Chili Mac And Cheese (Printable)
Hearty comfort food combining seasoned ground beef, kidney beans, and macaroni in a rich cheddar cheese sauce with spices.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb ground beef
→ Pasta
02 - 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 medium bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
07 - 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
→ Dairy
08 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
10 - 1/2 cup milk
→ Pantry & 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
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until fully browned (about 5 minutes). Drain any excess fat if necessary.
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 to bloom the spices and release their aromas.
04 - Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the diced tomatoes and drained kidney beans until evenly combined.
05 - Pour in the broth and bring the mixture to a gentle 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 and has absorbed the liquid.
07 - Remove from heat and stir in the butter and milk. Add the shredded cheddar cheese and stir continuously until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
08 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot. Garnish with extra shredded cheese or chopped green onions if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It solves the eternal debate of whether to make chili or mac and cheese by giving you both in one glorious pot.
- The cleanup is minimal since everything cooks together, which means more time eating and less time scrubbing.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day when the spices have had time to party together overnight.
02 -
- Do not walk away while the pasta is cooking because it can go from perfect to mushy in under a minute and there is no coming back from that.
- Adding the cheese off the direct heat prevents it from separating into a greasy, grainy mess, which I learned after ruining an entire batch on a Tuesday night.
03 -
- Shred your own cheese from a block instead of buying pre-shredded because the anti-caking agents on bagged cheese prevent it from melting smoothly into sauce.
- Toast the spices for a full minute before adding liquids because that brief moment of dry heat releases oils that dramatically deepen the overall flavor.