Easy Chili Mac Recipe
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Whether you’re at a tailgate party or tucked warm and cozy inside watching your favorite team on the TV with your favorite people, this hearty Chili Mac Recipe will please a crowd.
When the weather turns cooler and football is in full swing, that means chili season has arrived. It’s a happy and tasty season in my book. We enjoying creating all kinds of chili recipes around here, like White Bean Chicken Chili, Buffalo Chicken Chili, or this super easy Chili Mac Recipe.
As always, we used BUSH’S Beans, as they never let us down in the flavor and quality department. BUSH’S Beans offers a variety of Chili Beans that are excellent used in chili (of course) as well as delicious dips, like Hot Chili Cheese Dip. For this recipe I chose to use BUSH’S Chili Beans Kidney Beans in Mild Chili Sauce.
As I said, this recipe is super easy to make. Begin by cooking the macaroni noodles according to package instructions. While the noodles are cooking, cook onions until softened. Add in the ground beef, canned chilis, salt, pepper, chili powder and garlic powder. Stir together and cook until beef has browned. Next goes in beef broth, crushed tomatoes and chili beans, along with the chili bean sauce. Give it a big stir and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for at least 15 minutes.
Finish off, by adding in the drained cooked macaroni noodles and shredded cheese. Stir to combine well. Continue to stir until cheese has melted. At this point you will want to take a taste test. More salt? Pepper? Adjust to your taste.
That’s it! You’re all done and ready to feed a crowd! Chili Mac could not be easier to make, and, if needed, pack along to take. Make it even easier by creating a serve yourself chili mac bar with optional garnishes like sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced green onion, sliced jalapeños, or corn chips to name a few.
This easy Chili Mac Recipe can even be prepared a day or two ahead and kept refrigerated until the day of the big game and you’re ready to rewarm. If rewarming, you can add a bit of beef broth to thin out the chili if you’d like. Please note that this recipe makes a very large amount (6 quarts), so be sure to read the recipe notes for what size pot is required, or easily divide the recipe as needed.
Invite your fellow fans, make a big batch of Chili Mac and get ready to cheer on your favorite team. Happy cooking and go team!
More scrumptious Chili Recipes you will enjoy:
- Old Fashioned Chili Recipe from Spaceships and Laser Beams
- All American Beef Chili from Brown Eyed Baker
Easy Chili Mac and Cheese Recipe
Easy Chili Mac Recipe
This hearty Chili Mac Recipe will please a crowd and is easy to make ahead by a day or two.
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups diced onion (about 2 medium onions)
- 2 pounds ground beef (I like to use ground chuck)*
- 7 ounces canned diced green chiles
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 8 ounces beef broth
- 64 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 3 (16) ounce cans BUSH’S Beans Chili Beans Kidney Beans in Mild Chili Sauce (do not drain)
- 1 pound shredded cheddar cheese (medium or sharp)
- optional garnish: sour cream, shredded cheese, diced green onion
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- While pasta is cooking, heat oil in large stock pot** over medium heat. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes, until slightly softened.
- Add ground beef, canned chiles, salt, pepper, chili powder and garlic powder. Stir together and continue to cook to brown beef, breaking up any clumps of meat, about 5-7 minutes.
- Once all meat has browned, stir in beef broth, crushed tomatoes and beans (along with bean sauce). Reduce heat to a simmer; allow to simmer for at least 15 minutes.
- Drain pasta. Stir cooked pasta and shredded cheese into chili until combined well and cheese has melted. Salt and pepper to taste.*** (If a thinner consistency is desired add a bit more broth at a time until desired consistency is reached.)
- Serve topped with optional garnish: sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced green onion, diced red onion, corn chips.
Notes
*Ground turkey may be substituted, or, if a vegetarian version is preferred, omit the ground beef and add 2 more cans of chili beans. **This recipe makes a LARGE amount. Use a stock pot that holds at least 6 quarts or cut recipe in half. ***This is a bit spicy, if a milder version is desired, omit the green chilies. If you’d like a spicier version, add 1/2 teaspoon (or more) of crushed red pepper flakes or hot sauce to taste.
Hi, have you every tried to cook this in the crock? If so, would you mind sharing the instructions? Thanks!
I have not tried cooking this in a slow cooker.
I’ll use a can of “roadhouse” chili with beans and large elbow mac.. Then for the vitamins, then I’ll use “Tabasco’s” “ROASTED PEPPER SAUCE” ……. It’s a new one..
Could I make this without the tomatoes? My husband is allergic.
Yes you can. It will taste a bit different. Replace tomatoes with more beef broth.
Peut on avoir la recette en Francais?
Is that add ground beef, un cooked ?
Yes, it is uncooked. You add the ground beef and then brown it with the spices.
Does this freeze well?
I have never frozen this specific chili, but I think it should freeze well.
Looking for an old lost recipe… it was meatless & had
Red kidney beans, tomatoes, green chopped chilies,
and sharp cheddar cheese.. don’t know how this was mixed together or if it was baked.. I think they made a cheese sauce because I remember them saying save some cheese for the top.. Have you ever heard of it?