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small elbow macaroni, cooked ground-beef crumbles, red kidney beans and diced tomatoes in spoonable red chili broth with a small amount of melting orange cheddar on top in a plain bowl, with no sour cream or garnish
Melissa Hart

Chili Mac Soup

This is a soup with chili seasoning and macaroni, so the broth should still move freely around the beef and beans when it reaches the bowl. It takes less pasta than a pot of chili mac meant to sit on a plate. Bloom the spices briefly with the browned beef, then give the tomatoes a short simmer before the elbows go in. They need frequent stirring. Keep the cheddar for individual servings so it softens on top without turning the entire broth into cheese sauce.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb 90% lean ground beef
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp mild chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1 can 8 oz tomato sauce
  • 1 can 15 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 5 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 4 oz dry elbow macaroni
  • 3 oz sharp cheddar grated

Method
 

  1. Brown beef and onion in a 6-quart pot over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, breaking the beef into small crumbles and cooking it to 160°F. Drain excess fat.
  2. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt for 30 seconds.
  3. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes.
  4. Add macaroni and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until tender, stirring often so it does not stick.
  5. Divide among 6 bowls with plenty of broth around the solids. Add the measured cheddar evenly over the servings.