If you’re looking for a quick and delicious dinner to make on a budget, you’re in luck! Macaroni and tomatoes might be making the rounds on TikTok right now, but it’s actually been around for nearly a century. Popularized during the Great Depression, the tried-and-true recipe is easy to throw together in just a few minutes with cheap staples: canned tomatoes and pasta.
‘The Ultimate Comfort Food’
Of course, it needs a few more ingredients to zhuzh it up—salt, pepper, and bacon grease lend flavor, while a pinch of sugar enhances the sweetness and a pat of cold butter gives it a rich finishing touch.
“Don’t come at me saying this is just pasta and tomato sauce, because it is not,” says Senior Producer Nicole McLaughlin. “It’s a whole different experience. I could eat this every day.”
When Nicole posted her take on the classic meal, commenters had thoughts:
“Grew up on this my entire life,” says darlauttech. “My beautiful mom did what she had to do to make sure we had a full tummy every night. Her name was Betty and we called it ‘Betty Spaghetti.’ Miss her every day of my life. I continue to make this for my kids and grandkids.”
Instagram user thisislindee calls it “the ultimate comfort food” and notes that her mom called it “stewed tomatoes and noodles.”
Others were delighted by the delicious blast from the past: “My grandmother used to make macaroni and tomatoes,” says clhollie. “I hadn’t remembered it until you posted this video. Thanks for the walk down memory lane!”
How to Make Macaroni and Tomatoes
Serves: 4Prep time: 5 minutesCook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon bacon grease1 ½ cups diced very ripe tomato1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in juice¾ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste½ teaspoon pepper, or to taste¼ teaspoon sugar1 cup water2 cups macaroni2 ½ Tablespoons cold butter
Directions
Heat bacon grease in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring often until tomatoes soften, about 5 minutes. Add canned tomatoes and mash lightly with a wooden spoon or potato masher to break the tomatoes into large pieces. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Add water to tomato can to rinse any residual juice from the can and add water mixture to tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low while pasta cooks, stirring occasionally. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until just al dente, about 5-6 minutes. Drain pasta and add to tomato mixture. Cook macaroni and tomatoes together 8-10 minutes or until the flavors have combined and the mixture has thickened slightly. Stir in butter and serve immediately.
Dining and Cooking