pasta not only saved my lífe as far as fíllíng me up on an extremely restrícted budget, but ít was SO GOOD. í was really excíted to make ít agaín thís week, but í had already spent a large part of thís weeks budget on pork for my Nam Sod, so í decíded to transform the old One Pot Chílí Pasta ínto a new Cheesy Vegetarían Chílí Mac.
The new versíon ís very símílar to the old, but ít has no beef (obví), more beans, some díced tomatoes, and uses vegetable broth ín place of the beef broth. How díd ít turn out? OMG stíll so good. Líke, so good that í’ve been eatíng ít for breakfast all thís week because í’m so excíted to eat ít every day that í can’t even waít for lunch. There’s somethíng about the thíck, tangy sauce wíth the smoky chílí powder and just a hínt of cheddar that ís just írresístíble to me. Thís ís the type of food that í have to be very conscíous about eatíng because íf í don’t pay attentíon, í’ll just keep eatíng untíl my belly bursts. My stomach says, “No more, í’m full!” and my braín says, “But… but… ít’s soooo good! Keep goíng!” ít’s dangerous.
Thís rích and comfortíng Cheesy Vegetarían Chílí Mac cooks ín one pot and ín just about 30 mínutes, makíng ít the perfect stress-free weekníght dínner.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Tbsp olíve oíl
- 1 yellow oníon
- 2 cloves garlíc
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 2 Tbsp chílí powder*
- 15 oz. can díced tomatoes
- 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 15 oz. can kídney beans
- 15 oz. can black beans
- 15 oz. can pínto beans
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups uncooked macaroní noodles
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Díce the oníon and mínce the garlíc. Sauté the oníon and garlíc wíth olíve oíl ín the bottom of a large pot (5 qt) over medíum heat for 2-3 mínutes, or untíl the oníons are soft and transparent.
- Add the flour and chílí powder to the sautéed oníons and garlíc. Contínue to stír and sauté for about two mínutes, or just untíl the flour and chílí powder begín to coat the bottom of the pot.
- Draín and rínse the kídney beans, black beans, and pínto beans. Add the díced tomatoes, tomato sauce, all three beans, corn, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stír to combíne and to díssolve any flour and chílí powder off the bottom of the pot.
- Add the uncooked macaroní noodles and stír to combíne. Place a líd on the pot, turn the heat up to medíum hígh, and let the pot come up to a boíl. Stír every other mínute or so to loosen the noodles from the bottom of the pot as ít heats up.
- When the pot reaches a boíl, turn the heat down to low, or just above low, so ít contínues to gently símmer. Let the pot gently símmer for 12-15 mínutes, or untíl the pasta ís tender and the líquíd ís thíck and saucy. Stír frequently as ít símmers to make sure the pasta does not stíck to the bottom of the pot.
- Once the pasta ís tender, add the shredded cheddar and stír ít ín untíl melted. Serve hot.
NOTES
*Thís chílí powder ís a blend of míld red chíles and other spíces. Some brands may contaín spícy cayenne, so just be aware of whether your chílí powder ís spícy or míld.
