Pantry & Instant Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Tomato Soup Mac and Cheese
Velvety tomato soup stirred into cheesy macaroni creates a tangy, ultra-cozy mashup that kids and grown-ups will reach for on cold nights.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- One-pot
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners30-minute meals
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the dry macaroni and cook for 7-8 minutes until tender.
- 2
Drain the macaroni well in a colander and return the empty pot to the stove over low heat.
- 3
Melt the butter in the pot, then pour in the milk and the cheese powder packet, whisking until smooth and creamy.
- 4
Stir the condensed tomato soup directly into the cheese sauce (do not add extra water) until fully combined and warm.
- 5
Fold the cooked macaroni back into the creamy tomato-cheese sauce.
- 6
Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring gently, until the pasta is well coated and the dish is piping hot. Serve immediately.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
78/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving65
Calories
1 g
Protein
2 g
Carbs
6 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
This dish pairs two separate American pantry staples, boxed macaroni and cheese and canned condensed tomato soup, both of which became household fixtures through the mid-1900s push toward shelf-stable, quick-prep convenience foods. Combining them into one dish is a home-cooking mashup rather than a dish with its own separate deep history.
Listahan note
This version stirs the condensed tomato soup into the cheese sauce after the macaroni is already coated, rather than combining everything at once, so the cheese flavor stays distinct instead of getting diluted by the soup from the start.
Technique cues
- Cooking the macaroni just to tender, about seven to eight minutes, keeps the pasta from turning mushy once it's stirred into the sauce and reheated.
- Melting the butter in the same pot before adding the cheese powder and milk builds the sauce directly where the pasta will return to, saving a separate pan.
- Whisking the cheese powder into the melted butter and milk until fully smooth before the tomato soup goes in prevents the powder from clumping once more liquid is added.
- Folding the tomato soup in gradually rather than dumping it all at once lets you taste and adjust how much tomato flavor comes through against the cheese.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Prep any side dishes while Tomato Soup Mac and Cheese finishes with the box macaroni and cheese — the hands-off cook time is the window to use. Plan around the boil; that's the slow part.
- Make-ahead
- Tomato Soup Mac and Cheese reheats well, so cooking it a day ahead and finishing it just before serving is a reasonable way to spread out the work. This one leans on the box macaroni and cheese. Plan around the boil; that's the slow part.
- Leftover move
- Leftover Tomato Soup Mac and Cheese reheats well covered on the stove or in the oven with a splash of liquid; avoid the microwave, which can dry out a dish reheated this way faster than a covered, gentler reheat. This one leans on the box macaroni and cheese. The boil step is what sets the pace here.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Deglaze the pan used for Tomato Soup Mac and Cheese with a splash of water or broth right after cooking — it lifts the browned bits before they dry on and saves scrubbing later. This one leans on the box macaroni and cheese. Plan around the boil; that's the slow part.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
1 box macaroni and cheese
Main protein or body
Purpose: box macaroni and cheese gives Tomato Soup Mac and Cheese its main substance and carries the seasoning.
Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.
Adaptation: Use unsweetened dairy-free alternatives only where they still provide enough fat and body.
1 can condensed tomato soup
Acid and brightness
Purpose: can condensed tomato soup balances richness and keeps the finished dish lively.
Handling: Wash, trim, and cut evenly so the pieces cook at the same pace.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
1/4 cup whole milk
Richness and texture
Purpose: cup whole milk rounds the texture and helps the dish feel complete.
Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.
Adaptation: Use unsweetened dairy-free alternatives only where they still provide enough fat and body.
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Richness and texture
Purpose: tbsp unsalted butter rounds the texture and helps the dish feel complete.
Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.
Adaptation: Use unsweetened dairy-free alternatives only where they still provide enough fat and body.
Technique notes
- Reserve a splash of the pasta cooking water before draining — it can loosen the sauce if it turns thicker than you'd like after combining.
- This reheats well the next day with a splash of milk stirred in, since the sauce thickens considerably once refrigerated.
- A few cracks of black pepper or a shake of dried basil at the end gives the tomato side of the dish more presence against the cheese.
Ingredient swaps
- Dairy-free direction
- Swap the unsalted butter for a neutral dairy-free butter or oil and a full-fat plant milk (oat or coconut work best for body) — the texture shifts slightly but the dish holds together. This one leans on the condensed tomato soup.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Salt in stages instead of all at once, tasting as you go — you'll likely need less than the full amount. This one leans on the condensed tomato soup.
- Weeknight shortcut
- For a faster version, prep the longest-cooking component a day ahead so the night-of cook is mostly assembly and finishing. This one leans on the condensed tomato soup.
Serve alongside
- Steamed rice
- Cucumber salad
- Roasted vegetables
- Pickled vegetables
- Iced tea
- Sparkling water with citrus
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat gently with a splash of water, broth, milk, or sauce as appropriate.
- Freeze up to 2 months when the texture is braised, baked, or stew-like.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or soup pot
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
Make this household-aware
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Plan it in Listahan
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