Remember the magic of Horn & Hardart automats? Those futuristic restaurants where you simply inserted coins and retrieved piping hot comfort food from glass compartments. This iconic mac and cheese with tomatoes was their signature dish, beloved by countless New Yorkers and Philadelphians. The secret wasn’t fancy cheeses or complex techniques, but the brilliant addition of canned tomatoes that transformed ordinary mac and cheese into something extraordinary.
This has been a favorite of many while growing up. Don’t miss this classic dish!
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About Horn & Hardart
Now, it all sounds so futuristic: a restaurant with no waiters, cashiers, or visible employees. You simply fed your cash into a glass-enclosed kiosk, removed a steaming plate of freshly made food, and carried it to your table. This was Horn & Hardart around 1950, a restaurant chain with many locations in New York City and Philadelphia and more across the country. At its zenith, there were more than 150Â Horn & Hardart automat menu operations.
This was the now-distant past when automats served hundreds of thousands of urban customers daily. Read more about the rise and fall of the automat restaurant.
Horn & Hardart had many signature dishes, including their very popular mac and cheese. Horn & Hardart won’t be resurrected, so whatever you do, take advantage of the recreation of this classic dish! One of the things that made Horn & Hardart mac and cheese so special was the inclusion of tomatoes.
Why This Recipe Works
The genius of Horn & Hardart’s mac and cheese lies in its simplicity and the unexpected addition of tomatoes. The acidity from the tomatoes balances the rich, creamy cheese sauce while adding a subtle sweetness that elevates the entire dish. Unlike modern versions loaded with multiple cheeses, this recipe relies on good old-fashioned sharp cheddar and a perfectly executed cheese sauce technique.
Horn & Hardart Macaroni and Cheese Recipe – Ingredients You Will Need
No blue cheese, gruyere, panko breadcrumbs, or fancy-dancy ingredients! This is a simple Horn & Hardart mac and cheese made with real Cheddar, milk, and cayenne. Here’s what you need:
- Macaroni pasta – The classic elbow shape holds the cheese sauce perfectly
- Sharp cheddar cheese – Provides the main cheese flavor and creamy texture
- Canned tomatoes – Adds tangy sweetness and the signature Horn & Hardart flavor
- Whole milk – Creates the base for a smooth cheese sauce
- Half and half – Adds extra richness and creaminess
- Butter – Essential for building the roux foundation
- All-purpose flour – Thickens the cheese sauce
- Cayenne pepper – Provides subtle heat to balance the richness
- Sugar – Balances the acidity from the tomatoes
- Salt and black pepper – Essential seasonings to enhance all flavors
How to Make This Horn & Hardart Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
This Horn & Hardart mac and cheese with tomatoes has simple ingredients and is simple to make, as follows:
- Bring milk and half-and-half to a simmer in a medium saucepan.
- Make a roux with the butter and flour.
- Pour the warmed milk into the flour/butter mixture and stir until thickened.
- Gradually add and blend in the cheese until a smooth mixture forms.
- Add the cayenne, salt and pepper, tomatoes, and sugar.
- Combine the macaroni and cheese mixture in a casserole dish, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 400°F until it bubbles and the surface browns slightly.
What to Serve With Baked Mac and Cheese
Baked macaroni and cheese makes the perfect side dish with your favorite entrée for a small lunch or dinner party. It also goes well with fried chicken or other comfort food such as sloppy joes or hamburgers. If you want a meatless meal, just serve it with a tasty salad.
How to Store Leftover Macaroni and Cheese
- Refrigerate: Transfer completely cooled leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Portion out leftovers into zip-top freezer bags, enclose each bag in foil, and then freeze flat. Freeze for up to 3 months. Before use, allow the mac and cheese to thaw in the fridge overnight. Unfortunately, freezing may result in the milk separating and/or the macaroni becoming a little mushy.
- Reheat: In a covered baking dish, heat at 350°F for about 20 minutes. You can also microwave portions for 1 to 2 minutes until warmed through. Stir in one or two tablespoons of milk to prevent your mac and cheese from drying out.
- Make ahead: Assemble the mac and cheese, cover with foil, and place in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to eat, bring it to room temperature, then bake as per your recipe.
More Mac and Cheese Recipes
- Boston Market Mac and Cheese
- Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Luby’s Mac and Cheese
- Martha Stewart Mac and Cheese
- Panera Mac and Cheese
- Skillet Mac and Cheese
- Spicy Mac and Cheese
- Stouffer Mac and Cheese
- Sweetie Pies Mac and Cheese
Favorite Side Dish Comfort Food Recipes
Check out more of my easy side dish recipes and the best comfort food recipes on CopyKat!
Horn & Hardart Mac and Cheese with Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons half & half
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt to taste
- white pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup canned tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup elbow macaroni cooked according to package directions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Combine the milk and half & half in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over moderate heat.
- While the milk warms, heat the butter in another saucepan over low heat for 1 minute, until foaming. Add the flour and cook, stirring for 3 minutes.
- Pour the hot milk into the butter/flour mixture and cook, stirring with a wire whisk or wooden spoon for a few minutes, until thickened.
- Add the cheese, about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Add the cayenne and season with salt and white pepper to taste.
- Add the tomatoes and sugar and stir to combine.
- Combine the macaroni with cheese sauce and pour the mixture into a buttered casserole dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven.
this is no where near the H&H mac & cheese i remember! and i can’t find the right recipe :(.
I remember big rigatoni that flattened when cooked. the cheese was a WHITE cheddar so the sauce was white not yellow. the sauce stayed very loose and saucy. It didn’t get thick like a baked macaroni. so not sure. also the tomatoes were minimal and bigger pieces like whole or stewed tomatoes cut up. anyone remember it like this? or have this recipe?
Linda, I agree with you 100%! I cannot find such a recipe anywhere. They always have the wrong macaroni,( it was not elbow, it was the flat, ridged rigatoni !)and the sauce is never saucy enough. It was slightly pink from the tomatoes I am guessing, but it was very saucy, more soupy. I can even taste it!
I agree. I also miss the real H&H Mac and cheese.
You are correct. It was made with rigatoni pasta and stewed tomatoes. It did have cream in it and e tea sharp cheese was used. I can’t stand people getting the praises for a messed up incorrect recipe. Respectfully Nona from Philadelphia
So my mom’s recipe that she has been making for the past 40 years is supposedly is from H&H. My cousin just told me yesterday that she remembers my mom going in and asking for the recipe. Her recipe uses Velveeta, rigatoni pasta and crushed tomatoes. It is super simple to make but is a family favorite. My 8 year old learned how to make Nana’s “Pasta with Red dots” during quarantine.
Could you share the recipe?? Or send it privately if not allowed here?
Not even close. Add an extra 1/2 cup of cr̬me; add 1 whole can of stewed tomatoes, use 1 cup use xxx sharp cheese, 1/3 cup of Monterey Jack cheese. Use 1 tablespoon of bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and olive oil for the top. Only bake for 15 Р20 minutes or the sauce will dry out.
I gre up in Manhattan and my mom used to take me to Horn and Hardart. Their mac and cheese was my favorite. While living over seas I had a touch of nostalgia and found this recipe. It was so good the memories came flooding back!!! thank you!!!
Where can the wide, flat. grooved macaroni, like H&H used, be purchased?
Try using rigatoni ILO elbow Mac.
Can buy at any local supermarket. And now there are two sizes long or short. I like the short because there still large when u cook them. Try not to over cook or under cook.
We loved this macaroni! It was so good the kids couldn’t get enough!