Ingredients
This recipe uses simple, accessible ingredients. Here is what you need, along with a few notes on why each one matters.
- 1/2 pound spicy hot sausage
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups roasted Hatch green chile, chopped (adjust to taste)
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup dry macaroni
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 cup Velveeta or Muenster cheese, cubed
Ingredient Notes and Smart Substitutions
Spicy hot sausage. This is the flavor engine of the soup. The fat renders into the pot and carries the spices through every bite. Look for bulk breakfast-style hot sausage or hot Italian sausage with the casings removed. If you prefer less heat, use mild sausage and let the green chile bring the spice.
Ground beef. Beef adds a deeper, meatier backbone and balances the seasoning of the sausage. An 80/20 blend gives you the best flavor, though leaner beef works fine if you drain the pot well.
Roasted Hatch green chile. The star of the show. Hatch chiles from New Mexico are famous for their rich, slightly sweet, smoky flavor. You can buy them fresh and roast them yourself, or use frozen or canned roasted chopped green chile. Start with one cup if you are sensitive to heat, and go to a cup and a half if you want a bolder bowl. If you cannot find Hatch chiles, Anaheim or poblano peppers, roasted and peeled, make a milder but still delicious substitute.
Diced tomatoes. Fresh or canned both work. Canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes add extra smokiness. Drain them lightly if you want a thicker soup.
Onion and garlic. These aromatics build the savory base. Minced onion melts into the soup so you get flavor without chunky texture.
Chicken stock. Low-sodium stock lets you control the salt level, which is important because sausage and cheese both add plenty of their own.
Dry macaroni. Small elbow macaroni is ideal. Other small shapes such as ditalini, small shells, or broken fideo noodles also work well.
Butter and oil. Together they toast the pasta evenly. The butter adds richness and color, while the oil keeps the butter from burning.
Velveeta or Muenster cheese. Both melt smoothly. Velveeta gives you ultra-creamy, nostalgic comfort, while Muenster offers a milder, buttery flavor with great stretch. Pepper Jack is a delicious option if you want extra heat.
Instructions
Follow these steps for a creamy, flavorful pot every time. The full recipe takes about 40 minutes from start to finish.
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the spicy sausage and ground beef. Cook until fully browned, breaking the meat into small crumbles as it cooks. This usually takes 8 to 10 minutes. Drain excess grease if the pot looks greasy, but leave a spoonful or two behind, since it carries tons of flavor.
Stir in the roasted green chile, diced tomatoes, minced onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture smells fragrant and the onion has softened. This short cooking time allows the aromatics and chile to bloom in the rendered fat.
In a separate skillet, melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add the dry macaroni and toast it, stirring frequently, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. Watch it closely, because pasta can go from golden to burnt quickly. This step is the secret to a sopita with real depth.
Add the toasted macaroni to the pot with the meat mixture and stir to coat.
Pour in the chicken stock and bring the pot to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender. The pasta will absorb some of the broth and release starch, which naturally thickens the soup.
Add the cubed cheese, cover the pot, and turn off the heat. Let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes so the cheese can soften and melt.
Stir gently until the soup is creamy and smooth. Taste, then adjust the salt, pepper, or chile as needed.
Ladle into warm bowls and serve right away while the cheese is at its silkiest.