When I first found this recipe on Pinterest, I knew it would be the perfect dish for a night when I was craving comfort food. Cheesy, warm, and savory… what more could you want for a December evening?

This dish is super easy to throw together and feeds about 6 people (or makes for great leftovers). It’s hearty and filling, and it requires ingredients I usually have laying around the house.

Ingredients:

• A drizzle of vegetable oil
• As much chopped onion as you want (I used a little over half of one)
• 1 pound of ground beef
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/2 pound of small shell pasta
• 15 oz canned tomato sauce
• 14 oz canned diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 15 oz black beans (drained)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/4 cups water
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• As much sour cream as you want for topping
• As much chopped green onion as you want for topping

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large skillet, drizzle the oil and saute the onions for about three minutes.
• Add the ground beef to the onions and cook until no longer pink.
• Once the ground beef is cooked, add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with green chilies, beans, chili powder, cumin, and water. Stir.
• While that is simmering, cook the pasta per package instructions and drain.
• Add cooked pasta to skillet mixture and stir.
• Pour the chili-pasta mixture into a 9×13 dish, smooth with a spoon and sprinkle with cheese (and by “sprinkle,” I mean cover haha).
• Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is golden brown and serve immediately.
• Top with sour cream and green onions.

*Note: I adapted this recipe from the one linked above, leaving out the cayenne powder (I don’t like spicy food).