Crock Pot Chili Mac
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Cold winter nights got you down? Make this delicious Crock Pot Chili Mac! The chili is slow cooked all day long and then the pasta is added at the end to finish off the recipe. It’s a great weeknight dinner night without much fuss that the entire family will enjoy.

We love making chili in our crock pot because the flavors are so amazing from simmering all day long, but the kids love pasta for dinner every night of the week. That’s why this Crock Pot chili mac is the best of both worlds. A base of chili that you add pasta to at the end of it’s cooking time.
It’s a hearty and delicious dinner that’s just perfect for busy weeknights when I just need to get a good meal on the table. I serve it up with easy sides, like cheesy garlic bread, and everyone gobbles it right up! Just the heartiest, most cozy meal. A classic comfort food that will never get old.
Why You’ll Love this Crock Pot Chili Mac
- Chili mac in the crock pot simmers all day for an amazing flavor. All you have to do is add the pasta when you come home!
- Prep this dish the night before you plan to make it, then just toss the ingredients into the crock pot and turn it on. It’s such an easy dinner!
- This crock pot chili make is hearty and filling for a comforting dinner that’s a great go-to during the week!
Ingredients for Crock Pot Chili Mac
- Ground Beef – Use a lean ground beef so there’s not a lot of extra grease. No matter what ground beef you use make sure to drain off any excess grease after browning the hamburger. You can also use ground turkey or a mix of ground beef and ground Italian sausage to mix up the flavor combos.
- Onion – A quick tip is to always have frozen diced onions in the freezer so you don’t have to chop the onions!
- Tomato juice – Using tomato juice as the liquid to cook the noodles makes this crockpot chili mac so flavorful.
- Diced tomatoes – If you have picky eaters use a petite diced tomato to sneak them by!
- Celery ribs – Feel free to omit this if you’re not a fan of celery.
- Brown sugar – Add a touch of sweetness to this chili mac with a dash of brown sugar.
- Chili powder – Feel free to adjust this. This is a mild chili, so if you want it to have more of a kick then add more chili powder.
- Salt & black pepper – Season up your chili mac with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Prepared yellow mustard – A bit of yellow mustard adds so much flavor to this chili mac! It’s my secret ingredient.
- Kidney beans – You could also use chili beans, but do not rinse them. It will add a bit more spice to your chili because of the sauce.
- Elbow macaroni – Any short pasta should work if you don’t have elbow macaroni.
Products Needed
How to Make Crock Pot Chili Mac
Add the ground beef and diced onion to a skillet and cook over medium heat. When there’s no pink left in the beef, drain off the excess grease.
Place the cooked beef into the slow cooker and then add all of the remaining ingredients except the pasta.
Cook the chili on low 6-8 hours.
One hour before the dish is done, add the pasta and cook for an additional hour.
When the pasta is tender, the chili mac is ready to be served! Enjoy!
Toppings for Chili Mac
Set out your favorite toppings when you make this so everyone can add their special touch to their bowl of chili mac. This is a great idea if you are hosting a chili bar too.
- shredded cheddar cheese
- sour cream or Greek yogurt
- corn chips
- green onion
- cottage cheese
- avocado
- sliced jalapenos
How To Store Leftover Crock Pot Chili Mac
Allow leftovers of this chili mac recipe to cool completely, then store in an airtight container.
FRIDGE: Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
FREEZER: Leftover chili mac can be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
How to Reheat Chili Mac
While you can reheat leftovers in the microwave, I always recommend reheating on the stovetop. Keep in mind that the noodles may have absorbed some extra liquid, so you may need to add a splash of chicken broth or tomato juice when reheating.
What else can I add to chili mac?
To make your chili mac more spicy, mix in some green chiles or add extra chili powder — red pepper works too. You can also add more beans or swap out the kidney beans. Black beans and pinto beans both work! For extra extra flavor, use some minced garlic or other spices and seasonings (like cumin) in your chili.
What to serve with Crock Pot Chili Mac
The easiest way to round out this meal is to toss together a salad or buy a salad kid at the store. Or you can make some super easy air fryer garlic bread.
Roasted vegetables are another way I like finish off this meal and you can never go wrong with these quick and easy cheddar bay biscuits either! For a tasty classic, make some fresh cornbread. Or go with a lighter side like creamy coleslaw.
Pro Tips for the Best Crock Pot Chili Mac
- Feel free to double this recipe to make an extra large batch of slow cooker chili mac. However, you’ll need to be careful not to overfill the crock pot!
- If possible, stir the chili in the crock pot every hour or so to ensure nothing sticks and all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Drain the ground beef really well before adding to the crock pot. This will help reduce the amount of grease in the final product.
This easy peasy recipe is perfect for those chilly winter months! Stay warm and cozy with a heart dinner like this one.
More Crock Pot Recipes You’ll Love!
- This easy Crock Pot Spaghetti is a total game changer for pasta night around our house.
- On an extra cold day, make this Crock Pot Beef Stew to keep those bellies warm and full!
- Make taco Tuesday extra easy with this Crockpot Chicken Tacos recipe.
- Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs are a fantastic hearty protein to serve with your favorite side dishes.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Crock Pot Chili Mac
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 46 ounces canned tomato juice (1 can)
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 3 celery ribs chopped
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 16 ounces kidney beans rinsed and drained (1 can)
- 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
Instructions
- Cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
- Place in slow cooker. Stir in the tomato juice, tomatoes, celery, brown sugar, chili powder, salt, mustard, pepper and kidney beans.
- Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.
- One hour before the dish is done add pasta and let cook for the last hour.
Jessica says
Could you make this ahead and freeze minus the noodles? Then put into crock pot frozen to cook all day?
Julie Evink says
Yes you could!
Madison says
Can this be cooked at a faster rate on a stove top? I want to make this but I don’t have the time to let it cook that long today! Thanks!
Julie Evink says
Yes of course, the flavors just don’t meld together as good!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
This chili looks like a perfect meal for chilly MN evenings! Love the addition of pasta!
Karen says
My mother has to have some medical tests done tomorrow and I wanted to have a comforting meal prepared when she gets home…… this is perfect!
She loves a good chili mac and this sounds delicious. Thank you! 🙂
Julie Evink says
Hope you enjoyed it Karen and that the tests went fine!
Jenny says
Hi! I really am looking forward to trying this! Do I cook the pasta first and then put it in the crock pot or just put the pasta shells in?
Julie Evink says
Put the noodles in uncooked!
Kelly says
This look so cozy and delicious! Love the chili mac twist and making it in the slow cooker sounds perfect!
Malinda @ Countryside Cravings says
I have been using my slow cooker more and more. My family loves chili mac so this will be great addition to my slow cooker files! 🙂
Katerina @ Diethood says
That just looks like the most amazing comfort-food meal! I wish I could just take a ladle through my monitor and fill up my bowlS!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
I need to use my slow cooker more often because it makes dinner so much easier. I love chili in the fall because it is the perfect warm and comforting meal. This version looks delicious!
tonya says
I heart hearty meals! This looks amazingly delicious!
Katalina @ Peas & Peonies says
You were not kidding when you names this a hearty recipe! Love that bowl of goodness, must be perfect on a rainy day!
Danielle - The Creative Bite says
This looks like the perfect comfort food to come home to on a cold winter day! My husband would love this for a quick meal in the field as well.
Trisha says
I just made this today. It is delicious!!!
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed it Trisha!
Abby says
This sounds so yummy!!! This may be a silly questin but what’s the difference between regular yellow mustard and prepared mustard?
Julie Evink says
Hey Abby, it’s the same thing. It’s just listed as prepared mustard so someone doesn’t add dry ground mustard instead 🙂
Sunshine says
I love chili too!
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