by Amber 9 Comments
Chili Mac is an easy family dinner made with lean ground beef, onion, bell pepper, tomato sauce, kidney beans, beef stock, chili seasoning, pasta and lots of delicious cheddar cheese.
My month of sharing my favorite meals using Aldi ingredients has continued with this recipe for Chili Mac. Chili Mac is one of those meals that seems to be one of every moms favorite go-to dinners. I remember my mom making it…. my husbands mom… my grandma…. it is one of those must-have recipes that feeds the entire family without costing a lot or taking too much time. This recipe does make A LOT of food which is great for those families feeding teenagers!
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Chili Mac
My version of Chili Mac starts with lean ground beef and is flavored with ingredients you would typically find in a chili with beans like tomato sauce, onion, bell pepper, beans and of course, chili seasoning. Beef stock is added for the pasta to absorb liquid and extra flavor and then shredded cheese is melted in the mix to thicken the sauce and make it just taste so good.
Toppings
Different toppings for your Chili Mac appeases everyone in the family and is a great way to switch it up a little by creating a slightly different flavor for the dish. My favorite topping is pico de gallo and after taking photos, I doused my bowl with it. My husband and son like it spicy so they love the serrano peppers and lots of hot sauce while my daughter just wants a glob of sour cream on top.
Topping ideas:
- red onion
- extra shredded cheese- doesn’t have to be cheddar!
- parsley
- serrano or jalapeño
- hot sauce
- salsa or pico de gallo
- sour cream
- avocado
Chili Mac
- Author: Amber
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Chili Mac is an easy family dinner made with lean ground beef, onion, bell pepper, tomato sauce, kidney beans, beef stock, chili seasoning, pasta and lots of delicious cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 8 ounce tomato sauce
- 15.5 ounce can kidney beans, drained
- 32 ounce beef stock (beef broth may be substituted)
- 1.25 ounce envelope chili seasoning
- 3 cups elbow macaroni, dry
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Toppings (You Pick)
- more shredded cheese
- pico de gallo
- serrano or jalapeno peppers
- parsley
- sour cream
- hot sauce
Instructions
- On the stovetop, break up and brown the ground beef cooking on a medium-high heat.
- Dice the onion and add to the pan with the ground beef. Let onion cook with meat for about 3 minutes.
- Dice the bell pepper and add to pan along with the tomato sauce, drained kidney beans, beef stock and seasoning. Bring to a simmer.
- Add pasta, place on a low simmer and cover for 9 minutes or until pasta is cooked el dente.
- Remove from heat, stir in shredded cheese. Stir until cheese is fully melted.
- Serve with toppings of choice.
Notes
- Try it with 2 envelopes of chili seasoning for a boost of flavor!
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
Keywords: chili, pasta, dinner, cheese
Did your mom make Chili Mac when you were growing up? How does it differ from this recipe? Let me know in the comments below.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
I must admit I have never made Chili Mac before but I will now. It looks like a family pleaser for sure!!!
Reply
AmberOh, you must make Shayla.
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Chili mac, my old friend! It’s been years since I’ve had this and now I’m questioning why??? Such a great classic family dinner!
★★★★★
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- Amber
Yes, and so easy to toss in a pan!
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I love cheese so much and I’m happy the vegan option I’ve found tastes great too.
This dish looks amazing xReply
My husband’s introduction to chili mac was in an Army dining facility. Obviously, he was a bit concerned when I said I was making this for dinner. His mind was completely changed after the first bite. Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
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- Amber
Haha. My husband is Navy and his favorite MRE is the chili mac but IT IS nowhere near the same.
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- Amber Myers
Oh yum, I love making this. I haven’t made it in ages though, so I’ll have to try it again for dinner using your recipe to see how it’s different from the one I use. This one looks incredible!
Reply
- Amber
Enjoy Amber.
Reply
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