One Pot Chili Mac N’ Cheese

This One Pot Chili Mac N’ Cheese recipe combines your two favorite comfort foods into an easy, one-pot meal that the whole family will love!

This recipe is not your ordinary mac n’ cheese. This One Pot Chili Mac N’ Cheese is your classic mac combined with a super easy chili recipe. We are utilizing some pantry staples as well as a few spice cabinet staples. It’s easy, delicious and makes a huge serving that you can eat all week long!

I’m not sure where the idea for this recipe came from but I’m positive that it started during quarantine. I’ve been trying to come up with meals to make from items we already had in the pantry for two reasons. Reason 1: I didn’t really want to go to the store . Reason 2: This is the perfect time to get creative and use what you have. #NoFoodWaste!

When I told husband what my plans were, to say he was excited is an understatement. This recipe made 12 servings for us at about 420 calories per serving. We ate this meal for lunch and dinner pretty much for an entire week and it was glorious!

Mac n’ cheese remains one of my favorite comfort foods no matter how old I get. This One Pot Chili Mac N’ Cheese recipe makes that classic meal a bit more hearty, gives it some more protein and fiber from the meat and beans and is absolutely perfect for the dead of winter. It will bring you back to life!

Adjustments for your One Pot Chili Mac N’ Cheese:

Feel free to make this recipe as spicy or as mild as you want it. If you’re serving to children, you may want to keep the spice on the mild side and definitely omit the cayenne! You can also add more veggies to this dish to really trick your kids into eating their veggies (HAH!). Try adding more beans, spinach, corn or chopped peppers.

Chili Mac N’ Cheese

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• Author: Alyssa Fusco
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

This Chili Mac N’ Cheese combines two of the BEST comfort foods! It’s incredibly easy to make, makes quite a large serving and is great for the whole family. Brighten up a cold winter night by serving up this funky twist on an old classic. 

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

1 Lb ground beef (can use ground turkey or chicken as well)

1 Onion

1 Tbsp Minced garlic

1 x 28oz can of crushed tomatoes 

1 x 6ox can of tomato paste

1 x 15oz can of black beans (any type of beans will work)

1 x 8ox block cheddar cheese, shredded (pepper jack will work as well if you like spice)

1.5 – 2 bags of 16oz brown rice pasta (you can use any type of pasta)

1.5 Tbsp Garlic powder

4 Tbsp Cumin

3 Tbsp Chili powder

1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Olive oil

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped

2 x 28oz can filled with water

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Instructions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, add your olive oil and chopped onion, cook until tender. 
2. Add your minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
3. Add your ground beef and spices, cook until browned. 
4. Once browned, add your canned goods (crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, black beans and chipotle pepper), water (use the crushed tomato can to measure the water) and pasta.
5. Bring to a boil, boil for 10 minutes and then simmer for 5 until the pasta is al dente. 
6. Remove from heat and add your shredded cheese. Mix to combine & serve. 

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes