One-Pot Tex-Mex Chili Mac (Print)

Hearty pasta with beans, corn, and melted cheese in a spiced tomato broth.

# Ingredients:

→ Pasta and Legumes

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni
02 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
07 - 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
09 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

→ Liquids

10 - 3 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Spices

12 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - ½ teaspoon salt
17 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Toppings

18 - 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend
19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
20 - Sliced green onions, sour cream, and tortilla chips for serving

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic, red bell pepper, and jalapeño. Sauté for another 2 minutes.
03 - Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
04 - Mix in tomato paste, then add diced tomatoes, corn, black beans, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine.
05 - Bring the mixture to a boil. Add macaroni and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
06 - Uncover, stir well, and sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the top. Cover again and let sit off heat for 2–3 minutes, until cheese is melted.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with cilantro, green onions, sour cream, or tortilla chips as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • One pot means one thing to wash and about thirty minutes from hungry to satisfied.
  • It tastes bold and intentional without requiring any fancy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.
  • Feeds a crowd and actually tastes better as leftovers the next day.
02 -
  • If your pasta seems too dry at the end of cooking, add broth a quarter cup at a time; undercooked pasta finishes cooking with residual heat, but dried-out pasta won't recover.
  • Melting the cheese off heat with the pot covered keeps it creamy and prevents a thick, cooked crust from forming on top.
03 -
  • Don't skip toasting your spices dry in the pot before adding liquid; that thirty seconds of blooming makes the difference between good and genuinely flavorful.
  • If you're feeding people who are sensitive to heat, seed and mince the jalapeño finely so it distributes evenly and no one gets a sudden spice surprise.
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