Samantha Nicole Thanks to Mindy for creating this dish… and for sharing the recipe with us! Now we can enjoy Mindy’s Tomato Pasta Bake, her distinct twist on mac and cheese, anytime! The creamy, tender, homespun goodness of mac and cheese is mixed with bright tomatoes, tangy sour cream, and herbaceous basil, so it has all the summer goodness of a fresh garden baked into each bite! This is the beauty of Mindy’s Tomato Pasta Bake; it makes mac and cheese vibrant and electrically delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, diced small
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups macaroni and cheese, cooked, homemade or store-bought
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 4 teaspoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
- coarse salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
Step 3 –Add the onion to the hot oil and cook until softened, about 8 minutes.
Step 4 –Add the tomatoes and their juices to the onion and cook until the tomatoes are heated through, about 2 minutes.
Step 5 –Add the cooked macaroni and cheese to the onion mixture and stir gently to combine.
Step 6 –Transfer the mac and cheese mixture from the heat.
Step 7 –Add the sour cream, the basil, and the salt to the mac and cheese mixture and stir to combine.
Step 8 –Transfer the mac and cheese mixture to a 2-quart baking dish.
Step 9 –Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top of the mac and cheese mixture and drizzle the breadcrumbs with the remaining oil.
Step 10 –Bake the pasta bake until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the breadcrumbs are golden, about 20 minutes.
Step 11 –Allow the pasta bake to cool for 5 minutes.
Step 12 –Serve.
