Chili mac is hearty and delicious, a comforting mix of spicy chili and cheesy macaroni for a perfect weeknight dinner that's easy to make and satisfying. Try it with my classic chili and you will love it!
Chili Mac Recipe
We're cooking up a big pot of Cheesy Chili Mac in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends! You'll definitely want a bowl of this.
Chili mac, or chili cheese mac as we always called it, is one of the best comfort foods around. It's a delicious mashup of your favorite bowl of chili with cheesy, creamy homemade macaroni and cheese, two of the best dishes ever.
What You'll Love About Chili Mac
- This dish is loaded with lots of cheese, noodles, ground beef, chili beans, and spices for a dish that is guaranteed to satisfy the biggest of cravings.
- It's a one-pot dish that will feed your entire family, and you can easily scale it up.
- It's quick and easy to make, done in around 30 minutes, making it perfect for fast weeknight meals.
Chili mac and cheese is a super versatile dish you can serve anytime, great for just about any occasion, whether it's comfort food Friday, game day, backyard barbecue, or big family picnic.
Let's talk about how to make chili mac, shall we?
Chili Mac Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Vegetable Oil.
- Vegetables. Onion, jalapenos (use bell pepper for milder heat), garlic.
- Ground Beef. You can use ground turkey or chicken for a leaner dish.
- Spices. Chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper.
- Hot Sauce. Optional, to taste.
- Tomato Paste.
- Beef Broth. You can also use chicken or vegetable broth.
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes. You can also use diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, or tomato sauce.
- Kidney Beans. You can use other beans, like black beans or pinto beans.
- Dry Elbow Macaroni. This recipe works with other noodles as well.
- Shredded Cheese. I'm using cheddar, but feel free to use your favorite melty cheeses, like pepper jack or a Mexican blend.
How to Make Chili Mac - the Recipe Method
Cook down the onion and jalapenos in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat with a bit of oil, then add the garlic and let it bloom for a minute or so.
Add the ground beef and brown it, cooking it mostly through, then stir in the spices, hot sauce and tomato paste.
Cook this mix for a minute or two, then stir in the beef broth, tomatoes, chili beans, and macaroni noodles.
Simmer the pot of chili, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the noodles are al dente, or done to your liking.
Stir in half of the cheddar cheese until melty, then remove from heat. Top with remaining cheese and cover off heat for 2-3 minutes to melt the top cheese.
Boom! Done! Your chili mac and cheese is ready to serve. Doesn't it look delicious! I'm seriously ready to dive into this pot.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- For more flavorful chili, simmer the pot of chili without the noodles for 20 minutes or longer, then add the macaroni and continue with the recipe. This will let the flavors mingle and meld.
- If you prefer, you can cook the macaroni noodles separately, stir them into the simmering pot of chili, then proceed with the cheese. This can help prevent the noodles from becoming too mushy.
- Want to up the heat factor? Use an extra spicy hot sauce during cooking as well as for serving, or incorporate hotter peppers instead of jalapenos.
Storage & Leftovers
Leftover chili mac will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can easily reheat it in the oven on low heat, or microwave a bowlful.
I do not recommend freezing chili mac, as the noodles can become mushy.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this easy chili mac & cheese recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy spicy cooking, I hope you'll check out my cookbook! 75 easy recipes with big, bold flavor.
- The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist (affiliate link, my friends!)
Amazon Affiliate links, my friends! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Chili Mac Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 2-3 jalapenos diced (use bell pepper for milder heat)
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne optional, for spicy
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Hot sauce to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2.5 cups beef broth
- 2 15-ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes or use diced or crushed tomatoes
- 1 15- ounce can red kidney beans drained
- 8 ounces dry elbow macaroni noodles
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or use a Mexican blend
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onion and jalapeno peppers. Cook for 5 minutes to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and break apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-6 minutes to brown and cook mostly through, stirring a bit.
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper, hot sauce, and tomato paste. Cook 1-2 minutes to bloom the spices, stirring.
- Add the beef broth, tomatoes, kidney beans, and macaroni noodles. Stir.
- Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the noodles are done to your liking.
- Stir in half of the cheddar cheese until melty, then remove from heat. Top with remaining cheese and cover off heat for 2-3 minutes to melt the top cheese.
- Garnish and serve!
Nutrition Information
Mike says
I am making this tomorrow night (Friday). Can this be done in a slow cooker rather than a Dutch oven? I have both so either is fine. Thanks.
Mike Hultquist says
Mike, for the slow cooker - brown the meat and vegetables in a pan first, then add it to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients (minus the cheese). Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours, or until the chili is done to your liking. Then, stir in half the cheese until melted through, top with remaining cheese, cover, and let the cheese melt. Then serve. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Mike says
Great flavor. I made it last Friday and will make it again but in the dutch oven as I had an issue. I set the slow cooker on low for 6 hours, planning to check it after 5. I decided to stir it after a little more than 2 hours and the macaroni was done. Panic. Wife won't be home from work for 3 hours. I put the slow cooker on the warm setting and hoped for the best. It worked out fine and tasted great. We have had the leftovers a couple times this week. A winner recipe!
Mike H. says
Thank you, Mike! Super happy to hear it!
Melinda says
Hi Mike, if I use pre-cooked macaroni how much should I reduce the broth?
Looking forward to trying this recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Melinda. Use only 1 cup beef broth if using prepared noodles. You can even skip it for a thicker chili mac. Enjoy!