Recipe: Perfect Chili Mac and cheese

Chili Mac and cheese. It's mac and cheese combined with a super easy homemade chili using pantry ingredients, combining two of your favorite kind of comfort foods in a single one pot meal. It's quick, easy and sure to be a hit with the entire family. Chili Mac and Cheese tastes like your favourite Chili - with the added cheesy goodness of Mac & Cheese!

Take two comfort food favorites and combine them into one cheesy skillet. Not too spicy, so perfect for a family meal (add hot sauce if you like heat!). Who can resist two favorite comfort foods combined into one? You can have Chili Mac and cheese using 9 ingredients and 7 steps. Here is how you cook that.

Ingredients of Chili Mac and cheese

1. You need 1 lb. of ground beef (85% lean).
2. Prepare 2 1/2 cups of elbow macaroni.
3. You need 14.5 oz of can of diced tomatoes with green chilies.
4. You need 8 oz of can tomato sauce.
5. It's 2 tablespoons of chili powder.
6. You need 1/2 tablespoon of cumin.
7. Prepare 1 teaspoon of salt, divided.
8. Prepare 1 cup of shredded colby jack cheese.
9. You need 3 1/2 cups of water.

Mix the chili into the macaroni and cheese. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with additional Cheddar and the green onions. Mac and cheese remains one of our favorite meals no matter how old we get. This chili mac changes things up a bit and makes this a heftier meal that's very shareable.

Chili Mac and cheese instructions

1. Set Instant Pot to saute mode and add ground beef and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir often until all the beef is browned. Should take about 5 minutes. Press cancel and drain fat..
2. Sprinkle chili powder, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt on top of the browned meat. Then add macaroni on top (don’t stir). Add 3 1/2 cups water and make sure all macaroni is submerged. Add cans of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes right on top in the center. Do not stir!.
3. Secure lid, make sure vent is set to sealing and pressure cook (“manual” on some Instant Pots) on high for 4 minutes. When timer is complete, quick release the pressure..
4. Remove lid and stir contents well. Everything will begin to thicken. Add 1 cup of shredded colby jack cheese and stir it in so it melts into the sauce..
5. Serve with additional shredded cheese on top and enjoy!.
6. Notes- you don’t need a instant pot to make this. For stove top cook noodles separate, and add it to the meat sauce, you won’t need the water, can use 2 cans of tomato sauce instead..
7. I end up using the whole box of pasta, and I used 15 oz of tomato sauce, it did take more water to cover my pasta.

Make it in the dead of winter to awaken your soul and grab a spoon to dig in! How to Make Vegetarian Chili Mac and Cheese - Step by Step Photos. Begin by dicing one yellow onion and mincing two cloves of garlic. Meaty, cheesy, and delicious—kids will love this comforting dinner of this chili mac and cheese. But, that's not all, parents will love it too—it's quick and hearty, but not too heavy.