Serves 5
40 min
Caprese Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe GLPR419c7ff9aabc77
A creamy baked macaroni and cheese inspired by the fresh flavors of a classic Caprese salad. Whole wheat pasta is layered with a rich tomato sauce, silky mozzarella cream sauce, fresh tomato slices, and fragrant basil, then baked until bubbly and golden. Perfect as a comforting side dish or satisfying main course.
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Ingredients
25 fresh basil leaves
10 oz whole wheat elbow macaroni, uncooked
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup 2% milk
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup tomato sauce
3 large fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bring 3 to 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot over high heat.
Add the uncooked whole wheat elbow macaroni to the boiling water, stir well, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until al dente. Drain the pasta thoroughly and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, whisk together the milk, vegetable broth, all-purpose flour, salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a small saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
Remove the sauce from heat and pour it over the hot drained pasta. Add 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese and mix until well combined.
Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish to coat completely.
Layer half of the macaroni mixture over the tomato sauce. Top with half of the sliced tomatoes, then sprinkle with half of the remaining basil and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
Repeat the layering: spread the remaining macaroni mixture, top with the remaining tomato slices, sprinkle with the rest of the basil, and finish with the final 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the dish is bubbly and just beginning to brown around the edges.
Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
