Crockpot Chili Mac is a comfort food dinner if there ever was one. Seasoned ground beef, beans, garlic, onion, and pasta all cooked in one hearty meal.
This crockpot ground beef recipe is one you can throw together and let the crockpot handle the rest. This and my crockpot chili are my go-to, no-fuss fall and winter crockpot recipes.
Think of chili mac as a crockpot of chili meets a crockpot of pasta. Combine the two and you have a meal that will leave you asking for seconds.
Give this crockpot chili mac recipe a try tonight for dinner!
You will love how this slow cooker chili mac is so simple to make, and even the little ones gobble this crockpot dinner right up.
Ingredients Needed
This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Ground Beef – I used ground beef for this chili mac recipe. But you are more than welcome to swap with a ground turkey, pork, or even ground chicken.
- Garlic and Onion – Yellow or white onion are best for this recipe.
- Chili Seasoning – Grab a bag from the store or, better yet, make your own. It is going to add a ton of flavor.
- Beans – You can use kidney beans, pinto beans, seasoned chili beans or any other style of bean you would like.
- Beef Broth – The broth helps to really add flavor to the pasta as it soaks it in, compared to water.
- Tomato Puree – One of the big parts to the dish!
- Pasta – We use elbow macaroni but feel free to swap out with any smaller pasta you may have in your pantry.
How to Make
The first step is cooking your ground beef in a skillet. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and browned fully.
Add the meat to the crockpot along with all the other ingredients, except the pasta. Just dump it all in and give it a stir. Cover and cook as directed in the recipe card below.
When 20 minutes remain, stir in the pasta.
Once done, simply give one last stir, dish up on a plate, top with shredded cheese, parsley, or any other toppings of choice!
Storage
Your slow cooker chili mac will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. Just make sure to store in an airtight container.
You can freeze leftovers, but you will find the pasta is going to be more tender once it is reheated after being thawed. If you are okay with that, go ahead and freeze for 2-3 months.
FAQs
The pasta is the key to knowing when your chili mac is done. Simply remove a piece of pasta and test it to see if the pasta is done. If it is still a bit hard, just place the lid back on the slow cooker and finish cooking until the pasta is done.
All pasta is a bit different, if you check and see your mixture is too dry, add a splash more of the broth and then stir. Some pasta varieties will pull in more moisture and can leave your mixture a bit dry.
Related Recipes
- Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup
- Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Homemade Hot Dog Chili Sauce
- Crockpot Steak Bites
- Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
- Crockpot Frito Pie
Crockpot Chili Mac
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Print Pin Save RateIngredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ cups tomato puree
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 14 ounce can beans of choice
- 2 Tablespoons homeamde chili seasoning, or 1 packet
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni, uncooked (about 2 cups)
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, using your spoon to stir and break up the ground beef as much as possible as it cooks. Drain grease if necessary and transfer to the crockpot.
- Add remaining ingredients except for the pasta. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook for 3-4 hours on HIGH or 6-8 hours on LOW.
- In the last 20 minutes of cooking, stir in the elbow noodles and cook until they reach your desired consistency.
- Serve with your favorite chili toppings (sour cream, cheese, corn chips, chives, etc)
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by a third party and intended to serve as an estimate only. The accuracy of nutritional information is not guaranteed.
Is the pasta already cooked when you add it?
No, the pasta is uncooked.