Chili-Beef Macaroni
Submitted by judychad
Ground beef, kidney beans, and elbow macaroni in a spiced tomato sauce with Dijon mustard and a squeeze of lemon. A 30-minute weeknight dinner that freezes beautifully.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
30 minChili mac is comfort food royalty, and this version gets it done in 30 minutes with a couple of clever twists.
Lean ground beef cooks with onion, bell pepper, and garlic, then simmers with diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, and elbow macaroni.
The surprise move? A spoonful of Dijon mustard and a squeeze of lemon juice that sharpen all the chili flavors and keep things from going flat.
It freezes like a champ too, so double the batch and stash the extra for a night when cooking feels like too much.
Pro Tips
- Cook the macaroni separately and add it at the end. Pasta that simmers too long in the sauce turns soft and gummy.
- The Dijon mustard is subtle but critical. It adds a background tang that lifts the whole dish without tasting mustardy.
- Freeze the beef mixture before adding the pasta. Cook fresh macaroni when you reheat for the best texture.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook first four ingredients in skillet.
Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
To freeze: Add remaining ingredients to beef mixture and freeze.
Thaw and simmer.
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