Our easy Instant Pot chili mac with canned beans, ground beef is a one pot meal your kids will love! Dump everything into your pressure cooker and it’s done in less than 15 minutes.
Chili mac and cheese is so easy to do and a perfect addition to our long list of Instant Pot recipes and there is a lot of tweaks you can make to ours. Using diced tomatoes makes it mild or Rotel can make a bit spicy…and we love our cheesy too!
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 as a Ninja Foodi recipe is you can melt and brown a layer of cheese on the top at the end if you want to.
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.
Ingredient Notes
You will want some meat to add to this. Most common would use a package of ground beef (80/20 is best), some prefer a roll of spicy ground sausage to give it some heat and others like half spicy sausage and half beef. Have a lot of ground turkey you want to use? That’s a great protein choice to use too!
Enjoy pinto beans more than the listed kidney beans? Use those! I would suggest those that are with a bit firmer skins though so they keep their shape when cooked under high pressure. Do not drain the can, just pour everything right in there!
You will want to add a whole can of Diced tomatoes, we like petite size, canned not drained to make a deep flavored sauce
Tomato sauce will make it richer and thicker, you could use red enchilada or spaghetti sauce instead really
Elbow macaroni noodles or any small pasta works, I use what I have on hand really. I wouldn’t add anything larger than the medium size or the cook time will be a bit off.
To season this the best way possible include 1 pkg. chili seasoning (can use a pkg. of taco seasoning instead…still great) and chili powder, just a bit for some heat, if you use spicy sausage I would omit this. 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.
Onions diced are optional for added texture and flavor to the dish, white or yellow. You will want to saute these with the meat at the beginning to soften up a bit. You can add cheese for a pressure cooker cheesy chili mac recipe too.
Chili Mac No Beans (Option)
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. 😉 You wouldn’t adjust any other ingredients if you left these out but note that it will be a bit soupier if you do.
Can you use frozen ground beef?
Ok so let’s talk about what you need to get out. I do suggest that your meat is thawed, but if not this is how to defrost Instant Pot frozen ground beef 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.
Variations and Substitutions
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.
For EXTRA cheesiness, you can stir some in when done and then sprinkle another 3/4 of a cup of shredded cheese on to the top to melt. With a Foodi you could put lid that is attached on then, at 400 for a few minutes to crisp.
How Long to Cook Chili Mac in Instant Pot
Seriously, this recipe for chili mac cooks in just this short of time. Now it does take a bit to reach pressure (10 min) so you have to account for that no matter what you pressure cook, but you know what I mean. It takes about 4 minutes to brown the meat and 4 minutes to pressure cook on high so in total I would say it takes 18 minutes total.
Tips
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 spatula wooden best
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef , ground turkey, or spicy ground sausage for spicy
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 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 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 1 cup beef broth, or water
- 1 packet chili seasoning, or 1 tbsp seasoning salt, or 1 pkg. taco seasoning
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to saute and add olive oil and ground beef. (can add 1/2 diced onion as well if desired)
- Brown meat until no longer pink. 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 high pressure for 4 minutes. 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.
FAQ
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.
Other one pot meals you’ll love
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? 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.
I keep coming back to this recipe. Easy and delicious.
So glad it is a hit
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!
@Suzanne, You said you used to make this on the stove, but now in the IP; when you add frozen veggies, when you add them (for both stove and IP cooking)?
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.
I’m so glad I could help you love chili mac!!
Made this today with fire roasted diced tomatoes and Chile powder. Very good and so quick!
Yay!!
I can’t believe how easy this was! Thanks so much for sharing such a great recipe!
It’s one of our faves. 😉
I love this recipe…I can’t lie I’ll pretty much try anything that looks this delicious and can be made in my favorite kitchen appliance! The whole family loved this! Thanks for the great recipe!
Do you have this recipe for the crockpot??
Not yet, no. If you precook the beef and add in with all other ingredients on low to cook all day it should work just the same.
Can I use this recipe in my Ninja Foodi?
Absolutely
This is such an easy and simple family recipe! Love it!
Glad it’s a fave for you too.
I didn’t realize you can make pasta recipes in the Instant Pot. So excited to try!
Your narrative mentions adding water. Your recipe does not. Do you add
water before cooking?
Yes in the recipe it states water, you add when it says add all other ingredients.