Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese + Tutorial
Instant Pot Chili Mac is super comforting, belly filling and requires a minimal amount effort and practically no time at all to make. Post include Weight Watchers points.
Who doesn’t looooove chili mac and cheese? It’s the ultimate comfort food, combining the warm, hearty and filling feeling of a nice bowl of chili with the cheesy, gooey, goodness of mac and cheese. You can’t go wrong.
Add in the fact that you can whip it up in an instant (pun intended!), and this Instant Pot chili mac will quickly become a family favorite.
This is one of those amaaaaaaazing dished that is ideal for meal prep. Stash it in the freezer and you’ll feel good knowing you have a satisfying dinner on hand when needed. Plus it’s super affordable and made with everyday pantry and fridge staples, which means sticking to your grocery budget just got easier.
Yeap. This is a delicious family dinner that’s also easy on the wallet. Which is exactly why I had to share this Instant Pot Chili Mac recipe with you peeps!!! I’ve admitted before that this Chicken Chili recipe is my all time favorite kind of chili, but this Instant Pot Chili Mac recipe just may have me changing my mind. It reaaalllly is just that good!
Instant Pot Chili Mac And CheeseTools
KITCHEN TOOLS, UTENSILS & APPLIANCES NEEDED
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Here are some of the items you will need to make this recipe.
- 8 qt Instant Pot
- I use and love the 8 qt, extra Instant Pot Insert & sealing ring.
- 3 qt Instant Pot or 6 qt Instant Pot depending on family size.
- Cutting board.
- Knife.
- Spatula.
- Measuring jugs or cups.
- Measuring teaspoons.
- Bowls with covers.
- Store leftover food in these.
So, are you ready to learn just how easy it is to make Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese? Gather up your ingredients and I will show you how…..
Instant Pot Chili Mac Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to sauté mode and add the olive oil.
- Place ground beef (or turkey) inside the Instant Pot and brown for about 5 mins. Then drain the oil and excess liquid.
- Turn off the Instant Pot and stir in the green onion, pepper, spices, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
- Add in your broth of choice for this chili mac instant pot recipe, stir and make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to remove anything that may have stuck on.
- Next, add the pasta and beans, followed by tomatoes. Do NOT mix in!
- Cover the Instant Pot with the lid, lock, and turn the value to the sealing position.
- Set to manual pressure, high pressure for 4 mins.
- Perform a quick pressure release and then stir in cheese until melted.
- Garnish you Instant Pot Chili Mac with desired herbs, serve and enjoy.
Chili Mac Instant Pot Recipe Tips
- Please note that the cook time listed does not include time to come up to pressure or for the pressure to release.
- To make this Pressure Cooker Chili Mac with a little extra flair, add more veggies, like sweet corn or change out the macaroni pasta for other shapes, like penne or shells.
- Don’t have veggie broth on hand? No worries folks, this chili mac Instant Pot recipe is versatile, so you can use whatever type of broth you have on hand.
- Feel free to add more cheese if you want a cheesier Instant Pot Chili Mac.
Why Use Balsamic Vinegar in a Chili Mac Instant Pot Recipe?
Peeps, if you’ve never put balsamic vinegar in an Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker Chili Mac recipe, you’ve been really missing out. I call it the ‘secret sauce’ for a reason!!! It intensifies the flavors of all the ingredients and does an amazing job complementing the tomato flavors. It’ll be a staple to your Chili Mac Instant Pot recipe.
What Kind of Tomatoes Should I Use When Making Chili Mac?
To have the best Instant Pot Chili Mac, make sure to use a good quality brand of canned tomatoes. You want them to be really thick and plump.
If you have tomatoes that have more water in them, you may need to use a little less or sauté the chili mac and cheese for a little longer to get rid of the extra liquid.
Pressure Cooker Chili Mac and How to Avoid The Burn Notice
It’s important to add the ingredients in the order listed and to NOT mix them together. This is because acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes, and thicker sauces are more likely to burn.
Keeping the tomatoes on top and away from the bottom of the pressure cooker will help you avoid getting that dreaded burn notice while cooking.
Can You Freeze Chili Mac And Cheese?
Yeap. This Chili Mac and Cheese recipe is a great meal prep solution. You can cook, freeze (either as a full meal or in individual servings) for up to 3 months and then reheat when needed.
- Let it cool down then transfer into these very handy Ziploc freezer bags.
- Squeeze out all the extra air and seal the bags.
- Label the bags and then lay them flat in the freezer.
- Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Instant Pot Chili Mac Serving Suggestions
Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
Chili Mac Instant Pot Recipe Weight Watchers Points
There are 9 Freestyle SmartPoints in one serving of Instant Pot Chili Mac.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Mouth-Watering Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
Thank you for reading my Instant Pot Chili Mac recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, UK food blog.
Get the Instant Pot Chili Mac Recipe
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Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
- 6 green onions spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 bell pepper deseeded and finely cubed
- 1 tsp garlic pureé
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- chili powder to your taste
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- salt
- black pepper
- 3 cups beef broth or vegetable broth
- 1 lb macaroni
- 14 oz (400g) kidney beans drained
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to sauté mode and add the olive oil.
- Place ground beef (or turkey) inside the Instant Pot and brown for about 5 mins. Then drain off the oil and excess liquid.
- Turn off the Instant Pot and stir in the green onion, pepper, spices, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
- Add in your broth of choice for this chili mac instant pot recipe, stir and make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to remove anything that may have stuck on.
- Next, add the pasta and beans, followed by tomatoes. Do NOT mix in!
- Cover the Instant Pot with the lid, lock, and turn the value to the sealing position.
- Set to manual pressure, high pressure for 4 mins.
- Perform a quick pressure release and then stir in cheese until melted.
- Garnish you Instant Pot Chili Mac with desired herbs, serve and enjoy.
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Notes
- Please note that the cook time listed does not include time to come up to pressure or for the pressure to release.
- To make this with a little extra flair, add more veggies, like sweet corn or change out the macaroni pasta for other shapes, like penne or shells.
- Don’t have veggie broth on hand? No worries folks, this chili mac Instant Pot recipe is versatile, so you can use whatever type of broth you have on hand.
- Feel free to add more cheese if you want a cheesier version.
It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post. https://www.gmdrecipes.com/
The pasta wasn’t cooked at ALL after 4 minutes…
its delicious food
This is two of my favourite foods in one! What a great idea. I don’t have an instant pot but I definitely want to give this recipe a try on the hob!
It turned out absolutely mouthwatering!
Does it really require 19 minutes to make a whole meal? I just love it! This Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese sounds easy and delicious! Thanks for sharing!
You had me at Instant pot and chili! Those are two of my favorite words and this recipe is downright delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Such a delicious comfort food! It sounds absolutely incredible with the addition of the balsamic vinegar.
I’ve been having so much fun with my instant pot! I can’t wait to try this mac recipe. I was just telling my husband I was craving this!
I couldn’t wait to try this recipe, chili mac is my husband’s favorite meal and in the Instant Pot, yes please! Easy and delicious – we ate it all!