Tis the season for casseroles! I don’t know what it is exactly about this time of the year that has me craving casseroles, but I know I am not alone in this. There is something so comforting about a casserole. Not to mention that having the oven turned on for a bit, helps to take the chill out of the air.
Last weekend I was having such a craving for chili, so I made this chili mac casserole. It really hit the spot. It was also a welcoming site for my sister-in-law and mother after they returned from a long afternoon of shopping. That’s one of the things I love about a hearty casserole recipe like this, there is usually enough to share with extended family and friends.
Chili Mac Casserole
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (16 ounces) chili beans, undrained
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
dash or two of hot sauce
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
Directions:
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the beef, onion, green pepper and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain of excess fat. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, tomato paste and seasonings.
Drain macaroni and add to beef mixture. Transfer to a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Yields 10 servings.
What’s your favorite cold weather casserole?
Check out these other comforting recipes!
Taco Tater Tot Casserole | Broccoli & Cheese Potato Soup | Rigatoni Pasta Bake
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Chili Mac Casserole
Yield 10 servings
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni 2 pounds lean ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 1 green pepper, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained 1 can (16 ounces) chili beans, undrained 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground oregano 1/2 teaspoon pepper dash or two of hot sauce 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
Instructions
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the beef, onion, green pepper and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain of excess fat. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, tomato paste and seasonings.
Drain macaroni and add to beef mixture. Transfer to a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.
This kind of meal usually goes over really well in my house. I have to try this one!
looks so delicious. my Italian family would love this!
Thanks! xoxoxo love your blog completely
MmmmMMMMM. That looks tasty. Anytime you make anything in a casserole dish, it’s going to be delicious. Casseroles are the best.
This chili mac looks delicious! This would be perfect on a cold day like today!
That sounds delicious and not too difficult to make! I think my favorite casserole is a Tuna Noodle Casserole.
Omg this totally just made me super hungry!!! Looks beyond delicious
I like making that kind too, actually any casserole. I’m a TOTAL casserole person, always have been. Yum!
I make something similar to this, it is always a huge hit. This looks so good and I wish I didn’t already make dinner.
Tuna casserole is our favorite one to make. I am thinking that this Chili Mac casserole will be taking the number one spot as soon as we try it.
This looks like a delicious meal. I will have to try out this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Yummy! I love comfort food in the fall/winter. This looks like a good dish for that! 😀
That looks really good! I love chili and mac.
Looks awesome:) I love mac and chilli, this looks fab!
This sounds perfect for a chilly day! Thanks for the recipe!
I love spicy food, and I am sure I would like to eat it too. I will share it with my wife and lets see how she cooks it. Thanks
What a great meal for a cold day like today! Yum!
That looks so good. I love chili. Great share.
That looks so fulfilling and savory! My husband has been wanting to make chili lately. Maybe I’ll suggest this recipe to him instead. 🙂
This sounds like a great cool weather meal. Deelish.
This looks so yummy. I would love to have some of this for dinner tonight.
This looks so delicious! I pinned it so I could try it out for myself. Can’t wait!!!!
I know my family, and they would tear that up!! Chili mac is one of our favorite meals anytime of the year, but especially in the cold winter months,
I know this would disappear in my house!! Haha. Chili never last! It is seriously so amazing! I think we shall try this one day!
That looks pretty tasty. Thanks for sharing, now I’m good and hungry :).
Oh yum, this looks so delicious. I want to make this for dinner one night next week. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Oh goodness – does it get more delicious than this? YUM!
We make a stovetop chili mac, so I’ve always wondered how it would adapt for a casserole. We have so many favorites.
This looks like such a hearty meal. I have never had anything like this! I will keep it in mind!
This look amazingly delicious. I might have to give it a try I think my husband would love it.
Do you hear that? It’s a delicious alert! This looks divine! I don’t like mac and cheese AT ALL but I love chilli and my husband loves both, this is probably the perfect dish for both of us! I have to try!
This looks like a delicious casserole. I will have to try making it. We do not usually have casseroles.
this looks good. We are planning on having it tomorrow. I know my son will love it.
That looks so good. Seems like something I can handle making. Thanks for the recipe.
This sounds Yummy I must make this for my Family!
This looks delicious! My husband would love this! It would make great leftovers.
Sounds and looks really good. I haven’t done any kind of casserole, seriously. I think if ever I do, this will be the recipe I’ll try because you reviewed it so well. 😀
That looks really good. I’ll try it with my crew.
This looks great. I will definitely have to give it a try.
Yummy! Pinned and tweeted. Lou Lou Girls
This is one of our favorite dinners! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
I am making this tonight, except without the beans. I forgot to pick them up. Oh and I will be adding bacon to it, my very picky 5 year old son is so excited about it!
That bacon sounds like a wonderful idea! Let us know how it turns out.
This looks delicious! I’ve made something like this with ready made sauce. I think I’ll try it your way 🙂
This was a favorite of my brother when we were kids. Of course, he just opened a can of Chef Boyardee, lol. It’s great to see a grown-up recipe!
I have cooked this several times and it is a family favorite.
I made this for dinner last night and it was very tasty. I cut the recipe in half to serve 3 adults, and it fit perfectly in an 8×8 pan. I would say this would serve 4 with salad and bread. There’s a problem when I pin the recipe. The chili mac picture shows up, but the title is for a chicken casserole and then gives the recipe for the chicken casserole. Odd?
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for letting me know about the image issue. I’ll reach out to Pinterest support for some assistance.
This looks really good and not to hard to make.
I have never heard of this recipe and now I have to try it. This is perfect for the cold weather we are having.
This looks and sounds wonderful! Giving it a try this weekend!