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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I made this chili mac and ate the whole thing by myself, not in one sitting, but for breakfast, every day. I am not an egg and toast gal, or a sweet-first-thing-in-the-morning girl. Evidently, I am a chili mac for breakfast girl. THIS is the best I’ve ever made and I will make it every week for the rest of my life.
I make this on a regular basis because it tastes wonderful, its easy to make and clean up is a breeze. Sometimes I add corn or black beans but most often I simply make it as written. Thanks!
Hi Jenn,
I am busy working my way through your new cookbook (as are my two daughters and my mother). Everything has been great!
I am making the Beefy Chili Mac right now and I am wondering about the can of tomato sauce. It says 8 ounces or 227 grams but I believe tomato sauce is usually measured in mls, not grams and wondering if the gram direction is correct.
Hi Lisa, Thanks so much for your support with the cookbook — I’m happy you’ve been enjoying it so far!
Sometimes when I’m adding the metric/weight conversions to recipes, I will look at what the can indicates and in this case, it says 227 g. I understand that liquids are usually measured in milliliters so this is a bit unusual, but I was just going off of the can label. Hope that clarifies!
My whole family loved this recipe – comfort food at it’s finest! It’s so easy to make with ingredients I always have on hand. I did use whole milk in place of evaporated milk and it was delicious.
We got 6 very generous servings from this, and the leftovers were equally tasty. Thank you for another solid recipe!
It’s a five star! Easy to make and the flavor is so good… My 91 year old mother-in-law told me…I am really enjoying this… don’t lose the recipe!
Thank you!
As a previous review mentioned, this is reminiscent of Hamburger Helper. And, we are ALL about it! It’s like the gourmet, much more delicious version of Hamburger Helper. It hits the spot, and loved by both the kids and adults!
What do you think about making this without the milk?
Hi Amy, I think you could get away with it; it just won’t be very creamy. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
I give most of your recipes 5 stars but this was reminiscent of a hamburger helper meal I prepared in my college days! Not good!
Made this today for the N’oreaster and it was so delicious and incredibly easy!
We will definitely add this to our rotation 🙂
Another amazing recipe of yours! I substituted beef for turkey, gluten free elbow macaroni (can’t tell the difference), and used regular 2% milk. Will definitely keep making this recipe, it was easy, quick and hearty!
I also added carrots.