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A spicy low carb ground beef and pasta casserole that’s similar to hamburger helper. This chili macaroni recipe can be made with any pasta noodle.

UPDATE: I no longer use or recommend Dreamfields pasta as it is NOT low carb or gluten free!

I had a craving for pasta and I just happened to have a box of pasta in the pantry claiming to be low carb. Most of the carbs in this low carb pasta are indigestible so each 1/2 cup of dry macaroni is stated to have 5g of carbs.I’m not sure how true it is so I don’t eat low carb pasta very often. It is a nice thing to have in the house for those times when comfort food cravings kick in.

As most of you may know, I’m a big fan of casseroles and spicy food. So, I made a chili macaroni recipe with ground beef and Mexican spices. It reminded me of the hamburger helper meals I used to make in my college apartment.

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Both of my kids enjoyed the casserole and didn’t even question if it was low carb. Tasted like the regular thing to them. They did get in some extra fiber eating the low carb macaroni so maybe I’ll make it more often for them since it’s got to be better than the high glycemic pasta they usually eat.

This chili macaroni recipe can be tweaked to your liking. I used a Mexican blend of finely shredded cheese which contained mild cheddar, Monterey jack, queso quesadilla and asadero cheese.

I also used spice packets from a chili kit so the amounts are estimates. I really liked this casserole and will make it again. However, I’ll probably use shirataki ziti noodles which I know have negligible carbs.

Chili Macaroni Recipe – Easy Casserole Dinner

Chili Macaroni

A spicy low carb ground beef and pasta casserole that's similar to hamburger helper. This recipe requires low carb macaroni to keep the carbs in check.

Calories 319 kcal

Author Lisa | Low Carb Yum

Ingredients

2 cups macaroni or ziti pasta cooked and drained, I prefer shiratake
1 pound ground beef
14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried minced garlic
4 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 cups shredded cheese a Mexican blend is perfect

Instructions

Cook ground beef with onion and garlic in large skillet over medium heat; pour off drippings. Add tomatoes, and the remaining seasoning; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Toss pasta with meat mixture. Spoon half of mixture into a 9×9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese; top with remaining meat mixture. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese on top. Cover with foil; bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven 25 minutes. Uncover and cook 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.