The Forgotten Southern Pasta That Costs Almost Nothing to Make

I’ve lived in the South my whole life, but I’m constantly surprised by new-to-me Southern classics that I find hiding in old, spiral-bound cookbooks. I was poring over a stack of them at a flea market when a simple-sounding recipe jumped out at me: macaroni and tomatoes.

Despite my Southern upbringing, I had never heard of the dish, but I was intrigued (and I had a hunch that my noodle-loving youngest child would be a fan), so I kept reading. Later, curiosity piqued, I asked my mom if Grandma Winnie (her mom) ever made the dish, and she responded instantly, “Yes, all the time!”

What Is Macaroni and Tomatoes?

Macaroni and tomatoes is a Depression-era dish from the Appalachian South that relies on affordable pantry staples, like macaroni noodles, canned tomatoes, and sometimes bacon, butter, onions, and/or garlic.

So it makes sense that my Grandma Winnie, who was born in 1913 in rural southwest Virginia, would be well familiar with the dish. My mom recalled, “We frequently had meals with no meat. We couldn’t afford it, but we did have lots of veggies. The tomatoes she used were ones that she grew and canned.”

The first time I made macaroni and tomatoes, I understood the appeal. The dish is elementally comforting, with bouncy macaroni noodles and tangy tomatoes. It’s not exactly a sauce, but the tomatoes add just enough flavor to keep things interesting.

Though my mom doesn’t remember bacon grease being used in Grandma Winnie’s version, I decided to use some to bring some smokiness to the dish. With grocery prices on the rise, this is a simple, customizable three-ingredient dish that can feed four hungry people—just the kind of weeknight workhorse I’m looking for these days.

What To Serve with Macaroni and Tomatoes

My mom said she didn’t recall eating many side dishes with this humble meal. This was, after all, the whole point of serving such a simple dish. But, she says, if there was anything else on the table, it was likely a bowl of pinto beans, a common dish for her growing up, and one that I can’t help but notice adds some plant-based protein to the meal.

Other sides to serve with macaroni and tomatoes include a simple green salad, freshly baked bread, and Southern-style green beans. It can also work as a side dish alongside a roast chicken or homemade fish sticks.

Tips for Making Macaroni and Tomatoes

• If you don’t have bacon grease on hand, use butter or even olive oil instead.
• For an extra layer of flavor, sauté half an onion and two gloves of garlic in the bacon grease, and then add the tomatoes and the elbow macaroni.
• Top the dish with shredded cheese, like cheddar or parmesan, to add a little creaminess.
• Upgrade the final dish with a garnish of fresh herbs, like parsley or basil.