Chili Mac
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Winner, winner, kid-friendly dinner! This one-pot chili mac belongs in your weeknight recipe rotation.
Photo by Johnny Miller (Clarkson Potter, 2021)
A regular menu item in the school cafeteria when I was growing up, chili mac is one of those nostalgic dishes that reminds me of my childhood. This tasty mash-up of mac and cheese and chili is a comforting one-pot dish that you can have on the table in less than 45 minutes. When my kids were younger, it was one of my go-to weeknight dinners. Nowadays, I make a big batch when my nephews, Max, Leo and Remy (ages 10, 8, and 3), come for dinner. I mean, with pasta, cheese, and ground beef, how can you go wrong with kids? Serve it with tortilla chips for dipping or crushing over the top.
Table of Contents
“This is a surprisingly simple meal….but so much more. It is full of familiar flavors, but miles away from school cafeteria fare.”
What You’ll Need To Make Chili Mac
- Onion and Garlic: These aromatics form the flavor foundation.
- Ancho Chile Powder, Ground Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Cayenne Pepper & Oregano: This spice and herb blend gives the dish its distinctive chili flavor.
- Lean Ground Beef: The protein component, adding richness and texture. Leaner beef keeps the dish from being too greasy.
- Chicken Broth: The liquid base that cooks the macaroni and integrates all the flavors.
- Canned Tomato Sauce: Adds tomato flavor and acidity, balancing the richness of the beef and cheese.
- Macaroni: The classic pasta choice for chili mac.
- Evaporated Milk: Adds creaminess to the dish without the heaviness of cream.
- Mexican Cheese Blend: Melts into the dish, adding creaminess and a rich, cheesy flavor.
- Scallions: Adds a fresh, oniony crunch and a pop of color when serving.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Then add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt.
Cook, stirring often, about 1 minute more.
Add the beef.
Cook, stirring and breaking apart the meat, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the broth, tomato sauce, oregano, sugar and pasta.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring every so often and adjusting the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer, until the pasta is tender, 9 to 12 minutes. Use a soup spoon to skim any grease off the top, if necessary.
Off the heat, add the evaporated milk and cheese and stir until the cheese is melted.
Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Ladle the chili mac into bowls and sprinkle with scallions. Serve with more cheese and tortilla chips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chili mac is best enjoyed fresh as it contains pasta, which can become overcooked and mushy if left to sit for an extended period.
Yes, you can substitute other medium pasta shapes such as rotini or shells. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time based on the type of pasta you use, as different shapes may require more or less time to cook to al dente.
The recipe has a pretty mild level of spiciness. If you prefer an even milder flavor, reduce or omit the cayenne pepper. For extra heat, you can increase the cayenne pepper, add diced jalapeños, or shake on hot sauce to taste.
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Beef Chili Mac
Winner, winner, kid-friendly dinner! This one-pot chili mac belongs in your weeknight recipe rotation.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ancho chile powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional; omit for less heat)
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 pound 85 or 90% lean ground beef
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 8 ounces (about 2 cups) elbow macaroni
- 1 cup (8 oz) evaporated milk
- 1½ cups (one 6-oz package) shredded Mexican cheese blend, plus more for serving
- 3 medium scallions, dark green parts only, thinly sliced
- Tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper (if using), and salt and cook, stirring often, about 1 minute more. Add the beef and cook, stirring and breaking apart the meat, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the broth, tomato sauce, oregano, sugar, and macaroni and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring every so often so the macaroni doesn't stick to the bottom, until the pasta is al dente, 9 to 12 minutes. Use a soup spoon to skim any grease off the top, if necessary.
- Off the heat, add the evaporated milk and cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Ladle the chili mac into bowls and sprinkle with the scallions. Serve with more shredded cheese and tortilla chips.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 918
- Fat: 46 g
- Saturated fat: 20 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Sugar: 18 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 55 g
- Sodium: 1489 mg
- Cholesterol: 155 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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Made it tonight. Very yummy.
Quick and easy and I had all the ingredients. Would definitely make again!
Excellent! Definitely a recipe the kids will love!
Made this for my family. Finished browning the beef then had to go to baseball practice for 2 hours, so covered the pot and put it in the oven at 170F. Upon returning, began the remainder of the recipe. The family raved about the depth of flavor (even the kids) and although this pushes it out of the quick meal column, I’ll do it again! Added to the rotation.
Could this be done in a slow cooker, sautéing the meat first.I’ve got a ceramic cooktop & my wonderful old Dutch oven can’t be used on it. I’m pretty sure if using my stainless steel pot that there will a lot of sticking involved. Any opinion?
Hi Lindy, you could complete part of the recipe on the stove up until where you add the broth, etc. but I wouldn’t add the macaroni. (I’d cook it separately and then add it to the remainder of the ingredients right before serving.) Considering you’ll still need to complete much of the recipe on the stove, I’m not sure how much sense it makes.
Absolutely great!! But all your recipes are great. Thanks Jenn. This took me back to my childhood. My mother made a version of Chili Mac often back in the day. I’m 77 now.
Thanks again Jenn,
Jim
I used turkey, half and half, and spiral pasta as that is what I had on hand and my super picky eater had two helpings.
Very filling-this could be doubled and feed a ravenous pack of teenage boys for sure.
Could sub Impossible meat easily.
Hubby and I also enjoyed it and I loved that it is a true one-pot meal.
Your recipes never disappoint.
Absolutely delicious. Made this tonight following the recipe precisely. My gosh, every recipe of yours I try is a hit. Just finished two bowls, happily content and settling in for the Phillies game. Thank you!!
HOLY COW!! So good! I made this for my husband and niece who both eat like toddlers 😉 Because I’m the crazy one in the family who is always trying to “make it healthy-ish” I made a few changes but DO NOT think they compromised the amazingness of the recipe. I sub’d ground turkey (not breast) for the ground beef, and used a combo of cream, 1/2 & 1/2 and low fat milk for the evaporated milk and 2% fat Mexican cheese. Was worried it wouldn’t thicken up as it would with the evaporated milk, but it did. It was wonderful. I have recently found Jenn and LOVE every one of her recipes.
Made this last night and it was absolutely delicious!
Good morning Jenn, looking to make this tonight with your infamous corn bread. My question is do I have to use evaporated milk or can regular milk or cream work too? Is there a reason for using evaporated milk? I’ve never cooked much with this type of milk except for desserts. TIA!
Hi Judy, Evaporated milk contains less water than cream or milk and helps to keep the sauce from “breaking.” If you want to sub that for something else, half & half would be my first choice, followed by heavy cream, or whole milk. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!