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This easy Slow Cooker Chili Mac has all the cozy chili flavors with tender pasta and melty cheese in one comforting dish. Perfect crockpot comfort food ready in 4-6 hours with minimal prep!
👩🍳 This isn’t just any ordinary chili – it’s the perfect marriage of hearty chili and creamy mac and cheese comfort, all made effortlessly in your crockpot!
My 2 Best Tips For Making Slow Cooker Chili Mac
Cook Pasta Separately: Cooking the elbow macaroni separately and stirring it in during the last 15 minutes prevents mushy pasta and gives you better control over the final consistency of your chili mac.
Taste and Adjust Seasonings: Slow cooking tends to mellow spices, so always taste your finished chili mac and adjust salt, heat, or seasonings as needed. A pinch of cayenne or extra chili powder can brighten the whole dish.
🩷 Melissa
After the initial browning of ground beef and vegetables, everything goes into the slow cooker to work its magic. No stirring, no babysitting – just set it and forget it until it’s time to add the pasta near serving time.
This recipe makes a generous amount that’s perfect for feeding a crowd or stocking your freezer. The flavors actually improve overnight, making it an ideal make-ahead meal for busy families.
Slow Cooker Chili Mac
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, chopped (seeded for less heat)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules or base
- 3 cans assorted beans, drained and rinsed , 15-ounce cans, (kidney, black, pinto, etc.)
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, 28-ounce
- 8 ounces dry pasta, cooked separately (elbow macaroni or small shells)
- 8 ounces shredded cheese for serving, cheddar, Colby Jack, or pepper jack
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño in a large skillet over medium heat until the beef is browned and the veggies soften. Drain excess grease.
- Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and beef bouillon. Cook 1 minute to bloom the spices.
- Add the beef mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and beans until combined. Fill the tomato can half up with water and add that water to the slow cooker too. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on Low 4–6 hours or High 2–3 hours.
- About 15 minutes before serving, cook the pasta in salted water to al dente according to package directions. Drain well.
- Stir the hot pasta into the chili. Taste and adjust salt or heat.
- Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese. Add your favorite chili fixings if you’d like.
Notes
- This is so flexible! Use turkey instead of beef, switch up the beans, or use a different pasta.
- For extra heat, add a pinch of cayenne or an extra jalapeño.
- If you prefer the pasta on the side (great for leftovers), keep it separate and spoon the chili over it when serving.
- I really like to cook the pasta for slow cooker soups separately so that you can control the liquid in the soup a little better.
- I find that the slow cooker dulls the spices quite a bit so taste and add more seasonings to your liking before serving.
- This recipe freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing it without the pasta and adding freshly cooked pasta when you reheat. The pasta texture holds up much better this way, and you’ll have a fresher final result.
- Leftover chili mac tends to thicken as it sits, which is completely normal. When reheating, add a splash of beef broth or water to loosen it up. Heat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally until heated through.
Nutrition
How to Make Chili Mac in the Slow Cooker
Step 1: Cook the ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño in a large skillet over medium heat until the beef is browned and the veggies soften. Drain excess grease.
Step 2: Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and beef bouillon. Cook 1 minute to bloom the spices. Add all of this to the slow cooker.
Step 3: Stir in the crushed tomatoes and beans until combined. Fill the tomato can half up with water and add that water to the slow cooker too. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on Low 4–6 hours or High 2–3 hours.
Step 4: About 15 minutes before serving, cook the pasta in salted water to al dente according to package directions. Drain well. Stir the hot pasta into the chili. Taste and adjust salt or heat. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese.
Recipe FAQs
While you technically can add raw ground beef directly to the slow cooker, browning it first significantly improves the flavor and texture. The caramelization process creates depth that you simply can’t achieve with raw meat. I highly recommend taking the extra 10 minutes to brown everything properly.
Cook your pasta separately until just al dente, then stir it into the chili during the last 15 minutes of cooking. This technique keeps the pasta from overcooking and maintains the perfect texture. If you’re meal prepping, store the pasta separately and combine when reheating.
Yes! Brown the meat using the sauté function, add remaining ingredients except pasta, and pressure cook on high for 15 minutes with natural release. Stir in the separately cooked pasta at the end. The flavors won’t be quite as developed as with slow cooking, but it’s a great time-saving option.
More Savory Beef Recipes To Try
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Easy Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
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Best Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Recipe
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Tender Slow Cooker Brisket
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