So you grew up on Hamburger Helper, but now you’re an adult and have a more ✨refined✨ palate (read: sarcasm). Well, this One Pot Chili Mac recipe is your grown-up “I actually know how to cook now” substitute! And don’t worry, it’s almost just as easy as the boxed mix. Promise. It’s rich, hearty, cheesy, beefy comfort food pasta all cooked in one easy-to-clean pot. WIN!
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“I make this all the time, doubled for because I have three active teens. I use cornstarch instead of flour to make the gravy extra silky.”
SUSAN
Craving something hearty, cheesy, and downright comforting? My Chili Mac is the ultimate budget-friendly, one-pot meal that’s packed with bold flavors and guaranteed to satisfy the whole family. It’s like a mashup of chili and mac and cheese — rich, savory beef, tender pasta, and melty cheese all in one cozy dish. While Chili Mac is similar to American Goulash with its macaroni noodles and tomato-based meat sauce, the key difference lies in the bold, smoky seasonings that give it a distinct, chili-inspired flavor. Best of all, it’s quick, easy, and made with simple, affordable ingredients — comfort food at its finest!
One Pot Chili Mac
Servings 6 (1 cup each)Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion ($0.70)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.08)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.22)
- 1 lb. ground beef (see notes, $4.98)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.03)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder ($0.30)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- 8 oz. tomato sauce ($0.56)
- 3 cups beef broth (see notes, $0.39)
- 1/2 lb. uncooked macaroni (about 2 cups, $0.59)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar ($0.98)
Instructions
- Dice the yellow onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion and garlic to a large deep skillet or Dutch oven with the olive oil and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and continue to stir and cook until the beef is cooked through. If using a higher fat content ground beef, you may want to drain off the excess fat at this point.
- Add the flour, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and oregano to the skillet with the beef and onions. Continue to cook and stir for about two minutes, allowing the flour and spices to coat the bottom of the skillet, but not burn.
- Add the tomato sauce and beef broth to the skillet and stir well to combine, making sure to scrape and dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the uncooked macaroni and stir to combine. Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the broth to come up to a full boil. Once boiling, give the pasta a quick stir to loosen any that is stuck to the bottom, turn the heat down to medium-low, and place the lid back on top.
- Allow the macaroni to simmer, stirring every few minutes and always replacing the lid, until the macaroni is tender and the broth has reduced to a rich red gravy (about 10 minutes).
- Stir half of the shredded cheese into the sauce until melted, and sprinkle the remainder on top. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat off, and allow the residual heat to melt the cheese on top. Serve hot and enjoy!
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Equipment
- Deep Stainless Steel Skillet*
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Chili Mac Step-by-Step Photos
Sauté onion and garlic: Dice one yellow onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Add the onion and garlic to a large deep skillet or Dutch oven with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
Cook ground beef: Add one pound of ground beef to the skillet and continue to stir and cook until the beef is fully browned. If you’re using a higher fat content beef, drain the excess fat out of the pan. Next, add 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 tablespoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon dried oregano.
Continue to stir and cook the flour and spices into the beef for about two minutes, allowing it to coat the bottom of the skillet, but not burn.
Add one 8oz. can of tomato sauce and three cups of beef broth to the skillet. Stir well until everything is evenly combined, making sure to scrape and dissolve all of the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet.
Add noodles: Add ½ pound (about 2 cups) of uncooked macaroni to the skillet and stir to combine. Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the broth to come up to a boil. Once boiling, give everything a quick stir to loosen any macaroni from the bottom of the skillet, turn the heat down to medium-low, and place the lid back on top.
Simmer: Let the macaroni simmer in the broth, stirring every few minutes or so and always placing the lid back on top, until the macaroni is tender and the broth has reduced to a saucy red gravy (about 10 minutes).
Add ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the chili mac and stir it into the sauce until melted.
Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese on top. Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat off. Let the residual heat melt the cheese, then serve. You can garnish with chopped cilantro or sliced green onions, if desired.
So cheesy, beefy, and delicious!!
how to store and Reheat
As with any pasta dish, the macaroni will continue to get softer as it absorbs moisture from the sauce, so if softer pasta is not tolerable to you, you may not enjoy the leftovers. That being said, I will gobble up these leftovers without a second thought and love making this Chili Mac for meal prep and even to stock my freezer. I simply refrigerate single-serving portions for up to five days or freeze for up to three months. Let frozen portions thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat using the microwave.
serving suggestions
Chili mac is a true meal in a bowl, but if you want to serve something on the side I’d go for something fresh and light like Cowboy Caviar, Sweet Corn Salsa, or even Cumin Lime Coleslaw.
I used this as an opportunity to use what I had on hand! Annie’s box of mac (thus did not add flour, reduced amount of shredded cheese, and used less liquid), crushed tomatoes in place of sauce, and added a few Tbsp of chipotle adobo sauce. Also made it vegetarian by swapping out beef for black beans! I bet it’s good as written too and would do that if I had the stuff for it next time.
I find the recipe as written to be lacking in flavor.
This was very tasty and quick & easy to make. A delicious, homemade hamburger helper.
I have been sick for a few days without having any appetite, and was browsing for recipes that could use some of the ingredients I had in my fridge. I made a few additions and changes to mine, again, based on what I had in my fridge after being sick for a week. Therefore I am not rating because it would not be fair to it, though it was absolutely delicious.
First, I did not have ground beef, I had ground chicken. I also had some green pepper that was about to go bad so I sliced that and sautéed it. Then I had some mashed sweet potatoes and tomato paste that I threw into the pot.
The idea of throwing pasta into this was odd to me, but I stuck through it, you have never failed me, Beth. And it was amazing!
This is a great recipe! I made it when I couldn’t get to the store, so I had to improvise and use what I had on hand. I made my own tomato sauce by blending tomato paste and diced tomatoes (both with basil, oregano, and garlic.) I only had whole wheat elbow macaroni, so I needed to increase the simmer time to about 15 minutes. I used reduced fat Mexican cheese, also. It all turned out beautifully! Beef Better Than Bouillon added an extra depth to the gravy. Next time I am going to add a little white pepper for some subtle heat.
SO GOOD. I added sour cream and it’s phenomenal. Super easy, and ingredients are usually always on hand. Thanks for this recipe :)
I have made this recipe 3 times now. The first time as directed, the other times I’ve added 2 bell peppers and some cinnamon. It is absolutely delicious! Would highly recommend this to anyone looking for some yummy comfort food, or someone looking for a really easy fast 1 pot meal. Definitely a 5 star!
I make this all the time, doubled for because I have three active teens. I use cornstarch instead of flour to make the gravy extra silky.
Yum! I really enjoyed this. It was easy and flavorful. I used impossible beef and added salt and pepper. I don’t know if my broth was reduced salt but it definitely needed some added. I topped it with sour cream because I’m about that sour cream life.
Great recipe, thank you for sharing! I ended up making a double batch of this for a work potluck, and added a few cans of beans since it seemed a little on the thin side. Also, had to add more chili powder because it tasted a bit bland (but that’s all personal preference). Thanks again!
I always try to make recipes so that we can have leftovers for another night. This was pretty good on the first night but the very next night that we ate it it was very dry. Any recommendations? I saw something in the comments about how the old recipe used 1 extra cup of broth, should I try that?
You could definitely try adding that extra cup of broth if you’re planning on keeping leftovers! You could also just add a splash when you’re reheating as well.
I cut the recipe in half because we are a family of 3. I ended up adding a little extra broth because the pasta needed it to cook.
The end result was a little on the bland side but chopped parsley and some green onion helped a lot. Next time I’d use tomato paste for more flavor and a little extra chili powder.
Lol, also, it beats me why I didn’t realize this is a recipe for hamburger helper.
Awesome recipe! I had to make minor modifications based on what I had, subbing tomato paste for tomato sauce and chicken broth for beef broth and it still came out delicious. Added in some black beans as suggested plus topped with avocado slices.
3 cups of beef broth made this recipe too salty. Otherwise it tasted good.
I like to do something halfway between this and the vegetarian chili mac – half meat/ half beans plus tomatoes and whatever veggies are on hand. Always comes out great!