One Pot Chili Mac combines the spicy warmth of your favorite chili and the creamy, goodness of mac-n-cheese—all in one mouth-watering meal!
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Table of Contents
  1. WHY WE LOVE THIS ONE-POT CHILI MAC RECIPE
  2. Ingredients
  3. SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
  4. HOW TO MAKE OUR 1-POT CHILI MAC
  5. Tips
  6. Storage Tips
  7. OTHER EASY DINNER RECIPES
  8. One Pot Chili Mac Recipe

Two classic comfort meals combine in one pot to deliver a cheesy, meaty symphony of flavor that promises to wow your taste buds! One Pot Chili Mac combines the spicy warmth of your favorite chili and the creamy, savory goodness of mac-n-cheese—all in one mouth-watering meal! Simple, fresh ingredients blend seamlessly on the stovetop for an amazing dinner that’s ready in just 20 minutes!

One Pot Chili Mac

WHY WE LOVE THIS ONE-POT CHILI MAC RECIPE

  • Quick and easy to prepare in 5 minutes.
  • Made with simple ingredients that cook in under 20 minutes.
  • A cross between classic chili and macaroni and cheese, all made in one pot.
  • Delicious, hearty, comforting family-friendly meal.
  • Perfect weeknight dinner that reheats and freezes well
One Pot Chili Mac

Ingredients

  • Ground beef: You can substitute ground turkey, ground chicken or Italian sausage if you prefer.
  • Yellow onion: Red, white or sweet onion are also acceptable in this recipe.
  • Minced garlic: You can use fresh or bottled garlic.
  • Chili powder: This recipe is mildly spicy but not overly so. If you’d like it to be extra hot you can add an extra Tablespoon of chili powder or if you’d like it to be less spicy add just ½ a Tablespoon.
  • Chunky Rotel: You can use original Rotel as well or any can of diced tomato with green chiles. I like the chunky because it adds some texture to the dish. 
  • Chili beans: I used a generic can of red beans in chili sauce but you can use any can of chili beans that you like. I do recommend choosing one with a chili sauce to help with the flavor of the dish.
  • Water
  • Elbow macaroni: You can substitute whole wheat elbow macaroni or another type of pasta but it will affect the cooking time. Be sure to check the box for the recommended time and adjust your recipe accordingly. 
  • Velveeta
  • Shredded fiesta blend cheese: I love this cheese with this dish. However, you can substitute any shredded cheese if necessary. 
  • Chopped parsley (optional garnish)
One Pot Chili Mac

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

  • Switch The Spice Level: You can easily adjust how spicy this One Pot Chili Mac is by adding more or less chili powder. If you double it you get a nice, fiery dish and if you cut it in half you get the flavor of chili without the burn. You can also use one (or two!) cans of “hot” Rotel instead of the chunky, which will increase the spice level quickly.
  • Beans: If you are one of those people that loves the beans in chili, you can easily adjust this recipe by adding another can or two of chili beans. You will want to reduce the water by ½ cup for every additional can of chili beans that you add. You can also choose what kind of beans you want, stores carry pinto, red, mixed beans and other options in chili sauce. You can pick your favorite!
  • Vegetarian Version: Omit the beef and just saute up the onion and garlic in a little oil before continuing the recipe. You may want to add an extra can of beans if you do this, just to make sure your chili has some substance.
  • Pick Your Pasta: While we all love a good elbow noodle in our macaroni, you can change up this recipe by using shells, penne or rotini instead. You can also substitute a whole wheat or vegetable noodle if you’d like. Just be sure to follow the cooking time on the box of pasta that you choose as they may take more or less time to cook than your typical elbow macaroni.
  • Tasty Toppings: Top your chili mac with sour cream, sliced avocado, jalapeños, fresh cilantro, or parsley for extra flavor and texture.
One Pot Chili Mac

HOW TO MAKE OUR 1-POT CHILI MAC

One Pot Chili Mac is a quick and easy meal that combines two of my favorite comfort foods into one delicious dish. This simple recipe makes a homemade chili that simmers with the macaroni in the same pot, then is all mixed with Velveeta and topped with more cheese.

  1. Add the ground beef, onion, and garlic to a hot skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes over medium to medium-high heat.
    Pro Tip: Make sure to stir often. Beef is done cooking when it is crumbled and cooked through and the onion is translucent. Make this chili mac in a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. It will distribute the heat more evenly.One Pot Chili Mac
  2. Add the chili powder to the beef mixture and mix completely.One Pot Chili Mac
  3. Stir in the Rotel and chili beans. One Pot Chili Mac
  4. Add the water and bring the mixture to a boil. 
  5. Add the elbow macaroni to the boiling liquid, stir, cover, and lower the heat to a simmer. 
  6. Simmer for 5-6 minutes or until the elbow macaroni are al dente (cooked but still firm).One Pot Chili Mac
  7. Add 1-inch chunks of Velveeta to the chili mac and stir until the cheese is completely melted and combined with the other ingredients. One Pot Chili Mac
  8. Sprinkle with fiesta blend cheese and then remove from the heat. 
    Pro-Tip: Make sure that the macaroni is fully cooked before removing the pot from the heat.
  9. Garnish with chopped parsley (optional) and serve hot. Enjoy!
One Pot Chili Mac

Tips

  • If making ahead of time, make sure that it is fully cooled before storing.

Storage Tips

  • To Store: This One Pot Chili Mac should be cooled to room temperature before storing in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator
  • To Freeze: You can store this dish for up to 3 months in the freezer in a freezer-safe container. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
  • To Reheat: Reheat the chili mac on the stovetop or in the microwave for about 3 to 4 minutes.
One Pot Chili Mac

OTHER EASY DINNER RECIPES

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One Pot Chili Mac

Author — Jennifer
Serves — 6
One Pot Chili Mac combines the spicy warmth of your favorite chili and the creamy, goodness of mac-n-cheese—all in one mouth-watering meal!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • ½ cup yellow onion diced
  • 2 tsp minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 20 ounces (2 10-ounce) cans chunky Rotel undrained
  • 15.5 ounces chili beans undrained
  • cups water
  • 2 cups elbow macaroni
  • 8 ounces (½ 16-ounce) box velveeta
  • 1 cup shredded fiesta blend cheese
  • Chopped parsley, optional garnish

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large skillet or saucepan over medium to medium high heat and add the ground beef, yellow onion and minced garlic to the hot skillet.
  • Cook, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes or until the beef is crumbled and cooked through and the onion is translucent.
  • Add the chili powder to the beef mixture and mix completely.
  • Add the Rotel and chili beans to the skillet and stir gently to combine.
  • Add the water and bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Once the liquid is boiling, add in the elbow macaroni, stir and cover, lowering the heat to a simmer.
  • Simmer for 5-6 minutes or until the elbow macaroni are al dente (cooked but still firm).
  • Cut the velveeta into 1-inch chunks and add to the hot pan. Stir until the velveeta is completely melted and combined with the other ingredients.
  • Sprinkle with fiesta blend cheese and then remove from the heat.
  • Garnish with chopped parsley, optional, and serve hot.

Notes

Storage:
  • To Store: This One Pot Chili Mac should be cooled to room temperature before storing in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator
  • To Freeze: You can store this dish for up to 3 months in the freezer in a freezer-safe container. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
  • To Reheat: Reheat the chili mac on the stovetop or in the microwave for about 3 to 4 minutes.
Tips:
  • Make this chili mac in a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. It will distribute the heat more evenly.
  • Make sure that the macaroni is fully cooked before removing the pot from the heat.
  • If making ahead of time, make sure that it is fully cooled before storing.

Nutrition Info

Calories: 534kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 1339mg | Potassium: 1071mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1075IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 435mg | Iron: 5mg
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About MOMMA MADE MEALS

Hi! We are Jenn & Jake. Mom and son working together to pass our family favorite recipes down from generation to generation.

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