Ultra Cheesy Chili Mac and Cheese
Hearty and flavorful chili blended with creamy mac and cheese? Yes, please! This recipe for chili mac blows the other versions out of the water. Instead of simply adding cooked macaroni to chili, my version creates an irresistible blend of both chili and classic mac and cheese for a creamy, cheesy dinner all in one pot.
Ingredients
For the Chili
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 8 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 lbs ground chuck
- 3 tablespoons chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 16 ounces crushed tomatoes/tomato sauce
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 cup water
For the Macaroni and Cheese
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 cups half-and-half
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (4 cups shredded)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 lb macaroni
Instructions
Make the Chili
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add chopped onions and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add ground beef, breaking it up into small pieces and cook until it has cooked through and the juices have cooked down. Drain any excess fat from the pan.
- Return to the heat and add chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and cook for a minute to absorb. Next add the Worcestershire sauce, crushed and diced tomatoes, molasses and a cup of water. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer and let cook for 2 hours until it has thickened. Add more water if it gets too thick.
Make the Macaroni and Cheese
- While the chili is cooking make the macaroni and cheese. Start by cooking the pasta in salted water per package instructions until al dante. Drain and return to the pot.
- Warm the half-and-half and evaporated milk in the microwave. Add butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in flour and cook for a minute. Gradually add the milk mixture whisking constantly, cook until slightly thickened. Add dry mustard and salt.
- Remove from the heat and add cheese, whisking until it has melted. Pour over the cooked pasta and stir to coat.
- Once the chili has cooked, gently stir in the macaroni and cheese and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- Let your ground beef and veggies drain really well.
- Don’t overcook your pasta.
- You can use ground chicken instead of beef and all half-and-half instead of evaporated milk.
Nutrition
Calories: 793kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 1336mg | Potassium: 973mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1471IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 486mg | Iron: 5mg
