If you are looking for a fantastic comforting meal, try this Instant Pot Tex-Mex Chili Mac, the ultimate amped-up cheesy pasta! One bowl and you will be happily full and totally satisfied.
I created this recipe for our Gluten-Free Instant Pot Cookbook; Revised and Expanded Edition published by Harvard Common Press in 2018. Sara and I are so proud of our work. This is a great book for those who want more ideas for what to make for dinner, breakfast, lunch, or dessert!
It was such fun to write this book and create all the recipes. I love the creative process and Sara was a wonderful partner. We created a working list of chapters and recipes, then divided them up so we each had an equal amount of work.
Then comes the fun part – creating the recipes, testing them, and writing them up so that others can successfully repeat them any time they want. It is so satisfying and rewarding to hear when people like our work. It makes the long hours worth it.
Pasta can be challenging in an Instant Pot and I ruined one machine while working on that chapter because I broke the cardinal rule of never over-filling the pot. Pasta water tends to foam up as it is cooking and this can cause havoc with your equipment. Do not add water to cover the pasta!
One way to help be sure it doesn’t boil over is to manually slow release the pressure. You hold the handle halfway between sealing and venting, slowly releasing the steam. Use a hot pad to protect your hand! Be sure if it bubbles too much, put the handle back to sealing position and wait for a bit then try again.
It may seem strange to only cook the pasta for one minute, how could the pasta be cooked? But remember that it starts to cook as it is coming to pressure (reaching a boil) and continues while it slowly releases the steam. Your total cook time is longer than it seems and the pasta will be perfect when you take it out of the pot.
If your pressure cooker doesn’t have a sauté setting, you can cook the vegetables and meat in a separate skillet and transfer everything including any drippings to the inner pot of your pressure cooker. You’ll get the same flavors and everyone will love it!
I love the combination of flavors in this pasta dish. Rich and full-flavored, this is pure satisfaction in every bite. I hope you give this a try soon. If you don’t have a pressure cooker you can cook the meat separately, combine it with the pasta and boil until tender. You may need to increase the liquid to fully cover the pasta. I would add more beef broth to make up the difference.
If you are looking for a pure comfort food dinner, this Tex-Mex Chili Mac is the one your family will beg you to make over and over again! I guarantee smiles on everyone’s faces when you tell them what’s for dinner. Using the Instant Pot guarantees this will be on the table in no time, making your dinner time routine much more laid back and easy.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Instant Pot Tex-Mex Chili Mac:
- Olive oil, onion, red bell pepper, ground beef, garlic, chili powder, oregano, cumin, beef stock, tomato sauce, macaroni, cheddar or Colby cheese, green onions
PRO Tip:
Being sure there is nothing stuck to the bottom of the pot after using the sauté feature helps avoid the dreaded burn notice. I use a wooden flat-ended spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly and it always works for me. Add the beef stock to deglaze the pan and scrape the inner pot thoroughly. Everything should come up easily.
How to make Instant Pot Tex-Mex Chili Mac:
- Cook the onions and bell peppers in hot oil using the sauté setting on your Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, until softened. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot. Crumble the ground beef and add to the pot with the vegetables. Cook together until browned and cooked through, add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly.
- Pour in the beef stock and tomato sauce, scraping the bottom of the pot to be sure nothing is stuck. Add the pasta and do not stir, just be sure all the pieces of pasta are submerged in the liquid. Press cancel.
- Close and lock the lid with the handle in the sealing position. Cook on High pressure for 1 minute. When it is finished, do a natural release for 4 minutes (don’t touch it) then do a controlled release by holding the handle halfway between sealing and venting positions (use a hot pad to protect your hand), slowly releasing the remaining steam. Unlock the lid and carefully lift it off. Press Cancel.
- Stir the ingredients in the pot and sprinkle with the cheese. Replace the lid and let sit for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese. Scoop into bowls, sprinkle with some of the green onions and reserved extra cheese, and serve immediately.
PRO Tip:
The chili powder can pack a surprising amount of spiciness. If you want a milder flavor profile, you can replace some of the chili powder with smoked paprika for a beautiful smoky note in your finished dish.
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
Gluten-Free Tips:
* You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of flour or regular flour, whisk it, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial gluten-free blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good gluten-free choices.
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Instant Pot Tex-Mex Chili Mac (GF)
If you are looking for a fantastic comforting meal, try this Instant Pot Tex-Mex Chili Mac, the ultimate amped-up cheesy pasta! One bowl and you will be happily full and totally satisfied.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 pound (454g) lean ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp gluten-free chili powder or smoked paprika for milder flavor (you can do 1 tbsp of each for a lovely combination of flavors)
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 cups (470 ml) gluten-free beef stock
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) gluten-free tomato sauce
- 8 oz (227g) gluten-free elbow macaroni or other pasta shape, such as Barilla brand *
- 1-1/2 cups (180g) shredded cheese, such as cheddar or Colby, plus more for serving
- Salt, if needed, to taste
- Chopped green onions, for garnishing
Instructions
1. Press Sauté on your electric pressure cooker and heat the oil in the inner pot. Add the onion and bell pepper, and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes, stirring occa¬sionally. Crumble the beef into the pot. Use a flat-edged wood¬en spatula to break up clumps as it cooks. When cooked through, stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the chili powder, oregano, and cumin.
2. Pour in the beef stock and tomato sauce; scrape the bottom of the pot to be sure nothing is stuck on. Add the pasta and do not stir but press the pasta pieces gently until all are submerged in the liquid. Press Cancel.
3. Close and lock the lid, making sure the steam release handle is in the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 1 minute. When it is finished, do a natural release for 4 minutes, then, using a hot pad, do a controlled release by holding the handle between the sealed and venting positions, releasing the remaining steam gently. When most of the steam has released, you can turn the handle all the way to venting. When the float pin drops, unlock the lid and open it carefully. Press Cancel.
4. Stir the ingredients together in the pot. Taste and adjust seasonings. Sprinkle the cheese over the top, replace the lid, and let it rest for a couple minutes to melt the cheese. Scoop into bowls, sprinkle each with some of the extra cheese and scallions, and serve immediately.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
* When buying gluten-free pasta, be sure the package is certified gluten-free and that the contents were processed in a dedicated GF facility. If you have any questions, contact the manufacturer.
You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
This is my recipe from The Gluten-Free Instant Pot Cookbook; Revised and Expanded Edition, by Jane Bonacci and Sara De Leeuw, Harvard Common Press, 2018.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 748Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 935mgCarbohydrates: 94gFiber: 8gSugar: 5gProtein: 34g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to follow me on social media so you never miss a post:
Create a New Tradition Today!
Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. The author makes no claims regarding the presence of food allergens and disclaims all liability in connection with the use of this site.
Leave a Reply