January is National Slow Cooking Month so I had to make sure the first recipe I shared of 2020 was something that could be made in your slow cooker.
PLUS, it is also the perfect meal to enjoy on a cooler night!
What exactly is Chili Mac?
Basically it is Chili and Macaroni and Cheese combined. However, for this recipe, I have attempted to make it a bit healthier and of course, added in some extra veggies. I mean, after all, we are Living On Roots here right?!
When I was younger, my Dad always made a dish like this except it had ground beef in it. He called it ‘Goulash’ (and I am totally guessing on that spelling by the way). I remember asking over and over as kids do, ‘what is goulash?’ but whatever my Dad would respond with didn’t matter. I enjoyed whatever was thrown into that pot.
SO, when I made this Chili Mac, it reminded me of my childhood.
How do you make Chili Mac?
Thankfully, anyone can make this dish!
It is very easy.
- Chop some veggies
- Open a few cans of beans, chilis, and tomatoes
- Measure a couple of spices
- Throw it all together in a slow cooker or crockpot
- Stir
- Cover and let it sit all day long
- 30 minutes before eating, add in pasta
- The last step: add on cheese until it melts
If you don’t have a crockpot and are looking for one, I like the looks and simplicity of this one, but at home, I have used something similar to this one for going on 16 years now. Whatever you have will work.
If you do not have a crockpot this can work on the stovetop. Instead of cooking all day, you could follow the same direction but cook in a large stockpot for 30 minutes, add in the pasta and cook for about another 15 minutes or until noodles are soft.
Have you ever ate Chili Mac?
The beauty of this dish is how customizable it is. If you want to add in mushrooms, extra green chilis, remove the corn, add in more cheese… go for it. The main thing to remember when cooking this dish is to have 4 cups of the broth so there is enough liquid for the noodles. That is it!
I love to eat this dish with some cornbread on the side and topped with green onions and cilantro. How would you eat it?
I hope you enjoy this recipe! I’d love to hear what you think, be sure to leave a comment below.
Chili Mac
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Red onion, chopped about one medium-sized red onion
- 1 Cup Red bell pepper, chopped about one large-sized pepper
- 1 32 oz Box of vegetable broth or 4 cups of homemade broth
- 1 28 oz Can of diced tomatoes
- 1 15.5 oz Can of pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15.5 oz Can of kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz Can of corn kernels drained
- 1 4.5 oz Can of green chilis
- 1 Tbsp Chili powder
- 2 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
- 8 oz Spiral pasta gluten-free if needed
- 1/2 Cup Vegan cheddar cheese if not vegan, you can use regular cheese
Optional Toppings
- Green onions
- Cilantro
- Vegan sour cream
Instructions
- Add all ingredients together EXCEPT the pasta and cheese in a crockpot. Stir and cover.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- 30 minutes before serving, add in pasta and stir. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more.
- When pasta is soft, add in cheese and stir in. You can add more cheese to the top if desired.
- When cheese is melted, serve in bowls and top with desired toppings.
If pinning this recipe on Pinterest, feel free to use this image:
This sounds great!
Thanks, Laci!