Description
Chili Mac and Cheese is a hearty, comforting one-pot meal that combines seasoned ground beef, beans, diced tomatoes, and elbow pasta all simmered together with aromatic spices. Finished with a generous layer of melted cheddar cheese and garnished with fresh parsley, this dish is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner that feeds a crowd in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef (extra lean)
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin (ground)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (ground)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 cup kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 26 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 4 cups chicken broth (low sodium, or beef broth)
- 10 ounces elbow pasta (uncooked)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef: In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. If using fattier beef, drain excess fat.
- Sauté onions and garlic: Stir in the chopped onion and minced garlic, cooking for about 3 minutes until the onion is softened and translucent and the garlic is aromatic.
- Add spices and combine: Add the cayenne pepper, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir to evenly coat the beef mixture with the spices.
- Add beans, tomatoes, broth, and pasta: Stir in the black beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes with their juice, chicken broth, and uncooked elbow pasta. Mix everything well and bring to a boil.
- Simmer: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 9 to 12 minutes or until the elbow macaroni is tender and cooked through.
- Add cheese: Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Then sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top, cover the pot, and cook for about 1 minute until the cheese melts.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the pot from heat, sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Chili Mac and Cheese is an effortless, flavorful meal combining two comfort food classics into one pot.
- Using extra lean ground beef reduces the need to drain fat, keeping the dish lighter.
- Make this recipe your own by adjusting the spice level with more or less cayenne or chili powder.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat nicely on the stovetop or microwave.
- Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner that feeds a crowd in around 30 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 496 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 964 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 69 mg
