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Chili Mac and Cheese

March 2, 2020 By Dawn 2 Comments

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Chili Mac and Cheese combines two of the best comfort foods of all time into one irresistible dish. You will probably have most of the ingredients in your kitchen, which is always a plus.

Overhead look at two bowls of chili with two forks on the side.

It’s loaded with ground beef, beans, tomatoes, onions, macaroni, cheese, and spices.

Side angle view of two bowls of chili mac.

I like nothing better than a bowl of comfort food that is simple to make and tastes great too when the weather is cold. There is nothing that warms you up and keeps you going than dishes like this.

Helpful Tips:

  • Cook the hamburger, onion, and garlic together. Cook the hamburger until it is no longer pink and the onions are tender.
  • When the hamburger is browned remove any excess grease.
  • If cooking the macaroni beforehand cook the noodles a minute or two less than what the directions call for.
  • If you want to make this a one-pot meal add the uncooked macaroni to the pot and cook until the noodles are tender.

A bowl of food with a plaid napkin with a fork on the side.

Can you freeze this recipe?

Yes, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Make sure to put it in an airtight freezer container. But, you can store it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

What is the best way to reheat?

I like to heat this in the microwave. It is quick and simple and is ready to eat in no time at all. If you prefer you can heat on the stove, just place the amount you want in a saucepan and heat over medium-low until it is heated through.

Steps for making chili mac and cheese:

Step one:

Add the hamburger, onion, and garlic to a large Dutch oven or a soup pot. Cook until the hamburger is no longer pink and the onion is tender.

Hamburger, onion, and garlic in a Dutch oven.
Cooked ground beef that has been cooked in a Dutch oven.

Step two:

While browning the hamburger cook the macaroni. Cook a minute or two less than what the directions say on the box.

Step three:

Drain the excess grease once the ground beef is browned. Drain and rinse the kidney beans.

Tomato sauce, tomatoes, beans, and macaroni added to the ground beef.
Spices add to the Dutch oven.

Step four:

Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, and macaroni and stir in.

Step five:

Add the seasoning and stir in. Stir in the cheese until it is melted.

Cheese added to the Dutch oven.
Chili mac is ready to serve.

Step six:

Cook for about 15 minutes or until heated through.

Check out more comfort food recipes:

  • Easy Hamburger Stew
  • Chicken Tortellini Soup
  • Baked Chicken Pasta Casserole

Close up view of the chili in a white bowl.

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Overhead look at two bowls of chili with two forks on the side.

Chili Mac and Cheese

Chili Mac and Cheese combines two of the best comfort foods of all time into one irresistible dish. You will probably have most of the ingredients in your kitchen, which is always a plus.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Keyword: Chili mac and cheese, chili mac, easy chili mac
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 584kcal
Author: Dawn

Ingredients

  • 11/2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 30 ounces tomato sauce
  • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 15.5 ounces kidney beans
  • 2 cups macaroni noodles cooked
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • To a large Dutch oven or soup pot add the ground beef, onions, and garlic. Cook until the ground beef is no longer pink and the onions are tender.
  • While browning the hamburger cook the macaroni following the directions on the package but cook about 1 or 2 minutes less.
  • Once the ground beef is browned and the onions are tender remove any excess grease.
  • Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, kidney beans, and macaroni. Stir until well combined
  • Add and stir in the chili powder, cumin, and salt.
  • Mix in the cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.
  • Cook for 15 to 20 minutes to heat through and combine the flavors.

Notes

  1. Cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large Dutch oven or soup pot.
  2. Remove any excess grease after the ground beef has been browned.
  3. To make the recipe a one-pot meal don't cook the macaroni before adding it to the Dutch oven.
  4. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary with brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition

Calories: 584kcal | Carbohydrates: 59.5g | Protein: 50.8g | Fat: 16.2g | Saturated Fat: 8.2g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 1192mg | Potassium: 1700mg | Fiber: 11.7g | Sugar: 8.5g | Calcium: 284mg | Iron: 22mg

 

Filed Under: Easy meals

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. David @ Spiced

    March 3, 2020 at 6:24 am

    5 stars
    I love chili mac! It’s such a classic comfort food. Now I’m craving this one for sure. Looks delicious, Dawn!

    Reply
  2. John / Kitchen Riffs

    March 3, 2020 at 6:06 pm

    Love this dish! SO satisfying and comforting. And really, really good. 🙂 Your version looks great — thanks.

    Reply

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Dawn

Welcome to Words of Deliciousness!
My name is Dawn! I am a wife, mom, grandma and the blogger behind Words of Deliciousness! I love sharing my favorite recipes and I hope some of these become your favorites too.
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Updated on March 4, 2020