EASY One-Pot Chili Mac (Super Bowl Ready!)

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey reduces fat content while maintaining protein.

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: monterey jack

Reduced-fat cheese lowers calories without sacrificing flavor.

beef broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: chicken broth

Vegetable broth is lower in calories and can be more affordable.

diced tomatoes

🥗Healthier: fresh tomatoes

💰Cheaper: canned tomatoes

Canned tomatoes are often less expensive and have a long shelf life.

Set up your cooking station and heat a good pot over medium heat.

Add a little cooking oil and the chopped onion to the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes to soften.

Add chopped jalapeño and serrano peppers according to your heat preference.

Add smashed and rough chopped garlic and cook for about 30 seconds to bloom the garlic.

Move the vegetables aside and add 1 lb of ground beef to the pot. Brown the beef for about 5-7 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks.

Season the beef with salt and mix in 2 Tbsp of tomato paste, cooking it to bloom the flavor.

Add 3 Tbsp of chili powder, 1 tsp of ground cumin, and 1 tsp of cayenne pepper (optional). Stir to combine and bloom the spices.

Add 2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes and stir to mix.

Pour in 2.5 cups of beef broth and add 1 can of pinto beans. Stir to combine.

Add 8 oz of elbow macaroni to the pot and mix it in with the other ingredients.

Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the noodles are cooked to your liking, ideally al dente.

Check the noodles; they should have absorbed a lot of the broth and thickened the mixture.

Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese until melted, then turn off the heat and top with the remaining cheese.

Cover the pot to let the residual heat melt the cheese on top.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: