Course | Main dish |
---|---|
Place of origin | United States |
Region or state | Midwestern United States |
Serving temperature | Hot |
Main ingredients | Macaroni, chili con carne |
Variations | Cheese |
Similar dishes | American chop suey, Johnny Marzetti, American goulash, Cincinnati chili, Macaroni and cheese, Macaroni casserole |
Chili mac is a dish prepared using chili con carne and macaroni as primary ingredients, which is often topped or intermingled with cheese. [1] [2] [3] [4] Some versions are made using prepared or homemade macaroni and cheese. [5] [6] It is a common dish in the cuisine of the Midwestern United States, and is also popular in other areas of the United States. [1]
Several variations of the dish exist, and prepared canned and boxed versions also exist. It can be a relatively inexpensive dish to prepare, [7] and has been described as a comfort food. [8] [9] Similar dishes include Spaghetti Red, a chili-topped spaghetti popular around Joplin, Missouri, [10] and Cincinnati chili.
Several preparation methods exist. Basic versions may be prepared using chopped meat, tomato, spices, and elbow macaroni. [7] Another basic preparation method incorporates boxed, prepared macaroni and cheese and canned chili. Some recipes incorporate all of the ingredients together, while others are prepared with the ingredients separately layered. [1] [11] Those that use cheese may use grated cheese atop the dish, [12] while others mix the cheese throughout the dish. Sometimes, onions or beans are added. [1] Some diners in St. Louis, Missouri, serve a version called "chili mac a la mode", in which the dish is served topped with fried eggs. [4] [1]
The dish may be prepared on a range top in a skillet, in a slow cooker, [13] or baked as a casserole. [6] Vegetarian and vegan versions of the dish are sometimes prepared. [13] [14] [15]
Chili mac has been a staple dish at American military dining facilities for years. [16] It was introduced to the Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) field ration menu in 1995 and is one of only three of the twelve MRE meals offered in 1995 that has remained on the MRE menu to date. [17] A variation called "taco chili mac" has been consumed by NASA astronauts in space. [18] It is processed by NASA as a freeze-dried product. [18]
Hamburger Helper sells a boxed version named "Chili Macaroni". [19]
Spaghetti red is a chili-topped spaghetti popular around Joplin, Missouri, and a signature dish at Fred and Red's. [10]
Cincinnati chili is a spiced meat sauce used to top spaghetti which is often referred to as chili spaghetti.
Spaghetti is a long, thin, solid, cylindrical pasta. It is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine. Like other pasta, spaghetti is made of milled wheat, water, and sometimes enriched with vitamins and minerals. Italian spaghetti is typically made from durum-wheat semolina. Usually the pasta is white because refined flour is used, but whole wheat flour may be added. Spaghettoni is a thicker form of spaghetti, while spaghettini is a thinner form. Capellini is a very thin spaghetti, while vermicelli refers to intermediate thicknesses.
Lasagna, also known as lasagne, is a type of pasta, possibly one of the oldest types, made in very wide, flat sheets. The same-named Italian dish is made of stacked layers of lasagna alternating with fillings such as ragù, béchamel sauce, vegetables, cheeses, and seasonings and spices. The dish may be topped with grated cheese, which becomes melted during baking. Typically cooked pasta is assembled with the other ingredients and then baked in an oven. The resulting baked pasta is cut into single-serving square or rectangular portions.
Chili con carne is a spicy stew of Mexican origin containing chili peppers, meat, tomatoes, and often pinto beans or kidney beans. Other seasonings may include garlic, onions, and cumin.
Macaroni and cheese is a dish of macaroni and a cheese sauce, most commonly cheddar sauce.
Cincinnati chili is a Mediterranean-spiced meat sauce used as a topping for spaghetti or hot dogs ("coneys"); both dishes were developed by immigrant restaurateurs in the 1920s. Its name evokes comparison to chili con carne, but the two are dissimilar in consistency, flavor, and serving method; Cincinnati chili more closely resembles Greek pasta sauces and spiced-meat hot dog topping sauces seen in other parts of the United States.
Pastitsio is a Greek baked pasta dish with ground meat and béchamel sauce, with variations of the dish found in other countries of the Mediterranean Sea.
Tetrazzini is an Italian-American dish made with diced poultry or seafood and in a butter, cream or milk and cheese sauce flavored with sherry or white wine, and combined with linguine, spaghetti, egg noodles, or other types of pasta, sometimes topped with breadcrumbs or cheese, and garnished with parsley or basil.
Adobada is a preparation for many dishes that are common in Mexican cuisine. Adobada is generally pork marinated in a "red" chili sauce with vinegar and oregano, but it can refer to different types of meat and to marinades closer to al pastor. It is generally served on small, pliable maize tortilla along with sautéed vegetables and cheese.
Drunken noodles or drunkard noodles is a Thai stir-fried noodle dish similar to phat si-io but spicier. In English texts, it is rendered as pad kee mao, pad ki mao, or pad kimao – from its Thai name Thai: ผัดขี้เมา, RTGS: phat khi mao,, in which phat means 'to stir-fry' and khi mao means 'drunkard'.
Queso flameado, also known as queso fundido or choriqueso, is a dish of hot melted cheese and spicy chorizo that is often served flambé. Often compared to cheese fondue, it is a party dish; it is popular at cookouts and in restaurants as an appetizer. Almost unique in Mexican cuisine, in the cuisine of the United States this dish has been widely adapted and is considered a native dish in El Paso. In Mexico, it occurs in restaurants more often in the north. Typical main ingredients are melted cheese and a characteristic meat sauce of loose fresh chorizo, tomato, onion, chile and spices. It is served in a small, shallow casserole or other ceramic or metal heat-proof baking dish. The cheese and sauce are prepared separately, and combined just before serving. This may be done at the table, especially if finished with a flambé: high alcohol liquor is poured on the cheese and ignited, and as it burns the server folds in the sauce. If not flambéed, the mixture may be quickly broiled. Either way, the finished dish is presented while it is still bubbling hot, and it is spooned onto small soft tortillas for individual servings.
Macaroni cheese pie is a casserole dish based on baked macaroni and cheese. Primary ingredients may include elbow macaroni, cheese, and milk.
Macaroni casserole is a dish of baked pasta. It is especially known as a staple in northern European home cooking. It is a dish of cooked macaroni and a mixture of egg and milk with additional ingredients like meats, vegetables or fish. It is commonly made with cheese or breadcrumbs sprinkled on top.
Bean dip is a type of dipping sauce made using beans or refried beans as a primary ingredient. It is typically served with tortilla chips, and can also be served with other foods such as crackers and crudités. Various types of beans are used, and fresh-cooked, canned or flaked beans can be used. Various additional ingredients are used in its preparation, such as onion, garlic, chili peppers and spices, and it is sometimes garnished with some ingredients. Bean dip can be served cold, at room temperature, or hot. Bean dip is sometimes used as an ingredient in the preparation of other dishes such as burritos and quesadillas.
Chili oil is a condiment made from vegetable oil that has been infused with chili peppers. Different types of oil and hot peppers are used, and other components may also be included. It is commonly used in Chinese cuisine, Southeast Asian cuisine, Italy, and elsewhere. It is particularly popular in Chinese cuisine, especially western Chinese cuisines such as Sichuan cuisine, Hunan cuisine, Guizhou cuisine, and Shaanxi cuisine where it is used as an ingredient in cooked dishes as well as a condiment. It is sometimes used as a dip for meat and dim sum. It is also employed in the Korean Chinese noodle soup dish jjamppong. A closely related condiment in Chinese cuisine is chili crisp, which contains edible chunks of food and chilis in oil.
The spaghetti sandwich or spaghetti jaffle in Australia is a sandwich prepared using cooked spaghetti, a sauce and bread as primary ingredients. It is sold at some underground concession areas near subway stations in Tokyo, Japan, and has been purveyed at the Target Field baseball park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. and in some U.S. restaurants.
Tamale pie is a pie and casserole dish in the cuisine of the Southwestern United States. It is prepared with a cornmeal crust and ingredients typically used in tamales. It has been described as a comfort food. The dish, invented sometime in the early 1900s in the United States, may have originated in Texas, and its first known published recipe dates to 1911.
Cabbage stew is a stew prepared using cabbage as a primary ingredient. Basic preparations of the dish use cabbage, various vegetables such as onion, carrot and celery, and vegetable stock. Additional ingredients can include meats such as pork, sausage and beef, potatoes, noodles, diced apples, apple juice, chicken broth, herbs and spices, salt and pepper.
Cheese sauce is a sauce made with cheese or processed cheese as a primary ingredient. Sometimes dried cheese or cheese powder is used. Several varieties exist and it has many various culinary uses. Mass-produced commercial cheese sauces are also made by various companies, in both liquid and dry forms. These prepared sauces are used by consumers and restaurants, and commercial formulations are used in the production of various prepared foods, such as macaroni and cheese mixes and frozen meals.