One Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac and Cheese
Updated September 21, 2022
Quick Summary
One Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac and Cheese-two of your favorite comfort foods come together in one pot to create a delicious dinner. This easy recipe makes a great weeknight meal.
What should we have for dinner? I ask my boys that question almost every day and sometimes I wonder why I even ask, ha! I always get a few different answers. Josh is usually up for anything, but my little boys always have an opinion.
The other day Caleb wanted chili with cornbread and Maxwell wanted mac and cheese. They were both chanting for their picks at the top of their lungs. To make them both happy, I made One Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac and Cheese for dinner.
With this recipe, you get the best of both worlds, chili AND mac and cheese. And the best part? It is made in ONE pot and can be on the dinner table in a little over 30 minutes.
I love this chili mac and cheese because it is full of flavor. I use onion, garlic, red bell pepper, red beans, black beans, Hunt's tomato sauce, Hunt's diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, chili powder, and cumin. Oh, and my secret weapon, Hunt's tomato paste. The tomato paste adds a ton of flavor!
When the chili part is ready, I stir in whole wheat elbow macaroni. The pasta will cook in the same pan, no need to boil it first! I love a good one pot meal!
When the pasta is tender, remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. I stir in half of the cheese into the chili mac and save the other half for the top. More cheese, please!
If you are wondering what to have for dinner tonight, make One Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac and Cheese. It is guaranteed to be a hit at the dinner table.
And if you need an easy recipe for game day, add this chili mac to your menu! It is great for tailgating or homegating. We watch a lot of games from home, but we still like to have good food:) Enjoy!
One Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeds removed and diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pouch Hunt's Recipe Ready Tomato Paste 2 tablespoons
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 14.5-ounce can Hunt's diced tomatoes
- 1 15 oz can Hunt's tomato sauce
- 2 15 0z cans small red beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups uncooked macaroni pasta we use whole wheat
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat. Add onion and red pepper and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste, cook for two 2 minutes.
- Stir in vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, red beans, black beans, chili powder and cumin. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add the uncooked macaroni and stir to combine. Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat up to medium high and bring to a boil. Stir often to loosen the noodles from the bottom of the pan. When it reaches a boil, reduce to low and simmer until the pasta is cooked, about 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and remove the lid. Stir in ½ cup of the shredded cheddar cheese. Top with remaining ½ cup cheese and place the lid on until cheese is melted. Garnish with green onions, if desired. Serve immediately.
Have you tried this recipe?
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