Chili Mac and Cheese

Chili Mac and Cheese tastes like your favourite Chili – with the added cheesy goodness of Mac & Cheese! Sensational ground beef dinner recipe that’s on the table in just over 20 minutes – and it’s all made in one pot. It’s truly fabulously delicious!

On the table in just over 20 minutes, made with beef mince, pasta, beans, canned tomatoes, everyday spices, and some kind of cheese, it’s sinfully scrumptious!

Chili Mac and Cheese

There’s plenty of food mash ups in the world. Like pizza – it seems like there is a pizza-everything: tacos, casserole, dips, soup, pie, pasta, cake.

I’m not above doing mash ups. I’ll do them when combining two recipes brings something else to the dish, rather than doing them just for the sake of being “cool” or “out there”. I’m beyond the years of playing with food for the sake of being trendy, I just want it to be tasty!

So – Chili Mac and Cheese. A cross between Chili  and Mac and Cheese, all made in one pot. The sauce flavour is like beef Chilli Con Carne, with the addition of macaroni and cheesy goodness stirred into it as well as on top.

SO GOOD!!!

What goes in Chili Mac and Cheese

Here’s what you need. Nothing unusual here!

My Chili Mac is made with a homemade Chili Powder. What’s known as “Chili Powder” in the US is actually a spice mix, not just pure chili, and it varies from brand to brand. It’s not sold here in Australia, though I’ve always got a stash because I stock up when I travel to the States.

So I prefer to make my own – for consistency of flavour, no matter where you are in the world!

How to make it

Chili Mac and Cheese is completely made in one pot. Start the usual way – sautéing garlic and onion to create the flavour base – add the beef, the spices and everything else. The pasta will cook while the sauce thickens, and a mere 15 minutes later, you’ll have dinner on the table!

I love a cosy one-pot pasta like Chili Mac. It’s a firm favourite alongside Cheeseburger Casserole (Homemade Hamburger Helper!), One Pot Vegetable Pasta and Bolognese Meat Sauce Orzo!

I love how the macaroni sucks up all the flavour as it cooks in the sauce. And the fact that there’s only one pot to clean up is certainly a big plus!! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

And some more handy quick-meal one pot recipes for you

• One Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
• One Pot Greek Chicken & Lemon Rice
• Mexican Ground Beef Casserole with Rice (beef mince!)
• Ultra Lazy HEALTHY Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
• Sausage Bake with Potatoes and Gravy
• Browse the One Pot recipes collection

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese

Author: Nagi

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Total: 25 mins

Main

American

4.97 from 94 votes

Servings5 - 6

Tap or hover to scale

Print

• 710
• 33
• 73

Recipe video above. A homemade Chili with the addition of macaroni and cheese = Chili Mac ‘n Cheese! This is terrifically moorish and a fabulous one pot meal. Super quick too! The key with this recipe is to turn the stove off as soon as the pasta is just cooked - it will keep cooking in the residual heat. 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 1 red capsicum / bell pepper , chopped
• 500g / 1 lb ground beef (mince) , I use lean
• 800g / 28 oz crushed canned tomato
• 420g / 14 oz can red kidney beans , drained
• 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) beef broth (chicken broth also ok)
• 250g / 8 oz elbow macaroni pasta (elbow pasta), uncooked
• 2 cups (200g) shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, tasty cheese)
• 1/4 cup coriander / cilantro finely chopped, for garnish

Spices (Homemade Chili Powder):

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper or pure chilli powder (adjust spiciness to taste) (Note 1)
• 2 tsp paprika powder
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder (can sub garlic powder)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

• Heat oil in large pot over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 1 minute. Then add capsicum and cook until onion is translucent.
• Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go.
• Once the beef turns from red to brown, add remaining ingredients except cheese. Stir, bring to simmer, then turn the heat down to medium.
• Cover and cook for 12 minutes or until the macaroni is al dente, meaning just cooked, still a tiny bit on the firm side. It should be saucy but not tons of liquid (see video).
• Turn the stove OFF but leave the pot on the stove. Stir through half the cheese – it should be a bit saucy. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Top with remaining cheese, put the lid back on and leave until the cheese melts - about 2 minutes (sauce will absorb further during this period).
• Sprinkle with coriander, if desired, and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes:

1. Chili Powder: The spice mix in this recipe is a home-made US Chili Powder.

In Australia, UK and most parts of the world, ground chilli (aka "chilli powder") is plain dried chillies that have been ground.

However, in the US, Chilli Powder has other things in it so it is nowhere near as hot as pure Chilli powder. This recipe calls for pure ground chilli for spiciness. Cayenne pepper is a perfect substitute, or any other HOT chilli powder. Chili is supposed to be spicy!!!

2. TIP: The key with this recipe is to turn the stove OFF as soon as the pasta is just cooked. The pasta will keep cooking when you put the lid on to melt the cheese. Don't worry if it's still saucy - saucey is GOOD!!! Plus sauce always gets sucked up by pasta so there will be less by the time you serve it.

3. OTHER PROTEINS: This recipe will also work other minced meat, including chicken, pork, turkey and even lamb!

4. FREEZING: Leftovers freeze fine, thaw then best reheated in microwave. For make ahead freezing, take it off the stove when the pasta is a tiny touch still firm. It should still be saucy. Let it cool, then top with cheese. Cover then freeze. Then to reheat, let it thaw overnight, then microwave is best to reheat (fastest so pasta won't bloat).

5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings. Very generous servings!

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 524gCalories: 768kcal (38%)Carbohydrates: 75g (25%)Protein: 44g (88%)Fat: 35g (54%)Saturated Fat: 14g (88%)Cholesterol: 103mg (34%)Sodium: 1630mg (71%)Potassium: 1902mg (54%)Fiber: 11g (46%)Sugar: 12g (13%)Vitamin A: 2226IU (45%)Vitamin C: 116mg (141%)Calcium: 468mg (47%)Iron: 12mg (67%)

Keywords: Chili Mac

Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

Chili Mac recipe originally published October 2017. Updated October 2019 with new photos, brand new video and spruced up the writing. No change to recipe – I wouldn’t dare!

Life of Dozer

The other day, he spent the better part of the morning buried under the blanket like this. Whether he was cold, or trying to hide (I can’t see you, so you can’t see me….)?? 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

And Life of Dozer from the first time I published this recipe in 2017:

{I was in Fiji with friends at the time!} Usually when I travel, Dozer goes to stay with his “family” with a golden retriever boarder. He thunders around the house, rumbles with his friends, and generally completely forgets all about me.

Unfortunately, he’s a bit lame at the moment (nothing serious, just pulled a muscle from excessive beach craziness) so I left him with my mother for some quiet healing time.

Apparently, this is how he’s spending his day. ?