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Instant Pot Chili Mac

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Instant Pot Chili Mac brings together the best of chili and mac and cheese all in one meal! Made with ground beef, pasta, cheese and chili seasonings, this fast one-pot recipe is sure to become a family favourite!

If you’re looking for more Instant Pot pasta recipes, try my reader favourite Instant Pot Lazy Lasagna!

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chili mac and cheese on a white plate next to chopped parsley in a blue bowl and two forks

Originally published on February 1, 2020. Photos and recipe updated November 2024.

Why you’ll love this recipe

I’m sure this recipe will quickly become a family favourite like it has at our house. This Instant Pot Chili Mac is

  • Quick and easy – this wholesome pasta dish can be on your table in about 40 minutes, with almost half of that time being completely inactive (the Instant Pot does the work!).
  • Made in one pot – we love a dinner with minimal clean up!
  • Made with nutritious ingredients and classic comfort food flavours. The combo of lean protein, fibre from the beans and added veggies is a real winner!
  • Great for meal prep – our kids request this often for their hot school lunch (and grownups like the leftovers too).
A closeup photo of Instant Pot Chili Mac in a shallow white bowl being scooped by a fork.

Ingredients

  • Olive oil – optional, for sautéing if you use very lean ground meat
  • Lean ground beef – ground chicken or turkey also work
  • Yellow onion
  • Chicken broth – can sub vegetable broth if you’re making the vegetarian version (see below)
  • Spices – chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt
  • Elbow macaroni – any short pasta will work
  • Kidney beans – we love to add these for the fibre. Black beans would be great, too!
  • Diced tomatoes – a key part of the sauce!
  • Tomato paste – to enhance the tomato flavour
  • Chopped green chilies – to add a bit of heat
  • Grated cheddar cheese – a must for a cheesy sauce!
  • Bell peppers – to add colour and nutrition to the dish
Ingredients needed to make Instant Pot Chili Mac on a white marble counter, viewed from overhead, with text label overlays.

How to make it

Turn on the Sauté function and wait until the screen says “Hot”. Add the beef and cook it until almost done, then add the onions. Continue to sauté until the beef is done and onion is fragrant and starting to soften. Turn off the Sauté function.

Deglaze the insert by adding a small amount of broth and using a spatula to scrape up any food that’s stuck to the bottom. Pour in the remaining broth.

A six-photo process collage showing the steps to make Instant Pot Chili Mac.

Next, layer in the spices, kidney beans, pasta, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, diced green chilies and bell peppers (in this order). Do not stir.

Pressure cook on High for 4 minutes. At the end of cooking time, carefully quick release the pressure and stir in the cheese.

A large serving spoonful of Chili Mac being held over an Instant Pot.

Can I make this vegetarian?

Yes! Simply leave out the ground meat, use vegetable broth and double up the beans.

Tips for Success

  • Deglaze the insert. Do not skip this step after sautéing the beef and onion. Caked on food can cause a burn warning.
  • Add ingredients in the order given and don’t stir. Adding the broth first and not stirring the tomato paste and noodles to the bottom help prevent a burn warning.
  • Use freshly grated cheddar. I find freshly grated melts better than the pre-shredded stuff, but both will work!
  • Adjust the pasta cook time for different pasta shapes. See the Note in the Recipe card for how to calculate different cook times.
Chili mac and cheese in an Instant Pot viewed from overhead

More quick Instant Pot recipes

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Chili Mac being scooped with a serving spoon in an Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Chili Mac

Laura Lawless, BASc
Instant Pot Chili Mac brings together the best of chili and mac and cheese all in one meal! Made with ground beef, pasta, cheese and chili seasonings, this fast one-pot meal is sure to become a family favourite!
5 from 2 votes

Click stars to rate now! ↑

Servings 8
Calories 587
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Inactive time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Turn on the Sauté function on the Instant Pot. Once the screen says “Hot”, add the ground beef (add olive oil first if you’re using ground chicken or turkey). Brown the beef while breaking it up into smaller pieces. When the beef is almost cooked through, add the diced onion and continue to cook until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is softened and fragrant. Turn off the Sauté function.
  • Add a small amount of the broth and deglaze the bottom of the insert (using a flat-bottomed spatula, scrape up any brown bits that are stuck). Deglazing helps to avoid a burn warning.
  • Pour in the remaining broth and sprinkle in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano and salt. Add the elbow noodles in an even layer, then layer in the kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, canned chilies and bell peppers. Do not stir.
  • Close the lid and set the vent to sealing. Pressure cook on Manual high pressure for 4 minutes (your Instant Pot may have a “Pressure Cook” button rather than a “Manual” button). It will take 10-15minutes to come to pressure.
  • At the end of cooking time, carefully quick release the pressure. The noodles may look stuck together, but they’re perfect once you stir. Mix in the grated cheddar and season with additional salt to taste.
  • Scoop into bowls and top with your favourite garnishes. Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.

Notes

  1. Pasta substitution: you can use 1 pound of any short pasta.  
  2. Pasta cook time calculation: the lowest cook time on the package divided by 2. If it’s an odd number, round down and divide by 2. For example, 7 minutes would round to to 6, then divide by two for a 3 minute pressure cook time. 
  3. Inactive time indicates time needed for Instant Pot to come to pressure and release pressure after cooking.
  4. Recipe was tested in both 6-quart and 8-quart Instant Pot models. 
  5. Nutrition estimate does not include optional garnishes.

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 587kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 823mg | Potassium: 1062mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1320IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 336mg | Iron: 6mg

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5 from 2 votes

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Recipe Rating




4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I really enjoyed this recipe. It wasn’t hard to make and turned out great! I added in a half can of diced tomatoes I had lying around which complemented the chili flavor. I think it may have been even better the second night when all the flavors soaked into the pasta. Thanks for the creative recipe!

    1. Laura Lawless, BASc says:

      So happy you enjoyed it!

  2. Trudefaith says:

    5 stars
    So good. Followed your recipe exactly and it came out perfect. Thank you. I will be trying more if your instant pot recipes

    1. Laura Lawless, BASc says:

      Thrilled to hear that! Thanks so much for leaving a review!