Italian Three-Cheese Macaroni

  Dinner

My husband is a self-proclaimed mac-and-cheese connoisseur and says that this is his favorite version. The Italian seasoning and tomatoes really complement the pasta and cheeses.

Italian Three-Cheese Macaroni

Average Rating: 4.555555

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Bake: 50 min.
YIELD: 12 servings (1 cup each).

Ingredients

  • 4 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
  • 1/2 cup butter, cubed
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 cups 2% milk
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

  • 1. Cook macaroni according to package directions.
  • 2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in cheddar and Parmesan cheeses until melted. Drain macaroni.
  • 3. Spread 1 cup cheese sauce in a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Layer with half of macaroni, tomatoes and cheese sauce. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Combine bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over top.
  • 4. Cover and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until golden brown and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 402 calories, 23g fat (13g saturated fat), 66mg cholesterol, 763mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 2g fiber), 17g protein.

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