One-Pot Tex-Mex Chili Mac (Printable View)

Bold Tex-Mex flavors blend elbow macaroni, black beans, corn, and melted cheese in one pot.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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, optional
21 - Sour cream, optional
22 - Tortilla chips, optional

# How to Make:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely one-pot, meaning you get dinner on the table with minimal mess and maximum flavor.
  • The flavor profile hits that sweet spot between comfort food and something with actual personality—bold spices, creamy cheese, and just enough heat to keep things interesting.
  • It scales effortlessly for feeding a crowd or keeps well for lazy lunch days, making it the kind of recipe that becomes a regular.
02 -
  • The pasta keeps cooking even after you turn off the heat, so don't wait for it to be fully tender before you stop; it should have a tiny bit of bite when you taste it.
  • Stir occasionally during cooking so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom, but don't obsess over it—one-pot cooking is forgiving as long as you check in.
03 -
  • Taste the broth before you add it—if it's aggressively salty, you might want to use less and supplement with water instead.
  • Don't skip the step where you bloom the spices; that one minute of cooking transforms them from separate flavors into a cohesive spice blend.
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