grandma’s

chili mac

HANDS-ON TIME

35 MIN

TOTAL TIME

55 MIN

Serves 6

This recipe honors a touchstone of my youth: boxed mac and cheese. Grandma Barbara would add sautéed onions, ground beef, canned tomatoes, and chili powder to produce an inexpensive and very tasty stovetop dinner in 15 minutes flat. I make my version completely from scratch, but it’s still packed with the same bold flavors. Grandma didn’t bake hers and you don’t have to bake mine, either (just cook the mixture over low heat until the cheese has melted), but you will miss the crunchy panko topping, which is one of my favorite parts.

• 1 pound elbow macaroni or other small pasta shape
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup finely chopped scallions, plus more for sprinkling
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ cups panko bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add a small handful of salt. Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to the package directions until al dente, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain well, then drizzle with olive oil (just a little to prevent sticking) and toss to coat.

In the same pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 7 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until just cooked through, about 7 minutes. Stir in the flour and chili powder until evenly coated, then stir in the tomatoes and half-and-half and simmer until thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the pasta, cheese, and scallions. Season the pasta mixture with salt and pepper.

Scrape the pasta mixture into six 8-ounce baking crocks or a 2-quart baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix the panko with a generous drizzle of olive oil, then sprinkle it on top of the pasta. Bake for about 20 minutes, until bubbling and the top is golden.

Sprinkle with thinly sliced scallions and serve hot.