Recipes / Stovetop/ One-Pot Chili Mac

One-Pot Chili Mac

Pasta, ground beef, tomatoes, and beans cooked together in one pot. It's chili meets mac and cheese without the cheese packet — hearty, thick, and hard to mess up.

Time
25 min
Difficulty
Easy
Serves
4–6
Stovetop Nut-FreeEgg-FreeDairy-Free

Ingredients 7 items

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Knife and cutting board
  • Can opener
  • Stirring spoon

Allergens: Contains Gluten (pasta).

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes.
  2. Add the ground beef. Break it into small pieces as it cooks, about 5–7 minutes, until no pink remains.
  3. Add the diced tomatoes (with their juice), drained beans, water, and uncooked pasta. Stir to combine.
  4. Season with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper if you have them.
  5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
  6. Serve topped with cheese or sour cream if available.
notes & tips
  • Ground turkey works too. Same method, same timing.
  • Add corn: Stir in a drained can of corn with the beans for more color and sweetness.
  • Mac and cheese version: Stir in ½ cup shredded cheese at the end for a cheesy chili mac.
  • The pasta cooks in the pot so there's no need to boil it separately. One pot, one cleanup.
  • Freezes well. Portion into containers for easy future meals.