Turn Boxed Mac And Cheese Into The Ultimate Comfort Meal With A Canned Pantry Staple

For many, boxed mac and cheese defines comfort food. The simple dish, containing a debatable amount of cheese and a whole lot of macaroni, is sufficiently rich. But sometimes, it unfortunately veers into one-note territory. However, for those who want to push the comfort factor even further while adding a touch of nuance to the dish, there is a pantry-staple-friendly solution: Combine boxed mac and cheese with canned chili.

Though possibly jarring at first mention, the combo works quite well with other dishes, such as the chili cheese dog. This tomato base of chili has a slight acidity and even sweetness to it that is a great complement to the richness of mac and cheese. Additionally, the beans that populate canned chili, as well as any meat that may be involved, add protein — a much-overlooked element when upgrading mac and cheese. This heartiness produces a more satisfying effect than the cheese-and-carbs combo alone. 

Spice is also a potentially invigorating quality that canned chili can provide mac and cheese, and yet another way to cut through excess, dairy-heavy richness. One especially comforting aspect of this hybrid is how easy it can be to create it. Prepare your boxed mac and cheese on the stovetop, and without turning off the heat quite yet, simply open up a can of chili, mixing in as much or as little as you need to suit your tastes.

While making chili mac and cheese from on-hand boxes and cans is a splendidly easy solution for making a comforting meal in a pinch, there are more than a few ways to elevate the combo. First, the selection of brands is crucial. Browse a ranking of canned chili brands or this one for instant mac and cheese to set yourself up for success.

Once you have the best possible jumping-off point, try out some of these instant mac and cheese upgrades. You can sprinkle your bowl with freshly grated cheese, stir in avocado hunks, or top it with crumbled potato chips to make things even more exciting. If you find your chili-mac is lacking in the flavor department, try crafting a chili seasoning mix and slowly adding in more and more until you achieve a balance. Or, if you want to upgrade the hybrid by incorporating another element, prepare an elevated topping, like a fire-roasted salsa, to crown your boxed mac and cheese and canned chili mixture.