our typical homemade mac and cheese recipe Next time we make it we are going to add broccoli as we think that could add a nice flavour and texture.
This was so good. The leftovers are even better.
I would cook a little longer and use a bit more topping next time. Super delicious; will be making again!!