• YIELDS | 6 SERVINGS
  • PREP TIME | 15 MINS
  • COOK TIME | 15 MINS

All the best ingredients—Italian cheeses, tomato, and basil—are combined to create this creamy caprese mac and cheese. It is easy, cozy, comforting, and delicious.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces favorite bite-sized pasta
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 3 cups whole or favorite milk
  • 8 ounces shredded Italian cheese blend
  • 1/4 chopped fresh basil, plus small leaves for topping
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 2-3 medium tomatoes, preferably in different colors
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella pearls

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  2. While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium. Add flour; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is light brown and smells toasty, about 2 minutes.
  3. Slowly whisk in milk; cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool slightly, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
  4. Stir in Italian cheese until melted. Stir in chopped basil, mustard, and salt until well combined. Fold in drained pasta.
  5. Preheat broiler with oven rack in center position. Transfer pasta to a broiler-safe 2 1/2-quart baking dish.
  6. Slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange tomato slices and mozzarella over pasta.
  7. Broil until tomatoes are softened, mozzarella is melted, and surface is beginning to brown in spots, 5-8 minutes. Top with basil leaves.