Hearty Chili Mac Casserole
Chili Mac is one of those tried and true comfort meals that always hits the spot! It brings together 2 classic family favorites-beefy, hearty chili and creamy, melty macaroni and cheese to create the ultimate comfort food casserole- Hearty Chili Mac.
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Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided into 2 cups + 1 cup
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 14 ounce canned tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
- 15 ounce tomato sauce
Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the chili seasonings and set aside.
- In a large saucepan on the stove top, bring 4-5 cups of generously salted water to a boil. Add elbow macaroni pasta and cook 5-6 minutes or until al dente. Remove pasta from heat and drain. Immediately add 2 tablespoons of butter to the hot saucepan and add hot pasta back to the sauce pan. Toss to melt butter. Add 2 cups of cheese and 1 cup evaporated milk. Toss until cheese is mostly melted and the macaroni is coated. Set aside.
- While water is coming to a boil and pasta is cooking, brown the ground beef in a large skillet on the stove top over medium high heat. When beef is almost browned, add diced onion and continue to cook until meat is browned throughout. Drain any excess fat from the meat. Return to the skillet and stove top.
- Over medium heat, add the chili seasonings. Stir to evenly coat the browned meat. Add the canned tomatoes & green chiles and tomato sauce to the browned ground beef. Stir until completely mixed and allow to simmer for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Fold macaroni and cheese into the chili. Top with remaining grated cheese. Place skillet under the oven broiler for 3-5 minutes or until the grated cheese is melted over the top. Remove from the oven and serve.