One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese

This One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese is mash up of my easy beef chili recipe and everyones favorite mac and cheese. A cozy comfort meal for any occasion.

Course Soups, Stews & Chilis

Cuisine American, Tex Mex

Keyword beef, cheddar, cheese, chili, one pot meal, pasta, pinto beans, red kidney beans

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 513

Author Laurie McNamara

Ingredients

FOR THE CHILI MAC:

2 teaspoons extra light olive oil or avocado oil
1 cup diced white or yellow onion about 1 medium
2 cloves garlic minced
1½ pounds lean ground beef I use 90/10
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon celery salt optional
1/8 teaspoon cayenne or more to taste
15 ounces canned light or dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed
15 ounces canned pinto beans drained and rinsed
28 ounces canned crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
8 ounces tomato sauce
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1½ cups (dried) elbow macaroni
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1½ cups shredded cheddar jack cheese or colby jack cheese

FOR SERVING:

1 tablespoon finely mince fresh parsley
3 green onions sliced

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add in the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Once soft, add in the ground beef. Use a wooden spoon to break it up into small crumbles and cook thoroughly until no longer pink. Drain all the fat and discard. Season the meat with chili powder, salt, sugar, cumin, celery salt (if using) and cayenne. Add in the beans, fire roasted tomatoes and tomato sauce.
Pour in 3 cups of broth, adding some to the tomato cans, swirling the cans to get any sauce still clinging to the sides before adding to the chili.
Cover and bring the chili to a boil and add in the elbow macaroni. Reduce heat to medium to medium-high and let the chili simmer for 14 to 16 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
Turn off the heat and stir in the grated sharp cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the cheddar jack over top, cover and let the heat melt the cheese.
Once melted, sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley and sliced green onions.
Serve in to bowls and top with sour cream, hot sauce and green onions.

Notes

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on SimplyScratch.com should only be used as a general guideline.

*The nutritional value is for the chili Mac and cheese with green onions and parsley. Any other additional toppings have not been figured into these numbers.

How To Freeze Chili Mac and Cheese Leftovers:

COOL: make sure the chili is completely cool before freezing. Never place hot or very warm items in the freezer (or fridge!) as it can thaw and negatively affect the nearby food.
PORTION: when cool, divide chili into portions. Whether it's a single serving, two or four, portion the cooled chili into either freezer safe bags or air-tight containers. I prefer using freezer safe bags and removing as much air as possible, this helps with storing.
FLATTEN: once portioned, lay flat on a rimmed baking sheet and freeze for a few hours. Like in this post.
STORE: stack the flat frozen chili portions vertically or horizontally saving so much freezer space. Store chili in the freezer for up to 6 months.
REHEAT: I prefer to thaw frozen chili overnight in the fridge. However you can soak in a sink of lukewarm water for 20 to 30 minutes - flip every so often and change out the water at least once or twice. You can also defrost in the microwave until thawed. For chili Mac and cheese, I like to reheat in the microwave until thoroughly heated throughout.

For Make Ahead Chili Mac and Cheese:

Prepare the recipe as directed, however cook the pasta just short of al dente. It should be saucy. Let it cool before topping with cheese. Cover and freeze.
Reheat by thawing overnight and then microwave to reheat for best results. The pasta will overly expand if heated up slowly on the stove top.

Nutrition