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!!!
Yes, you can freeze Chili Mac!
Cool, then freeze in airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in fridge then reheat in microwave until steamy, stir well. I like to sprinkle extra cheese on then pop it back in the microwave. This Chili Mac recipe freezes well because it’s a saucy, juicy version!
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 One Pot Spaghetti Bolognese!
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
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One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
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:
Nutrition Information:
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. 😢
This recipe is bomb!! It’s so much more than chili and mac and cheese, has a delicious pizza-ish flavor. It’s my new favorite meal. Picky toddler loved it as well!
New family fave with this one…only thing I did different was add more cheese. 😀
Made the Chilli Mac and Cheese for dinner tonight. It was delicious and super easy to make. Definitely a family favourite. Thank you Nagi.
Well I just had to leave a comment…made this last night for the grandkids and husband and I and OMGosh!!! I want to have the left overs for breakfast it was soooo good.!!! Thank you for sharing such a great recipe and so easy to follow instructions !!! xx
I made half this recipe for the two of us and a 1/4 lb of ground beef. I also used half a can (3 oz) of leftover tomato paste to use it up. I didn’t want to open up a 28 oz can.
Yum. “Comfort” food at its best – like a big warm hug. And not having to cook pasta in a separate pot is a little bit of magic right there.
This was very good. I was looking for something chili like and this didn’t disappoint. I only had mozzarella and still 5 stars.
That was easy and super yummy.
Hi Nagi and Dozer.
Could I use rice instead of macaroni??
Thanks for yet another big thumbs up from all four of us (not easy to do!)! Flavors were spot on – a little spicy, cheesy, saucy deliciousness.
Perfect Lisa!! N x
I want to make this but I am not sure of the tomatoes. It says crushed tomatoes in the recipe but in the video it looks like diced tomatoes. So I would like to know which is it?
Either work fine for this one Debbie 🙂 N x
I have read that canned whole peeled tomatoes are the best due to less processing. I use a hand mixer to chop them up.
just mush em’ with your hand as your putting them in i often do this if i only have whole plum toms on hand.
Hi Nagi,
This is the best Chile recipe I ever made, I don’t have to search no more … Thank you..
This was very tasty and a fast meal to make. I followed the recipe as written except had to add small shells at the last minute when I discovered I was almost out of mcaroni! Husband loved it. Definitely A keeper!!
This was delicious but a bit too much liquid – not sure how to reduce? Any tips? I love your recipes – so easy and quick for weeknight dinners!
Hi Grace, just simmer gently on the stove if you want to reduce the liquid a little more 🙂 N x
Wow! This is delicious! Its super easy to make, and mostly pantry items. Thank you for a great recipe!
I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious. I don’t think the recipe needs any tweaking, but we used what we had in the fridge. It was an impromptu meal. Mainly we used leftover ground turkey taco meat and hot Louisiana sausage for the meat. I would definitely make this again.
I made the one pot chili mac and cheese tonight and it is a keeper! Couldn’t find my kidney beans, nor the elbow mac I thought I had … but black beans and orecchiette worked just fine. Thank you for the wonderful recipe Nagi! YUM!!!
Wow! this is amazing. Thank you so much Nagi xx
You’re so welcome Hesala! N x