The Best Slow Cooker Chili Mac Recipe | Easy Crockpot Dinner
This cheesy slow cooker chili mac is made with browned ground beef, hearty beans, tender elbow macaroni, bold chili seasoning, and plenty of cheddar cheese. It is an easy, cozy crockpot dinner the whole family will love.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 HOURS 30 MINS
- Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can chili beans in chili sauce, undrained
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 2 ½ cups dry elbow macaroni
- 2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Optional toppings
- Sour cream
- Sliced jalapeños
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced green onions
- Crushed corn chips
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and diced onion until the beef is browned and the onion is softened. Drain excess grease.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Transfer the browned beef mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the kidney beans, chili beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne, if using.
- Stir well, cover, and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
- Turn the slow cooker to HIGH. Stir in the dry elbow macaroni, cover, and cook for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring once or twice if possible, until the pasta is tender.
- Turn off the slow cooker and stir in 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and let it melt for 5 minutes.
- Serve warm with sour cream, jalapeños, chopped cilantro, or your favorite chili toppings.
Notes
- Do not add the pasta at the beginning. Adding it near the end keeps it tender instead of mushy.
- Start checking the pasta after 25 minutes, since slow cookers cook differently.
- If the chili mac thickens too much while the pasta cooks, stir in a splash of warm beef broth.
- Freshly shredded cheddar melts smoother than pre-shredded cheese.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Add a splash of broth when reheating.
Find it online: https://www.firsthomelovelife.com/slow-cooker-chili-mac/