One-Pot Chili Mac (Printer-friendly)

Savory blend of chili spices, beans, and macaroni melted with cheddar for a warm dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb ground beef (substitute ground turkey for lighter option)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Pantry

05 - 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
06 - 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
07 - 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
08 - 2 cups beef or vegetable broth
09 - 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

→ Spices

10 - 2 tbsp chili powder
11 - 1 tsp ground cumin
12 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
13 - ½ tsp dried oregano
14 - ½ tsp salt
15 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Dairy

16 - 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
17 - ½ cup sour cream (optional, for serving)

# Directions:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Add diced onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, and uncooked elbow macaroni. Stir well to combine.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender.
06 - Uncover and stir in shredded cheddar cheese until melted and creamy.
07 - Serve hot, topped with a dollop of sour cream if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • One pot means you're not standing there scrubbing three different pans while your food gets cold.
  • It tastes like comfort incarnate but comes together so quickly you'll make it on weeknights without hesitation.
  • The flavors somehow deepen as it simmers, like it knows you need it to be better than the sum of its parts.
02 -
  • Do not skip rinsing the canned beans—the starchy liquid will make your broth thick and dull instead of vibrant.
  • If your pasta looks slightly underdone at the simmering stage, it will finish cooking as the pot sits, so don't cook it until it's soft or it'll turn mushy.
  • Bloom your spices in the fat for a full minute, not just a quick stir—this is where the chili powder loses its raw edge and becomes warm and rounded.
03 -
  • Brown the meat hard enough to get some color on it—this builds flavor through browning, not just rendering fat.
  • Don't stir constantly while it simmers; let it cook undisturbed for a few minutes at a time so the bottom doesn't stick and flavors develop instead of just turning cloudy.
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