One-Pot Chili Mac is deliciously hearty and nostalgic, bringing comforting flavors that remind you of home-cooked meals. It’s incredibly easy to prepare, making it the perfect dish to serve to the family alongside warm, homemade cornbread.
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🧀 The Ingredients
The simple ingredients in this one-pot wonder combine effortlessly to create a warm, comforting dish that everyone will crave. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
🥫Substitutions and Variations
- Meat – Ground beef is traditional, but you could substitute ground turkey, ground pork, or ground chicken with excellent results. You could even make it meatless using our Veggie and Black Bean Chili.
- Tomatoes – We love the addition of fire-roasted tomatoes, but if you don’t like chunky tomatoes, you can go with all tomato sauce, or purée the tomatoes before adding them to the chili.
- Seasonings – We get our chili powder from Penderey’s (Fort Worth). They ship their products throughout North America. For an additional depth of flavor, add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Be sure to do a taste test before serving, you may need to add a little more salt.
- Peppers – Feel free to use your favorite type of peppers. Bell peppers are not spicy, and they add color and depth of flavor. You can substitute pickled (nacho) jalapeños for the fresh, or just omit them. When you remove the seeds, they are mild.
See the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Expert Tip
You will notice the chili is thin (not thick) before adding the macaroni. This is normal. As the macaroni absorbs the liquid as it cooks, the mixture will thicken. It will be somewhat “saucy” but not runny.
👩🏼🍳 How To Make One-Pot Chili Mac
- Step 1: Sauté the onions and pepper in the oil until soft, and then stir in the garlic.
- Step 2: Add the ground beef, cook until no longer pink, remove the excess grease, and stir in the seasonings.
- Step 3: Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth.
- Step 4: Bring to a simmer and then stir in the macaroni.
- Step 5: Once the pasta is soft, stir in half of the cheese (about 1½ cups).
- Step 6: Top with the remaining cheese, then cover and wait until the cheese has melted, and serve at once!
Expert Tip
We recommend purchasing a block of cheese (8 oz) and shredding it with a box grater on the shredding attachment on your food processor. Bagged shredded cheese is fine, but anti-caking additives are included, resulting in a less creamy, cheesy sauce.
🍽️ How To Serve, Store, and Reheat
- This dish is filling and satisfying on its own. We love to serve this with homemade cornbread for a complete meal. Toppings that you would normally serve with chili are all great garnishes, such as chopped onion, chopped fresh cilantro, and sour cream.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container with a lid in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Chili Mac reheats wonderfully on the stove over medium heat. Add another splash or two of broth or water to loosen up the sauce.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chili mac can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; simply reheat it on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth (or water) if it seems too thick.
Elbow macaroni is the classic choice for chili mac because its shape holds the sauce well, but small pasta shapes like shells or rotini also work great.
Absolutely! You can substitute the ground meat with plant-based protein like lentils, beans, or meat alternatives, and use vegetable broth along with dairy-free cheese or omit cheese to make a vegan version.
🥘 Other Delicious Weeknight Recipes
Ready to make a dish that the whole family will be requesting time and time again? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
One-Pot Chili Mac
Video
Equipment
- 1 large skillet or pot at least 3 inches deep
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper red, yellow, or green, seeded and chopped
- 1 jalapeño stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 14.5 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 3 cups beef broth or stock
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- 3 cups cheddar cheese grated, divided
- ¼ cup cilantro fresh, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and jalapeño, and sauté until soft, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup onion, 1 bell pepper, 1 jalapeño, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the ground beef, breaking up with a wooden spoon, and cook until no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Spoon out most of the grease and discard it safely.1 lb ground beef
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring often. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth and bring to a strong simmer.2 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 14.5 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes, 1 8 oz can tomato sauce, 3 cups beef broth
- Stir in the macaroni. Turn the heat to low and cover. Cook until al dente, usually about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and stir. The sauce should not be runny, but still "saucy." Turn the heat off.2 cups elbow macaroni
- Stir in half of the cheese (1½ cups) until melted. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Place the lid back on the pan and let rest for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese on top has melted.3 cups cheddar cheese
- Serve at once with chopped cilantro, if desired.¼ cup cilantro
Matt says
This is the ULTIMATE comfort food dish. Absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to have it again!
Kris Longwell says
We are so thrilled you enjoyed, Matt!!!! Thanks for the great review! You are the BEST!!!!
Wes says
Talk about a cheesy pot of gold! This is a one-pot delight.
Kris Longwell says
Woo hoo!!!!