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Chili Mac is the cozy mashup of two comfort food legends, hearty beef chili and creamy mac and cheese, all in one pot. I first made it on a freezing weeknight when the girls were starving and I had zero patience for two separate dinners, and it has been in our regular rotation ever since. It is cheesy, a little spicy, and ridiculously satisfying. If you love a one pot wonder, you will also crave our Skyline chili.
One bowl of this cheesy, beefy chili mac and the whole family will be asking for it on repeat.
Chili Mac Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 1 hour
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 587kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Cheesy, beefy, and a little spicy (cozy comfort food)
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a true one pot meal like our cheeseburger tater tot casserole
Quick Answer
To make chili mac, brown ground beef with onion and bell pepper, then stir in chili seasoning and spices. Add tomato paste, crushed and diced tomatoes, black beans, and kidney beans, and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in cooked elbow noodles and shredded cheese, top with more cheese, and cover until melted and gooey.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- One pot, two classics. Beefy chili and creamy mac and cheese come together in a single Dutch oven, so it tastes like two comfort foods at once.
- A real spice blend. A mix of chili seasoning, smoked paprika, cumin, and garlic gives the base deep, layered flavor instead of one note heat.
- Two cheeses melt in. Sharp cheddar brings bold flavor while Monterey Jack adds that stretchy, gooey melt everyone loves.
- Beans add heartiness. Black beans and kidney beans bulk it up into a filling, satisfying meal that stretches to feed a crowd.
- Al dente noodles hold up. Cooking the elbows just to al dente keeps them from turning mushy when they join the simmering chili.
- A quick rest melts the cheese. Topping it with cheese and covering off the heat melts everything into a gooey, blanket like finish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is two comfort foods in one, so it pleases even the pickiest eaters.
- Everything cooks in a single pot, which means an easy cleanup.
- It reheats wonderfully and tastes even better as leftovers.
Key Ingredients
Chili mac uses pantry staples you probably already have. Here are the ones that matter most.
- Ground Beef: The hearty, savory base. Use lean beef and drain any excess grease, or swap in ground turkey for a lighter version.
- Chili Seasoning and Spices: A chili packet plus smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder build that classic, cozy chili flavor.
- Tomatoes and Beans: Crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, and kidney beans make it rich, thick, and filling.
- Elbow Noodles: Cooked just to al dente so they stay tender, not mushy, once stirred into the chili.
- Cheddar and Monterey Jack: Sharp cheddar for flavor and Monterey Jack for that gooey, stretchy melt.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Chili mac is endlessly adaptable, so make it your own.
- Make it spicy: Add diced jalapenos, cayenne, or a few dashes of hot sauce for more heat.
- Lighten it up: Use ground turkey or chicken and reduced fat cheese for a leaner bowl.
- Swap the pasta: Any short pasta like shells, cavatappi, or rotini works in place of elbows.
- Add veggies: Stir in corn, extra peppers, or zucchini to sneak in more vegetables.
- More chili flavor: If you love a classic bowl, try it next to our Skyline chili.
How to Make Chili Mac
- Brown the ground beef in a Dutch oven, then add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, stirring in the garlic at the end.
- Stir in the chili seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper, and cook for a minute.
- Add the tomato paste and stir until everything is well combined and deepened in color.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, kidney beans, and water, then simmer for 30 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked elbow noodles along with half of the shredded cheese.
- Top with the remaining cheese, cover, and let it sit off the heat until melted and gooey, then serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Brown the beef well. Letting the beef get a deep, crusty brown builds a savory foundation for the whole pot.
- Cook the pasta al dente. Slightly undercooked elbows finish softening in the chili without turning to mush.
- Stir the bottom while simmering. A thick chili can scorch, so stir occasionally to keep it from sticking to the pot.
- Shred your own cheese. Freshly shredded cheese melts far smoother than the pre shredded bags.
- Let it rest to melt. Covering the pot off the heat for ten minutes melts the cheese into a gooey blanket without overcooking the noodles.
- Adjust the heat. Taste and add more chili seasoning or a pinch of cayenne if you like it spicier.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Chili mac is a full meal in a bowl, but a few simple sides make it feel like a real spread. A wedge of warm cornbread or some crusty garlic bread is perfect for scooping up every cheesy, saucy bite.
Pile on your favorite chili toppings like sour cream, sliced scallions, extra cheese, or a handful of crushed tortilla chips. For a heartier comfort food night, serve it alongside our cheeseburger tater tot casserole or our Salisbury steak. If you love cozy bowls, our white chicken chili and cheesy meatloaf belong in your rotation too.
Add a crisp green salad to balance all that richness, and you have an easy, crowd pleasing dinner. However you serve it, this chili mac is pure cozy comfort, so keep the recipe handy for chilly nights.
Chili Mac FAQs
They are close cousins. American goulash is usually a tomato and beef pasta dish, while chili mac leans into bold chili seasoning, beans, and plenty of melted cheese. Chili mac is essentially goulash with a chili and cheese upgrade.
Yes. Chili mac reheats beautifully and the flavors deepen overnight. Make it through the simmer step, then stir in the noodles and cheese when you reheat so the pasta stays tender.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. For longer storage, freeze it for up to three months, then thaw and reheat gently with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce.
Absolutely, that is the beauty of it. Brown the beef, build the chili, and simmer all in one Dutch oven, then stir in cooked noodles and cheese at the end for an easy, one pot meal.
A mix of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack is ideal. Cheddar brings bold flavor and Monterey Jack melts into that stretchy, gooey texture. Colby Jack or a Mexican blend also work well.
Try sour cream, sliced scallions, diced onion, extra shredded cheese, sliced jalapenos, or crushed tortilla chips. A squeeze of lime or a dash of hot sauce is great too.
Craving more cozy comfort? Stir up a pot of our Skyline chili next for another family favorite.
Spoon this chili over a couple of air fryer hot dogs for the ultimate chili cheese dogs.
Love cheesy comfort food? Try our fried mac and cheese.
Another cheesy crowd-pleaser is our crack chicken dip.
For another cozy baked dinner, our Greek moussaka layers eggplant, meat sauce, and bechamel.
Love cheesy pasta? Our slow cooker mac and cheese with ham is a dump-and-go comfort food classic.
Chili Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small sweet onion small diced
- 1 small green bell pepper small diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1.25 ounce chili seasoning packet
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles undrained
- 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- ½ cup water
- 8 ounces elbow noodles cooked al dente
- 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Place a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground beef and break it up into crumbles, browning it until there is no pink left, 8-10 minutes, occasionally stirring.1 pound ground beef
- Add the onions and bell peppers, stir them in and continue to cook, occasionally stirring until the veggies are softened, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.1 small sweet onion, 1 small green bell pepper, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the chili seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.1.25 ounce chili seasoning packet, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Add the tomato paste, and stir it in well to combine.6 ounces tomato paste
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, kidney beans, and water stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, occasionally stirring to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn.28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles, 15 ounces black beans, 15 ounces red kidney beans, ½ cup water
- Stir in the cooked elbow noodles. Stir in half of the cheese.8 ounces elbow noodles, 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Add the remaining cheese on top and cover. Take off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes to melt the cheese, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use a wooden spoon to break the ground beef into small pieces for even cooking.
- For a cheesier Chili Mac, you can add an extra handful of cheese before serving.
- Always cook pasta al dente, as it will continue to cook when you mix it with the chili.
- For an extra kick, add red chili flakes.
- For the best flavors, let it sit for a couple of minutes before serving, allowing all the ingredients to meld together.
Nutrition
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