Chili Mac
Chili Mac was the very first meal I made for LittleChefsDad when we were first married 19 1/2 years ago. I remember being so excited with a pretty table all set for two. Isn’t it funny how you remember insignificant details? Things sure have changed since then, my table never looks pretty, and I certainly have more than 2 place settings now. Who am I kidding, I don’t even have time to set the table now! I do good to cook and serve it family style. Gotta love that term!
This isn’t the exact recipe I used many years ago, but it’s good nonetheless! I substituted gluten free elbow macaroni for the pasta.

Chili Mac
This is a very hearty, satisfying one-pot meal. You gotta love using just one pot/skillet and you have a delicious meal. Tasty and easy clean up. A double score!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ lb. ground beef
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1 15 oz. can black beans
- 1 15 oz. can kidney beans
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup shredded cheese
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic.Cook both in a large pot with olive oil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or until soft and transparent.
- Add the ground beef and continue to stir and cook until it is fully browned. If using a high fat ground beef, drain off the excessive after it is browned.
- Add the flour and chili powder to the pot and stir to coat the meat.
- Continue to stir and cook the coated meat for 1-2 minutes more. The flour and chili powder may coat the bottom of the pot, but that's okay. Just be careful to not let it burn.
- Drain and rinse the black and kidney beans. Add the beans, tomato sauce, diced tomato, and corn kernels to the pot. Stir well and dissolve the flour/chili powder mixture from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the dry macaroni and two cups of beef broth to the pot and stir to combine.
- Place a lid on top, turn the heat up to high, and let the pot come to a boil.
- Once it reaches a boil, give it a quick stir to loosen any pasta stuck to the bottom of the pot, replace the lid, and turn the heat down to medium-low.
- Let the pot simmer on medium-low for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is soft and has absorbed most of the liquid.
- Stir the pot one or two times during the 15 minutes to loosen any pasta stuck to the bottom.
- Once the pasta is fully cooked, turn the heat off and add the cheese.
- Stir the cheese into the pasta until it has melted in and become slightly creamy. Serve hot.
- *Recipe from Budgetbytes.com
I love my little bowl from Dixie Stampede.