Chili Mac

This easy one-pot Chili Mac has tons of melty cheese, filling protein, and the perfect amount of spice. It is ready in under 40 minutes or great to prep ahead of time!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 344kcal

Author John Kanell

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef (450g)
1 onion diced (263g)
1 green bell pepper seeded and diced (161g)
3 garlic cloves minced
2½ cups chicken broth (600mL)
1 (15.5-ounce/439g) can kidney beans drained
1 (14.5-ounce/411g) can diced tomatoes
1 (8-ounce/227g) can tomato sauce
1½ tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
8- ounces elbow macaroni pasta (225g) (uncooked)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (168g)
Sour cream, fresh parsley to serve

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is brown and onion is tender, about 6 minutes.
Stir in the broth, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, tomato paste, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender but still has a little bite, about 12 minutes.
Remove the pot from heat. Sprinkle the cheese over top and cover with the lid until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with sour cream and chopped parsley.

Notes

Use freshly grated cheese. Use a grater to shred the cheese straight from the block for the best flavor. Freshly grated cheese melts much better than pre-shredded cheese, which often contains anti-caking agents. The meltiness of freshly shredded cheese is essential for this creamy chili mac!
Stir the pasta throughout the cooking time. The pasta is prone to sticking to the bottom of the pot, so be sure to stir it frequently as it cooks to prevent this.
Cook pasta al dente. When you add the pasta noodles to the chili mixture, cook them until just tender. They will continue to cook and absorb the sauce as the dish sits. If you cook the noodles too long, they will become mushy.
Allow the pot to sit covered before serving. Don’t skip this key step! The chili and pasta mixture will appear saucy before you cover the pot with a lid, but it will thicken as it sits and the pasta finishes cooking. It also melts the cheese on top for that decadent finish.
Add toppings. Whatever you like on chili, you’ll probably like it on this mac! I love it with a dollop of sour cream, pico de gallo, and fresh chopped parsley, cilantro, or green onions. You can also add avocado, sliced green onion, or a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Additionally, spice it up by topping it with sliced jalapenos or hot sauce.
Optional variations. Swap kidney beans 1:1 with black beans, or omit the beans altogether. You can also make this recipe vegetarian by omitting the ground beef, adding extra beans, and using vegetable broth. If you want to sneak in extra veggies, add corn kernels or spinach. Additionally, you can add onion powder or garlic powder for extra flavor or cayenne pepper for a spicy kick.

Nutrition