Chili Mac- beans, cheese, pasta, ground beef, and seasonings combine to make a delicious family meal that won’t break the bank.
![Chili Mac in a 9x13-inch baking dish.](https://spicysouthernkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Chili-Mac-Feature.jpg)
Chili Mac is the ultimate comfort food. This recipe makes a huge amount of Chili Mac. Enough for 8 hearty portions.
This Chili Mac is a little different from most Chili Mac recipes. It has a jar of Alfredo sauce in it which makes it creamy and rich, plus it adds additional flavor.
This recipe uses convenience ingredients to keep it quick and simple.
You’ll start by making a quick and easy chili. Cook 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef and some onion in a large nonstick skillet. Add a packet of chili seasoning, a can of chili beans, and a can of Rotel tomatoes with green chilies. Let the mixture simmer a few minutes.
Next combine the cooked macaroni, beef mixture, Alfredo sauce, and 2 cups of shredded Colby Jack cheese in a large baking dish. Carefully mix everything together. Note: You can do this in a large bowl and then transfer it, but then you have one more dish to clean.
Baked uncovered for 20 minutes. Sprinkle on 1 cup of cheese and return it to the oven for 5 minutes.
How To Make This Dish Spicy
Use “hot” Rotel tomatoes and for more heat add 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or a finely diced jalapeno to the ground beef when you cook it.
Recipe Tip
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
More Comfort Food Recipes
- Salisbury Steak
- Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole
- Creamy Taco Spaghetti
- Old School Meatloaf
- Cubed Steak with Onion Gravy
- Crock Pot Beef Tips with Gravy
Chili Mac
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1/2 medium onion,, diced
- 1 (1.25-ounce) package chili seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can mild chili beans,, undrained
- 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel tomatoes and green chiles,, undrained
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni,, cooked and drained
- 1 (15-ounce) jar four cheese Alfredo sauce
- 2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese
- 1 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Brown ground beef in a large nonstick skillet, breaking it apart as it cooks and adding the onion when it is about halfway cooked.
- Add chili seasoning and salt and cook and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add chili beans and tomatoes and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add pasta, beef mixture, alfredo sauce, and shredded Colby-Jack cheese to the prepared baking dish. Carefully mix it all together.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top and bake 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from Cooking with Paula Deen.
Dislcosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Oh, no! This was bland and my family did not enjoy it. I’m really surprised too, given the flavors of the chili seasoning, Rotel, and Colby Jack cheese. I think the ratios are off on this one because I normally use 1 packet of chili seasoning to 1 lb. of ground beef for just regular chili. I guess I should have used hot Rotel and added the red pepper, but I was afraid it would be too hot. I hate this one didn’t work out; we still love many more of your recipes, though!