Cheesy Chili Mac

Name: Cheesy Chili Mac
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: Serves 12
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 2 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups); 1 red bell pepper, diced (about 3/4 cup); 3 medium cloves garlic, microplaned (about 3 teaspoons); 3 tablespoons chili powder; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 1/2 pounds fresh ground chuck; 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes packed in juice, roughly chopped, juice reserved; 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained; 1/4 cup hot sauce (like Frank's); Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 pound elbow macaroni; 4 tablespoons butter; 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk; 1 pound grated Cheddar or Jack cheese; 4 ounces finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 2 cups); 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves or scallion greens for garnish

4.00 (5)

⏱ 80 mins 🍽 Serves 12 🌶 american 🏷 Entree

This dish merges a rich, homemade ground beef chili with a simple, creamy macaroni cheese. The two components are combined and baked with a generous topping of cheese until golden. Using evaporated milk ensures a smooth cheese sauce. It's a substantial and satisfying meal, perfect for feeding a group. The recipe yields 12 servings and takes about 80 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients

2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, diced (about 3/4 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic, microplaned (about 3 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 pounds fresh ground chuck
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes packed in juice, roughly chopped, juice reserved
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup hot sauce (like Frank's)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 pound grated Cheddar or Jack cheese
4 ounces finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves or scallion greens for garnish

Method

Warm the oil in a large saucepan until it shimmers. Cook the chopped onion and diced red pepper, stirring often, until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook for 1 minute until aromatic. Add the ground chuck, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook for about 7 minutes until no pink remains. Pour in the tomatoes with their juice, the rinsed beans, and the hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Let the mixture simmer for roughly 30 minutes until it thickens.
While the chili cooks, position an oven rack in the centre and heat the oven to 400°F. Put the elbow macaroni in a large saucepan and cover with water by 2 inches. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, cover the pot and take it off the heat. Leave it until the pasta is cooked through, checking the package for timing. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Stir in the butter and evaporated milk over low heat. Add half of the grated Cheddar or Jack cheese and stir until it has completely melted.
Pour the prepared chili into the pot with the cheesy pasta and mix everything together thoroughly. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
Spoon the combined mixture into a large casserole dish. Scatter the remaining Cheddar or Jack cheese and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the cheese is bubbling. Take it out of the oven, let it stand for 10 minutes, then garnish with chopped cilantro or scallion greens before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Sodium843000 mg

Recipe details

CategoryEntree

Cuisineamerican

AuthorJ. Kenji López-Alt