Description
Chili mac recipe brings hearty comfort to weeknight dinners with bold southwestern flavors. Spicy ground beef and cheesy pasta combine for a quick, satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups elbow macaroni (uncooked)
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups beef broth (or water)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: green onions or jalapenos for topping
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Caramelize ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, breaking into fine crumbles until richly browned and developed with deep flavor notes.
- Aromatic Enhancement: Integrate finely chopped onions and garlic, sautéing until translucent and releasing their fragrant essence, creating a foundational flavor profile for the dish.
- Liquid and Seasoning Fusion: Combine tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, and beef broth into the pot, introducing a complex blend of chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and cracked black pepper to develop a robust and multilayered taste experience.
- Pasta Integration and Cooking: Delicately fold uncooked elbow macaroni directly into the simmering liquid, allowing the pasta to absorb the spicy, rich flavors while gently cooking to perfect al dente consistency, transforming the mixture into a cohesive, hearty one-pot marvel.
- Cheese Incorporation and Finishing: Remove from heat and thoroughly fold sharp cheddar cheese into the mixture, stirring until completely melted and creating a luxurious, creamy texture that envelops every morsel of the dish.
- Presentation and Garnish: Elevate the visual and flavor complexity by adorning with optional toppings such as sliced green onions, additional cheese sprinkles, or fiery jalapeño slices, adding a final layer of excitement to this comforting meal.
Notes
- Optimize Meat Browning: Ensure ground beef develops a deep, caramelized crust by avoiding overcrowding the pot and maintaining high heat for maximum flavor development.
- Control Liquid Absorption: Monitor pasta’s cooking liquid carefully to prevent a dry or overly soupy consistency, adjusting broth levels as needed during simmering.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Remove pot from direct heat before adding cheese to prevent separation and achieve a smooth, creamy texture without graininess.
- Customize Spice Levels: Adjust chili powder and jalapeños to suit personal heat preferences, allowing for a personalized spice experience that suits different palates.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg