It's time to break the bland mac and cheese habit with Chili Mac, a 1950s Midwest lunchroom classic. This economical and easy homemade comfort food uses pantry ingredients. You can make classic chili macaroni and cheese in one pot with elbow macaroni and cheddar cheese or Velveeta chili mac as a modern version with shells.
🧀Ingredients
Ground beef—or ground turkey or chicken
Onion
Dry pasta
Diced tomatoes or RoTel
Spices—chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, black pepper
Milk
Cheese—usually mild cheddar or Velveeta
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This easy Chili Mac recipe is a one-pot comfort food that can be prepared in 30 minutes with pantry ingredients. It features tender noodles, tasty ground beef chili, and creamy Velveeta or cheddar cheese.
Most chili mac recipes use simple chili and add cooked pasta. However, this recipe simmers the chili ingredients with milk and uncooked pasta to cook both simultaneously. Then, for maximum creaminess, add the cheese at the end.
👨🍳How to Make Chili Mac—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
1. Chop an onion.
2. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, brown ground meat with chopped onion until brown and onion clearing.
3. Drain the meat and mix in the spices, milk, and diced tomatoes.
4. Bring to a boil, then add uncooked pasta—shells or elbow macaroni.
5. Decrease to simmer and cover. Cook until pasta is tender—12-15 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and add two cups of cheese of your choice. Mix in well and serve.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
✔️Options and variations
Ground Meat: Use standard 80/20 ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
Tomatoes: Diced tomatoes are the traditional ingredients. The dish will taste somewhat bland, so you may want to add more chili powder or a touch of cayenne pepper.
Uning RoTel instead of diced tomatoes will solve the bland issue some will have with this classic recipe. Choose the version of Rotel that best suits your heat level.
Cheese—Velveeta, cheddar, Monterey jack, or Mexican blend
If you want a more baked casserole dish, cover the top with cheese at the end and broil it for a few minutes.
Dry pasta: Use bit-size standard pasta, such as elbow or shells. The cooking time of the pasta will tend to be a little longer than the recommended time on the package but check with each stir.
Optional ingredients: Drained kidney or black beans, frozen corn
👩🍳Other Lunch Lady recipes
You can also try these other cafeteria recipes from the 1950s and 1960s, like Lunch Lady Rolls, American Goulash, Tuna Noodle Casserole, and Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole.
You will love these other comfort food casseroles like Spicy Jambalaya, Cheesy Jambalaya, and Spicy Smoked Sausage Pasta.
Cheesy American Goulash
Cheesy American Goulash is a hearty old-fashioned baked casserole that's easy to make with ground beef, spicy tomato sauce, and pasta casserole with lots of cheese. One of my favorite classic cafeteria comfort foods from the 1950s is economical and made with pantry ingredients.
🍽️Serving
Serve in a bowl like chili—top like chili with shredded cheese, diced onion, pickled jalapenos, or sour cream.
It is traditionally served with old-fashioned cornbread, cornmeal biscuits, or homemade bread. A simple salad, cole slaw, or roasted vegetables will be good side dishes.
❄️How to store and reheat leftover chili mac.
Chili mac can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days. However, as the pasta absorbs fluid from the casserole, it will become softer, so it is best to eat it within the first two days.
Alternatively, you can freeze individual servings for three months.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop on medium heat. Thaw before reheating if frozen.
❓FAQ
They are very similar, but chili mac strives for a cheese sauce like mac and cheese, while goulash will lack the cheesy sauce and will have more of a paprika spicing true to its mid-European roots.
📖 Recipe
Chili Mac
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef - ground turkey or chicken will work
- 1 onion - small
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 14 oz diced tomatoes - drained or substitute 1 can of RoTel™
- 2 ½ cups milk
- 2 cups smaller dry pasta - elbow macaroni or shells
- 2 cups cheese of your choice - usually mild cheddar
Instructions
- Chop one small onion.
- Brown meat over medium-high heat in a large pan or Dutch oven—non-stick preferred. After the meat is browned and the onion translucent, drain the fat.
- Add 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix in drained diced tomatoes or Rotel.
- Stir in 2 ½ cups milk, bring to a boil, and add two cups of uncooked dry pasta.
- Lower to simmer and cover. Cook until pasta is tender. This will vary by pasta type but will generally be 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add 2 cups of cheddar or Velveeta cheese. Mix well and serve.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- You can use ground turkey or chicken if you want.
- If you want a chili-like flavor, add some drained kidney beans to the uncooked pasta. Other options are in the post.
- The RoTel will kick up the heat, but it is optional. The dish with drained diced tomatoes is a bit bland, so consider adding one teaspoon more chili powder.
- If you want a more baked casserole dish, cover the top with cheese at the end and broil it for a few minutes.
- Good refrigerated for 3 days and frozen for 3 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally Published September 28, 2015. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Leslie says
Personally, this was too bland for my taste. I added more cheese and other spices to jazz it up, otherwise we would not have eaten it.
Sandra Beathard says
Have you tried this recipe using Velveeta vs shredded cheese?
If so, what was the difference (good or bad) in taste -- your Chili Mac recipe reads delicious.
Thanks.
Sandra B
DrDan says
I have not been repeating this recipe since it reminds my wife of school lunches. The recipe is written for shredded cheese of any type. I personally like velvet and it would be fine. Do about 2 cups shredded or 8 oz by wt.
Jane Arkell says
This looks like a really excellent "comfort food "go-to"....the recipe itself lends itself to so many changes, add-ons, etc. I LOVE the pictures of your Goldens...we have two boys (womb) mates and have just turned 5 - They all seem to have that same look. Thanks for all of the good recipes. I just discovered your page...I definitely will be back.
Chris says
Maybe this is just dude food, because I think I'd love this.