NFL Game Day Recipes | Chili with Pasta & Wisconsin Cheese

Our fifth feature in the NFL Game Day Recipes comes from Melissa Ness. She has kindly shared the recipe that (probably) helped the Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl last year. Part chili, part mac and cheese—how can you go wrong?

Remember to watch the Packers take on the 49ers today at 4:25 PM ET. Don’t forget to say Happy Grandparents Day to the special older adults in your life!

Chili with Pasta and Wisconsin Cheddar recipe courtesy The Kitchn

serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 lb ground beef
1 yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots; diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 14 ounce can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder, divided
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
kosher salt
freshly-cracked black pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro; minced
1 16-ounce can red kidney beans
2 cups frozen corn kernels, defrosted
To serve
Aged sharp Wisconsin cheddar cheese, shredded
1 pound fusilli pasta

Directions:

In a heavy-bottomed stock pot heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add in ground beef, season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir often till the meat is browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain the beef and transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Heat another 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same stock pot. Add in chopped onions and cook 10 minutes until translucent. Add in celery and carrots, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook another 5 minutes. Add in peppers and cook another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to a simmer and cook for 2 hours.

Stir in cilantro, corn, beans and 1/2 tablespoon chili powder and continue to cook until the corn and beans are heated through, about 20 minutes.

Cook pasta until al dente and serve chili with a generous heap of freshly grated sharp cheddar (preferably from Wisconsin).