Instant Pot Chili Mac (with stove instructions)

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
• 1 large Onion (diced (about 2 cups))
• 1 Bell Pepper (any color) (diced (about 2 cups))
• 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1 pound Lean Ground Beef (uncooked)
• 1 (15-ounce can) Diced Tomatoes (don't drain)
• 1/3 cup Tomato Paste (about half of a 6-ounce can)
• 2 tablespoons Chili Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 2 1/2 cups Water (or broth)
• 8 ounces Dried Macaroni Noodles
• 4 ounces Cheddar Cheese (shredded (about 1 cup) *see recipe footnote)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Chili Mac Instant Pot Instructions ---

2. 2

   Select "Sauté" on the Instant Pot and add OLIVE OIL.

3. 3

   When the display reads "Hot", add ONION, BELL PEPPER, and GARLIC. Sauté until tender, stirring as needed.

4. 4

   Add BEEF and sauté until cooked through, stirring as needed. Drain any excess fat. Add a splash of broth and scrape any brown bits off the bottom aka deglaze the pot.

5. 5

   Add TOMATOES with their juice and use a flat-ended utensil to remove any brown bits from the bottom of the pot (aka deglaze).

6. 6

   Stir in TOMATO PASTE, CHILI POWDER, CUMIN, and SALT.

7. 7

   Add MACARONI to the pot and don't stir, then WATER (or broth), pressing macaroni under the water to submerge.

8. 8

   Secure lid, turn pressure valve to "Sealing" position. Press "Cancel" then select "Manual" or "Pressure Cook” for 2 minutes on HIGH pressure. *see recipe note

9. 9

   When cook cycle is done, allow a FULL 10-minute (NPR) natural pressure release. Don’t rush the NPR so the pasta can finish cooking.

10. 10

    After 10 min, carefully turn the pressure release valve to "Venting" position to release any steam.

11. 11

    Remove the lid and stir the Chili Mac until ingredients are well-combined. Stir in CHEDDAR CHEESE. *see recipe note

12. 12

    --- One Pot Chili Mac Stove Instructions ---

13. 13

    Heat OLIVE OIL in a 3.5 quart soup pot on med-high heat. Add ONIONS, BELL PEPPER, and GARLIC and sauté until tender, stirring as needed (about 5 minutes).

14. 14

    Add BEEF and continue sautéing until it's no longer pink, stirring as needed.

15. 15

    Stir in DICED TOMATOES (with juice), TOMATO PASTE, CHILI POWDER, CUMIN, SALT, WATER, and MACARONI.

16. 16

    Increase heat to high and bring everything to a boil for a few minutes.

17. 17

    Reduce heat to simmer all ingredients until pasta is cooked through (10-15 minutes). Keep an eye on the water level, adding more in small amounts as needed to prevent pasta from sticking to the pot or drying out.

18. 18

    When pasta is fully cooked, you'll have a creamy, saucy consistency. Stir in cheddar cheese and devour!