Cooking With Ted: Chili Mac

Chili mac is a dish that combines two popular comfort foods: chili con carne and macaroni pasta. It is usually made with ground beef, beans, tomatoes, cheese, and spices, but many variations depend on personal preferences and regional cuisines. Chili mac can be cooked in one pot on the stovetop or baked in the oven for a cheesy crust. It is a hearty and satisfying meal that can be enjoyed on its own or with toppings like sour cream, green onions, or corn chips. This dish reflects the diversity and creativity of American cuisine.

Ted’s Chili Mac

This is a fabulous cold-weather meal that can make upwards of 8 servings for less than $12 (as of 2023) in ingredients and makes for fantastic leftovers. The prep time for this recipe is about 15 minutes with about 25 minutes of cook time.

What you will need	Quantity
Ground Beef (or alt. beef)	1 lb
Chili Beans (Bush’s Chili Magic)	2 cans, 15 oz
Green Bell Pepper	1 whole
Sweet or Red Onion	1 whole
Crushed Tomato Sauce	1 can, 28 oz
Elbow Macaroni Pasta	1 lb, 16 oz
Brown Sugar	2 tbsp
Steak Seasoning	1 tbsp
Salt & Pepper *	1 tbsp
Shredded Cheese (Mixed) *	1 bag, 8 oz
Black Olives *	1 can, 6 oz
Worchester Sauce *	1 tbsp

Directions

1. Add butter or olive oil to the pot. Add and thoroughly cook the ground beef or any plant-based beef alternative until it’s brown. Drain any excessive grease, and add 1 tbsp. of steak seasoning, 1 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp Worcester sauce.
2. Chop up the bell pepper and onion, then add and mix them into the pot with the ground beef.
3. Add and mix in both cans of beans. I recommend that at least one of the cans be Bush’s Chili Magic Starter otherwise you may need to add a chili powder seasoning to the pot.
4. Pour in the can of tomato sauce and add 2 tbsp of brown sugar. The brown sugar helps reduce the acidity of the tomato sauce and adds a slightly sweet taste.
5. Reduce the heat to low and let the pot simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Bring a second pot of water to a boil and add the macaroni.
7. Once the macaroni is cooked, drain the water and add it to the chili.
8. Serve and garnish with black olives or shredded chees as desired.

This recipe is a variation of one my mom used to make and I’ve adjusted it over the years. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.