Chili Mac
Dehydrated pasta, beans, and corn rehydrated into a chili-thickened one-pot dinner with cheddar stirred through.
- calories
- 760
- weight
- 6 oz
- cal / oz
- 127
- protein
- 25 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 3 min
- total time
- 5 min
- water
- 475 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Liquid fuel
- Backpacking
- Thru-hike
- Basecamp
- Vegetarian
- Nut free
- One pot
- Dehydrate ahead
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Small pasta shapes, cooked and dehydrated | 4 oz | shells or elbows; dry them fully or they mold |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze-dried bell peppers, diced | 2 tbsp | |
| Pinto beans, cooked and dehydrated | 1 tbsp | |
| Freeze-dried corn | 1 tbsp | |
| Chili powder | 1 tsp | |
| Dried oregano | 1 tsp | |
| Dried garlic | 1/4 tsp | |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | a single-serve packet works |
| Cheddar cheese | 1 oz | a block keeps for days below room temperature |
Method
- Boil about 475 ml of water.
- Dump in the pasta and vegetable bag and stir so nothing sits dry above the water line.
- Add the oil and the spice bag. Stir again.
- Cut the heat, put the lid on, and wrap the pot in a cozy or a spare layer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Pour off any water still standing, then dice the cheese in and stir until it disappears.
The work here happens at home. Pasta that has already been cooked and dried rehydrates off the heat, so camp is one boil and a soak instead of a rolling pot and a strainer. That saves fuel and it saves you from dumping starchy water somewhere it shouldn’t go.
The beans and corn are small amounts on purpose: they are there for body and sweetness, not bulk. Oil and cheddar carry the calories and the chili powder, which is fat-soluble and tastes flat without them. Cheese travels fine on a cool trip; in real heat, swap in freeze-dried cheddar and add it with the spices.
Packing
Pasta, peppers, beans, and corn share one quart freezer bag. Spices go in a small separate bag so you can hold some back if the chili powder is hot. Cheese and oil pack alongside, not inside.
Variations
- Two tablespoons of dehydrated cooked ground beef or beef-style TVP for more protein.
- Skip the cheese and add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast to make it vegan.
- With uncooked pasta instead of dehydrated, boil it in the 475 ml with the oil for the package time, then kill the heat and stir in the spices and cheese.
https://trailcooking.com/fbc/chili-mac