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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Hi Jenn,
I am getting ready to make this dish but I only have 80/20 ground beef. I see that it is not necessary to drain the meat per your recipe with lean ground beef. So should I cook the ground beef separately so I can drain it ahead of time and then incorporate it with everything else? You have the most amazing recipes and I don’t want to mess this up! Thanks
Yes, I would drain the meat as the 80/20 will have a lot more fat. Hope you enjoy (and glad you like the recipes)!
Hi Jen
I made this recipe for the first time the other day and it was a huge hit with my friends! I added a can of beans to make it more “Chili-like”. It was easy to make in one pot and reheats well for lunches or leftovers.
I made this last night with just a minor change as I didn’t have any fresh garlic on hand. My husband said, “This is a keeper!” I will definitely be making this again. Thanks so much for a quick and yummy recipe.
This was soooo delicious and easy. Everyone in my house said make sure you make this again. Winner for sure!
Made for the first time today. The family was very pleased. Tasty and easy to prepare. Thanks Jen. Your recipes are helping my family get through these trying times of sheltering in place.
Glad you enjoyed it — stay healthy and safe! ❤️
Hey Jenn-this was awesome. Perfect comfort food during these tough times. I didn’t have evaporated milk, so I used half & half which other reviewers suggested. Another hit!
Xo
Our family loved this dish! Quick & easy to prepare. My only substitutions were regular chili powder instead of Ancho & 2 cups of a shredded jalapeño Colby mix found in Australia. Whole family ate it with out a complaint-that’s a winner in my book!!! Thanks again Jenn – you continue to make me look like a star in the kitchen!!!
I have never heard of chili mac so was keen to try this. Delicious. Not being spicey food lovers, I only used half the chilli powder and no cayenne. The evaporated milk gives a nice flavour. Veg stock worked well. I will make again.
We need comfort food during this scary time and this was perfect! I didn’t want to go to the store so I used whole wheat macaroni, which took a few minutes more but turned out great. And we didn’t have scallions so I cut up an avocado and garnished with that. This hit the spot and will definitely be one we make again. Thanks!
This Chili Mac is the best. My family scarfed it up fast! Another winner recipe Jenn. Thank you so much!!