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elbow macaroni with small cooked ground beef crumbles, red kidney beans and diced tomatoes in thick red chili sauce with a little softened shredded cheddar on top in a plain bowl, with no herbs or side dishes
Rachel Kim

One Pot Chili Mac

Chili mac should taste like chili with pasta in it, so the spices get a short cook in the beef drippings before any liquid arrives. Kidney beans and a spoonful of tomato paste give this pot more body than a thin beef-and-noodle sauce. The cheddar is a finish, not the entire personality. Keep the macaroni moving as it cooks and stop while a little sauce still flows between the noodles; they'll absorb more during the short rest.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 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 chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 can 15 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes with juices
  • 8 oz dry elbow macaroni
  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1/2 cup water reserved
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 3 oz shredded cheddar

Method
 

  1. Brown beef and onion in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles and cooking it to 160°F. Spoon off excess fat.
  2. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add beans, tomatoes with juices, broth and salt. Bring to a boil, stir in macaroni and reduce to a steady uncovered simmer.
  4. Cook for 11 to 14 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes and adding reserved water a little at a time if the sauce becomes too tight before the macaroni is tender.
  5. Remove from the heat and rest for 3 minutes. Divide among 6 bowls and scatter cheddar evenly over the hot portions so it softens.