I make this on nights when the sink should stay empty and the table should fill fast. One Pot Pasta Meals fit that mood. This bowl gives tender pasta, warm chili spice, and slow melt cheese in one cozy scoop. You stir once and the kitchen smells like game night won early. We start with ground beef or turkey, onion, and garlic, then drop in tomatoes, beans, and elbow pasta. The pasta cooks right in the pot so every bite drinks up the broth. If you love one pot pasta recipes and Pasta Meals, this one checks the box for food recipes pasta with real weeknight speed. I keep this on rotation for Easy One Pot Meals when time feels short. Friends ask for seconds, kids ask for cheese, and we all sit a bit longer. One pot meals keep life simple, and One Pot Meals like this make dinner feel easy to get right.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
- 4) How to Make One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
- 5) Tips for Making One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
- 6) Making One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
- 8) Try these pasta dinners next
- 9) One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
I wrote this with a busy kitchen in mind. The pot stays on the stove and the sink stays clear. One Pot Pasta Meals shows up here with spirit. I say it twice. One Pot Pasta Meals saves time and still gives comfort.
Warm spice meets tender pasta. Cheese melts and pulls. The bite lands rich and kind. I taste chili and I smile. I smell garlic and I feel calm.
The recipe fits weeknights. It scales for friends. It travels to potlucks. It sits on the table and brings folks close. I publish it on Elena Cooks and you can find more at https //www.elenacooks.com.
2) Easy One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese Recipe
I cook this when work runs long and hunger speaks first. One pot pasta recipes guide my hand. The pot warms. The oil shimmers. Onion softens. The rhythm feels good.
Tomatoes add bright lift. Beans bring body and comfort. Elbow pasta dives in and drinks the broth. The starch ties sauce and noodle into one smooth spoonful.
Cheddar and Jack melt and gloss the surface. Each scoop comes out thick and friendly. Call it chili mac. Call it dinner. I call it the happy middle of easy food that still feels cared for.
3) Ingredients for One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
Ground beef or turkey I like lean meat for a clean simmer. Plant based crumbles work if that suits your table.
Onion A small diced onion softens fast and builds sweet base notes for the pot.
Garlic Three cloves minced wake the chili spice and perfume the kitchen.
Elbow macaroni Two cups dry pasta gives a tender bite and holds cheese well.
Diced tomatoes One can with juices adds bright acid and color that balances the spice.
Beans A can of black or kidney beans brings creamy body and gentle chew.
Broth Beef or vegetable broth feeds the pasta as it cooks and rounds flavor.
Cheddar A cup of shredded cheddar melts smooth and adds sharp bite.
Monterey Jack A cup shredded gives stretch and mellow finish.
Chili powder Two spoons bring warmth that feels cozy not harsh.
Cumin One small spoon adds earth and depth that signals chili.
Smoked paprika A small spoon adds quiet smoke that feels like a hug.
Salt and black pepper Season to taste and taste again for balance.
Optional toppings Scallions jalapeno and a spoon of sour cream make a bright finish.
4) How to Make One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
Step 1 Set a deep pot over medium heat. Add meat. Break it up. Cook until browned. Spoon off extra fat if you see a pool on top.
Step 2 Add onion. Stir until soft. Add garlic. Stir until the scent turns sweet. Sprinkle chili powder cumin and smoked paprika. Coat the meat.
Step 3 Pour in tomatoes with their juices. Add broth. Stir in beans. Stir in dry elbow pasta. Season with a pinch of salt and a few turns of pepper.
Step 4 Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover. Stir once or twice so pasta moves and does not stick. Cook until pasta turns tender. If the pot looks dry add a splash of broth.
Step 5 Turn off heat. Stir in cheddar and Monterey Jack. Watch the sauce go silky. Taste. Adjust salt and pepper. Rest two minutes so the starch sets the sauce.
Step 6 Ladle into warm bowls. Top with scallions jalapeno and a small spoon of sour cream if you like.
5) Tips for Making One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
Salt the pasta water inside the pot itself since the pasta cooks there. Small care now pays off later. This fits the spirit of One Pot Pasta Meals.
Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can turn pasta tough and sauce thin. A soft bubble keeps starch in the pot and makes a creamy base.
Shred your cheese fresh if you can. The melt turns smoother. The pull turns longer. The bite lands brighter. The bowl feels special with very little work.
6) Making One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese Ahead of Time
I like to cook the base and hold back some cheese. Reheat on low with a splash of broth. Stir in the rest of the cheese at the end. That keeps the sauce glossy like the best One Pot Pasta Meals.
Store the pot in the fridge once it cools. A tight lid keeps flavor steady. The next day the sauce feels thicker. Add a little broth and stir until the spoon glides.
Pack toppings on the side so each bowl gets a fresh pop. Scallions stay crisp. Jalapeno stays bright. Sour cream cools the spice and brings balance.
7) Storing Leftover One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
Spoon leftovers into containers with snug lids. Let the food cool to warm before you close them. This keeps steam from pooling.
Hold in the fridge for three days. Reheat on the stove with a small splash of broth and a slow stir. The sauce loosens and shines again.
For the freezer keep portions small so they thaw fast. Thaw in the fridge. Reheat with care and add a pinch of fresh cheese for life.
8) Try these pasta dinners next
9) One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese One Pot Pasta Meals
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey use plant based crumbles for a vegetarian version
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 can 15 oz diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 can 15 oz black or kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups beef or vegetable broth
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional toppings chopped scallions sliced jalapeno sour cream
Instructions
- Set a large deep pot over medium heat. Add the beef or turkey. Break it up and cook until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Spoon off extra fat if needed.
- Add the onion and cook until it softens, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in chili powder cumin and smoked paprika. Stir so the spices coat the meat.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes with juices and the broth. Stir in the beans and the dry elbow macaroni. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
- Bring to a steady simmer. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the pasta is just tender, about 10 minutes. If the pot looks dry splash in a little more broth or water.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack until creamy and smooth.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Let the pot rest for 2 minutes to thicken. Serve hot with scallions jalapeno and a small spoon of sour cream if you like.
10) Nutrition
Serving size one cup. Calories four hundred seventy. Sugar six grams. Sodium eight hundred twenty milligrams.
Fat eighteen grams. Saturated fat eight grams. Carbohydrates fifty one grams. Fiber six grams.
Protein twenty seven grams. Cholesterol sixty milligrams. Numbers give a guide. Flavor gives the smile.
I write for home cooks who like speed and heart. Pasta Meals fit that lane and keep folks happy at the table.
Short keyword pasta dinners lands here with a nod to quick nights and calm cleanup.
Longtail easy one pot chili mac shows how the name itself tells the story of the bowl.
Short keyword chili mac sits with comfort and game night energy.
Longtail creamy chili mac and cheese points to the texture that brings people back for seconds.
Short keyword weeknight dinner marks the slot this recipe fills so well.
Longtail quick stovetop pasta recipe gives a clear path from pantry to plate without fuss.
Food recipes pasta appears here as a simple tag that readers use when they search for dishes like this on Elena Cooks.
Easy One Pot Meals speaks to the core of this method and mirrors the way I cook when time runs tight.
One pot meals and One Pot Meals both match how folks write the term when they look for ideas online.
Recipe by Elena for Elena Cooks. More weeknight food lives at https://www.elenacooks.com where simple pots make happy tables.
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