Mac and Cheese with Tomatoes and Tomato Sauce 🍅🧀👨‍🍳😀 A Twist on the Old Fashioned Baked Casserole 🍅🍅

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: processed cheese

Reduced-fat cheese lowers calories while processed cheese is often cheaper.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast offers a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is a healthier fat option.

milk

🥗Healthier: almond milk

💰Cheaper: evaporated milk

Almond milk is lower in calories, while evaporated milk is often less expensive.

Boil water and add pasta; cook on high for 12 minutes, then drain.

Use residual heat to melt 1 tablespoon of butter into the pasta.

Prepare 16 ounces of mild and medium cheddar cheese, setting aside 4 ounces for topping.

Cut 2 medium tomatoes into slices.

Open a 15-ounce can of tomato sauce and set aside.

Add 1 large egg to the tomato sauce and blend.

Mix the tomato sauce with the drained pasta.

Butter an 8x8 casserole dish and layer 1/4 of the pasta, 1/4 of the cheese, 1/4 of the spices, and 1/4 of the chopped ham; repeat for a total of four layers.

Mix 4 ounces of cheese with 0.25 cup of sour cream and spices for the topping.

Spread the cheese and sour cream mixture over the assembled casserole and smooth it out.

Lay tomato slices on top of the casserole.

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 45 minutes uncovered.

Sprinkle with oregano after baking and let cool before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens