It doesn't take any more than a piping hot bowl of cheesy Instant Pot chili mac to hug you from the inside. This easy recipe is THE definition of comfort food!
Cheesy Instant Pot Chili Mac
On any school night, it's at least 6:30 pm by the time we arrive home. Everyone is tired and hungry. Most of the time, I have some sort of food prepped, but when I find myself dinner-less, this Instant Pot chili mac always delivers.
Now, let me give credit where it's due: the Instant Pot (or pressure cooker) cuts down on cook time compared to the stovetop chili mac version, while pantry staples reduce prep time. That’s how I also manage to make chicken stew and baked potato soup in the middle of the week with no fuss!
Ingredients
For this recipe, the fresh ingredients you’ll need are defrosted ground meat (turkey or beef), onion, garlic, and cheese. From the pantry, grab spices, beef or chicken broth, green chilis, beans (I use red kidney and black beans, but any other works), macaroni (or another shell pasta), canned diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
How to Make Chili Mac in the Instant Pot
Follow these steps and watch the video below to make this amazing chili mac in just 20 minutes!
- Sauté the ground meat.
Cook the meat in the Instant Pot until browned. Add the onion and cook until fragrant. - Add the rest of the ingredients.
Stir together the spices, broth, chilis, and beans. Bring to a simmer and add the pasta. Stop the sauté mode, add the tomatoes and tomato sauce. - Pressure cook on high for 4 minutes.
Once done, do a quick release of the steam and wait until the pressure gauge drops back down before removing the lid. - Add the cheese.
Finally, allow the cheese to melt before serving.
What to Serve with Chili Mac
Since this delicious chili mac comes together super fast thanks to the Instant Pot, I like to serve it with veggie sides I can also whip up quick, like an everyday side salad, corn and black bean salsa, or these simple spicy asparagus.
Instant Pot Chili Mac
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey or beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2.5 cups chicken broth
- 4 ounce can green chilis
- 15 ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
Sauté:
- Set the Insta Pot to sauté mode. Add the ground meat and brown it, breaking it up with a wooden spatula as it cooks. Towards the end, add the onion and sauté it with the beef for about 2 minutes.
- Add the spices and garlic, and stir to combine. Add the broth, chilis, and beans, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the pasta.
Cook:
- Press the cancel button to stop the sauté mode. Then, add the tomatoes and tomato sauce, covering the meat and pasta.
- Put the lid on and seal the valve. Press the manual button and pressure cook on high for 4 minutes. It will take about 6 to 8 minutes for it to come to pressure, then it will cook for 4 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, release the pressure by opening the valve.
- Add half of the shredded cheese and stir to combine the cheese with the chili mac. Top with the remaining cheese, cover with the lid for 2 minutes to melt the cheese.
Serve:
- Serve the chili mac into bowls.
Storage:
- Once cooled, cover the pot with a silicone lid or transfer leftovers into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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Lisa says
Delish!!