Grandma’s Chili Mac

This recipe honors a touchstone of chef-partner Justin Chapple’s youth: boxed mac and cheese. His 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. He makes this version completely from scratch, but it’s still packed with the same bold flavors. His grandma didn’t bake hers and you don’t have to either in this version, but you will miss the crunchy panko topping, which is one of Justin’s favorite parts.

1 pound elbow macaroni or other small pasta shape

Kosher salt

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 poblano pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped

4 large garlic cloves

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

1 pound ground beef

11/2 tablespoons chili powder1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 cup half-and-half

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup chopped scallions, plus more for garnish

Freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring a large Dutch Oven 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, about 7-9 minutes. Drain well, then drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking, and toss to coat.

In the same Dutch Oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, poblano pepper, garlic, jalapeño, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5-7 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 add the tomatoes and half-and-half. Simmer until thickened slightly, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked pasta, 2 cups cheddar cheese, and the scallions. Season the mixture generously with salt and pepper to taste.

Scoop the mixture into a 2 to 2 1/2-quart baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix the panko with a generous drizzle of olive oil and the remaining 1 cup of cheese. Sprinkle on top of the pasta. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until bubbling and the top is golden. Garnish with additional scallions for serving.