One Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac
This One Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac is a family-friendly dinner that you can have on your table with very little time and effort! You will love this cheesy, spicy skillet meal!
What is dinner prep time like in your house? If it’s anything like my house it’s a bit of a crazy time. I never know what to expect when trying to cook dinner with three kids underfoot. Some nights things go smoothly and some not so much. Between helping Julia with her homework, keeping William busy with his toys, and making sure Hannah’s not getting into something she shouldn’t, there is never a dull moment. I guess there’s a good reason it’s called the dinner time rush!
The day I made this One Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac we had all of the above, and more, going on. And of course I was already exhausted from my day of running errands and taking care of the kids. These days, I’m more tired on the days when I’m home with the kids than the days I get up extra early to go to work teaching!
My solution for crazy busy nights? Easy skillet meals that cook completely in one pot. This One Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac is my new favorite! Since the whole dish is made in one pot, you only have one pot to watch as it cooks, and one pot to clean after dinner. 🙂
After a long, busy day I want to sit down to a bowl of something warm and comforting for dinner. This vegetarian chili mac is the perfect meal for those nights when you are short on time and energy but still want to make a nutritious meal for yourself and your family. I used whole wheat pasta and lots of finely chopped vegetables in this dish, plus two kinds of beans to provide protein in this hearty vegetarian meal.
I used RO*TEL diced tomatoes with green chilies and Hunt’s diced tomatoes to use in this one pot meal. The green chilies are already diced up with the tomatoes, and they add a great pop of spice to this One Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac. The finished dish is spicy, just how we love our chili mac. If you and your family want less spice, I’d recommend using mild RO*TEL or another can of diced tomatoes.
If I can make this one pot chili mac on my busiest of weeknights, so can you! You’ll start by chopping your veggies and then cooking them in the skillet until they are slightly softened. Then you’ll add some garlic and other seasonings, diced tomatoes, plus the pasta, beans and some water.
Let that all simmer until the pasta is cooked, stir in some shredded cheese, and it’s time to eat! Since the pasta cooks right in the pot with everything else it absorbs so much yummy flavor.
This One Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac is going into regular rotation in my menu plan. Brad and I couldn’t stop talking about how much we loved this meal. The leftovers reheat wonderfully, too, making it ideal to pack up for lunches during the week.
- 1 small onion
- 1 bell pepper, any color
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 14.5 ounce can Hunt's diced tomatoes
- 10 ounce can RO*TEL diced tomatoes & green chilies*
- 8 ounces elbow pasta (I used whole wheat)
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups grated cheddar and/or Monterey jack cheese (I used 1 cup of each)
- 3 green onions, chopped
- Finely chop the onion. Chop the bell pepper and carrots into small pieces.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and carrots and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mince the garlic and combine the chili powder, cumin, and salt in a small dish. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and salt to the pan with the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in the diced tomatoes, RO*TEL, pasta, beans, and water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 12-15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in most of the cheese, reserving a little for sprinkling on top. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese and chopped green onions. Serve.
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I’m always look for new one pot meals, so this looks fantastic! Dinner time can be crazy in my house too, and I don’t even have kids! 🙂 This sounds like the perfect solution for busy weeknights!
Thank you, Gayle! Isn’t it crazy how dinner time can be such a hectic time? One pot meals are a lifesaver! 🙂
So cheesy and so many delicious add-ins! Love this 🙂
Thank you Medha! I appreciate your sweet words!
You just combined 2 of my favorite winter comfort foods: chili and mac & cheese. Amazing!
Those are two of my favorites too! 🙂
This looks like such a great family meal for fall and winter! I love all the flavors in this dish!
Thank you, Kelly! I’ll be making this many more times this fall!
The dinner rush is definitely a crazy time, but this meal would help! I love that it’s minimal effort but looks so delicious! Definitely a keeper. 🙂
Thank you, Marcie!
Ooh heck to the yes! All the ingredients in this are just on point! I love this season of comfort foods like this – chili mac is where it’s all at <3
Thank you, Mary Frances! I am so ready for all of the comfort foods!
This is exactly the kind of meal I need! And I totally get what you say about being more tired when you’re at home than when you’re working — kids are exhausting! Lol
Yes, they are! It’s crazy how much energy they have!
Chili Mac is such a staple in our house! I love this vegetarian version! Perfect for when you need dinner in a pinch!
Thanks, Annie! I don’t make chili mac that often, but I think that’s going to change! 🙂
Diced tomatoes (and tomatoes with chilis) are a staple in my pantry. I love how much flavor and time savings they contribute to meals like this!
Thanks, Erin! I don’t know what I’d do without diced tomatoes!
I’m vegan, but I LOVE putting chili and cayenne in my mac and cheeze! It adds that extra dimension of flavor that really makes it so delicious 😀
Thank you, Sarah! I usually don’t add chili powder to my regular mac and cheese, but now you’ve got me wanting to try it!
I wonder if I could add nutrition yeast for a cheesy flavor rather than having the cheese?
I haven’t tried that myself, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. If you try it let us know how it turns out!
This was a wonderful easy and delicious dinner for our family tonight. I subbed the veggies for whatever I needed to use out of my fridge instead of throwing anything out and basically had dinner ready in like 20 minutes. I love a meal like this and quite tasty too! Thank you!
Just made this tonight and it was a hit! Does it freeze well??
I’m so glad you liked it! The pasta might get a little mushy after freezing but the flavor would still be good. 🙂
Says it serves 6, what is the serving? 1 cup? 2 cups? Thanks
I don’t have an exact serving size measurement. It will serve 6 average eaters.
Wow. I wasn’t sure about this, as I was craving meat, but it turned out awesome! I used diced carrotts in a can, since thats all I had, and wacky mac. This meal really came through when you need a satisfying meal( and uses pantry staples when you have an empty fridge). Served with cornbread, and will make again for sure!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Suzanne!
My husband and I enjoyed this. I had gotten him to reduce his HH box fix lol.
It was his crutch when I work late so this was a great healthier option and it’s simple enough he can make it when I’m working or traveling.
I was out of kidney beans so I tossed in some frozen corn other than that I followed your recipe.
It’s a nice change easy quick and good with cornbread or regular bread
Thank you best wishes
Great blog
Question about making this recipe: Are the Hunts tomatoes and Rotel tomatoes drained before they are added to the pot? Or are they are added with juice and all? Thank you!
Hi Cynthia, Add them undrained, with juice and all. Enjoy!
I love this recipe but want to try it in my instant pot, what are your recommendations?
I haven’t tried it, but that sounds like a great idea! Here is my best guess for how to make this in the Instant Pot. I would first saute the veggies using saute mode. Then stir in everything else except for the tomatoes, beans and cheese. Add the tomatoes and beans on top (do not stir in) and pressure cook for 4 minutes at high pressure. Carefully do a quick pressure release and stir in the cheese. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out.