One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese

This easy One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese recipe is a simple, cozy recipe that the whole family will love. Only about 15 minutes to prep and all done in the same pot–can’t beat that! Easy cheesy deliciousness in a bowl that is bound to be a new family favorite!

What do we want?! One Pot Dinners!

When do we want them?! Every single day!!!

This One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese is the latest easy recipe to add to your simple dinner collection. Sometimes known as “American Goulash” this dish a perfect combo of beef chili and creamy macaroni and cheese. What could be better?!

If you LOVE mac and cheese on its own, also check out this Gruyere Mac and Cheese!

Why You Will Love This One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese:

• You only need one pot to make the whole meal. That’s right. The entire meal is cooked in the same exact dish. My absolute favorite meals are the ones that require the least amount of cleaning. Nothing like a good one pot meal.
• Cozy and comforting–and a bit nostalgic. Did you grow up on Hamburger Helper? This one pot cheesy chili mac recipe reminds me of it. But is also 100 times better in my opinion. The epitome of comfort food!
• Kid friendly! This is one of the few meals that readers consistently tell me they can feed the entire family with zero fuss. It’s not overly spicy so the kids love it. Plus what is not to love about something that includes mac and cheese?!

Recipe Ingredients:

• onion: I have used red and yellow onions in this recipe. Both are great. I tend to have red onions in the house always so that’s what I had on hand the day I took these photos.
• bell pepper: I prefer green bell peppers but you can certainly use what you have on hand. I often add a red bell pepper as well when I know it’s about to go bad in a few days.
• ground beef: Ground chuck or sirloin are what I use most often when making this chili mac and cheese. Any kind will work. You could opt for ground turkey if desired as well.
• broth: chicken broth is what I use most of the time since I always have it on hand. Beef broth or even veggie broth will work, use whatever you have.
• tomatoes: diced tomatoes, I prefer no salt added.
• beans: I use red kidney beans in this recipe but you could certainly opt for another. Pinto beans are great as well!
• tomato sauce: not to be confused with marinara or spaghetti sauce. Tomato sauce that comes in the can and is near the canned tomatoes.
• garlic: freshly minced is ideal. If you don’t have any cloves, add about 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and adjust from there to taste.
• spices and seasoning: I use a combo of cumin, chili powder, oregano and crushed red pepper. You can hold off on the red pepper if you are worried about kids and the spiciness. Feel free to add a touch of cayenne as well if you really like heat. Sprinkle it into the bowls as you serve instead.
• macaroni: macaroni uncooked pasta is ideal for this recipe. You can probably use another short pasta or shell pasta. Adjust the cook time if needed.
• cheese: mild cheddar cheese is our preference for classic flavor. Other options like monterey jack, sharp cheddar, a Mexican cheese blend, colby jack, etc. Freshly shredded will melt so much creamier into this chili mac and cheese versus buying pre-shredded bags of cheese. If you have the time, shred your cheese!

How to make this recipe:

• Heat up a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in peppers and onions and cook until the onions start to become slightly translucent. Push the veggies to the side and add the ground beef. (steps 1 and 2)
• Break the meat into smaller chunks and stir regularly to brown. Depending on how much grease you have in the pot, you may want to drain the excess. If so, feel free to do so. The type of ground beef you use may not produce too much and you won’t need to drain. (steps 3 and 4)

• Add in tomatoes (I do not drain the liquid from the tomatoes), tomato sauce, broth, kidney beans and spices and stir to combine. Cover and allow to heat for several minutes to bring to a low boil. At this point you are heating the liquid part up to prep for the macaroni. You will want the liquid to be hot enough before you add the pasta. (steps 5 and 6)
• Add pasta and stir to combine. Cover once again and cook for about 13 minutes or until pasta is al dente. During this time, stir several times. Keep an eye that the liquid doesn’t come above a low boil. You don’t want too much liquid to boil down. If it does seem to be boiling too much, lower the heat slightly. (steps 7 and 8)

• Once the pasta is al dente, turn the heat to low, stir in the cheese and allow to melt. It will thicken up a bit more if it sits to simmer for several minutes, or you can serve it up with some extra cheese on top! (steps 9 and 10)

Chili Mac Recipe Tips:

• The measurements are based off of using regular elbow macaroni pasta. If you decide to use another pasta, it’s likely that you may need more or less liquid. Just keep a close eye on it after adding the pasta.
• You don’t have to use ground beef for this recipe. You could certainly use ground turkey, chicken, or even a vegetarian ground meat substitute. Any should work just fine!
• Feel free to play around with the heat on this one. I tone it down a bit for our little one and then add some extra hot sauce or red pepper flakes when the hubby and I dive in.

Try these other simple dinner recipes:

• Simple Turkey Pepper Skillet
• Slow Cooker Brisket Chili
• Parmesan Crusted Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
• Mediterranean Steak Bites with Yogurt Sauce
• Parmesan Crusted Steak and Potato Sheet Pan Dinner
• Sweet and Smoky Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

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