Chili Macaroni and Cheese - Cheesy Chili Mac

Chili macaroni and cheese, or cheesy chili mac, combines the best of two comfort food worlds, chili and macaroni and cheese. 

One of my favorite chilis is prepared on the stove top or in a slow cooker. My favorite macaroni and cheese is baked in the oven. How do you marry them? You make chili mac! 

I had no idea! Evidently I am tardy to the chili mac party. 

Chili macaroni and cheese is so easy to make, and will make believers out of all of your doubting family members (or at least my family members who hesitated....). 

This dish comes together so easily and it is the perfect weeknight dinner for a busy family. You can pretty much have this on the table within 45 minutes, less if you pre-chop the onions and garlic. 

Ingredients in Cheesy Chili Mac:

Aromatics: Chopped onions and garlic. 

From Your Spice Rack: Chili powder, ground cumin, brown sugar, and salt. 

From Your Pantry: A can of Rotel tomatoes, a can of diced tomatoes, and a can of black beans. Rotel tomatoes are essentially diced tomatoes combined with green chiles. If you can't find them, just use about 10 ounces of canned diced tomatoes with juice and add some canned jalapeño chiles to taste.

Pasta: The first time I made this I used small penne pasta. This time I used small elbow macaroni. Small shells would work too. 

Cheeses: Cream cheese plus a Mexican cheese blend, which comes pre-grated. I used Tillamook, but there are plenty of brands you can use. If you'd rather grate your own cheese, I recommend using Colby Jack. It's the perfect melty blend. If you'd like more spice, a combination of pepper jack and mild cheddar would be good too. 

All of the ingredients are pretty easy to find in any grocery store. 

How to Make this Chili Macaroni and Cheese:

First, cook the onions and spices in a large skillet until the onions are softened. Add the garlic and brown sugar and stir. 

Next, Add the ground beef, breaking it up, and cook it until it's almost fully cooked. Add the water, Rotel, and pasta, cover the pan, and cook until the pasta is al dente. 

After that, stir in the tomatoes, black beans, and cream cheese, and then stir in 1/2 of the shredded cheese. 

Finally, transfer the mixture to a casserole dish, top with the rest of the cheese, and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Sprinkle the top with with chopped cilantro leaves and serve. When you lift your serving of the chili mac out of the dish, you will see melty strands of cheesy deliciousness.

You can serve this chili mac as is, or with various toppings such as more cilantro, scallions, sliced olives, and sour cream. 

Equipment I Used to Make this Chili Mac Casserole:

12-inch skillet or sauté pan with a lid.

2 to 3 quart casserole pan. I used a 3 quart 9-inch stoneware square pan with fairly high sides. It holds the heat really well and is perfect for serving this chili mac. 

Storage:

While this is not the the best make-ahead recipe, leftovers, kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days, are pretty tasty. They're perfect for reheating for lunch or dinner, or adding to eggs and tortillas for breakfast. 

More Ways to Dress Up Macaroni and Cheese:

Buffalo Chicken Baked Mac and Cheese

Spiralized Sweet Potato Macaroni and Cheese

Crab Macaroni and Cheese

Chorizo Macaroni and Cheese

This week, the From Our Dinner Table group is sharing recipes that include macaroni. Below are several recipes for pasta you need to try!

Make it with Macaroni:

• Chili Macaroni and Cheese from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Hawaiian Macaroni Salad from That Recipe
• Polish Sausage Mac and Cheese from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Protein Packed Mac Salad from Magical Ingredients

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you're at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

Chili Macaroni and Cheese - Cheesy Chili Mac

Yield: 9 Servings

Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories

Chili macaroni and cheese, or cheesy chili mac, combines the best of two comfort food worlds, chili and macaroni and cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
• 1 small to medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar, light or dark
• 1 pound of ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 10-ounce can of Rotel Original
• 2 cups small elbow macaroni
• 1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 1 14.5 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups (one 8-ounce package) Mexican style shredded cheese
• Garnishes such as chopped cilantro, sliced black olives, sour cream, and sliced green onions

Instructions

1. Place a 12 inch skillet over medium heat, and add the oil. Let heat for 30 seconds, and then add the onion, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and brown sugar and cook for one minute more.
3. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up in the pan, until just cooked through.
4. Add the water, Rotel, and the pasta to the pan and stir.
5. Bring the pan to a simmer and cover the pan. Cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.
6. Add the tomatoes and beans, and then stir. Add the cream cheese and stir until it is incorporated into the dish.
7. Add 1 cup/4 ounces of the Mexican style cheese to the pan and stir to combine.
8. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and pour the contents of the pan into a 2 1/2 to 3 quart casserole. Sprinkle the top of the chili mac with the rest of the cheese and place it in the oven. Bake until the cheese is melted and the food is heated through, about 15 minutes.
9. Sprinkle with some cilantro and serve with garnishes of your choice.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

469

Fat (grams)

24 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

11 g

Carbs (grams)

40 g

Fiber (grams)

6 g

Net carbs

34 g

Sugar (grams)

6 g

Protein (grams)

24 g

Cholesterol (grams)

72 mg

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2015/11/chili-macaroni-and-cheese-cheesy-chili.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

macaroni and cheese, chili

main course

American

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Adapted with permission from Lynsey Lou's as part of Secret Recipe Club. 

This is an updated post, first published November, 2015. Updated July, 2024.