Chili Mac and Cheese is the ultimate mash up of TWO favourites, Chili PLUS Mac and Cheese!
Easy Homemade Chili Mac and Cheese loaded with beans is the ultimate casserole, ready and on the table in less than 30 minutes! A pasta recipe with a KICK of spice and good flavours that the whole family will go crazy for! Great for using up leftover chili OR make straight from scratch!
On the stove
Two comfort foods combine together in one pan for a reliable thing you'll ever eat in your life, well apart from this Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese. This one is on a whole other level of greatness.
With many one pot Mac and cheese recipes on the inter-webs, this recipe is different in that you have the option of using leftover chili (something like this Beef Bean Jalapeño Chili recipefor example), OR make an incredibly tasty chili from scratch! This Chili Mac is RICH with favour! There's so much of it in this casserole we found ourselves eating it straight out of the pan! Plates are way overrated with something like this.
Chili Mac Ingredients
First, you're going to get your pasta boiling while you start on your Chili. Lord help us this Chili is so good! The main ingredients in this recipe is the usual:
- Ground beef, we use lean beef in this. You can also use ground chicken or turkey.
- Beans, Both red kidney beans and black beans, but you can substitute with any you like.
- Tomato based ingredients for a reliable Chili sauce, crushed tomatoes AND tomato puree (aka Passata in Australia). We also add in tomato paste in this recipe to get the thickness and richness happening faster without having to wait hours!
Seasonings:
- Ground cumin
- Smoked paprika (or hot or sweet paprika also taste good in this)
- Red chili powder (or Cayenne)
The ingredients list may look a little long BUT you can't have a good flavoured Chili and skimp out on seasonings!
Cheese
We used a mixture of American cheddar and mozzarella in this recipe just for the flavour and texture of those, but you can use Monterey Jack or a Mexican blend. You could also use Provolone or any other cheese you love!
Once you've mixed your cooked pasta together with your chili, broil (or grill) the cheese topping for a couple of minutes to get it bubbly and melted!
Garnish with some jalapeno slices and chopped cilantro, and ENJOY! For best outcome, pair it with our Lentil Soup.
What you need
- 8 ounces macaroni pasta dry, cooked to al dente and drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion large, diced
- 1/2 green pepper seeded and diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced, or 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin or Cayenne, adjust to your tastes
- 1 tablespoon red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 7 oz crushed tomatoes
- 7 oz tomato puree or Passata, condensed tomato soup for Aussies
- 1 cup beef broth or chicken
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 14 oz red kidney beans drained
- 7 oz black beans drained
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese or Monterey Jack
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Method
- Heat oil in large heavy-based pot (or casserole pot) over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until transparent, then add the green peppers (or capsicum) and garlic, sautéing for a further minute until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up any big chunks with the end of your wooden spoon. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, paprika and salt and mix through until beef is fully coated in the seasonings.
- Mix in the crushed tomatoes along with the juices, tomato puree, broth, tomato paste and beans. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and allow to simmer while stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens (about 10 minutes).
- Preheat oven broiler (or grill) on medium heat.
- Add the cooked pasta and toss well to combine. Top with cheese, transfer to oven and broil for 2 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and melted.
- Garnish with sliced jalapeños and chopped cilantro (optional).
