Baked Ranch Turkey Chili Mac (Printable)

Hearty turkey, pasta, and beans baked with zesty ranch and melted cheddar cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat & Protein

01 - 1 lb ground turkey
02 - 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
03 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced

→ Pasta

07 - 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

→ Dairy

08 - 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
09 - 1/2 cup milk

→ Liquids

10 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
11 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 packet (1 oz) dry ranch dressing mix
13 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
15 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
16 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
17 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
18 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and bell pepper; sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Add ground turkey and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.
04 - Stir in tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and dry ranch mix. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add diced tomatoes with juice, kidney beans, black beans, uncooked macaroni, and chicken broth. Stir well and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
06 - Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
07 - Stir in milk and half of the cheddar cheese. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
09 - Transfer the uncovered pot to the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly with a lightly golden top.
10 - Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a complete meal in one oven-safe pot, which means less cleanup and more time actually enjoying dinner.
  • The ranch seasoning adds a subtle savory twist that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • Ground turkey keeps it lighter than traditional chili mac, but the beans and cheese make it feel completely satisfying.
  • Comes together in about 50 minutes, start to steaming spoonful.
02 -
  • Don't skip the blooming step with the spices—it's the difference between tasting ranch and chili as separate flavors versus them becoming one cohesive profile.
  • The pasta won't be fully cooked when you transfer to the oven, and that's exactly what you want; it finishes cooking in the residual heat and becomes tender without turning to mush.
  • If your pot isn't oven-safe, cook everything on the stovetop and transfer to a baking dish, but you'll lose some of that integrated flavor by doing so.
03 -
  • If your kitchen gets cold, let the casserole sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving so the cheese stays creamy instead of congealing.
  • Use a sharp serrated spoon or angled spatula for serving—the casserole has enough structure to hold together if you're gentle, but you're not dealing with something as firm as a baked pasta.
  • Taste the mixture before it goes into the oven; the ranch seasoning is quite salty, so you might not need much additional salt beyond that.
Go back