3-Bean Chili Mac

This Chili Mac is Snow Day food at its best: it’s warm, tasty and fills you up. You probably already have all the ingredients in your pantry!

The recipe makes about 5 quarts of chili mac–enough to feed a big bunch of hungry snow shovelers or to freeze for lunches for another day. Use whatever kind of beans you like (or have on hand) and change the spice level by choosing hot Ro-Tel instead of mild!

Makes 10 generous servings

1 TBL olive oil
2 cups onions
4 cloves garlic
1 cup celery
1 TBL chili powder
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne
14 oz red beans
14 oz black beans
14 oz pinto beans
28 oz crushed tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
10 oz Ro-Tel
3 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups mini wagon wheel pasta

Dice onion, mince garlic and finely chop celery. Heat olive oil in Dutch oven; when warm, add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in celery and garlic and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in spices.

Drain and rinse beans and add to the pot. Next, add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, Ro-Tel, and chicken broth. Simmer 1 hour.

Stir in pasta and cook 15 minutes until pasta is fully cooled.

Serve with your favorite toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, and freshly-chopped parsley.