This Simple Chili Mac is the reason you should make a double batch of chili. Leftover chili (or purchased canned chili) makes this recipe take about 5 minutes to throw together.
Also? How did I ever live without an Instant Pot? I know, I know. So many of you told me I would love it for the amount of time and effort it saves, but I could not handle thinking about learning how to use a new appliance. Good grief. There was nothing to learn. Okay, there was a little bit more than nothing to learn. There was about ten minutes of learning involved.
But now I’m like, “Here, Instant Pot. I give you my leftover chili and my dry pasta. Please make our lunch.”
And then it does. Like a boss. Except I’m the boss because I told it what to make.
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can still make this as simple as possible in your crock pot or your stove top.
Have I told you how much I love NOT cooking pasta before adding it to casserole dishes? Truly, any recipe that allows me to dump dry pasta into sauce and walk away is golden.
Simple Chili Mac
- 48-ounces prepared Chili
- 8-ounces whole grain pasta, any variety, uncooked
- Sea salt to taste
- 1 cup water
- 3 cups shredded cheese
- Stir chili, uncooked pasta, water and salt into Instant Pot, Crock Pot, or large cooking pot.
- Instant Pot: Cook at high pressure for 6 minutes.
- Crock Pot: Cook on low for 4 hours or hi for 2.5 hours.
- Stove Top: Cook on low heat, covered, stirring every few minutes until pasta is tender.
- Top casserole with cheese and allow it to melt before serving.
Here’s our Easy Chili Recipe! Using leftover chili for this Chili Mac recipe makes it extra simple!
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This had no trouble coming to pressure and not scorching? It doesn’t seem like enough liquid, especially if you stir it ahead.
I didn’t have trouble with it scorching, though it didn’t really come to pressure. Still, it cooks the pasta just fine in my experience. :)
Laura, 22 minutes is an extremely long amount of time for pasta in the Instant Pot. I follow the rule that you use 1/2 the cooking time on the dry pasta instructions for the high pressure time.
Ack! You’re right! I was writing out a couple different new recipes at the same time and got this one mixed up. SO glad you pointed that out. Edited it to say 6 minutes…yeah, just a slight difference. {bonks head}
For a taste more like Steak’n Shake’s recipe, add ketchup and Worcestershire sauce!
I have tired this twice in two different Insta Pots and it gave me the burn error each time. I will try again, but next time I will try on Low. I did add an extra cup of water the second time and it still burned.
I’m so sorry you had that experience! Perhaps your Instant Pot runs a bit hotter than Laura’s? Try it on low, and let us know how it goes!