Easy Chili Mac

Easy chili mac is a one-pot dinner made with ground beef, elbow macaroni, red beans, tomatoes, and simple seasonings. It’s hearty and budget-friendly.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chili, macaroni

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 5

Total Time 1 20

Servings

Calories 469kcal

Author Elizabeth Rodriguez

Cost $16–$17

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Oil
1 pound Ground Beef ground chuck, ground round, or ground sirloin work well
2 tablespoons Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper optional
1 Medium Onion finely diced
5-6 Garlic Cloves minced
1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
4 cups Beef Broth
1 (14.5 ounce) Can Diced Tomatoes, do not drain
1 (8 ounce) can Tomato Sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Bay Leaf
1-2 Dried Whole Chile Peppers we used dried Chile de Arbol, optional
1 (15 ounce) Can Red Beans, drained and rinsed
8 ounces Elbow Macaroni
Shredded Cheese for serving optional
Sliced Green Onions for serving optional

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pot (we use a 6-quart Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the ground beef and season with the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Arrange the beef in a single layer and cook for 2–3 minutes. Stir and cook for another 1–3 minutes, breaking up any large pieces, until browned.
Still on medium heat, add the onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
Stir in the beef broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and dried chile peppers.
Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, about 5–6 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the red beans and stir. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep the mixture at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat as needed.
Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the macaroni while stirring. Lower the heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed. Stir often, especially in the beginning, to keep the macaroni from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Turn off the heat, cover, and let it sit for 5 minutes, stirring 2–3 times.
Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference, we did not add extra to ours. Remove the bay leaf and dried chile peppers.
Serve with shredded cheese, sliced green onions, or your favorite toppings.

Notes

Stir the macaroni often, especially during the first few minutes of cooking. When first added, it tends to sink to the bottom and can stick and burn.
If the mixture gets too thick before the macaroni is fully cooked, add a little more beef broth.
The chili mac will thicken as it sits. The macaroni continues absorbing liquid after cooking, so if it looks too soupy, let it sit for a few minutes.
For a milder version, leave out the cayenne pepper and dried chile de árbol.
If you're sensitive to salt, use reduced-sodium beef broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans, and adjust the salt at the end.

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