5-Ingredient Black Bean Pasta (Chili Mac and Cheese)
A black bean pasta recipe (also known as chili mac and cheese) made with only 5 ingredients in up to 15 minutes. You can cook on the stovetop, slow cooker, or pressure cooker. It is comforting, mildly spicy, cheesy, and so delicious!
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 lb ground beef (80% lean meat and 20% fat (at room temperature))
- 1 2.5 oz chili seasoning mix
- 4 cups water
- 1 16 oz elbow pasta (FOR A GF MEAL, USE A GLUTEN-FREE PASTA)
- 1 16 oz can black beans (drained)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (mild)
Instructions
- 1
STOVETOPBrown the beef: In a large nonstick saucepan, brown the ground beef over medium-high, stirring every now and then, for about 5-6 minutes or until no longer pink. Stir in the chili seasoning mix and let cook for about 1 minute. Cook the pasta: Stir in water, pasta, drained black beans, and salt (if desired). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and allow pasta to cook for 8-10 minutes or just until al dente. If you’d like to, stir in diced tomatoes. Stir in cheese and then sprinkle the herbs on top. Serve while hot.
- 2
SLOW COOKERCook the beef and stir in chili seasoning mix as stated in the stovetop directions above. Then combine the water, pasta, tomatoes (optional), drained black beans, and salt (optional) in the slow cooker and cook on high for about 2 hours, or until pasta is al dente. If needed, cook longer or until pasta is al dente, checking every 20 minutes after those 2 hours. When pasta has finished cooking, stir in the cheese until melted. Garnish with herbs and serve hot.
- 3
PRESSURE COOKERTurn on the sauté function and let heat enough to brown the beef (about 5-6 minutes) or until no longer pink. Stir in the chili seasoning and let cook for about 1 minute. Then stir in water, pasta, tomatoes (optional), and drained black beans. Turn off the sauté function, lock the lid and turn the valve, and set to cook at high pressure on pasta mode or manual mode for 3 minutes. The pasta will be al dente! Do a quick release and remove the lid. Taste and adjust the salt if needed, stir in the cheese until melted, garnish with herbs, and serve hot!