Chili Mac And Cheese (Printable)
Comforting fusion of classic chili and creamy macaroni loaded with ground beef, tomatoes, beans, and gooey cheddar for a hearty meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb ground beef
→ Pasta
02 - 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 medium bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
07 - 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
→ Dairy
08 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
10 - 1/2 cup milk
→ Pantry and Spices
11 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
12 - 2 tsp chili powder
13 - 1 tsp ground cumin
14 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
16 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
17 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional for heat
18 - 2 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth
19 - 1 tbsp olive oil
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and diced bell pepper to the pot. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.
03 - Stir in the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute until the spices are fragrant and evenly coated.
04 - Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour in the diced tomatoes and kidney beans, stirring to combine.
05 - Pour in the broth and bring the mixture to a simmer, allowing the flavors to meld together.
06 - Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender.
07 - Remove from heat and stir in the butter and milk. Add the shredded cheddar cheese and mix until completely smooth and melted. Adjust seasoning to taste.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with extra shredded cheese or chopped green onions if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It is the kind of one pot meal that makes cleanup almost nonexistent, which is a small miracle on busy weeknights.
- You get the deep, warming spice of chili wrapped in the creamy pull of melted cheddar, and that combination is genuinely hard to stop eating.
02 -
- Stir the pasta every few minutes while it simmers or it will stick to the bottom of the pot and burn, which I learned the hard way one distracted evening.
- Add the cheese off the heat or at very low temperature, because boiling hot liquid can make cheddar separate and turn grainy instead of smooth.
03 -
- Toast the spices for the full minute before adding liquid because that brief moment of dry heat blooms their essential oils and deepens the flavor dramatically.
- Use a heavy bottomed Dutch oven if you have one, since the even heat distribution prevents hot spots that cause sticking and burning during the pasta cooking phase.