This Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food! It’s a cheesy one-pot pasta recipe that’s filled with hearty flavours.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil like canola or avocado oil.
- Extra-lean ground beef – you could also make this recipe with ground turkey.
- Yellow onion – white onion or shallots would also work here.
- Celery stalks – carrots would also add a bit of crunch to this dish.
- Garlic – freshly minced garlic is best but jarred minced garlic will work in a pinch.
- Chili powder – make your own using a blend of cumin, cayenne and paprika.
- Cumin – coriander is the best substitute here.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Kidney beans – substitute for another bean like pinto beans or cannellini beans.
- Can diced tomatoes – a can of crushed tomatoes would also work.
- Beef broth – vegetable broth is the best substitute here.
- Macaroni pasta – try rotini, shells or scoobi do pasta instead.
- Green pepper – swap out for another colour bell pepper like red or yellow.
- Grated cheddar cheese – or any other cheese of your choice.
- Parsley – leave this off altogether if you don’t have any on hand.
How to make mac and cheese in the Instant Pot
Step 1: Sauté the ground beef.
Add olive oil to Instant Pot and select saute mode. Saute ground beef for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned.
Step 2: Add everything to the Instant Pot.
Turn off saute mode and add onion, celery, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, broth and pasta in that order.
Step 3: Cook on high pressure.
Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes then do a quick release of pressure. Remove lid and stir in green pepper and 1 cup of cheese.
Step 4: Serve and enjoy!
Serve in large bowls and top each serving with remaining cheese and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Making it on the stovetop
If you don’t have an Instant Pot on hand, you can easily make this chili mac and cheese in a pot on the stovetop! Here’s how to make this recipe on the stovetop:
- Sauté the ground beef just as you’ll do with the Instant Pot version in a pot on the stovetop.
- Add in all the other ingredients except for green peppers and cheese.
- Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until the pasta is cooked through.
- Stir in the green peppers and cheese.
- Cook for another minute or so.
- Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Chili mac and cheese and goulash are pretty similar – they both contain ground beef, noodles, a tomato-based sauce and cheese. The main difference is that chili mac and cheese contains beans, while goulash does not.
Adding in some chili flavours is the best way to spice up your mac and cheese! You’ll still get all that cheesy pasta goodness but with added protein thanks to the ground beef and kidney beans. Plus, there’ll be a bit more of a kick with the various spices.
I like using cheddar cheese for this recipe, but feel free to swap it out for another cheese of your choice. I’d suggest sticking to a melting cheese like gouda, gruyere, parmesan or even cream cheese.
Storing and reheating
You can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Sprinkle some water over top then reheat in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Freezing this recipe
Freeze this recipe in glass containers for up to 3 months, then reheat it from frozen. Just sprinkle some water over top and microwave for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring halfway through. You can also freeze it in aluminum containers and reheat it in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes at 375° Fahrenheit.
Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
This Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food! It’s a cheesy one-pot pasta recipe that’s filled with hearty flavours.
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Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 486kcal
Instructions
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Add olive oil to Instant Pot and select saute mode. Saute ground beef for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Turn off saute mode and add onion, celery, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, broth and pasta in that order.
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Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes then do a quick release of pressure. Remove lid and stir in green pepper and 1 cup of cheese.
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Serve in large bowls and top each serving with remaining cheese and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Make this recipe on the stovetop if you don’t have an Instant Pot handy.
Store the leftovers in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Freeze this dish for 3 months. Reheat it from frozen in the microwave for 6-7 minutes or in the oven for 30-40 minutes at 375° F.
Nutrition
Calories: 486kcal (24%)Carbohydrates: 37g (12%)Protein: 33g (66%)Fat: 23g (35%)Saturated Fat: 11g (69%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 87mg (29%)Sodium: 1052mg (46%)Potassium: 740mg (21%)Fiber: 8g (33%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 400IU (8%)Vitamin C: 24.8mg (30%)Calcium: 300mg (30%)Iron: 4.5mg (25%)
