Spicy Beef and Bean Chili Mac Bake
A hearty oven-baked dish combining elbow macaroni, ground beef, and kidney beans, topped with melted cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 12 oz Elbow macaroni Cook until 1-2 minutes short of the package cooking time.
Meat and Beans
- 1 lb Ground beef Brown fully before mixing with sauce.
- 1 can (15 oz) Kidney beans Drained.
Sauce
- 1 can (28 oz) Crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Chili seasoning Or to taste.
- Salt to taste Salt To taste after adding sauces and cheese.
Topping
- 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese Shredded or thinly sliced.
Instructions
Preparation and Cooking
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Cook the elbow macaroni according to package instructions until al dente.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat. Once cooked through, add the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, and chili seasoning. Stir well to combine.
- Mix the cooked macaroni into the chili mixture until everything is evenly coated.
- Transfer the mixture into a baking dish and top it generously with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Continue baking as necessary until the center is hot and the edges are bubbling. If the topping browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
For better results, keep the pasta slightly firm before baking and reserve some cheese for the topping. The sauce should generously coat the pasta. For easier assembly, prepare components ahead and refrigerate.