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Cheesy Chili Macaroni Bake

Cheesy Chili Macaroni Bake combines tender pasta with a hearty, taco-seasoned meat sauce and plenty of melted Mexican cheese for a cozy, satisfying bite. The gentle heat from chili-style tomatoes and green pepper balances the creamy, gooey topping. Serve it on busy weeknights or for casual gatherings when you want a comforting, crowd-pleasing casserole.

  • Prep20 mins
  • Cook35 mins
  • Serves6
  • DifficultyEasy
Cheesy Chili Macaroni Bake

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Cheesy Chili Macaroni Bake, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

41 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
52 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
18 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityFair
51 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
2 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

28
Heart Health
64
Metabolic
50
Digestive
24
Inflammatory
37
Performance
38
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

  2. 2

    Cook the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper in a large skillet over medium heat until the beef is crumbly and no longer pink, about 5 minutes; drain the drippings.

  3. 3

    Add the tomatoes, water, and taco seasoning; simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

  4. 4

    Remove from heat. Stir the cooked pasta into the meat mixture until combined.

  5. 5

    Spoon 3 cups of the meat mixture into an 11x7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese; top with the remaining meat mixture. Cover with aluminum foil.

  6. 6

    Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

  7. 7

    Remove the foil; sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Continue baking until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

About This Recipe

Cheesy Chili Macaroni Bake is a Tex Mex dinner recipe made with 8 ingredients. It takes about 55 mins, serves 6, and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Green Bell Pepper, Ground Beef, Macaroni, and Mexican Shredded Cheese Blend. Each serving provides about 621.92 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Cheesy Chili Macaroni Bake?
It is a Tex-Mex chili recipe made with 8 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
What is Cheesy Chili Macaroni Bake made of?
The main ingredients are Green Bell Pepper, Ground Beef, Macaroni, Mexican Shredded Cheese Blend, Onion. The full list of 8 is above.
What goes well with Cheesy Chili Macaroni Bake?
Explore these Tex-Mex side-dish recipes.
How long does it take to make Cheesy Chili Macaroni Bake?
About 55 mins in total: 20 mins to prepare and 35 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 621.92 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Cheesy Chili Macaroni Bake easy to make?
This recipe is rated easy, with 8 ingredients and 7 steps.
Is Cheesy Chili Macaroni Bake healthy?
Cheesy Chili Macaroni Bake has an easyChef Pro health score of 41/100. Per serving, it provides 621.92 calories and 28.92 g of protein, or 58% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber and iron. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 669.96 mg (29% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 11.54 g (58% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Tomatoes and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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