Big Dish Tomato Basil Mac & Cheese

Name: Big Dish Tomato Basil Mac & Cheese
Yield: 30
Ingredients: 2 ½ pounds penne, large elbows or shells; 2 ½ sticks Cabot Salted Butter or Cabot Extra Creamy Premium Sea Salted Butter; 4 cloves garlic, chopped (optional); 1 ¼ cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour; 10 cups milk; 40 ounces Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar (5 bars) or Cabot Alpine Cheddar (7 bars), grated (about 10 cups); 10 medium, fresh tomatoes, 5 coarsely chopped, and 5 sliced; 2½ cups fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped, divided; 2½ cups of Panko bread crumbs

Servings

30

Take a classic comfort dish to the next level with this recipe for mac and cheese with tomatoes. Chopped fresh tomatoes, fresh basil and Cabot cheddar cheese combine to make a palate-pleasing mac and cheese you’ll love, while a topping of sliced tomatoes, chopped basil and Panko breadcrumbs add extra flavor and create a beautiful presentation. Making 30 servings, this dish is ideal for entertaining and doesn’t require you to stand over the stove for hours. Once you’ve made it, share the recipe on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter with your family and friends.

Begin by cooking the noodles until al dente, drain, place in a large bowl and set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Melt Cabot Salted Butter or Cabot Extra Creamy Premium Sea Salted Butter in a heavy-bottomed pot or saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour a little at a time, until well blended, and continue stirring, letting it cook for a minute or two. Slowly add the milk, continuing to whisk for another 2-3 minutes. Add the Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (or Cabot Alpine Cheddar Cheese) and stir with a whisk or spoon until cheese is melted and blended into the mixture. Adjust the heat to low and add 1 cup of the chopped basil, stirring to cook for 3 or 4 minutes.

When the sauce is done, add about half of it to the pasta, mixing well to combine. Add the 5 chopped tomatoes, a half cup of the chopped basil and the other half of the cheese sauce and mix again.

Transfer the mac and cheese to lightly greased baking dishes and top evenly with the 5 sliced tomatoes, the remaining cup of chopped basil and the Panko breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Serve and enjoy!

When you want another hearty and scrumptious mac and cheese recipe, you’ll want to check out our Bourbon & Bacon White Cheddar Mac and Cheese. As a co-operative dairy farm families, Cabot takes a lot of pride in making our award-winning dairy products. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this mac and cheese with tomatoes dish, so please rate and review the recipe once you’ve tried it.

Ingredients

2 ½ pounds penne, large elbows or shells
2 ½ sticks Cabot Salted Butter or Cabot Extra Creamy Premium Sea Salted Butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped (optional)
1 ¼ cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
10 cups milk
40 ounces Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar (5 bars) or Cabot Alpine Cheddar (7 bars), grated (about 10 cups)
10 medium, fresh tomatoes, 5 coarsely chopped, and 5 sliced
2½ cups fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped, divided
2½ cups of Panko bread crumbs

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Directions

COOK the noodles per package directions until al dente. Drain and place in a large bowl and set aside.
PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
MELT the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic (if using) and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant but not brown. Whisk in the flour, a little at a time, until well blended. Continue stirring, letting it cook for a minute or two. Slowly add the milk and keep whisking for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cheese and stir with whisk or spoon until it melts and is blended into the mixture. Adjust the heat to low. Add 1 cup chopped basil and cook while stirring for 3 or 4 minutes.
ADD about half of the cheese sauce to the pasta and mix well.
ADD the chopped tomatoes, a half cup of the chopped basil and the other half of the cheese sauce and mix again.
PLACE the mac and cheese in a large, lightly greased baking dish (or use two smaller baking dishes). Top evenly with the sliced tomatoes, the remaining cup of chopped basil and breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until it is hot and bubbly.