The best 5 minute Instant Pot chili mac recipe with ground beef and beans is a meal your kids will love! Cassic old fashioned goulash style dinner packed elbow macaroni noodles. Dump all the ingredients into your Ninja Foodi or Crock Pot Express for a complete meal done in less than 15 minutes. Add cheese for a pressure cooker cheesy chili mac recipe too.
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. Using diced tomatoes or Rotel to make a bit spicy it is a cheap one pot meal. (participant in the amazon program, affiliate links present)
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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.
If you are new to pressure cooking we have a lot of easy one pot meal recipes for you here. To begin with 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.
- I HIGHLY recommend you buy this non stick pot.
- You should know how to deglaze a pressure cooker after sautéing but it won’t have as many issues with this better liner.
For reference, this is the model I have (a 6 quart) 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 you add cheese to as well.
- 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.
Instant Pot Chili Mac Recipe with Ground Beef
You can include meat or not depending on your preferences. Ground sausage or turkey work just as well and the same way as instructed below. Brown first using the saute function and then proceed.
- 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
I have also used a packet of fajita seasoning if I don’t have the one listed below. Biggest difference between the two is this has some heat to it.
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.
Not much other than the first typically has cheddar cheese stirred into it so it is ooey gooey thick, but not always. Sometimes evaporated milk is included in goulash to also make it creamier and thicker. Each one typically is slightly different depending on what region of the country you live in.
It really is a complete meal so you really don’t need a side dish. If you really thought it needed something a good choice would be garlic bread or a side salad if you want to go healthier. Typically you would find a breadstick served with it in the South. If you didn’t add ground beef into it you could serve with hamburger patties separately.
How to Make Instant Pot Chili with Elbow Macaroni
The printable recipe is below for you to follow. Any small noodle will work, any shape, that is your preferences. 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.
Instant Pot Chili Mac Recipe
Equipment
- 1 pressure cooker
- 1 spatula wooden best
Ingredients
- 1/2 onion , diced, optional
- 1 lb ground beef , ground turkey, or spicy ground sausage for spicy
- 1 can diced tomatoes, 15 oz
- 1 can tomato sauce, 8 oz., or red enchilada sauce for spicy
- 1 can kidney 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m cooking this as we speak, but mine keeps sticking to the bottom and saying “burn”. I followed the directions exactly! And idea what’s going on?
I looked up why the “burn” alert might happen, and a website said that recipes with tomatoes/tomato sauce etc. tend to burn easily. Only LAYER them!* This should help eliminate the “burn” warning. ?
Trying this now with venison and normal stove top recipe. Similar to yours but tomato juice.
Oh let me know how it turns out, hope to have some venison ourselves soon.
If you increase the servings to you pressure cook it longer?
For this one it should be fine to double it and turn out the same, just don’t ever fill more than 3/4 of the way full in your pot.
Hi. I never leave reviews but your chili mac recipe is our all time favorite! Our teenager asks for this at least once a week. We dont change a single thing. Thanks for the best family meal recipe ever!
Thank you for sharing!! I love hearing positive reviews.
I made this tonight for our family of 6 and it was a huge hit! We eat gluten and dairy free so I used the Barilla gf elbow pasta and it worked perfectly. We also didn’t even miss the cheese. Thank you for a delicious new family favorite recipe!
Do you have instructions for making this on the stove or in the crock pot? I’ve already started sharing your recipe with friends and some don’t have an IP.
So glad you loved it!!
Made this tonight-it’s a keeper!
So glad!
This sounds so yummy
as a 85 year old widower the instant pot and pinterest are the greatest. I have no patience for slow cookers I want something that at 4 or 5 or 6 o’clock that I can fix in a hurry not think at 10 in the morning what I will want at 6 that evening. This recipe fits me to a tee. if I can do it. my wife with her 50 years of cooking would have had a ball with this.
I love reading this so much! As a mom with a million things going on, I can so relate to being able to throw something together at 4-5 o’clock and the Instant pot does the rest for me. If you haven’t made this recipe yet, I can attest that its delicious and my family loves it. Wish we could have you for dinner, so glad even men cooking for themselves love the instant pot and pinterest! It’s the greatest!
This is going to be a go to meal for my family for sure
Awesome!
I wasn’t able to get it to print. But it sounds great!
Hmmm, what did it do/say?
This had great flavor, but mine stuck to the bottom. I followed the recipe except for draining the beans. I wonder what happened? I only high pressured in IP for 5 minutes and when I immediately went to do the steam valve release, no steam!! I made sure it was in the right position too before pressure cooking. This is the first time this has happened to me when using Instant Pot…
I have learned when cooking pasta put the pasta on top and do not stir. Make sure it’s covered in liquid though.