Meaty cheesy chili mac – Two comfort foods come together in a one-skillet dinner the whole family will love. Plus it is ready in only 20 minutes!

One-pan dinners are my favorite kind of thing to make. They are just so quick and easy, without a lot of dishes to clean up. My son requests Taco Pasta Skillet pretty much every time I ask him for a dinner idea. So I know they are a hit with my family.

This Chili Mac recipe is one that is full of flavor and comes together in no time. Your family is going to love it, and you are going to love how easy it is to make. Because let’s face it, after a day of work the last thing you want to do is be in the kitchen for an hour cooking and cleaning up.

what is chili mac?

Chili mac is basically macaroni and cheese that has ground beef and the flavors of chili all in one dish. This chili mac recipe is nice because it all cooks in one pan. You don’t have to make two separate dishes and then combine them. You brown the ground beef and then cook the pasta with all the chili spices together. And at the end, you mix in all the cheese so it gets nice and gooey and delicious.

Why is it called chili mac?

what goes with chili mac?

You don’t need to serve a lot alongside, because this is a hearty meal. But here are a few easy and quick ideas.

Tossed Salad
Cornbread
Roasted Asparagus
Biscuits

Can you freeze homemade chili mac?

Can I Freeze Chili Mac and Cheese? Yes, you can! This makes quite a large portion, so if you won’t eat it all within a couple of days, your best bet is to freeze it. Let it cool completely before spooning the chili into zipped, freezer-safe bags

How do you reheat chili mac?

Leftover chili mac and cheese can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To Reheat. Warm gently in the microwave or on the stovetop in a large skillet sprinkled with a small amount of water or chicken broth to keep the pasta from drying out. To Freeze.

Ingredients:

1 box of penne pasta

1/2 pound ground beef

1 onion

1 handful mushrooms

1 can Rotel crushed tomatoes

1 block velveeta cheese

Salt

Pepper

Granulated garlic

Onion powder

Chili powder

Place cast iron pan on medium heat and a large pot of water with oil and water on high heat.

Add ground beef to pan with listed seasonings and cook till almost done and drain grease.

Add your pasta to the boiling water. Place meat back in the pan with the chopped onions and mushrooms add desired seasonings and sauté your onions and mushrooms.

Once sautéd add your crushed tomatoes and lower the heat. Add half a block of Velveeta cheese and let melt. Once melted add your pasta to the cast iron pan and mix well. Then serve!