Ultimate Chili Mac

 Ultimate Chili Mac

Serves: 6   Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients:

8 ounces (2 cups) elbow macaroni
Salt & Pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 onions, chopped fine

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (can also use beef)

1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

10 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded (2 1/2 cups)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until nearly al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water. Drain pasta and set aside.

Dry now empty pot, add oil, and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, bell pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in turkey and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 5 to 8 minutes.

Stir in tomato puree, diced tomatoes and their juice, sugar, and 3/4 cup reserved cooking water. Cover pot partially (leaving about 1 inch of pot open) and simmer, stirring occasionally until flavors have blended, about 20 minutes. 

Off heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cooked pasta, breaking up any clumps, then stir in 1 cup cheese. Pour into 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese over top.

Bake until bubbling around edges and cheese is spotty brown, about 15 minutes. Let casserole cool for 10 minutes. Serve.