While it didn't make it to Elvis Presley's list of favorite Southern comfort foods , macaroni and tomatoes remains a beloved comfort food for many people from the South. Like most nostalgia-inducing fare, macaroni and tomatoes is belly-filling, affordable, and easy to prepare with only a handful of ingredients including dried macaroni, canned stewed tomatoes, and butter. Though the exact origin of this classic dish invented in America isn't easy to pinpoint, many think it has Southern and Appalachian beginnings.
It's believed to be one of many fascinating foods that were eaten during the Great Depression when people had to stretch their dollar, using affordable ingredients to make large, satiating meals that would feed the whole family. In fact, many nostalgic American foodstuffs came from this era, including dishes like meatloaf and potato soup to chipped beef and hot dogs -- and macaroni and tomatoes is no exception. Basic recipes for macaroni and tomatoes include five ingredients; a pack of dried elbow macaroni, a ounce can of stewed tomatoes, a couple tablespoons of butter, as well as salt and pepper.
But like any good recipe, it's open to interpretation! Some people add ground beef and onions, making it similar to a goulash, while others simmer the dried noodles in seasoned chicken broth and tomato sauce, further enhancing the dish's tomato-rich flavor.
As a recipe with roots that go back at least a century, macaroni and tomatoes has stood the test of time, remaining both affordable and heart-warming. A savvy shopper could easily find the ingredients for this dish costing them less than a Hamilton, and that's including optional shredded cheese and a box of cornbread to go on the side, spiced up with your own embellishments to boot.
It's enough to have your family pushing back from the table and rubbing their bellies in no time. Read the original article on Chowhound. On the list: A chic and comfy find that's totally twinning an Oprah favorite β for a fourth of the price.
