Slow cooker chili mac is bursting with delicious bold chili flavor combined with a perfectly creamy homestyle mac and cheese!
This easy crock pot mac and cheese recipe is so yummy and super easy to make. Inspired by our classic chili mac, it’s definitely going to hit the spot! Serve with a batch of chocolate chip cookies!
Slow Cooker Chili Mac
Slow Cooker Chili Mac
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Why you’ll love this easy crock pot dinner!
📌 Quick prep and simple to make.
📌 Full of rich flavor.
📌 A great way to use up veggies and leftovers from the fridge!
Slow Cooker Chili Mac and Cheese Ingredients
- Meat – Lean ground beef or sausage.
- Peppers – Sweet baby peppers or bell peppers.
- Tomato sauce – Plain canned tomato sauce.
- Rotel – Canned Rotel tomatoes and chilies.
- Beans – Red kidney beans, drained.
- Seasonings – Chili seasoning, ranch seasoning.
- Cheese – Velveeta cheese, shredded. Alternatively you can use cheddar cheese (or a combination of both).
- Macaroni – We used elbow macaroni but any shape will work!
How do you make chili mac in the crockpot? (step-by-step)
⭐ First, brown the ground beef and drain off excess grease. Stir in peppers and continue to cook until peppers are softened.
⭐ Next, add the beef and peppers, tomato sauce, rotel, kidney beans, chili seasoning, ranch seasoning and water to the slow cooker. Cover and cook for several hours.
⭐ Then, stir in macaroni and allow to cook.
⭐ Finally, before serving, stir in shredded cheese and allow to melt. Top with additional cheese if desired.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this article for ingredient measurements and detailed cooking instructions.
Preparation
What kind of meat for crockpot chili mac and cheese?
We used ground beef in the pictured recipe, but you could also use ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground sausage. Leftover steak is also a great option!
What kind of pasta?
Elbow macaroni is the classic choice for crockpot chili mac, but you can use any shape noodle you love!
Chat kind of cheese for slow cooker chili mac?
American cheese (like Velveeta) will melt the best while cheddar will give you the strongest flavor. We typically use Velveeta, but mixing half and half is also a great option.
To make it even creamier, you can toss in a brick of cream cheese too!
Can I used canned chili in this recipe?
Absolutely! To make this super simple, use 2 – 3 cans of meat chili (no beans) and skip the ground beef, tomato sauce, rotel, chili seasoning, and ranch seasoning.
Don’t skip the peppers or kidney beans.
Can I use leftover chili in this recipe?
For sure – if you want to use leftover chili, skip adding the beef, peppers, tomato sauce, rotel, beans, chili seasoning, and ranch seasoning. Use about 2 – 4 cups leftover chili, and up to 2 extra cups water (if it’s thickened a lot).
Storage and leftovers
How long does slow cooker chili mac last?
This will keep in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days.
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for best results.
Can you freeze leftover crockpot chili mac?
Technically yes, but we don’t recommend it for this recipe as the noodles will be mushy and the cheese may change in texture.
What is chili mac?
Chili mac is the beautiful marriage of two delicious meals: chili + macaroni and cheese! All the rich meaty flavor of chili with the creamy cheesy macaroni noodles. Perfection!
Tips, tricks, and frequently asked questions
✅ Swap ground chicken or turkey for a lower calorie option.
✅ Raid your crisper drawer and leftovers for extra veggies to add.
✅ Try it with different shaped noodles, and even spaghetti!
What to eat with crock pot chili mac (serving suggestions)
This is a great standalone meal, but if you’re looking to round it out, try serving with our fruit salad with honey lime dressing, or this delicious antipasto salad. For dessert, make a batch of no bake monster cookie bars!
More delicious chili recipes
- White chicken chili
- Chili cornbread casserole
- Homemade chili seasoning
- Chili cheese dip recipe
- Pulled pork chili
- Wendy’s chili
- See all our chili recipes!
Other awesome mac and cheese recipes
Try these slow cooker recipes next
- Honey garlic steak bites
- Sweet and sour meatballs
- Slow cooker chocolate chip cookie
- Crockpot turkey breast
- Crockpot stuffed shells
- Slow cooker breakfast casserole
- See all our easy crockpot recipes!
Tools we love
- 7 Quart Crock Pot Slow Cooker – I’ve had this slow cooker since my husband and I were married in 2003!
- Metal spatula – These come in handy for helping lifting food out of the crock.
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How to Make Slow Cooker Chili Mac
Slow Cooker Chili Mac
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup chopped sweet baby or bell peppers
- 1 can tomato sauce 30 ounces
- 1 can rotel tomatoes & chilies 10 ounces, not drained
- 2 cans red kidney beans 15 ounces, drained
- 1 envelope chili seasoning 1 ounce
- 1 envelope ranch seasoning 1 ounce
- 2 cups water
- 3 cups elbow macaroni
- 16 ounces Velveeta cheese shredded
- Garnish chopped parsley or green onion
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet on the stove top over medium heat. Drain excess grease, then add the chopped peppers and cook an additional 2 - 3 minutes.
- Add the browned beef and peppers to the slow cooker along with the tomato sauce, rotel, kidney beans, chili seasoning, ranch seasoning and water. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 - 6 hours or low for 6 - 8 hours.
- About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the uncooked macaroni; cover. When macaroni is cooked (about 20 minutes) stir in half the shredded cheese, and top with the remaining half. Cover and allow the cheese to melt (about 10 minutes).
Notes
- Serve with your favorite chili toppings like green onion, sour cream, and hot sauce!
- Make a lower calorie version by using ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Prepare with any of your favorite noodle shapes!
Nutrition
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Slow Cooker Chili Mac
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Samantha says
This was an easy dinner that every family member could grab and go from the crockpot on a busy school night of baseball games. And as a bonus, everybody loved it!
Nancy R says
So happy I found this recipe! I have been looking for more slow cooker recipes and this was DELICIOUS!
Katie says
Such an easy week night dinner! Love the cheesy flavors.
Roxanne Justiz says
This slow cooker chilli mac n cheese looks so cheesy and delicious. I like that you can just throw it in a crock pot to slow cook it. It makes it so simple when you are on the go. Who doesn’t like mac and cheese plus chilli? This will be a favorite at our next party.Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe. Shalom.