Everyone loves mac and cheese and chili. But what happens when you combine two of the most common comfort foods? You get an even better and tastier dish. This dish is an absolute showstopper, and I guarantee that it will blow your guests away. Yes, this recipe is time-consuming, but it is well worth it. It makes me feel like a kid again.

Ingredients:

Mac and cheese:

2 tablespoon butter

½ yellow onion, diced

3 gloves garlic, chopped

¼ cup dried basil

2 tablespoon turmeric

2 tablespoon sea salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

2 cups 2% milk

2 cups elbow pasta

3 cups nacho cheese

Beef chili:

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 lbs ground beef

½ yellow onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 28 oz crushed tomatoes

¼ cup chili powder

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 14 oz can kidney beans

1 14 oz can navy beans

1 14 oz pinto beans

2 cups water

3 tablespoon sea salt 

Directions:

In a large pot, melt the butter. Add in the onions and garlic and cook until translucent. Add in the herbs and spices and cook until the vegetables are fully coated with the mix. Add milk and simmer for 5 minutes.

Cook the pasta by following the packaging instructions. If there are no cooking instructions, cook for 6-8 minutes until it’s ¾ done. Drain and add half the amount of cheese into the milk mixture. Stir and set aside

For the beef chili, heat oil in a large skillet. Add the beef and cook until fully brown. Using a wooden spoon, break up the beef into smaller pieces. Add all the vegetables to the beef and cook until almost tender, approximately 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the beans are tender, approximately 15 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef chili and mac and cheese. Mix until fully incorporated. Put the chili mac in a casserole dish and top it off with the remaining cheese. Bake in a 350F oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese on top is fully melted.