Cheesy Chili Mac Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Cheesy Chili Mac Recipe

This chili mac recipe is chunky, cheesy and ultimately comforting with lots of seasonings, spicy chunky chili and so much more. It's an easy one pot meal.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time1 hr 35 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chili, noodles, one pot, pasta, recipe, spicy

Servings:

Calories: 353kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

FOR THE CHILI

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef or use ground turkey for a lighter meal
1 large onion chopped
2 jalapeno peppers chopped
1 small bell pepper or sweet pepper, chopped
1 spicy chili pepper chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
2 cans red kidney beans
42 ounces fire roasted tomatoes (3 14-ounce cans, or use equivalent fresh. You can also used diced tomatoes or tomato sauce)
2 tablespoons ancho powder
2 tablespoons guajillo powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE CHILI MAC

8 ounces dry weight elbow pasta noodles or use macaroni or any other smaller noodles
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese or use any melty cheese, like pepper jack, or a mixture of cheeses
FOR SERVING: Sliced roasted peppers spicy chili flakes, fresh chopped parsley or cilantro

Instructions

FOR THE CHILI

First, heat the oil in a large pot and add the ground beef or turkey, onion and peppers. Cook them down about 10 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the vegetables are softened.
Add the garlic and cook another minute, stirring.
If using fresh tomatoes, chop them and add them to the pot. Cook about 10 minutes to let them break down. If using canned fire roasted tomatoes, just add them to the pot and go to the next step.
Add the kidney beans and seasonings and give it all a good stir.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the chili on low for at least 1 hour to let the flavors develop, stirring every now and then. Adjust for seasonings if you wish.

FOR THE CHILI MAC

Boil the noodles in lightly salted water until al dente. Drain.
Mix the noodles with the chili, then pour the mixture into a large baking dish or casserole dish.
Top with cheese and bake for 15 minutes until the cheeses are nice and melted.
Garnish and serve!

Notes

NOTE: This is an easy one-pot meal. I usually use a simple casserole dish for this recipe, but you can easily make it in a Dutch oven or any large oven-safe pan, like a cast iron pan.

CHILI POWDERS: If you have a hard time finding ancho and guajillo powders, use your favorite chili powder blend instead.

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