Description
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this Chili Mac recipe, a delightful fusion of hearty chili and creamy macaroni and cheese. Perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or game days, this dish combines rich flavors and satisfying textures that will keep everyone coming back for more.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef (80% lean)
- 1 small onion (diced)
- ½ cup bell pepper (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (diced)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (undrained)
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 cups macaroni (uncooked)
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients by dicing the vegetables and opening canned goods.
- In a large pot over medium heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it apart as it cooks.
- Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté until softened.
- Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and kidney beans; mix well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook macaroni according to package instructions until al dente; drain.
- For the cheese sauce, melt butter in the same pot used for boiling macaroni. Whisk in flour until smooth; gradually add heavy cream and milk until thickened. Stir in mustard powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, hot sauce, and half the cheddar cheese until melted.
- Combine cooked macaroni with the chili mixture and cheese sauce; stir until well coated.
- Top with remaining cheddar cheese before serving and garnish with fresh parsley.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1½ cups)
- Calories: 564
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 85mg