This is the best 5 minute Instant Pot chili mac recipe that you and your kids will love! A classic old fashioned goulash style dinner packed with ground beef and noodles. Dump all the ingredients into your Ninja Foodi or Crock Pot Express pressure cooker for a complete meal done in less than 15 minutes.
Our easy 5 minute Instant Pot chili mac recipe rocks! Chili mac and cheese is so easy to do and a perfect addition to our long list of Instant Pot recipes. (originally posted 3/17, participant in the amazon program, affiliate links present)
Instant Pot Chili Mac
We have three kids which means macaroni is always in the house. We’re also huge Instant Pot chili lovers so it would only be reasonable to combine the two to make an easy dinner idea. That’s what we did and made this! You can add cheddar to make it cheesy or leave it as is.
You can use any brand you have at home too. I have a few of them so I can ensure they all cook the same. Plus to making this in your Ninja Foodi is you can melt and brown a layer of cheese on the top at the end if you want to.
Let’s start with a few basic tips:
- Make sure to Bookmark our InstaPot recipes page. We add new ones each week!
- Then PRINT this —–> Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet that will help you understand how long meat, vegetables and beans take to cook in your pressure cooker.
- This is a great InstaPot cookbook and set of wooden utensils are great to grab too.
- I HIGHLY recommend you buy this non stick pot.
- You should still deglaze pressure cooker after sautéing but it won’t have as many issues with this better liner.
For reference, this is the pressure cooker I have and use for all recipe creations.
5 Minute Instant Pot Chili Mac
Seriously, this recipe for chili mac cooks in just this short of time. Now it does take a bit to reach pressure so you have to account for that no matter what you pressure cook, but you know what I mean. Of course we add cheese to the top when it was done. That part is totally up to you though. We think everything is better with lots of cheese though y’all! 😉
We have made this 5 ingredient dump chili recipe for years and years you’ll have to make this week too. There are many ways to tweak it beyond the standard items added. I will share a few here and below in the list such as; using red enchilada sauce instead of tomato, diced onions can go in there or some bits of chiles. And heat can always be added for it to become spicy.
If you do like hot I suggest either red pepper flakes or chili powder. You can find hot enchilada sauce too or use a roll of spicy ground sausage instead of ground beef. That will do the trick well, we like half spicy sausage and half beef.
Instant Pot Chili Mac No Beans
Yes this is another variance, if you don’t like beans just skip them. To us that wouldn’t make it right but you do you. 😉 If you don’t have this multi cooker kitchen appliance it is genius I tell you and I use it every night. That’s why I have so many recipes to share. lol It is so simple and perfect to use in this cheesy chili mac recipe.
- I just added macaroni noodles and enough water for them to cook all together in the Instant Pot and it only took 5 minutes to cook!!!
- Seriously the easiest Instant Pot pasta recipe you will ever make.
- You can use the ingredients you love, make it spicy or mild so you love every bite.
Enjoy pinto beans more than kidney beans? Use those! Have a lot of ground turkey you want to use? That’s a great protein choice to use too!
Love diced bell peppers in anything called chili? Throw those in with everything else! I always say “use what you have on hand”!
Instant Pot Chili Mac Frozen Ground Beef
Ok so let’s talk about what you need to get out. I do suggest that your meat is thawed, but there is instructions for cooking it from frozen first, then proceeding too. A seasoning packet just makes everything easier. If you don’t have that you can add Lawry’s, dehydrated onions and a bit of chili powder. Ingredients in chili
- Pressure cooker
- If you have an Instant Pot I HIGHLY suggest you get a non stick pot for this and future recipes.
- Ground beef
- this is how to defrost Instant Pot frozen ground beef in case you need it.
- I often times use 1/2 lb. beef and 1/2 lb. spicy ground sausage for LOTS of flavor and a bit of heat
- Onion
- Diced tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- Kidney Beans
If I have a small can of diced green chiles I will usually add those too. Not to make it spicy but just add flavor. You can find them from hot to medium and/or mild for your chilimac.
Chili Mac in Instant Pot
I’ve used all sorts of small pasta shapes with it too. Those squiggly ones, shells are fun, and the classics you see here. I will be honest that what goes in there is what I have in the cupboard which is usually whatever was on sale when I was at the store. What can I say, I’m frugal.
- Elbow macaroni noodles
- or any small pasta works, I use what I have on hand really
- 1 pkg. chili seasoning (can use a pkg. of taco seasoning instead…still great)
- Chili powder
- just a bit for some heat, if you use spicy sausage I would omit this
- Cheese
- to top with, optional but so yummy
- we like Mexican blend
- Salt and pepper optional
Easy Instant Pot chili mac
You can spice it up or add as much seasoning you’d like once you add the ground beef. Alternatively, you could use spicy ground sausage or 1/2 lb. of each for a medium spice level!
- Another version we’ve made is to make this cheesy chili mac too in our Ninja Foodi!
- If you only have an Instant Pot you can do something very similar by just stirring 1 cup of cheese in at the end.
For EXTRA cheesiness, you can then sprinkle another 3/4 of a cup of shredded cheese on to the top, put lid on ajar for 5 minutes so it can melt on top.
For us one packet of chili seasoning is just right! Of course you could use your own spice combinations but this makes it easy. My kids love it and it is a warm comfort food that’s perfect when it’s “chilly” outside or really year round.
I love easy recipes like this especially during the summer when the last thing I want to do is turn on my oven when it is 100 degrees outside!
Looking for more cheap Instant Pot recipes?
- Instant Pot orange chicken is a healthier version, not breaded but with tons of flavor
- Easy Instant Pot white chicken chili is a fun dish too the kids love
Want to make Crockpot chili mac?? We do that too!
If you like your noodles more al dente then set the time to 3 minutes, a bit softer for 4-5 minutes.
- Note – I have NEVER had issues with stirring everything (other than noodles) together. Others have had false burn notifications.
- If your pot is super sensitive like this I highly suggest you get a non stick pot for this and future recipes.
- It is a game changer and you will likely never get the burn notice again.
And as always, when removing the lid face it away from your face so you aren’t overheated by the steam.
Want to see a few of my favorite things that I am totally obsessed with?? Take a peek and see how many you might already have…twinsies!
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Instant Pot Chili Mac Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 can diced tomatoes 15 oz
- 1 can tomato sauce 8 oz.
- 1 can red beans 15 oz
- 1 c elbow macaroni uncooked
- 1 c beef broth or water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pkg. chili seasoning packet or 1 tbsp seasoning salt, or 1 pkg. taco seasoning
- 1 tsp chili powder optional – more or less depending on spice level desired
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to saute and add olive oil, onions, and ground beef.
- Brown meat until cooked. Turn off IP.
- Pour in your can of red beans (undrained), diced tomatoes, sprinkle in packet of chili seasoning, tomato sauce and stir together. Pour in your broth, then sprinkle noodles on top but do NOT stir!! Just gently push down to submerge noodles into the liquid but keep on top. (if you stir, you may get burn notice)
- Turn IP to manual, pressure, high, for 4 minutes (3 if you like noodles more al dente). Close steam valve.
- When done do a quick release and carefully open lid. Stir. Serve topped with cheese!!
Video
Michelle
Wednesday 1st of February 2023
Delicious! Used my own spices (not the packet), white beans, added a little extra broth and pasta. Family is asking to have it in the meal rotation! So easy and yummy.
Kat
Wednesday 12th of January 2022
This is really good and I love how flexible the recipe is. I only used 1/2 lb of ground turkey and used pinto beans - added garlic, celery, frozen corn, green chilis and frozen diced green peppers. It was so quick and easy, especially with the ground turkey and onions already browned and frozen (I added straight from the freezer). I used water and no salt added tomato sauce and the seasoning is perfect. It is good with and without cheddar cheese. I don't usually use chili seasoning packets, but will definitely make this again and again. Thanks for posting!
Kat
Wednesday 12th of January 2022
@Kat, I also used whole wheat rotini, same cooking time .... in case anyone is curious.
Levi
Wednesday 20th of October 2021
I keep coming back to this recipe. Easy and delicious.
The Typical Mom
Friday 22nd of October 2021
So glad it is a hit
Suzanne
Wednesday 8th of January 2020
This is such a versatile recipe! No elbow macaroni, but I had a box of Kraft Deluxe Mac & cheese! Mixed the cheese in after cooking. I used to make this on the stove but tonight it is in the pressure cooker. I sometimes add frozen mixed veggies but this time it was riced cauliflower ( get them veggies in where ever you can). Delicious, comforting, adaptable ( didn't have tomato sauce so I used V8 juice). All those changes and it was still amazing. I have made it the "correct" way to and it rocks! Thanks for quick, yummy, every one cheers when you tell them what's for dinner! You hit this one out of the park and I am going through the rest of your recipes with all the time I have saved on cooking tonight! Oh and the tip on defrosting the meat... Genius, sheer genius!
Carrie
Wednesday 13th of November 2019
I have never loved chili, until I made this recipe! Thank you for sharing! I made this recipe in my crock pot minus the cheese & noodles which everyone poured chili over cooked noodles & added cheese if they wanted. It was delicious! Now, the leftover chili the next day tasted even better! Especially with a dollop of sour cream & crispy sour dough toast.
The Typical Mom
Wednesday 13th of November 2019
I'm so glad I could help you love chili mac!!