Chili Mac is a saucy, cheesy weeknight dinner with tender beef, beans, tomato and elbow macaroni in every spoonful. The pasta has a little bite beneath the melted cheese, so you get something heartier than a bowl of plain mac and cheese without needing a separate pot for noodles.
How to make chili mac: Brown the beef with the vegetables, then simmer the uncooked macaroni in the seasoned tomato mixture for about 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese, letting the rest melt under the lid.
Why You’ll Love It
- One pot to wash. You cook the beef, sauce and macaroni in the same pot.
- Weeknight timing. Allow 10 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to cook.
- Cheese in every bite. Some melts into the sauce, while the rest makes a soft topping.
- A complete, hearty bowl. Beef, beans and pasta all cook together in the tomato sauce.
Ingredient Notes
Elbow macaroni goes into the pot uncooked. Buy the regular elbows listed here: the cooking time and liquid are set for 8 ounces of them. You don’t need to boil or drain a separate pot of pasta.
Crushed tomatoes and broth form the liquid the macaroni cooks in. Use the full amounts listed, even if the pot looks quite loose before it simmers. I wait to judge the sauce until the elbows are nearly done, because they absorb liquid as they cook.
Kidney beans should be drained before you add them. They bring soft, substantial bites alongside the beef, while the finely chopped onion and chopped bell pepper cook into the base. Keep the garlic minced so it distributes through the pot.
Ground beef is the meat for this chili mac. Break it up as it cooks so you don’t end up with large pieces among the small elbows. The seasoning comes from paprika, cumin, onion powder, oregano, cayenne, salt and black pepper; keep them ready to add together.
Shredded cheese is added after the macaroni cooks, not while it simmers. I like keeping half to stir through the sauce and half to melt on top; that gives you a cheesy coating without losing the distinct topping.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 can red kidney beans, 14 ounces, drained
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth; chicken broth also works
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, adjusted to taste
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups shredded cheese, cheddar or Monterey Jack
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, optional garnish
How to Make Chili Mac
1. Soften the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the bell pepper and continue cooking until the onion looks translucent.
2. Cook the beef. Add the ground beef and break it up as it cooks, until it changes from red to brown. Check it with a food thermometer: ground beef must reach 160°F before you serve the chili mac.
3. Simmer the macaroni. Add the crushed tomatoes, drained beans, broth, uncooked elbows and seasonings. Stir, bring the pot to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for about 12 minutes, until the macaroni is al dente and the mixture is saucy without a large pool of liquid.
4. Melt the cheese. Turn off the heat and leave the pot on the stove. Stir in half the cheese, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover for about 2 minutes until it melts, and serve immediately with cilantro if you like.
Is Chili Mac Just Chili With Noodles?
The important thing here is where the noodles cook. Your uncooked elbows simmer right in the seasoned beef, tomatoes, beans and broth. As they become tender, they take up some of that liquid, leaving a sauce that clings to the pasta instead of sitting separately beneath it.
Then the cheese goes in with the heat off. Half gets stirred through the saucy pasta; half melts under the lid into a soft top layer. You can scoop from the pot and get beef, beans, macaroni and cheese together, rather than trying to combine separate components in your bowl.
I stop cooking when an elbow is just tender but still slightly firm. The pasta continues to soften in the hot sauce while the cheese melts, so waiting until it feels completely soft in the pot can leave you with softer macaroni by the time you eat.
Look at the liquid as well as the pasta. You want a spoonable, tomato-coated mixture, not dry elbows and not a big pool of broth. The sauce will keep absorbing into the macaroni while the pot stands, which is why I get bowls ready before the cheese goes on.
Tips for Success
Why is my macaroni too soft when I serve it?
If the elbows lose their bite between checking the pot and filling your bowls, they’ve continued cooking in the hot sauce. Next time, check one while it is still slightly firm, then turn off the heat at al dente. Don’t hold the finished pot for later; serve it once the cheese melts.
Why is my chili mac getting thicker in the pot?
You’ll see less free sauce around the elbows the longer the finished dish sits. The macaroni continues to absorb liquid from the hot tomato mixture. I put it on the table as soon as the cheese topping melts, while the sauce still coats each spoonful.
Variations
- Choose your cheese. Use shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack for the cheese stirred through and melted on top.
- Adjust the heat. Change the cayenne to suit your taste, leaving the rest of the seasoning mixture in place.
Storage & Reheating
Divide leftovers into shallow covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. USDA FSIS says they keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge or 3 to 4 months frozen; thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator, cold water or microwave, not on the counter. Reheat to 165°F, checking with a thermometer; if you use a microwave, cover and rotate the food and check several places. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Chili mac is hearty enough for a bowl on its own. If you’re planning another comfort-food dinner, try Wendy’s Chili when you want the chili flavors without pasta, or Good Ole Fashion Mac and Cheese when you want to lean into the macaroni. For more dinner ideas, there’s Big Mac Casserole and One Pan Keto Green Chili Chicken. For another one-pot night, try one-pot taco spaghetti or quick and easy taco soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between chili mac and goulash?
Chili mac tastes like chili: this one is seasoned with paprika, cumin and cayenne, has kidney beans, and finishes under melted cheese. American goulash is usually ground beef and macaroni in a tomato sauce with Italian-style seasoning and no beans.
How do you turn chili into chili mac?
Cook the macaroni right in the chili. Here the uncooked elbows simmer in the seasoned beef, tomatoes and broth for about 12 minutes, so they soak up the flavor, then the cheese goes in with the heat off.
Can I use beef broth and chicken broth interchangeably?
Yes. The ingredient list allows either beef or chicken broth; use 2 1/2 cups. Keep the macaroni uncooked when it goes in so it can simmer in that liquid with the sauce.
Final Notes
Set your serving bowls out before you cover the cheese so you can dish up while the macaroni still has some bite. If you have a question or make it for dinner, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Chili Mac
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 can red kidney beans 14 ounces, drained
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth chicken broth also works
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni uncooked
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper adjust to taste
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups cheese shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack
- 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped, optional garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the bell pepper and cook until the onion is translucent.
- Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until it turns from red to brown. Check with a food thermometer; ground beef must reach 160°F before serving.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, drained beans, broth, uncooked macaroni and seasonings. Stir and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for about 12 minutes, until the macaroni is al dente and the mixture is saucy without a large amount of liquid.
- Turn off the heat, leaving the pot on the stove. Stir in half the cheese and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, cover and leave until melted, about 2 minutes. Garnish with cilantro if desired and serve immediately.
