One Pot Chili Mac (Cheesy, Beefy, 40 Minutes)

One pot chili mac is what happens when a bowl of hearty beef chili and a pan of cheesy macaroni decide to become the same dinner. Ground beef, beans, tomatoes and elbow pasta simmer together in one pot, then a heap of cheddar melts on top.

The pasta cooks right in the chili, so it soaks up all that smoky, spiced flavor while its starch thickens the sauce. There is no separate pot of water to boil and no colander to wash.

From the first sizzle of beef to the last stir of cheese, you are looking at about 40 minutes. It is a weeknight staple that kids and adults both go back for.

Why this recipe works

• Pasta cooked in the chili. The elbows absorb seasoned broth instead of plain water, and their starch turns the liquid into a clingy sauce.
• Beef browned properly. Letting the ground beef sit undisturbed until it crusts builds a deep base flavor before anything else goes in.
• Spices toasted in the fat. Stirring the chili powder and cumin into the hot beef fat for a minute wakes up their flavor far more than dumping them into liquid.
• Enough liquid, measured. Three cups of broth plus the juice from the tomatoes is exactly what 8 oz of elbows need to cook through without turning the pot soupy.
• Cheese off the heat. Stirring in half the cheddar and melting the rest on top under a lid gives you a creamy sauce and a gooey topping without any graininess.

Ingredients you’ll need

Exact amounts are in the recipe card. These are the ingredients that carry the dish.

• Ground beef. One pound of 85 percent lean beef has enough fat for flavor without leaving the pot greasy.
• Onion and garlic. One diced yellow onion and three cloves of garlic form the aromatic base.
• Chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika. Standard American chili powder is a blend, so 2 tablespoons sounds like a lot but is right. Cumin adds earthiness and smoked paprika adds a hint of campfire.
• Diced tomatoes and tomato paste. A can of diced tomatoes brings brightness and liquid, and a spoonful of paste deepens the color and flavor.
• Kidney beans. One can, drained and rinsed. They make the dish more filling and more like real chili.
• Beef broth. Three cups. It is the cooking liquid for the pasta, so use a broth you like.
• Elbow macaroni. Two cups, about 8 oz, straight from the box and uncooked.
• Sharp cheddar. A block, shredded by hand, melts smoother than the bagged kind.

Ingredient notes and smart substitutions

Ground beef

Ground beef at 85 percent lean is the sweet spot. Leaner 90 percent beef works but you may want an extra tablespoon of oil. Fattier 80 percent beef should be drained of most of its fat after browning.

Ground turkey or chicken swap one to one. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and cook them to 165°F. Plant based ground crumbles also work well at the same weight.

Beans

Kidney beans are classic, but pinto beans or black beans swap directly. For a bean free version, add a second half pound of beef instead.

Pasta

Elbows are ideal because they cook in about 10 minutes and their curves trap sauce. Small shells, cavatappi or ditalini swap one to one by weight. Avoid long pasta, which clumps in a thick sauce.

Whole wheat elbows need 2 to 3 extra minutes and a splash more broth. Gluten free pasta can turn soft, so check it early and stop as soon as it is tender.

Broth

Beef broth gives the richest flavor. Chicken broth or vegetable broth works fine at the same volume. If you only have bouillon, dissolve it in hot water and cut the added salt in half until you taste.

Cheese

Sharp cheddar has the boldest flavor. Monterey Jack, Colby Jack or a Mexican blend melt beautifully in its place. For extra creaminess, replace 1/2 cup of the cheddar with cubed American cheese or 2 oz of cream cheese.

Spices

If your chili powder is very mild, add a pinch of cayenne. For a smoky heat, stir in 1 finely chopped chipotle pepper in adobo along with the tomato paste.

How to make it

1. Brown the beef

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or deep pot over medium high heat. Add the ground beef in a single layer and let it sit for 3 to 4 minutes before breaking it up so it develops a real brown crust.

Continue cooking and stirring until no pink remains, about 4 more minutes. If there is more than a tablespoon or two of fat in the pot, spoon off the excess.

2. Cook the onion and garlic

Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.

3. Toast the spices

Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt and tomato paste. Stir constantly for 1 minute so the spices bloom in the hot fat and the paste darkens slightly.

4. Add liquids, beans and pasta

Pour in the beef broth and the diced tomatoes with all their juice. Add the drained beans and the dry elbows. Stir well and scrape the bottom so nothing sticks.

5. Simmer until the pasta is tender

Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, lifting the lid to stir every 3 or 4 minutes so the pasta cooks evenly and does not stick.

The pasta is done when it is tender and most of the liquid has thickened into a sauce. If it looks dry before the pasta is cooked, add 1/4 cup of broth or water.

6. Add the cheese

Turn off the heat. Stir in half the cheddar until it melts into the sauce. Sprinkle the rest over the top, cover the pot and let it sit for 3 minutes until the top layer is melted.

Finish with sliced green onions, chopped cilantro or a spoonful of sour cream.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Pasta sticking to the bottom. The heat was too high or the pot was not stirred. Keep the simmer gentle and stir every few minutes, scraping the bottom each time.

Soupy chili mac. The lid stayed on too long or the pasta was pulled early. Simmer uncovered for a few more minutes and it will tighten quickly. It also thickens as it sits.

Mushy pasta. It simmered too long. Start checking at 10 minutes and turn off the heat as soon as the elbows are tender, since they continue to soften in the hot sauce.

Greasy sauce. Fatty beef was not drained. Spoon off all but a tablespoon or two of fat after browning.

Flat flavor. The spices did not toast, or the dish needs salt. Bloom the spices in the fat for a full minute and taste before serving. A splash of vinegar or hot sauce at the end also brightens everything.

Timing and make ahead plan

This is a 40 minute meal. Prep takes about 10 minutes and the cooking takes about 30, most of it hands off simmering.

To get ahead, brown the beef with the onion, garlic and spices up to 2 days early and refrigerate. On the night, reheat the beef mixture, add the liquids and pasta and simmer as directed. That cuts the active cooking to about 15 minutes.

The finished dish holds well for a few days, but the pasta keeps absorbing liquid. If you are making it specifically for leftovers, pull the pasta a minute early and hold back a cup of broth to stir in when reheating.

Dice the onion and shred the cheese in the morning to save a few minutes at dinner.

Tips for the best chili mac

Use a wide, heavy pot. A Dutch oven spreads heat evenly, so the pasta on the bottom does not scorch while the top stays raw.

Shred cheese from a block. Pre shredded cheese is coated in starch that can make the sauce slightly grainy.

Keep a cup of extra broth or water next to the stove. Pasta brands absorb liquid differently, and a quick splash fixes a pot that looks dry.

Taste before the cheese goes in. It is easier to adjust salt, heat and acid when you can still see the sauce clearly.

Let it rest 5 minutes before serving. The sauce thickens and clings to the pasta better.

Do not rinse the beans too aggressively if you like a thicker sauce. A quick rinse removes the canning liquid, but a little of the starch clinging to the beans helps the chili body along.

Add a small splash of acid at the end. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or a squeeze of lime cuts through the richness of the beef and cheese and makes the spices taste brighter without tasting sour.

Variations

Spicy chili mac. Add a diced jalapeño with the onion and 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne with the spices. Top with pickled jalapeños.

Tex Mex chili mac. Swap the kidney beans for black beans, add 1 cup of frozen corn with the pasta and finish with a Mexican cheese blend and cilantro.

Turkey chili mac. Use ground turkey cooked to 165°F and chicken broth for a lighter but still hearty version.

Extra veggie chili mac. Add a diced bell pepper and a diced zucchini with the onion. They cook down into the sauce.

Baked chili mac. Transfer the finished dish to a baking dish, top with all the cheese and broil 2 to 3 minutes for a bubbly, browned top.

Equipment that makes this easier

A 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven or deep heavy pot is the right vessel. It holds everything with room to stir and distributes heat evenly for the pasta.

A sturdy wooden spoon or a flat edged spatula scrapes the bottom clean while stirring. A box grater makes quick work of the cheese.

An instant read thermometer confirms the ground beef reaches 160°F, though browning until no pink remains gets you there.

Scaling up or down

To halve, use 1/2 lb beef, 1 cup elbows and 1 1/2 cups broth with a small can of diced tomatoes. Cook in a 3 quart saucepan and check the pasta at 9 minutes.

To double for a crowd, use a 7 quart or larger pot and brown the beef in two batches so it browns instead of steams. The pasta stage takes a few minutes longer with double the volume, so stir more often and expect 13 to 15 minutes.

When doubling, start with slightly less than double the broth, about 5 1/2 cups, and add more only if the pot looks dry.

What to serve with it

Chili mac is a full meal in a bowl, so sides can be light. A crunchy green salad with ranch or a simple slaw offers a cool contrast.

Cornbread or warm tortilla chips are the natural partners. Set out toppings like sour cream, diced avocado, green onions and hot sauce so everyone can build their own bowl.

If you love the flavors here, the slow cooker beef chili is the long simmered cousin of this dish, and the cheeseburger skillet uses the same one pot pasta method with a burger twist.

For more quick ideas like this one, the two week fall weeknight meal plan slots it right into a busy week, and tater tot casserole is another beefy crowd pleaser.

How to store, freeze and reheat

Refrigerator. Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezer. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. The pasta softens a little after thawing but the flavor holds up well.

Reheating. Warm on the stovetop over medium low heat with a splash of broth or water, stirring until heated through to 165°F. In the microwave, cover and heat in 90 second bursts, stirring between each and adding liquid as needed.

Thaw frozen portions overnight in the refrigerator for the best texture.

Leftover ideas

Spoon leftover chili mac into halved bell peppers, top with cheese and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes for stuffed peppers.

Pile it onto a baked potato with sour cream and green onions.

Warm it and use it as a filling for quesadillas or burritos with extra cheese.

Nutrition notes

One serving, about a sixth of the pot, comes to roughly 500 to 600 calories with 30 to 35 grams of protein and 20 to 28 grams of fat. That estimate shifts with the leanness of the beef, the type of cheese and the exact pasta portion.

To lighten it, use 93 percent lean beef or ground turkey, reduce the cheese to 1 cup and add a diced bell pepper and zucchini to stretch the servings.

Frequently asked questions

Can you cook pasta directly in chili?

Yes. With enough liquid, about 3 cups of broth plus a can of tomatoes for 8 oz of elbows, the pasta cooks in 10 to 12 minutes and its starch thickens the chili into a sauce.

What is the difference between chili mac and goulash?

American goulash is usually seasoned with paprika and Italian style herbs and has no beans. Chili mac uses chili powder and cumin and typically includes beans and cheddar.

Can I make chili mac ahead of time?

You can brown the beef with the aromatics and spices up to 2 days ahead, then finish with the liquids and pasta on the night. The fully cooked dish also keeps 4 days in the refrigerator.

Why is my chili mac soupy?

The pasta was not cooked long enough to release its starch, or the lid stayed on too long. Simmer uncovered for a few minutes and it will thicken. It also tightens as it rests.

Can I freeze chili mac?

Yes. Cool it completely and freeze in airtight portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat with a splash of broth to 165°F.