This hearty, saucy, and cheesy chili mac is comfort food nirvana! It comes together quickly and easily in a single pan, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Yield: 6
Ingredients
1tablespoonolive oil
1/2medium yellow oniondiced; about 1 cup
1small green bell pepperdiced; about 1 cup
2medium garlic clovesminced
1/2teaspoondried oregano
2teaspoonschili powder
1teaspoonground cumin
14ouncescrushed tomatoes1 can
2cupslow-sodium vegetable broth
15ounceskidney beans, drained and rinsed1 can
8ounceselbow macaroni pasta2 cups
1/2teaspoonkosher saltplus more to taste
1/8teaspoonfreshly ground black pepperplus more to taste
1 1/2cupssharp cheddar cheeseshredded
Equipment
1 large skillet
Instructions
Set a large pan over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. When hot, add the onion and bell pepper along with a little pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and tender, about 7 minutes.
Add the garlic, oregano, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, beans, macaroni, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir well to combine.
Increase the heat to high, until boiling, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Cook, stirring frequently to keep the pasta from sticking, until the pasta is just tender, about 12 minutes. If the mixture gets very dry, splash with a little more veggie broth.
Remove from heat and stir one cup of the cheese, until melted. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
Cover with the remaining cheddar and place the lid on the pan to trap the heat and melt the cheddar, one minute or so.
Serve with cilantro, chopped scallions, and sour cream if desired.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in a microwave or on the stovetop in a lidded pan with a splash of water.
Vegan option:
Leave out the cheese, or swap in a vegan cheese that melts well.
One Dish Two Ways option:
Cook 1/2 pound of ground beef in a separate skillet. Before topping your chili mac with cheese, move half of it over to the skillet with the ground beef. Top both with some cheese and serve.Gluten-Free option:Swap in your favorite GF pasta. Watch your cooking times as it may take a longer or shorter amount of time to cook. Splash in more broth if needed.
Substitution Ideas:
Swap one or both cans of kidney beans for another. I've used black beans, cannellini beans, and chili beans.
Use whole wheat pasta of GF pasta in place of the pasta.