One Pot 4 Cheese Caprese Mac and Cheese.
This easy, summery one pot 4 cheese caprese mac and cheese is the perfect recipe to use up those summer tomatoes and garden basil. Short cut pasta, four kinds of cheese…including creamy Brie, basil pesto, and a mix of tomatoes. All stirred together to create the creamiest mac and cheese that’s finished off with garlicky Ritz cracker crumbs. Throw it in the oven for a cheesy baked mac and cheese that’s perfect for summer nights, but equally great for transitioning into fall.
It’s about this time every summer that our local farm stand gets their heirloom tomatoes and peaches in. I wait all summer for these candy-like tomatoes to finally arrive. Now that I have them, I’ve been trying to use them up in ways other than just the classic recipes you might expect. So far this summer, I’ve shared this glorious (how about that for a new word?) everything cheddar tomato bacon grilled cheese, a quick lemon scallop pasta with burst cherry tomatoes, and a roasted tomato tart too.
All are well-loved, especially the grilled cheese, which if I’m being one hundred percent honest, is probably my favorite of the summer. Well, the grilled cheese and this mac and cheese. It’s a tie, it’s too hard to choose a favorite. Both are cheesy, highlight the tomato, but yet feel exciting, different, and most importantly, delicious.
Here’s the background.
I think of this mac and cheese as fancied up just a bit, but not fancied up so much that you’re turned off. I feel like sometimes mac and cheese can be made way too fancy. To me, mac and cheese should be pretty simple, and of course, heavy on the cheesy goodness.
I really love a buttery breadcrumb on top. And I love to bake my mac and cheese with crispy edges and creamy, cheesy goodness underneath.
Which brings me to this mac and cheese. It’s a recipe taken from a few years back and adjusted slightly to make it even better. And all in one pot so it’s easier too.
The recipe itself is really simple. If you’ve gotten yourself a copy of the Half Baked Harvest Super Simple cookbook, this is my staple one pot mac and cheese recipe…but with a summer tomato basil twist. And while I hate to set aside my own cookbook recipe, this is better.
Why? Roasted tomatoes, basil pesto, and Brie. Three of my favorites all in one.
The details.
The method is simple. Start by boiling a big pot of water on the stove. Once the water has come to a boil, add the pasta. Boil until al dente, then simply stir in all the remaining ingredients, and that’s kind of it. The key is to use a touch of cream cheese. The added creaminess…in addition to the other four types of cheese, is next level. It creates the perfect amount of creamy sauce but allows you to not have to make a roux, as most traditional mac and cheese do.
For the other 4 kinds of cheese, I love using a mix of sharp white cheddar for flavor and creamy Havarti or fontina for creaminess. Together they create that ideal cheese pull we all love so much. But for that extra special touch…I add Brie.
Yummm. Love a cheesy Brie mac and cheese, and guys, it makes this mac and cheese, so don’t skimp on it.
Once the cheese is in. Add basil pesto and a small handful of cherry tomatoes. Put everything into a baking dish and top with mozzarella and a few slices of heirloom (or regular) tomatoes.
Now add some buttery garlicky Ritz cracker crumbs. Then bake until that sauce is bubbling up over the tomatoes and those crumbs are nice and golden crisp.
Finish with as much fresh basil as you can gather up. Eat and enjoy!
Simple, simple and so very delicious.
I couldn’t love this mac and cheese more. It feels like that “kid” kind of food we know and love, but with a very subtle adult twist.
Melted cheese, ripe summer tomatoes, basil pesto, BRIE, and buttery Ritz cracker crumbs…when all put together they equal perfection on so many levels. My suggestion…make this dish tonight as an easy Monday night dinner…you’ll be SO happy you did!
And lastly, this mac and cheese will be perfect for Labor Day, upcoming game nights…assuming there are upcoming game nights (fall will not be the same without them), and low key family dinners at home. Such a multi versatile dish. Win, win!
Looking for other easy weeknight pasta dinner bakes? Here are a few ideas:
One Pot 30 Minute Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta Bake
One Pot Lemon Basil, Asparagus, and Sausage Pasta
One Pot Lemon Basil, Corn, and Ricotta Pasta
Lastly, if you make this One Pot 4 Cheese Caprese Mac and Cheese be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
One Pot 4 Cheese Caprese Mac and Cheese
And with garlicky Ritz cracker crumbs...yes! The perfect recipe to use up those summer tomatoes and garden basil!
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1-2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
- 1 pound your favorite short cut pasta
- 2 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Havarti or fontina cheese
- 4-6 ounces Brie, rind removed and chopped
- 1/4 cup basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper use more or less to taste
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1-2 regular or heirloom tomatoes, sliced
- fresh basil, for serving
Instructions
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1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt and the pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Do not drain the water. Stir in the milk, cream cheese, mustard, cayenne, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook until the cream cheese has melted and the pasta is al dente, about 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the cheddar, Havarti, brie, and 3 tablespoons butter. Stir until melted and creamy. Remove from the heat. Stir in the pesto and cherry tomatoes.
3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with the mozzarella. Lay on the tomato slices. Season with salt and pepper.
4. In a medium bowl, stir together the crackers, the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, and the garlic. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the mac and cheese. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the crumbs are golden, about 20 minutes. Eat and enjoy!
Our Favorite Recipes
Caramelized Corn and Tomato Tarte Tatin.
Beautiful! Mac and Cheese is one of my favourite recipes ever! I seriously need to go raid my local grocery store for all the delicious tomatoes I can find!
This is beautiful but I’m on the boys side–I like it plain.
My life motto is “Caprese all the things.”
I mean, I may have just made that up now. BUT, I adore anything caprese…and then on mac and cheese? YOU WIN. Pinned!
Awesome ! Yum ! Thanks for helping me out with dinner 🙂 This is going to be so good, and all that cheese…can’t wait !
Whoa, this is dinner. Awesome. I”ve read that woman either like to cook or clean, but rarely do they like to do both. My wife cleans. And orders Chipotle.
This sounds delicious. I’m going to try to make the pasta the night before and then put the tomato/cracker topping on right before I put it in the oven. Do you recommend how long we should bake it, if refrigerated over night?
Hi! I would think just 10-15 minutes longer will be perfect! Hope you love this! THANKS!
Yes, please!! The more cheese the better. And I just love the pesto in there!
Uh, yes please! All of my favorite cheeses especially havarti. I need all of that in my face right now.
My kids love my home made mac and cheese. I always add sliced tomatoes before baking but I’ve never thought of pesto and mozz! Yours is beautiful and I’m going to make it next weekend when I go visit the kiddos and the new grand. Amazing photos, Tieghan. You rock.
This looks incredible!!! And the havarti…..my absolute favorite cheese!
This looks AHMAZING! One question…caprese usually involves a fresh bocconcini cheese or buffalo mozzarella….I saw it pictured above and was wondering if that is what you described as 1 cup of mozzarella in the recipe. Making it this week for sure! Xo
Hi!! Yes, I did use bocconcicni on the top of my pasta. Use whatever mozzarella you love! 🙂
Thanks so much!
The food looks absolutely delicious and easy to make. I love cheese and
I’m so tempted to try this fancy recipe for dinner tonight.
This is beautiful! And I know my husband would love it.
Just got directed here via Locavore Roar, and so delighted to find you. 🙂
This is beautiful and you are a beautiful genius
WOW! this is awesome. I love a good mac n cheese. I wish I could find pretty tomatoes like this around here!
I’m known for bringing mac and cheese to our annual friendsgiving. This recipe makes me want to have it early, just so I can get the perfect tomatoes to show it off. hrmmm maybe a harvest party is in order.
xoxo
Katie
http://beyondtheclothing.com
OMGoodness!
This mac and cheese is my dream, love love love! 🙂
I think I’m in love with your Mac ‘n Cheese!!!
Oh yeah Tieghan! I agree, this is so it! Sounds so creamy and delicious! Perfect for any day of the week!
I think you’ve made mac and cheese look healthy with all those tomatoes on top! I love how beautiful this dish is and can’t wait to give it a try!
I think this looks heavenly and can’t wait to try it for my family. We have amazing tomatoes and basil from the garden that are just calling to be used in the recipe. Beautiful photos as always.
oh my…this looks SO delicious! <3
Thanks so much! Hope you gals are having a great week!
PROBABLY the most delicious looking mac and cheese ever. Ever. Congrats on the cookbook too 😀
My sister would LOVE this–she’s the biggest fan of caprese and mac n’ cheese!
How about adding some zucchini and corn to make a healthier version, and using almond or soy milk?
Yum! I love the idea of the spiral pasta! I am glad to see the different cheeses and have yet to meet one I don’t like. The tomatoes are just the color and flavor pop this dish needs.
I made this this weekend. It was SO good fresh. I even took a video of how gooey and cheesy the sauce was when I was making it! But it makes a lot so there were lots of leftovers and unfortunately, it did NOT reheat well. I think it is primarily from the olive oil in the pesto that goes into the cheese sauce. Once the olive oil cooled down and solidified in the fridge, the sauce “broke” and had a weird texture. I think if I were to make it again I would probably try tp just add the ingredients for the flavor of pesto (basil, cheese, garlic, maybe some pine nuts) WITHOUT the olive oil to see if that works better.
Hi! The recipe calls for a cup of cracker crumbs, and that is what I used. Your photos look as it you used much less than one cup. One cup completely covers the tomato slices. I am sure it will be delicious, but can you tell me where the cup of crumbs disappeared to in your photos? It is in the oven now and smells delicious.
HI Janet!!
I probably used 1/2 cup of crumbs for photo, but only because I did not want to cover all the tomatoes for photos. When I reheated the dish for dinner I added all the crumbs. Enjoy!
Oh, and I added fresh grated parm on top of those heirloom tomatoes. Because it was there! How can you not?
I love your recipes! Would you ever be able to do a recipe with English measurements? Or somehow be able to convert these ones into grams?
From Across the Pond!
Chloe
This dinner was a big hit at my house. And contrary to a previous commenter, I did not have any difficulties with reheating the leftovers – they were equally as delicious as when first baked. Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe.
Hi Tieghan!
Made this and it was a BIG HUGE HIT!! No issues reheating the leftovers as I added a bit of liquid to the cold dish before throwing it back into the oven the next day. One quick question…..is there spinach or basil leaves incorporated in the pic above? I used the fresh basil as a garnish according to your recipe but noticed that something green is in the mixture too. When I make it again I may just add a bit of spinach or kale in for the extra nutrients. Please let know what you added. Thanks again for all the great recipes! xo
Hi debi!!
SO happy you loved this mac + Cheese!! It is a favorite of mine!! I just used basil and that is all the green stuff in the dish, BUT spinach or kale would be delicious I am sure! Thanks again and have a great weekend!
Can this be made earlier in the day, refrigerated for 3-4 hours, and baked later on?
Yes, that works great! Hope you love this mac + cheese!
Our Cheezytoons would love to be in your kitchen!
http://www.cheezytoons.com
hehe! Thank you! Hope you had a Great Christmas!
I’ve made this mac n cheese twice (will be making it a third time tonight) and it is honestly one of my favorite things to make (and eat, of course)!! Thank you for this brilliant idea 🙂
Awh yay!! So happy you like it so much Kelsey!!
This Mac and cheese is a HUGE hit at my house, even for my 3-year-old who doesn’t like mac and cheese that much (I know. What is this?)! I like to add a little basalmic reduction after it’s done. I can’t wait to make it again tonight with a big Caesar salad and some crusty bread!
Doesn’t like mac and cheese?! Haha never heard that before.. but I am so happy he likes mine!! Thank you so much Kori! The addition of the Caesar salad sounds amazing!
Hi!? I want to make this dish and I have one question – what can I substitute for havarti cheese? I don’t sure I’ll get this.
P.S.
Your blueberry pie was a hit in my house. Everyone enjoyed this. Delicious dessert!
P.S.
Your blueberry pie was really delicous. Everyone enjoyed this.
Any cheese you love will be great! More cheddar works too!
This has become a bit of my signature dish. 😉 People LOVE IT and it’s always completely gone by the end of any potluck.
YES! That is so amazing! Thank you so much for trying this Lisa! xTieghan
This looks delicious and I love the bright and sunny photos!
Thank you so much Allison! xTieghan
Good Morning.
Hubs cannot eat basil or any green veggies.so any suggestions what to add instead? In the past when i made pesto, I always added walnuts.
I am trying to grow golden yellow low acid very sweet tomatoes so will put those on MY side.. Of course have to sub cheeses as 3 H to store today not possible. Let you know what i was able to do..
Thank you.
Hey Mort,
You could simply just leave the pesto out, it will still be delicious! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
love!
Thank you Clare! xTieghan
Made this tonight, and it was delicious. Shortened the cooking time on the pasta since al dente instructions on my box were for 6 minutes, but the flavors were great! Added some roasted zucchini on the side and would consider tossing that in on a future iteration.
Amazing! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Katie! xTieghan
Hello Half Baked Harvest 👋 can’t wait to give this a try! Question re the recipe: is the cheddar and mozzarella shredded? The other cheeses mentioned have more detail i.e. shredded, cubed. Thank You 🙏
Hey Holly,
Yes you want to use shredded cheddar and mozzarella. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Do you think I could mac this ahead of time to give to someone and then they could finish cooking it later? Or do you have any other recipe suggestions for doing something like that?
Hey Kate,
Yes that would be great to do! I would keep the tomatoes on the side, but otherwise sounds like a nice idea. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
A pot, a baking dish, and a bowl. Not really one pot, but tasty nonetheless!
Thank you so much Mel! xTieghan
This was fabulous! I don’t eat basil pesto as it’s to strong for me and for some reason upsets my stomach (although I can eat all the ingredients in pesto and they don’t bother me. Go figure?) I do buy this dandelion pesto at a local health food store that is delicious. I substituted that instead. Recipe still came out great. My husband usually says Mac & Cheese is a side dish. Not this one! This one was a Main Dish! 5 Stars!
I am so happy this turned out so amazing for you, Lisa-Sue! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
This was a flavor bomb! Very, very tasty. However, I added extra cheddar cheese because it was far too runny. It would have been like soup had I not done that. I also tripled the amount of cherry tomatoes. Next time I would either use less milk, replace the mllk with cream or half and half, or use a cornstarch slurry to thicken it up like a proper mac and cheese.
Thank you so much Annie! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this 4 Cheese Caprese pasta and it is so delicious- I don’t usually follow recipes but decided to trust and only improvised by using garlic scape pesto (homemade) and chopped basil in place of pesto- will definitely make again!😋😋😋😋
Thank you so much Lynn! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This recipe is easily adaptable from pantry and freezer. We really wanted something comforting last night and didn’t have all the ingredients. So . . . I used whole wheat penne; a little extra cream cheese (I had 3 oz); cheddar, pepper jack and asiago; some cherry tomatoes and some sun-dried tomatoes chopped up. I did have pesto in the pantry. I used crushed cornflakes instead of ritz crackers and added extra garlic to the topping. I did not have fresh tomatoes for the top, but grated some “fresh” mozzarella that I had in the freezer.
It was delicious and we have enough for a couple more nights
Amazing!! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you!! xTieghan
We went all in and created a Half Baked Harvest Sunday dinner bonanza last night. We started with your Peach Spritz which everyone adored, the tangy vinegar helped balance the sweet peach. Then I made the Caprese MAC and Cheese with your Herb Twist Bread to go with it. We could not stop eating them both! Knives kept slicing small wedges of bread and spoons continued to scoop out gooey hunks of mac and cheese. You had me at fontina and Brie for this recipe and it did not disappoint. A great was to celebrate the garden at the end of summer when you have an abundance of tomatoes and herbs! Thanks for some great recipes!! You have some new fans.
Hi Jackie! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
This was so good!!!!! I made a couple of small changes: I didn’t have havarti cheese so I used colby jack instead, I added half a bag of spinach that needed to get used up, and I used my enameled dutch oven so I could bake directly in that & make it truly one pot instead of transferring to a baking dish. Used regular bread crumbs instead of making my own. Came out great and I will definitely make again.
So glad it turned out so well with what you had!! Thank you so much for trying this one, Emmaline! xTieghan
Adorei… vou fazer para o jantar! Adoro queijo.
Eu amo queijo também haha! Espero que tudo dê certo para você! xTieghan
Made this 2 times and turned out great. But the second time the sauce went grainy. Any idea why that might be?
Hey Sara,
That is so interesting! I am wondering if you adjusted the recipe at all the third time around? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
100% the best mac&cheese I’ve ever had. It was SO GOOD.
My only changes were: I doubled the tomatoes and halved the amount of milk added. The consistency was perfect.
This meal reheats really well too! Sometimes mac&cheese just isn’t as good after it’s been in the fridge and that just simply wasn’t the case here. Reheating melted the cheese perfectly to fresh-out-of-the-oven gooey.
Thank you so much! I am really glad this mac and cheese turned out so well for you!! xTieghan