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Home » Recipes » Dinner Recipes

by Traci · Published: 09/15/2020 · Updated: 09/18/2020 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Instant Pot Chili Mac

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5 from 11 votes
30 minutes

Scrumptious Instant Pot Chili Mac made with lean beef, bell pepper, tomatoes, cheese, and classic seasonings for rich, bold chili flavor. This no-fuss dinner recipe is on the table in 30 minutes!

Chili Mac in the instant pot on gray surface

Instant Pot Chili Mac (also made for the stove) combines the comfort and convenience of pasta and chili. This easy, 30 minute, one pot dinner allows you to simply saute onions, garlic, and ground beef, then dump in other ingredients, and go do stuff! It's frugal, feeds a small army, and isn't dinner from a box! It's another family favorite like my Taco Pasta and Lasagna Soup, all of which help you crush weeknight dinner.

Table of Contents hide
1) Instant Pot Chili Mac Ingredients
2) How to make chili mac in the Instant Pot
3) How to make chili mac on the stove
4) Frequently asked questions
5) Try these easy dinner recipes
6) Instant Pot Chili Mac (with stove instructions)

Instant Pot Chili Mac Ingredients

Ingredient amounts are included in the printable recipe below.

  • olive oil - or preferred cooking oil
  • onion - use white, yellow, or red onions
  • bell pepper - use yellow, red, or green bell pepper
  • garlic cloves - you can use 1 tsp garlic powder in place of raw garlic.
  • ground beef - I like to use a 90/10 lean ground beef for this recipe
  • canned diced tomatoes - or any canned tomatoes
  • tomato paste - you can sub an 8 oz can of tomato sauce *see recipe footnote
  • chili powder and cumin - essential seasonings for chilli mac
  • salt and pepper - add these to taste
  • water - or cooking broth
  • uncooked macaroni noodles - if subbing a different pasta noodle, make sure it's similar thickness to prevent overcooking, especially for Instant Pot Chili Mac
  • cheddar cheese - I use minimal cheese for this recipe but you are welcome to add more.

How to make chili mac in the Instant Pot

Full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe below.

  1. Sauté onions, bell pepper, garlic, and beef in the Instant Pot on ‘saute’ setting (I use the 6 quart Duo). Deglaze as needed.
  2. Add diced tomatoes (with the juice), tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and salt. stir to combine. Then add water (or broth) and macaroni, pressing macaroni to submerge it.
  3. Pressure cook on high pressure for 2 minutes with a full 10-minute natural pressure release.
  4. Stir to combine ingredients. Fold in cheese, serve, and devour!

How to make chili mac on the stove

Full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe below.

  1. Heat olive oil in a 3.5 quart soup pot on med-high heat.
  2. Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic to the pot. Sauté until tender, stirring as needed (about 5 minutes).
  3. Add beef and continue sautéing until no longer pink, stirring as needed.
  4. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, seasonings, water, and macaroni noodles to the pot. Increase heat to high and bring everything to a boil for a few minutes.
  5. Reduce heat to simmer all ingredients until pasta is cooked through (10-15 minutes).
  6. Stir in cheddar cheese and devour!
White bowl of chili Mac on gray surface next to Instant Pot, striped linen, and fresh parsley

Frequently asked questions

Can I add beans to chili mac? You sure can! You can use any beans you'd use with chili. Just drain the beans and add them at the same time you add the diced tomatoes.

Can I use substitute the macaroni with other pasta? Yes, you can use other pasta shapes in chili mac. For thicker pasta (penne, rotini, rigatoni, etc), follow the recipe as it is written. For thinner pasta (classic shells, spaghetti noodles), subtract 1 minute from the pressure cook time and follow the recipe accordingly.

Does chili mac have cheese? I've made this recipe with and without it. I love it either way. If I don't use cheese, I'll stir in a little half and half or milk at the end to make it creamy.

Can I make chili mac ahead? Absolutely! You can make it ahead and reheat the whole pot when it's army-feeding time. Or you can meal prep it into portions and reheat as needed. Either way, to reheat, add a splash of water, broth, or milk, and heat via stove or microwave.

White bowl of chili Mac next to fork and parsley sprinkled on gray surface

Try these easy dinner recipes

  • Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl
  • Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken
  • Instant Pot Tuna Casserole
  • Easy Beef Stroganoff
  • Easy Chicken Thighs
  • Taco Pasta for Instant Pot or Stove
  • Lasagna Soup for Instant Pot or Stove
White bowl of chili Mac on gray surface

Instant Pot Chili Mac (with stove instructions)

Scrumptious Instant Pot Chili Mac made with lean beef, bell pepper, tomatoes, cheese, and classic seasonings for rich, bold chili flavor. This no-fuss chili mac recipe is on the table in 30 minutes!
5 from 11 votes
Print Pin
Prep: 5 minutes
Pressure Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 cups
Author: Traci The Kitchen Girl

INGREDIENTS
 

  • 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
  • ½ medium Onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • ½ medium Bell Pepper (any color), diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • ½ pound Lean Ground Beef (uncooked), use more if desired
  • 1 (15 ounce can) Diced Tomatoes, don't drain
  • ½ (6 ounce can) Tomato Paste, *see recipe note
  • 2 tablespoons Chili Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin
  • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 2 ½ cups Water, or broth
  • 8 ounces Dried Macaroni Noodles
  • 4 ounces Cheddar Cheese, shredded (about 1 cup) *see recipe footnote

Instructions
 

Chili Mac Instant Pot Instructions

  • Select "Sauté" on the Instant Pot and add OLIVE OIL.
  • When the display reads "Hot", add ONION, BELL PEPPER, and GARLIC. Sauté until tender, stirring as needed.
  • Add BEEF and sauté until cooked through, stirring as needed. Drain any excess fat. Add a splash of broth and scrape any brown bits off the bottom aka deglaze the pot.
  • Add TOMATOES with their juice and use a flat-ended utensil to remove any brown bits from the bottom of the pot (aka deglaze).
  • Stir in TOMATO PASTE, CHILI POWDER, CUMIN, and SALT.
  • Add MACARONI to the pot and don't stir, then WATER (or broth), pressing macaroni under the water to submerge.
  • Secure lid, turn pressure valve to "Sealing" position. Press "Cancel" then select "Manual" or "Pressure Cook” for 2 minutes on HIGH pressure. *see recipe note
  • When cook cycle is done, allow a FULL 10-minute (NPR) natural pressure release. Don’t rush the NPR so the pasta can finish cooking.
  • After 10 min, carefully turn the pressure release valve to "Venting" position to release any steam.
  • Remove the lid and stir the Chili Mac until ingredients are well-combined. Stir in CHEDDAR CHEESE. *see recipe note

One Pot Chili Mac Stove Instructions

  • Heat OLIVE OIL in a 3.5 quart soup pot on med-high heat. Add ONIONS, BELL PEPPER, and GARLIC and sauté until tender, stirring as needed (about 5 minutes).
  • Add BEEF and continue sautéing until it's no longer pink, stirring as needed.
  • Stir in DICED TOMATOES (with juice), TOMATO PASTE, CHILI POWDER, CUMIN, SALT, WATER, and MACARONI.
  • Increase heat to high and bring everything to a boil for a few minutes.
  • Reduce heat to simmer all ingredients until pasta is cooked through (10-15 minutes). Keep an eye on the water level, adding more in small amounts as needed to prevent pasta from sticking to the pot or drying out.
  • When pasta is fully cooked, you'll have a creamy, saucy consistency. Stir in cheddar cheese and devour!
Tried this recipe? I'd love your review!Visit the comments below and tell me how it went.

Traci's Recipe Notes

Tomato paste:
If you don't have tomato paste, you can sub an 8 oz can of tomato sauce, but you'll want to use 2 cups water (total) instead of 2 ½ cups.
Macaroni:
For thicker pasta (macaroni, rotini, penne), follow recipe as it is written. For thinner pasta (shells or spaghetti noodles) pressure cook the pasta for  1 minute (instead of 2 minutes) followed by the 10 minute natural pressure release.
Cheese:
I created this recipe with minimal cheese (1 cup). You can add more cheese or leave it out completely if you're dairy-sensitive. I sometimes like to add a splash of half and half in place of the cheese. Enjoy!

Equipment

  • chef's knife
  • cutting board
  • can opener
  • 6 quart Instant Pot
  • stirring utensil
  • serving utensil
  • airtight storage container(s)

NUTRITION

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 602mg | Potassium: 588mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1899IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 192mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.

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White bowl of chili Mac next to fork, striped linen, and fresh parsley on gray surface

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Comments

  1. Dina says

    August 16, 2022 at 2:17 pm

    Hi Traci,
    Can this recipe be made in a 3 quart Instant Pot, or would I need to make two batches? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Traci says

      August 16, 2022 at 10:33 pm

      Hiya! This recipe yields 6 cups, so as long as that amount doesn't exceed the max line, you should be all good 🙂

  2. Dana says

    January 09, 2022 at 4:08 pm

    5 stars
    I made a double batch! I diced up stew beef cubes, because that is what I had on hand. I added a can of kidney beans and a can of black beans because my husband likes beans in his chili. I also used two beers and then 1 C of water for the liquid. I am sorry it wasn’t made exactly like your recipe, but it is a great recipe to build on! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      January 10, 2022 at 8:22 am

      Awww you're so welcome and customizations are always welcome 🙂 So glad you enjoyed and thanks for the review. Cheers!

    • Joy says

      May 17, 2022 at 1:24 pm

      At what point did you add the kidney beans?

    • The Kitchen Girl says

      May 17, 2022 at 2:53 pm

      Joy, I'll hop in and answer this real quick. Canned beans can be drained, rinsed, and added at the same time as the tomatoes. Hope that helps. Enjoy!! 🙂

  3. Courtney says

    September 26, 2020 at 7:42 pm

    If I wanted to use 1lb ground turkey with this, would I need to change anything?

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      September 26, 2020 at 9:04 pm

      Hi Courtney, no changes needed. It might take a bit longer to come to pressure, but you can keep everything the same. Enjoy!

  4. Jeff says

    September 16, 2020 at 8:07 am

    5 stars
    Just had this chili mac for 3 meals in a row and loved every single bite. Super easy to make, even easier to eat. Another Instant Pot dinner recipe going on repeat!

    Reply
  5. Shinta Simon says

    September 16, 2020 at 12:35 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is calling out to me! I am a huge mac and cheese fan, and I love the twist with chili. Will definitely try this out very soon!

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      September 16, 2020 at 8:03 am

      Awesome, Shinta! So glad you can enjoy this 🙂 Thanks!

  6. Adriana says

    September 15, 2020 at 9:10 pm

    5 stars
    My famnily loves pasta and chili and this is so perfect for a weekly meal.

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      September 15, 2020 at 9:35 pm

      Yay Adriana! Glad to hear it...enjoy! 🙂

  7. Gina says

    September 15, 2020 at 7:36 pm

    5 stars
    Always a big fan of the mac and cheese and chili combo - love your version!

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      September 15, 2020 at 9:35 pm

      Yay, thanks Gina! We love this one too 🙂

  8. Beth says

    September 15, 2020 at 7:15 pm

    5 stars
    Yummy! My kids are going to love this recipe! I can't wait to try this!

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      September 15, 2020 at 9:31 pm

      Awesome, Beth! Glad your kids will be on board 🙂

  9. Christie Gagnon says

    September 15, 2020 at 5:17 pm

    5 stars
    Such an easy and delicious recipe for the whole family, thank you!

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      September 15, 2020 at 9:36 pm

      You're so welcome, Christie! Thanks 🙂

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