Chili Mac Soup

I was in the mood for soup. I was perusing recipes online when I came across a recipe that used canned cheddar cheese soup. I took that little bit of info and cooked up this soup. I had no intention of using canned soup so making my own cheese sauce was the way to go! This soup is really easy and VERY good. Again....it fed the whole bunch of us with very little leftover...just enough for IT Guy to take some in his lunch. I love soup!!!!

Chili Mac Soup

(Maybe I'm the only one who will notice this, but I see my reflection in the spoon in the picture. Haha!!)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies
1 tablespoon chili powder
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 can(s) (14 1/2-ounce) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 recipe cheese sauce (recipe follows)
1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow pasta
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Heat oil in a 5-quart soup pot over medium-high heat; add onion and green chilies and sauté 4 minutes, until translucent.

Cook the ground beef until just pink. Stir in chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper.

Add broth, then stir in cheese sauce until dissolved; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

Stir in pasta 10 minutes before serving and allow to cook until done. Stir in cheese until melted and smooth.

Here's the stuff for the soup and the cheese sauce.

For the soup. Saute the onion and 

green chili in some olive oil until tender.

Then add the ground beef and 

cook until almost done.

Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.

Pour in the chicken stock.

Then pour in the cheese sauce.

Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. 

Then dump in the pasta and cook another 10 minutes.

Serve it up!

Cheese Sauce:


2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
2 cups mild Cheddar cheese

In a sauce pan, melt the butter on low heat.

Whisk in the flour and salt.

Whisk in the milk.

Turn the heat to medium and stir continuously until the mixture thickens.

Reduce the heat to medium low and add the cheese. Stir continuously until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Add to soup.

Melt the butter in a saucepan then 

add the flour. Stir and cook for a minute or so.....

...then add the milk, some salt and 

pepper and cook and stir until thick and bubbly.

Then stir in the cheese.

Stir until smooth and set aside.