Chili Mac (One Pot Recipe) - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

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By: Becky - The Cookie RookiePosted: 5/16/23Updated: 5/16/23

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Chili Mac is a hearty, delicious dish filled with ground beef, noodles, cheese, beans, and so much more. Now you can take your weeknight meals to another level with this one pot chili mac recipe! It’s so easy to make in just one pot, and it’s ready to serve in 30 minutes.

Table of Contents

What’s in this Chili Mac Recipe?

This easy, cheesy dinner is so hearty and comforting. It’s filled with beans, ground beef, cheese, macaroni, and lots of other good stuff. This has quickly become a family favorite in our house!

Olive Oil: Cooks the garlic, onion, and beef without burning them.
Onions and Garlic: Add rich, earthy flavor.
Seasonings: White and black pepper, and cumin. Add other seasonings or spices as desired.
Ground Beef: Substitute ground chicken or turkey if you like.
Chicken Broth: Or substitute beef or veggie stock.
Tomatoes: I like fire-roasted diced tomatoes, but you can use any can of diced or chunky tomatoes.
Beans: Pinto and chili beans are great, but you can substitute black beans or another type.
Macaroni Noodles: You can use any short-shaped pasta.
Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese finishes off the chili mac. Add another type, like Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack.

Pro Tip: Try adding chili seasoning!

Variations on Chili Mac and Cheese

This one pot chili mac is delicious exactly as it is, but you can easily adjust it to suit your tastes.

No Beans: If you want more of a saucy, beefy mac and cheese, just skip the beans. The rest of the recipe won’t change.
Spicy: If you like spice, add in some chili powder with the rest of the seasonings.
Mexican: Make a Mexican-inspired version by adding pepper jack cheese and taco seasoning.
More Veggies: Add in other vegetables (like broccoli bits, peppers, or mushrooms) when you add the beef.
Dairy-Free: You can still have a hearty chili mac without the cheese! Just skip it at the end.

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What’s the difference between chili mac and goulash?

Chili mac is very similar to American goulash — a one-pot meal made with ground beef, pasta, tomato sauce, and cheese. American goulash, however, isn’t made with beans.

How long does it take to cook chili mac?

The total cook time for this one-pot recipe is only about 20 minutes! Add a little bit of prep time, and you’ll have dinner ready in half an hour.

Can I use different noodles?

Macaroni is perfect for chili mac, of course, but you can use other types of pasta as well. I recommend using short pasta shapes, like penne, rotini, or bowtie.

What goes well with chili mac?

There are already lots of ingredients in this dish, but a few extra toppings never hurt anyone. Add a handful of corn chips or tortilla strips, sprinkle more cheese on top or a dollop of sour cream, add sliced jalapenos for a little heat, or top with slices of avocado for a refreshing twist.

Can you freeze chili mac?

Yes, this dish actually freezes quite well. Let it cool completely, then scoop it into freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze for 3 months, then thaw before reheating.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover chili mac in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through or in a pot set over medium-low heat.

How to Freeze

Freeze chili mac in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

This chili mac and cheese is a hearty meal all by itself. It’s a one-pot meal and one-dish dinner! But I love serving this up with some bread to help scoop up any lingering bits. Serve this with cornbread muffins, Parker House rolls, or cheesy garlic bread.

Recipe

One Pot Chili Mac Recipe

4.62 from 124 votes

Author: Becky – The Cookie Rookie

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 20 minutes minutes

Total: 30 minutes minutes

Serves6 bowls

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Chili Mac is a hearty, delicious dish filled with ground beef, noodles, cheese, beans, and so much more. Now you can take your weeknight meals to another level with this one pot chili mac recipe! It's so easy to make in just one pot, and it's ready to serve in 30 minutes.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

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Ingredients

▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
▢ 2 tablespoons minced garlic
▢ 1 onion diced
▢ 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
▢ 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
▢ 1 pound lean ground beef
▢ 32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth
▢ 14.5 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes (1 can)
▢ 1 cup cooked pinto beans
▢ 1 cup cooked chili beans
▢ 10 ounces dry macaroni noodles (⅝ box)
▢ 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
▢ Fresh parsley optional, for garnish

Recommended Equipment

Dutch Oven

Instructions

In a medium pot, add the olive oil, garlic, and diced onion and sauté for 2 minutes.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion, 2 tablespoons minced garlic
Add seasonings and ground beef and cook until brown, about 4-5 minutes.
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground white pepper, 1 pound lean ground beef
Stir in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, pinto beans and chili beans. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring frequently.
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth, 14.5 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes, 1 cup cooked pinto beans, 1 cup cooked chili beans
Once the mixture is simmering, add in the macaroni noodles and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce back to a simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until noodles are fully cooked.
10 ounces dry macaroni noodles
Remove from heat, top with cheese, and let it rest (do not stir) until the cheese is melted. About 3 minutes.
1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
Scoop into bowls and sprinkle with extra cheese if desired and garnish with fresh parsley.
Fresh parsley

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Becky’s tips

Make this chili mac in a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan. It will distribute the heat more evenly.
Make sure that the macaroni is fully cooked before taking the pan off of the heat.
Reheat the chili mac on the stovetop, or in the microwave for about 3 to 4 minutes.
If making ahead of time, make sure it’s fully cooled before storing.

Storage:Store chili mac in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1bowl Calories: 554kcal (28%) Carbohydrates: 55g (18%) Protein: 32g (64%) Fat: 22g (34%) Saturated Fat: 9g (56%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 9g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 70mg (23%) Sodium: 711mg (31%) Potassium: 789mg (23%) Fiber: 6g (25%) Sugar: 6g (7%) Vitamin A: 474IU (9%) Vitamin C: 4mg (5%) Calcium: 222mg (22%) Iron: 5mg (28%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

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More Chili Mac Recipes We Love

Crockpot Chili Mac
Instant Pot Chili Mac

Meet Becky - The Cookie Rookie

Becky is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.

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19 Comments

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Rachel G

Posted on 11/20/2023

Very bland, will not make again

Samantha - The Cookie Rookie

Posted on 11/21/2023

Reply to Rachel G

We’re sorry to hear this recipe wasn’t to your tastes, Rachel!

RickN

Posted on 10/20/2023

This is a great base recipe, but to make it a chili you should add chili spices. Cumin and pepper don’t do it justice, Pump it up with some oregano and chili powder.

Samantha - The Cookie Rookie

Posted on 10/23/2023

Reply to RickN

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Rick!

Abbie