It’s been really cold here (well, cold for me) and that makes me want comfort food. One dish that I absolutely loved in the past but haven’t had a chance to remake is my One Pot Chili Pasta from the SNAP Challenge in 2014. That pasta not only saved my life as far as filling me up on an extremely restricted budget, but it was SO GOOD. I was really excited to make it again this week, but I had already spent a large part of this week’s budget on pork for my Nam Sod, so I decided to transform the old One Pot Chili Pasta into a new Vegetarian Chili Mac and Cheese.
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No Beef, More Beans
The new vegetarian version is very similar to the old One Pot Chili Pasta, but it has no beef (obvi), more beans, some diced tomatoes, and uses vegetable broth in place of the beef broth. How did it turn out? OMG still so good. Like, so good that I’ve been eating it for breakfast all this week because I’m so excited to eat it every day that I can’t even wait for lunch. There’s something about the thick, tangy sauce with the smoky chili powder and just a hint of cheddar that is just irresistible to me.
Meal Prep the Leftovers
This recipe makes a huge batch, like around 10 cups. I suggest dividing the pasta up into single portions right after cooking so you have it meal prepped for the next 4-5 days. If you know you can’t finish it all within 5 days, it can be frozen. Pasta does get a bit softer upon freezing and thawing/reheating, but for me that’s negligible for a dish that tastes so freaking good.
Can I Make this Vegan?
Yes, since there is only one ingredient in this recipe that is animal-based, it will be really easy to swap that out and make this recipe vegan. To replace the cheddar cheese you can either use a vegan cheddar substitute, like Daiya Cheddar Shreds, or add some nutritional yeast for a slightly cheesy flavor (it won’t be creamy, but you’ll get that cheesy umami goodness).
One Pot Cheesy Vegetarian Chili Mac
Servings 8 1.25 cups eachIngredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.16)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.31)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 2 Tbsp flour ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp chili powder* ($0.60)
- 1 15oz. can diced tomatoes ($0.79)
- 1 15oz. can tomato sauce ($0.88)
- 1 15oz. can kidney beans ($0.89)
- 1 15oz. can black beans ($1.15)
- 1 15oz. can pinto beans ($1.49)
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels ($0.44)
- 2 cups vegetable broth ($0.26)
- 2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles ($0.50)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar ($1.25)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Sauté the onion and garlic with olive oil in the bottom of a large pot (5 qt) over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are soft and transparent.
- Add the flour and chili powder to the sautéed onions and garlic. Continue to stir and sauté for about two minutes, or just until the flour and chili powder begin to coat the bottom of the pot.
- Drain and rinse the kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, all three beans, corn, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir to combine and to dissolve any flour and chili powder off the bottom of the pot.
- Add the uncooked macaroni noodles and stir to combine. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium high, and let the pot come up to a boil. Stir every other minute or so to loosen the noodles from the bottom of the pot as it heats up.
- When the pot reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low, or just above low, so it continues to gently simmer. Let the pot gently simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the liquid is thick and saucy. Stir frequently as it simmers to make sure the pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Once the pasta is tender, add the shredded cheddar and stir it in until melted. Serve hot.
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!More Mac and Cheese Recipes:
- Miracle Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Pesto Mac with Spinach
- Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese
- White Cheddar Mac and Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli
- Green Chile Mac and Cheese
How to Make Vegetarian Chili Mac and Cheese – Step by Step Photos
Begin by dicing one yellow onion and mincing two cloves of garlic. Sauté the onion and garlic with 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent (about 3 minutes). Make sure you’re using about a 5 qt pot because this makes a large batch.
Add 2 Tbsp chili powder and 2 Tbsp flour. This is a mild chili powder, which is a blend of mild red chiles and other spices. Some brands may have some cayenne pepper (spicy) in the blend, so just be aware of what type you have and how much you’re adding. I use McCormick, which is 100% mild. If you have a mild chili powder and WANT spicy, you can add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper.
Continue to stir and sauté the flour and chili powder with the onions and garlic for about two minutes more, or until it begins to coat the bottom of the pot. This toasts the spices and flour and creates a roux, which helps thicken the sauce later.
Add one 15oz can diced tomatoes (not drained), one 15oz can each of kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans (all drained and rinsed), and one cup of frozen corn kernels.
Also add one 15oz can tomato sauce and two cups vegetable broth. Stir everything to combine and to dissolve any flour and chili powder that have stuck to the bottom of the pot (you should be able to feel when the bottom of the pot is smooth).
Finally, add 2 cups (or about 1/2 lb.) uncooked macaroni noodles and stir to combine with the rest of the ingredients. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium high, and let the pot come to a boil. Stir every couple of minutes while it’s heating to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the liquid is thick and saucy. Make sure to keep stirring every couple of minutes to prevent the pasta from sticking while it is simmering.
The chili mac is pretty good at this stage, but it’s about to go to the next level…
Add one cup of shredded sharp cheddar. It’s important to use cheddar because cheddar melts into sauces very smoothly and does not get stringy the way other cheese, like mozzarella, would. It’s also important to get “sharp” cheddar because it’s tangier and more potent than mild or medium cheddar, which means you can use less and still get a good cheesy flavor in the whole pot.
When the cheddar stirs in it will melt into the thick sauce and turn it all creamy and delicious.
This stuff is serious business.
I can not say no to the Cheesy Vegetarian Chili Mac!
Can you??
Love this recipe! I make the sauce with beans and all the tomato products as directed, and then I split it in two. I leave half to cool, then add half the pasta and half the cheese to the original recipe on the pot (I split and 8 ounce block in half.) Then I put half the cheese in a small zip lock bag and a cup of pasta in another small ziplock bag. Then when the sauce with beans has cooled, I put it in a gallon ziplock bag, staple the cheese and pasta to it, and freeze everything. Cook once, eat twice!
This recipe is awesome! Has anyone had luck avoiding the pasta getting soggy in leftovers? I looooove this recipe but the texture gets so gross to me after a day in the fridge because of how soggy the macaroni gets :(
I guess I could try just cooking the macaroni on the side, but then the flavor isnt really as good in my opinion.
I have used this recipe many times for many years. I make it vegan by subbing or omitting the cheese. I usually add frozen spinach, zucchini, or whatever veggies need to be used up. I also top with diced avocado. So good!
I have made this as written and it’s good but I also use it as a guide for one pot chili mac using *leftover* chili. Basically I just add 2-3 cups of leftover chili, 2 cups of broth (sometimes it takes a bit more but I start with 2 cups), and 2 cups of macaroni to a pot and then follow the rest of the instructions from this recipe. Basically step 4 onward. It’s a great way to use up leftover chili from the freezer!
I’ve made this a few times now. Makes enough for leftovers. This recipe is a keeper.
When I make this I add a couple of minced jalapeños and double the cheese. I think the leftovers are even better than the first day.
I made this for lunch today and was soooo happy! I used 1tbsp chilli powder because in Australia it is just straight chilli, no extra spices/seasoning. I also added 1tbsp cumin powder. I also didn’t have pints beans so I just used an extra can of black beans. The last change i made was using a 700g bottle of passata instead of crushed tomatoes (becausei dont like chunky tomato haha) and tomato sauce as we dont have “tomato sauce” like it is in america, passata is the closest alternative. Other than those changes I followed the rest of the recipe to the letter and it was amazing!! Was so yummy with corn chips and sour cream 😍
Thank you! I’ve tried a fair share of chili mac recipes, and this one was the best vegetarian chili mac I’ve ever made. Some “one pot” recipes don’t get the amount of liquids/cooking time right and it turns out either too soupy or too dry by the time the pasta is done, but this one was perfect. Using flour improves the consistency and using vegetable broth instead of cooking the pasta separately in water makes a huge difference in flavor. Will definitely make this regularly.
I make this recipe alllll the time and I love it so much! Even my toddler will eat this. Cheap, easy, cheesy and filling. Perfect for chilly weather!
No salt listed in recipe. This is super bland as written.
There’s quite a bit of salt in the canned tomatoes, beans, vegetable broth, and cheese, but the saltiness will definitely vary depending on what type of broth you use. That’s why it’s wise to always season to taste!
Delicious! I have made this a couple of times. I do prefer to leave the noodles out and cook separately, that way everyone can scoop however much or little they want with the chili. Thanks for the recipe!!!
I’ve made this recipe multiple times. Since there are just two of us, it makes too much and we end up getting tired of it or freezing it (which works ok). Three cans of beans is a lot. I recently found a three bean canned mix of kidney, pinto and black beans and I make a 1/3 or 2/3 reduced size recipe using one or two cans. I use a small can of tomato sauce and saved some of the canned tomatoes for another use. It works great.
I have celiac so I use either jovial gf pasta shells or farfalle or I use Banza shells or elbows. They do take longer to get soft but don’t get mushy in leftovers. I think they taste fine.
This does indeed meal prep like a dream! I usually get three days’ worth of meal prep out of it, plus enough leftovers for my household of four adults to graze off of it for about two or three days. Wonderfully filling and cozy! I have noticed that the flavors get a little muted after a few days, though, so I get a little more aggressive than I otherwise would with the .chili powder
Delicious! Perfect for a fall weeknight.
This was SO good and it made SO much! Definitely will be on rotation. And was heavily approved by our 13 month old.
Super easy, flavorful, and filling, even without meat. I swapped in chicken broth since that’s what I had on hand and added crushed red pepper flakes to my portion since I like a bit of spice.
This really does make a big batch so I’ll be eating it for lunch the rest of the week!
Great recipe that ticks a lot of boxes: Healthy, tasty, not too hard to make, and budget friendly. I used some of the liquid from the beans and mixed it with vegetable broth to make the stew a little thicker and conserve some broth.
I plan on trying your beef recipe using impossible meat next time!
This is one of my favorite recipes. I usually add about 1 cup more broth and some cumin and cayenne. So filling and comforting!!!
How could I adjust the recipe if I actually wanted to boil the pasta separately first? I use brown rice pasta because of food allergies and it never cooks through with these kind of one-pot recipes. Would I just use less broth, what would you recommend?
It’s tough to say without testing it first, but my first test would probably be to just eliminate the broth altogether, make the chili with the remaining ingredients, and then stir in the cooked pasta at the end. But, of course, then you’re missing the flavor from the broth, so you may need to add more salt and seasoning to compensate.
My kids and I really enjoyed this meal! I made a chili with ground beef and then this chili Mac….. we all preferred the flavors in this recipe. Thanks so much! This will be on repeat in our house.
I love this recipe!!!! I did add some Cumin, more Chili powder, salt. Pepper and some Smoked paprika. I also added 1 red bell pepper. Made enough for my all my lunches for the week.
This is absolutely delicious. My go-to recipe!!
I found this recipe to be filling, tasty, and easy — with the huge caveat that I needed to add a fair amount of salt to taste to bring the flavors out. I was looking for a recipe that is vegetarian and good for meal prep and this fits the bill.
I may experiment with things like chipotle peppers or beer instead of broth in the future but it’s honestly pretty good as is (plus salt alone).
I made a version of this and added 4 oz of cream cheese. Can recommend!
This one needed a lot of love. As-is, it was pretty much beans with pasta added and a hint of cheese. It tasted much better with additional chili seasonings, salt, and at least double the cheddar.
I love this recipe but since I have to use gluten free noodles (celiac disease) and there are only two of us at home now, making the full recipe is bad because the GF pasta gets mushy for leftovers or freezing. So I adjust the recipe to 3 servings and use one can of Target’s 3-bean blend of canned beans instead. This is much better than opening three cans or just using one type of beans.
I use a small 8 oz can of tomato sauce and a 10-ounce can of Rotel for the tomatoes. It is fantastic this way and not too many servings.
Or I make the full recipe up to the point right before you add the noodles and save half of it frozen. When I thaw it, I just heat it up then add the pasta and proceed as written.
Thanks so much!
This is one of the few recipes I have made multiple times. It is very yummy and comforting and easy. I do wonder if you can sub almond flour though
I haven’t tried subbing almond flour, but I always use a gluten free flour blend, and it works well!
My family loves this meal. I’ve wanted to have a 1 or 2 night’s a week where we will have a vegetarian/ vegan meal. My husband being a big meat eater wasn’t fully on board. So this was the 1st recipe I tired for a vegetarian night. It was a big hit!! Everyone one in my family loved it and now they ask for this for dinner a couple times a month.
Also I come back to this recipe for the roux. I use it for other vegetarian meals.
I followed the recipe and made this for dinner tonight, it was just okay. My son gave it a “c” grade lol I think it could’ve been a lot better if I used a chili mix seasoning instead of only chili powder as the recipe is written.
I made this for dinner and it was so good!!! I did have to make s couple of substitutions thou. I didn’t have tomato sauce so I used V8 juice. And my husband doesn’t like beans so I just used one can of black beans and then I added some baked crumbled tofu. I am vegan so I left out the cheese and he just put some on his serving. He is a meat eater but he went back for seconds!! Great recipe! I will use this a lot!!
Did it today. Since I am located in Europe and we have different ingredients (including things that are expensive in the States and cheap here and vice versa), I did a few adjustments: Gruyère instead of Cheddar (would probably use Emmenthaler next time, or a proper Cheddar if I get a hold of it), and no chili powder, but a combination of Cayen, ground cumin, ground coriander seeds and some paprika. It was very good and mostly satisfying to eat, sort of a comfort food. I served it with rice and even the most sceptic kids ate it.
This recipe was fabulous and my husband (the carnivore) gobbled it up! I used the Daiya cheddar cheese sauce because it was already spicy enough for us. If I had wanted a little more spice I would have used the Daiya Zesty Cheddar. I will keep this recipe in my monthly rotation. I’m so glad I found your website (through a reference on YNAB). I am looking forward to trying out more of your recipes!
Unfortunately my husband and I agreed this was very bland and something we wouldn’t remake. There’s barely a taste of cheese and mostly just beans if you follow the recipe. Many reviewers noted they needed to add additional ingredients (cumin, cayenne pepper, additional cups of cheese, more garlic, salt, etc.) to make it passable. I would have to agree after trying to salvage it for a second night. I’ve made other recipes from this site that also require additional seasoning, but this one needs too much modification.
I actually appreciated this comment; with this information I added about 2 tsp seasoning salt to the flour/chili powder mix and added some regular kosher salt to taste before I added the pasta (like I would salt pasta water). I also think that if you’re using low-sodium beans, broth, or tomatoes you may find that the recipe would need more salt regardless.
Soo good ! Although it doesn’t have a strong chilli flavour.. next time i make it i will probably add more chilli powder. But its sooo good and Super cheesy and addicting
It did not end up tasting how I imagined it to be, so the first meal I was disappointed. For my leftovers, I ate mine with a bunch of cilantro and I added black bean hummus. I left out the cheese to make this recipe vegan, and I highly recommend the black bean hummus with it because it made it so much creamier! Reminded me of when I used to eat chili Mac with sour cream.
I’d love a slow cooker version of this! Looks delish!!
I just made this last night for dinner and I was worried my beef loving husband would not approve. I was wrong! He does not even care for beans much, but he LOVED this! He kept commenting on how good it was, I was surprised myself. The only change I made to the recipe is adding 1 can of Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green chilies to ensure it had a little kick. It was perfect. This recipe is a keeper!
I just made this tonight we loved it! The only alteration I made was to add a little cumin. Thank you for the super filling, affordable, delicious recipes.
Added 3 tsp cumin, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp paprika and it was perfect. I also noticed it started to get dry pretty quickly (maybe because I got jumbo noodles and they soaked up more liquid?) so I splashed some extra vegetable sauce when needed. It tasted great!
I was tempted to add an extra handful of cheese, but I’m glad I didn’t – the amount of cheese here is perfect to give it plenty of flavor and creaminess, but doesn’t overwhelm the other flavors.
I’ve never been a big chili fan, but I’m a total convert to Beth’s! Warm, savory, rich, and with just the right amount of heat to it. I’m glad this makes such a big batch (she’s not kidding about using a 5 qt. or larger pot), because this is going to be my go-to meal for the next few days, with enough left over to freeze as a gift to my future self. :)
I followed the recipe exactly (thank you SO much for the photos, they really help!) as written and it turned out alright. Great for what it is! I think to fit my taste, I will have to add more spice. Great starter recipe, I definitely recommend trying it as written before making modifications. I did substitute one can of beans to add a Beyond Beef patty I had in my freezer, plus to get more plant-based protein. Love your recipes!
This was pretty popular with my family, we like to eat meatless most days of the week. I needed to add salt, and my kids like sour cream in chili so that was on our table as well :)
I made a few adjustments and loved it! I omitted one of the can of beans and instead used half a bag of gardein meatless crumbles that I added at the same time as the chili powder and flour. I also added a tbsp of cumin. It came out great and it was quick and easy. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Hi I’m planning on making this soon, but I live in China and can’t find vegetable broth. Can I substitute with chicken broth? Thanks!
Yes you can use chicken broth and it’ll be okay. Just won’t be vegetarian :)
love it. as is. we call it chili crack. cant stop eating it!
I love this recipe and have made it a ton of times. I made some substitutions this time because of the quarantine. I swapped out the beans for kidney, cannellini and chickpeas. No corn and used medium shells instead of elbow macaroni. Still great!
I can’t seem to find the nutrition info/the macros?
We only recently brought on a Registered Dietician to our team. She’s working hard behind the scenes to update the entire recipe database, over 1500+ recipes, with nutritional information. She’s working her way from the newest recipes back and it takes some time to update them all. Stay tuned!
Absolutely loved this recipe! I fed it to friends and everyone has been begging for the recipe! Next time I’ll try adding more cheese and maybe some Mushrooms 😄
Way to spread the word with your deliciousness Tiffany!
I was just wondering about the nutrition facts for this.
Thanks for the request! We do get that request a lot, but unfortunately we don’t have a reliable source for the nutrition information. The calculators and databases that most bloggers and websites use to calculate the info can be extremely inaccurate, and for something that can so severely impact the health of people with health conditions, we just don’t feel comfortable publishing unreliable numbers. We prefer to leave it up to the reader to use the database or calculator they trust. I’m sorry and I wish accuracy were easier than shipping the food off to a lab for analysis!
I don’t like the texture of tomatoes – how could I make up the lost liquid? More tomato sauce and/or broth?
Yes, my first guess would be to replace it with tomato sauce, but it’s hard to say without testing it how that might affect the final texture.
Did you try this? I’m in the same boat as you
Hubby and I are the same. We just substitute the same amount of tomato sauce for the diced tomatoes, and it turns out great. Just keep an eye on your moisture levels because you might need to add some water or cook flour an extra minute, depending on how runny your sauce is.
Quick, easy, and a huge hit with the kids! Another great recipe. Thank you for all your efforts, Beth!!
Thank you Sylvia!
I know what you mean about not being able to stop eating this!
Made tonight, first attempt at cheesy veggie chili Mac & so glad I went with this recipe.
I’m big on spices so added 2 bell peppers, a fresh jalapeño, half a can of hatch chilis, paprika & cumin. Doubled the amount if garlic & reduced the amount of liquid. Skipped flour. The base recipe was a great framework, thank you!
Happy to hear it!
Terrific recipe. I made this yesterday evening after when I realized it was 5:00 pm and I hadn’t even thought about what to make for dinner. Luckily I had most of the exact ingredients called for in the recipe, and was able to easily substitute similar things that I had on hand. These are the recipes that I love: Fundamentally delicious and forgiving. I had all of the spices, beans, and corn. I used Better than Bullion Vegetable Base, (Beth, you got me hooked on that. So convenient!). Instead of macaroni shells I used leftover pasta shapes from other recipes. I thought the amount of cheese called for in the recipe (I used Colby Jack) was spot on. It was cheesy enough for us, and I wasn’t tempted to dump another hand full into my bowl at the table! ;)
I’d love to make this but add some plant-based “meat” for extra protein. I’m just stuck as to the best point in the recipe to add it? Sauteed with the garlic and onions? Any suggestions are appreciated!!
Hmm, I’m not sure. I guess it would depend on the brand of meat substitute you are using and what their suggested cooking instructions are.
Hi Jennifer! Did you try this with plant based meat?
I made it tonight w/ Quorn’s meatless crumbles in the instant pot and it was a great success!
Super tasty!! I would recommend adding 1 tbsp cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp onion powder, sautéed onions, pepper, and garlic. I also definitely would not cook the pasta with it because it will become mushy. I would definitely cook it separately and store leftovers separately.
Oh wow. This is so good! Thank you for another great vegetarian recipe!!
How would you recommend adapting this for the instant pot Beth?
Unfortunately I don’t do a lot of cooking in my IP (I use it mostly for cooking dry beans or “slow cooked” meats), so I don’t know the best method for converting this dish to the Instant Pot.
I just wanted to say I make this meal semi-frequently and it is one of my favorite recipes. Very inexpensive, very customizable, easy to upgrade with a few changes, and (best of all!) creates very few dirty dishes. As someone making it for one person, the fact that it stays delicious in the fridge for a long time is a definitely plus. I appreciate that it’s all made of ingredients that keep very well, in case plans change and I can’t get it made on the day I originally plan, saving even more money by not wasting ingredients.
The two main modifications I make are to swap in whole wheat pasta (usually penne) and change out the regular diced tomatoes for fire roasted. It’s a cheap way to pack in some extra flavor and nutrition.
I love swapping fire roasted tomatoes too! Adds just a little bit of extra.
I have made this several times now and it never gets old. I usually add a little more veggie broth than suggested but that’s just my preference. This is my favorite meal!
This is one of my favourite meal prep recipes. Makes lunches for the week, plus dinner on Saturday or Sunday night. I made it with a little bit of hickory bbq sauce this time around and it just added a little extra oomph to it. So good! Thank you for creating and sharing so many awesome recipes – I’ve loved everything I’ve tried :)
Has anyone figured out the calories per serving on this recipe?
Yes, it makes 8 servings at 11.5 oz each or 1.25 measured cups. Breakdown is :
1 serving:
361 calories
Total fat 6.8 grams
Sat fat 2.7 grams
Cholesterol 15.2 mg
Sodium 820.5 mg
Total carbs 61.8 grams
Fiber 11.6 grams
Sugars 9.6 grams
Protein 18.3 grams
Excellent! Used a mix of chilli flakes and fajita seasoning (it’s all I had in the cupboard) and it’s very tasty. Thank you – I am really enjoying this website!
Is this for high protein diets?
This recipe is not specifically designed for high protein diets.
Beth – This was sooooo good! Absolutely perfect for our Meatless Monday Menu. I added a bit of salt and a couple dashes hot red pepper sauce but otherwise followed the recipe. All of my family raved over it. Thank you for another vegetarian dish to add to our repertoire.
this was soooo good!! although, i added two teaspoons of salt, an extra clove of garlic, green chiles, a table spoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 3 more cups of cheese, and 1 more cup of corn. Other than that, this recipe is totally amazing and very easy to make. just make sure when it’s boiling to stir it often, stuff gets stuck to the bottom easy.
This is amazing!!! I added some cumin, pepper, salt and cayenne pepper and it came out perfect. Great meal for a 4 member family.
This is delicious! But, I added an extra clove of garlic, a diced roasted poblano pepper and a 1 Tbsp of Trader Joe’s chili lime seasoning and a ton of black pepper. I also used juice of half a lime at the end for some much needed acid. I top it with cilantro and some pepitas. I make this all the time and give my neighbors the leftovers as it does make a huge batch. Yum!
How would I adapt this recipe for the Instant Pot?
Unfortunately I’ve never tried this one in an IP so I don’t have instructions. It would probably take some testing to find the best method.
Really not that great… followed it exactly as it says. Very plain. It definitely needs cumin, more garlic, maybe chiles, peppers, more seasoning, cilantro, etc. I’m shocked it has as many 5 star reviews as it does. Very misleading.
Good to know! This is on my list for this month’s meal prep. I’ll make sure to pick up some fresh jalapeno and cilantro to go along with some extra garlic and spice.
It’s definitely not misleading, other people have different tastes.
I made this last night but added soyrizo (vegetarian chorizo) in place of one of the cans of beans. I added it to the onions and garlic after the latter had cooked for about 7-10 minutes. It was exactly what I wanted – cheap, filling, and really cured my need of comfort food!
Absolutely delicious, so easy and my kids ate every bite! What more could you ask for! Thank you for always having amazing recipes!
Just made this and followed the recipe exactly. It was great as is, but for my personal preferences, I added some garlic salt and a few dashes of smoked paprika at the very end. My husband, a person who very rarely finds anything without meat good, loved this. Yay!
I love how so many of your recipes are big batches that can be frozen. I have started caring for my widowed mother and grandmother so I am making these batches and separating them out for everyone.
I’m new to meal prep though. How long are they good for once frozen?
There’s not a definite cut off point for most foods, instead they just slowly degrade in quality over time. I try to limit my food to 3 months in the freezer, although sometimes things go longer. The FDA does have recommended times for different types of food, which you can see on this chart.
This is ultimate comfort food, so it was perfect for a snowy evening! It was tasty, but I found it quite salty; therefore, I will use low-sodium tomato sauce next time. I found it didn’t reheat super well because each time the noodles cooked more and ended up basically turning to mush – reheat in portions, not the whole batch.
Can I make this in the instant pot?
I haven’t tried recipes like this in an IP, so I’m not sure how they’d come out.
Made this for me and my boyfriend at first followed all of the recipe and it turned out very bland. Added cumin and more chili seasoning, added cayenne pepper. Sadly could not make this work there was just way too much beans.
Wow! Gotta say, this was some cheesy decedance. Now I have a whole pot to eat throughout the week! It was still tasty with whole grain pasta, but I think it was missing a fresh zip because I forgot the corn.
Any recommendations for making this in a slow cooker? Not sure how the noodles would be.
Yeah, unfortunately I don’t think this would work in a slow cooker because of the noodles. They’d just turn mushy instead of cooking properly.
I made this in a slow cooker today for a pot luck at work. It isn’t a hands-off, dump everything and leave it method, but if you need to make this without a stove, it is a good option. I did steps 1-2 on the stove in a skillet last night, then scraped the onion/spice/flour mixture into the bowl of the slow cooker. Then I added all of the other ingredients except for the noodles and cheese. I kept the bowl in the fridge overnight and then pulled it out and started the slow cooker on high 3-4 hours before mealtime. I stirred the noodles in about 25 minutes before mealtime, then the cheese went in for the last 5 minutes before we ate it.
This has become a staple in our house for those nights at the end of the week, before I’ve had time to go shopping, when there is “nothing to eat”. I always have the ingredients on hand and it’s a filling meal that everyone enjoys. I like it with some cornbread on the side.
Really easy, fast, cheap, and delicious! I only got 6 servings out of it, but that’s perfect for a weekly meal prep.
Hi! This looks delicious! If I don’t have any canned tomato sauce at home what do I do? I have those small cans of tomato paste, do I mix it with water? How do I make it equal to a 15oz can? I think the paste is 6oz?
Hmm, I’m really not sure how much water you would need to make it the same consistency as tomato sauce. But even if you did that, the flavor would be different because tomato paste is just condensed tomato, whereas tomato sauce has salt and a little bit of onion, sometimes other seasonings. It would probably be best to wait until you can get some tomato sauce.
So good! Thank you!! I stopped eating meat 6 months ago.. and this makes me feel like I’m eating my old chilli recipe… without eating meat!!;)
I have to say thank you for this recipe, I was purchasing a frozen dish similar to this which now costs about $4.19 per 9.5 oz package. I can happily say I won’t have to buy those frozen dishes ever again thanks to this recipe! I now have 10+ servings of this delicious dish to enjoy and couldn’t be happier. Thank you for your fantastic website, I cannot wait to try more dishes!
Do you think this would freeze well?
Yes it will freeze pretty well. :)
I ended up making this without the pasta but it was completely delicious. Will definitely be making this again!
Is there nutrition information somewhere?
No, I’m sorry I don’t have nutrition information.
1 1/4 cup serving size
385 calories
7.6g Fat
60.9g Carbs
17.9g Protein
Calculated with exact ingredients listed using MyFitnessPal app
Made this last winter and it has become a staple in our house! We love it!
We call it “Beanie Mac”!
Made this last night and enjoyed it for lunch, looking forward to leftovers throughout the week. My tweaks – halved the cheese to lower the fat and also subbed some extra veggies in place of 1 can of beans (I chose celery and zucchini instead of corn). I didn’t find it as spicy as I hoped but no worries, next time I’ll add more. Nothing a little sriracha couldn’t fix today :D
Because I’m a super lazy cook, I made this in my slow cooker – omitted flour and pre-sauteed the onions before throwing everything in my slow cooker approx 2.5 hours on high. (except zucchini which I sautéed separate and added at the end to avoid it becoming soggy. Thanks for a simple, delicious, and flexible recipe – I’ve written it down to keep in my regular rotation :D
This is delicious. However, I added a few teaspoons of sugar to balance out the often acidic tomato taste. I also doubled the cheese and use whatever beans I have on hand. lol very delicious!!
I love this recipe so much. I’ve made it once a month for like a year.
That said, it does not make 10 cups. I measure the final product into bowls with a measuring cup and it comes out to about 6 usually, making each 1 cup portion 416 calories based on my most recent count.
I want to try this recipe, but what type/kind of tomato sauce are you using in this recipe?
It’s just called “tomato sauce” and can be found near other canned tomato products, like diced tomatoes or tomato paste. (It’s not the same as pasta sauce.) It’s basically a smooth tomato purée with a little salt and other spices in it.
I made this last week and IT IS SO GOOD! I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was fairly healthy too (I’m on Weight Watchers and it is only 3 sp per cup with cheese, 2 sp per cup without). I added a bell pepper I had that needed to be used with the onion and used radiatore pasta, which has been hanging out in the pantry for a while. I added some cayenne pepper for a little spice. It was gone within 2 days.
I think this recipe is one of the only things keeping me going in this brutal winter! Because I have a lactose intolerant boyfriend, I leave the cheese out of the larger batch and just add it to my bowl, and the flavors are to die for even without the cheese. We both love it!
LOVE this! My boyfriend has been begging for it since I made it last week. I’m making a double batch tonight so we can have leftovers for lunch tomorrow! Definitely a keeper! THANKS!!!
So good. I have been craving this again ever since I made it a few weeks ago. I added a bag of vegetarian Morningstar crumbles (vegetarian meat). Making again today. Such an easy and comforting dish to make for cold winter nights. Plus any excuse to make a one pot meal in my new Dutch oven is a win.
Taste really good! Thanks 😁
My kids loved this! Cheap, fast, easy, lots of protein= great week night meal for my vegetarian kid and the non-vegetarian loved it too.
I made this for dinner last night and it was DELICIOUS! Even my husband, who hates chili, said that it was tasty. Definitely going to be making this again.
So yummy. My hubby just became a vegetarian and this was a score for us. I added 1 teaspoon hot sauce and cumin to add a little spice to it but everything else combined was so yummy. Thank you.
Excellent although I used penne pasta and drained the canned tomatoes in error.
139 comments – where are they hiding?
Made this on Tuesday – froze two servings and I’m amazed that we polished it off today – there are only two of us.
Next time I will pull out 1/2 cup of macaroni and sub in a cup of veggies. I would have liked more veggies. Will make it again. Hmm – can’t get the enter key to work either.
Below the last comment on the page there is a link that says “older comments” that will display more.
This dish was aaaaaaamazing! Especially for a newly vegetarian family. Thanks for sharing.
I made this recipe once before and LOVED it! I am planning to make it again, but I have some picky eaters who do not like diced tomatoes (it’s a texture thing). What do you suggest as a substitution?
You can definitely leave the diced tomatoes out without affecting the dish too much (I don’t think you’d need to replace them with anything), but I’d still use the tomato sauce if possible. That one is a bit more integral to the recipe and would take some work to find a sub.
I always have trouble at the roux stage of this recipe. Once I add the flour and chili powder, everything gets coated but very dry looking, and I’m pretty sure things get quickly to burning rather than toasting. Is it possible I should maybe add more oil with the powders? Next time I might even try starting off with vegetable oil instead of olive.
You can try adding a splash more oil, and also try reducing the heat a bit so it doesn’t burn so fast.
Has anyone froze this? What is the best way to reheat?
Holy moly, this is tasty. As a born-and-raised meat-and-potatoes Midwesterner turned vegetarian, it can be hard to find those dishes that are casserole-y and creamy and protein-y and cheesy, that can be a whole meal (well, okay, we should probably have salad too), but that are vegetarian. Thank you so much!
I made this and the beefy chili mac. This didn’t quite stick with me enough, and the beefy chili mac seemed lacking. I combined the two and it is PERFECT! I use canned corn instead of frozen (its cheaper for me) and fresh tomatoes. I make it spicy by adding chipotle pepper in adobo paste and cayenne. I also omitted the flour, as it didn’t add anything. One of my new favorites for sure!
This was awesome! I’d been craving some comfort food and this hit the spot. Paired it with a side of green beans and felt like a kid again.
I have made several of your recipes and my family has loved them all. Thank you so much for all the recipes!
This is A-MAZING! Even my picky son had the first mug full!
You can do this in a slow cooker too! Just saute the onion and garlic then throw everything in the slow cooker till the macaroni is done. I do it that way so I don’t have to watch it LOL! I am lazy like that.
Made this tonight using all ingredients I already had in my pantry. All 4 kids ate it up and 2 had seconds. Will make it again but maybe stir in some jalapeño.
I was looking for a recipe to make this type of meal – I had all the ingredients on hand with a few minor tweaks and it is in the crockpot minus the pasta and cheese which I will add later! It looks great so far! Thanks for posting!
I love Amy’s Bowls Chili Mac I tried this recipe because it looked really close and it was, but better!! I followed the recipe with slight adjustments in my amounts; my two cloves of garlic were huge and I added cayenne pepper powder and paprika with the chili powder. I thought it was too hot, but the spice turned out perfectly in the end when I added the sharpe cheddar, I opted for 2 cups and it really toned down the heat. I’m excited to eat this again tomorrow – thank you!
5 stars!
Simple and delicious!
This recipe seems completely unreal! I had already planned and bought the ingredients to make your burrito bowl, which I’m about to starting making for supper tonight. I will make sure to go out and get the ingredients tomorrow! I love your site! Especially the fact that you post pictures for ever step, as a timid cooker, I am very grateful of this!
I’ve made this twice now and it’s amazing. Definitely a new go-to recipe for me!
This was SOOOOO good! I added in some more salt, black pepper, cayenne, and most importantly a generous shake of dried chipotle pepper. So satisfying.
I was really excited about this recipe, but it ended up being very underwhelming. It lacks flavor and just became slop-like. I think these good and basic ingredients could be put to much much better use (e.g., an actual vegetarian chili)
I will not be making this again and am bummed I have so much left 😔
After reading this is was like:
My condolances,
for your stomach
I really enjoyed this recipe! I made my own beans, but other than that stuck to the recipe and it was terrific. One thing is that the pasta is a pain in the butt because it sticks – thanks for the warning in the instructions! Two tumbs up
That looks really good…simple, cheap, and easy!
Thanks for sharing!
Would rice work in place of pasta?
I don’t think you could do a simple swap. It would take a little experimenting to figure out the details.
As always, this hits it out of the park. This is a personal favorite in our house. It’s our go-to dish when company is over, and despite the huge amount that it makes, the pot is always clean when everyone leaves! Trying it tonight with home-made beans instead of canned and I can’t wait to see how it tastes.
I can’t remember if I’ve ever commented on this dish before, but my husband made it for the first time in a while tonight and I just love it so much. The flavors are just perfectly comforting for a cold winter day. He added some leftover frozen bell peppers and it went together nicely. Thank you!
Excellent! Thanks!
Made this for lunch last week and absolutely loved it! I always add a little more cheese than called for. Great recipe!
This was so good. I used whole wheat mac, which is probably a bit more expensive but tasted really right. I think the next time I make this I’ll saute a chopped jalapeno along with the aromatics. And I will make this again because it’s one of those rare dishes the whole family liked!
Do you think you could make this recipe and then transfer it to a crockpot for tailgates?
Probably, but just keep in mind that the pasta may continue to soften and get mushy if left on the heat too long.
I make this recipe all the time! We all love it!
hi, how much would 2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles weigh? i live in uk and none of my local shops do macaroni so i’ll need to use larger shapes that i can’t fit in a cup in same way as macaroni :( some website said 200g / 7oz and i’ve made this before with that measurement, but that only fed me & my partner for one night, there might have been leftovers for one person. i could experiment with different amounts of pasta but tbh i’m cant be arsed :D
thank you
It depends on the shape, but it’s going to be around 1/2 pound (not sure what that translates to in grams).
THIS IS SOOOOO GOOD!!!!!!!!!! I Made it for a theatre potluck and everyone LOVED IT!!! It was a bit too mild for me, so I added red pepper flakes to mine, but left it mild for everyone else. I’m DEFINITELY going to make this again.
Let’s see, I have most of these ingredients in organic…have to go find the rest in organic, online. Of course my Harris Teeter grocery store has LOTS of organic products throughout the whole store, and my Food Lion has an organic section. Even Walmart and Target are getting on board the organic bandwagon! Everyone jump on, and lets not eat anymore chemicals, and GMO’s! Put Monsanto out of business!
Made this tonight with brown rice pasta and it was so heavenly! The flavor was perfect and it’s such a filling comforting dish. It will be perfect when I make it in the fall, too. My husband and I have put this dish “on rotation” at our house. Thank you for posting!
I actually served this to a friend of mine who is a vegetarian and she loved it.
Thank you for the recipe-it was great! The only change I made was adding cumin for more flavor. I’m definitely going to make this again.
This is a great cold weather meal! Thanks Beth!
This is such. a. good. recipe! My ten year old and seven year old can make this themselves (with frozen chopped onions and jarred garlic). The whole family loves it, and no one misses the meat. We make it every week. Thanks, Beth!
How many calories is this recipe?
Last time I made this, with the addition of broccoli and carrots and as 6 portions as opposed to 8 it came out to 553 calories a serving according to myfitnesspal. Obviously this may be different depending on how you choose to make the recipe.
Hi Beth!
Thank you for creating such DELICIOUS meals, very helpful for a busy guy trying to stay in shape.
I know that you used to try to put calorie counts/ nutritional facts on your recipes and I have found a website that is SUPER helpful when I make your meals and try to track them.
The website is called CalorieCount.com and simply compying and pasting your recipes gives a rough estimate of the nutritional facts in each recipe. https://www.caloriecount.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
Thought you might like to give it a try!
Thanks again for all the amazing food, keep up the good work!!
P.S. I am not affilated with CalorieCount.com in any way shape or form nor did I receive anything for this post, just stumbled upon it and thought you’d like to see it :)
Hi James! Thanks for passing that along for the readers. :) I actually have never included calorie counts for my recipes because while those online calculators are convenient, they’re not always very accurate and I don’t feel comfortable offering information that I can’t verify. So, I leave it up to the readers to choose the calculator they trust and enter the info themselves. I appreciate you sharing another option!
My boyfriend and I made this last night and it was DELICIOUS. I made it for a chili cook-off at work but am definitely going to have to save some for myself. I like the versatility of this recipe… you can really add anything you want!
Just made this and had to add an extra cup of broth as it didn’t seem “liquidy” enough when the noodles went in. Came out great though!!
Beautiful, tasty and easy to make recipe.
Loved it👌😍
My family is vegitarian and this is one of our go to meals that everyone loves. We call it “Cowboy Grub” or “”Cowboy Chow.”
This is my new favorite dish! Delicious, freezes well and makes a lot! It’s so cheap and quite filling.
Another great one. My husband loves it and the leftovers are great for lunches. We’ll be putting this in regular rotation at my house. Thanks!
I loved this one! Most of the ingredients are usually in my kitchen, so this was a great quick recipe. I love plain mac-n-cheese but this recipe is more nutritious with the veggies and beans. I like to batch cook and eat the same meal throughout the week, and the amount in this recipe worked well.
I had made up a big batch of black beans for this and another recipe, and realized I had exactly two cups of bean water leftover. I was going to use veggie bouillon for the veggie broth anyway, so I mixed the bean water with the bouillon. It was AMAZING — the bean water was thick and starchy, and the final product had a wonderful gooeyness to it. Even though my brain knew the gooeyness was just the bean water, my mouth has been interpreting it as like that beautiful gooeyness you get in a really cheesy, butter-y dish of perfect mac and cheese. Highly recommend!
Oooh, great thinking!!
This was extremely bland for me. I do appreciate the high yield and low cost. Next time, I would probably add some cumin and salt, and maybe a jalapeno.
Loved this recipe! Since it did make a lot i froze half for a busy day. Pulled it out for tonight, put it in a casserole pan, covered with cheese and baked for about 12 minutes. Delicious this way as well.
Do you think this could be done in the crockpot? If so, what, if any, modifications would you suggest?
Nope, this one won’t work in a crock pot.
Made this for dinner last night, officially a favourite in our house!
I made this today for this first time. I didn’t have fire roasted tomatoes so I used a can of diced chili tomatoes. I found it quite bland so I added a couple of teaspoons of cumin and paprika, a tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of cayenne. Yum!
I substituted pinto beans for chickpeas and the corn for peas and carrots. Excellent recipe.
Wow….delicious. I am so glad this made so much food. Looking forward to eating it all week.
Can I use whole wheat pasta?
This is a great recipe. I made it as is and thought was a bit bland, so I added cumin, paprika, and a lot of extra garlic, and it was a huge hit with everyone, toddlers and adults alike.
You can’t call this vegetarian because it does have cheese in it, otherwise It’s amazing!
Vegetarian eat dairy and eggs, vegans don’t. In other words, this is, indeed, vegetarian.
As someone who has been a vegetarian for fourty years, I can assure you that this is a vegetarian recipe. Vegetarians eat eggs and dairy.
Vegans don’t eat any animal products at all.
I used fire roasted tomatoes and chicken broth because that is what I already had. I drained and rinsed the beans ahead of time and combined them, along with the corn, in the fridge. I also prepped the onion and garlic do all I had to do was assemble before dinner. We ate it with pumpkin cornbread. The chili mac was tasty enough, but not a favorite. We will most likely get through the leftovers, but not sure we’ll remake this one. It is very budget friendly though and will feed a lot of people!
I’ve just made this for my lunch and it is so good! Even better than I thought it would be.
I made this a couple of weeks ago and now I’ll be making it again. I love that you update your recipes as questions come in from the readers.
I made this and it was a big hit with my family. Even better, I turned the leftovers into soup tonight: I added some home-canned stewed tomatoes, salt, cumin, chili powder, a little broth, and topped with crumbled queso blanco. Delicious!
Delicious but man, you weren’t kidding when you said it was high yield.
Wow -was really impressed with this one! The list of ingredients seemed simple. I expected it to be good, but it was better than good! I made a batch with the shredded cheddar and then made a second batch where I substituted a cup of vegan sour cream for the cheese (vegan friend coming over for dinner). Both versions were delicious. Thanks for another easy but awesome recipe!
Quick, easy, affordable, delicious and made a ton of food. Next time I make it, I want to add fresh avocado on top.
Omg… I must say, WOW! I wanted to take a moment between fork fulls of this delicious chili mac to thank the chef! I’ve tried a few of your other recipes but so far this is my fave. Thank you! So much food, so good, and so much bang for your buck!! Spent about $7 today on this dish which should last a while!
I’m going to go crazy here and say I want to add some frozen brussel sprouts to the mix.. at what point should I add them – same time as the frozen corn?!
I think I’d add them closer to the end, just because they tend to get mushier than corn does. Corn can hold its shape for quite some time during cooking, whereas Brussels sprouts tend to break down.
Woah, had the same question! Thanks to you and Beth :D
For a protein-packed, gluten-free version, you can substitute the flour with protein powder and just use gluten free noodles. Yummy.
Made this yesterday! It was super quick to put together and absolutely delicious. I did cook the pasta separately so that I could let it simmer for a couple of hours and subbed chickpeas for the pinto beans because I didn’t have any. It’s going on our regular roster for sure!
We just finished eating it for dinner. It’s a keeper. I served it with a little Texas Pete Hot sauce and Fritos corn chips on the side! So good!
The veg chili recipe was surprisingly good…. I mean, really really good! So quick, simple and tasty. I bet it episode freeze well too. Just absolutely perfect comfort food! I added sliced avocado on top for added vegetable / healthy fats . This recipe is a winner!! And you are absolutely right about needing to use sharp aged cheddar – yum.
It’s -7 where I stay and I really want to make this… But can I use one kind of beans instead of three. I’d love to add more veggies since I have kids to feed. Any suggestions.
Yes, you can definitely just use one type of bean if you prefer (I just like the colors of the trio). You could maybe add some bell peppers or zucchini to it.
This was delicious! I added half a can of leftover chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (needed to be used up) to the onions at the beginning – we loved the added heat! I also needed an extra cup of broth for the macaroni to cook. I don’t know if it was because of the whole wheat noodles (365 brand from WF – 10% off through the weekend!!). Thanks for the awesome recipes :).
We made this on Friday night, the family absolutely loved it! We were really excited to see this recipe because we hike alot and we can never find one of those dehydrated vegetarian chili mac, only the kind with meat in it. So, we made an extra batch, threw some in the dehydrator and dehydrated it! We tested it out last night by simply adding some hot water to it (like we would on the trails) and it worked! Just as delicious as if we cooked it right then and there!
Thanks for posting such an awesome recipe!
Wow, that’s so cool!
This is absolutely fantastic. Cheesy comfort food on a Minnesota day with sub-zero high temps. I had not quite two cups of whole wheat elbow noodles, so I used those and tossed in a little extra corn. I also had some salsa I wanted to use up. I pureed that and used 15 oz of the puree in place of the tomato sauce. It added a nice zip. This is REALLY good stuff! It makes a lot. I already froze 3 portions, and have the rest in the fridge for lunches this week. Thanks for the great recipes – I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve prepared from your Web site!
I wanted to make this recipe when I first read it but waited for the predicted cold snap. It is currently 7 degrees outside and this dish is absolutely perfect. Thanks!
I’ll be definitely trying this recipe! I was wondering, do you have any suggestions for extra veggies I could add to this? I’m not as worried about cost, so I try to up the veggie content whenever possible. I’m thinking red and green peppers should work, but not sure about anything else. Zucchini/squash type vegetables are pretty much the only non-option, because my husband can’t stand them.
Well, bell peppers and zucchini were going to be my first two options. :D How about cut up green beans? That might be interesting.
I made this tonight for my family. I’ve been incorporating more vegetarian dishes into our meals and I must say that the guys didn’t even notice that it didn’t have meat in it. This one’s a winner. I consider myself a good cook but your blog has really helped me get out of my rut with quick, tasty and economical meals. Thank you.
I have macaroni that doesn’t need to boil or be drained in my pantry–would using that affect this recipe?
It might, but I’ve never used that type of pasta so I’m not sure. It might require a different liquid to pasta ratio or a different cooking time.
I ended up not wanting to experiment that night and bought “normal” macaroni. This recipe was a huge hit with my family and even my bean-averse toddler ate it all!
I subbed the tomato cans for a single 28 oz whole tomatoes which I hand crushed separately (I like the whole tomatoes’ quality better). Also I used 1 tbsp of chili powder and 1 tbsp of cumin instead of 2 tbsp chili. Also, I had a 15 oz can of corn and no third can of beans so I used that instead of the kidney beans. Came out really good!
I’m eating this right now and it’s excellent! Even though I’m a huge dummy and accidentally picked up 2 cans of tomato sauce instead of 1 sauce and 1 diced (I SWEAR it said diced!), it still turned out delicious! This one is a keeper for sure.
Hahah, don’t you hate it when labels change after you get home?? That happens to me all the time! :P
I also hate when i swear i got 4 cans at the store and when you come home it turns into 3.
I’m eating this right now and reading your comment reminded me that I apparently forgot to add the tomato sauce. I only put in one can of diced tomatoes. It still turned out well! :)
So easy and delicious! Another winner!!
This looks great! I may have to make it tonight. Although I’ll be using colby jack cheese since that’s what I have (and frankly, the little kid in me still loves it when cheese is stringy)
Wow, good looking chili. I’ll try it your way but can’t help to think how some bacon or steak chunks would be awesome in it too.
I can’t use the DAIYA cheese. Anything yeast based I can not have due to a severe yeast allergy (affects my breathing). Does anyone have any suggestions for a cheese replacement or could it be left out all together?
You can definitely leave it out all together, the sauce will still be pretty thick and nice without cheese thanks to the flour. I would recommend adding some extra seasoning like smoked paprika to kick up the flavor and make you forget all about the cheese.
I made this last night and it’s delicious! I used dried beans and saved even more money!
Like a thousand comments before me – I just LOVE your site and all your (vegetarian) recipes. Whenever someone compliments a meal I’ve made, I direct them to your site :)
I have a billion bags of pasta at home to use up, but no macaroni – do you think a rotini or penne would be okay?
Thanks!
I think rotini would work very well.
This goes perfectly with the Pulses Pledge!
I just found your website last night and couldn’t wait to make this even though it’s the middle of summer here in Australia! So amazingly yummy! Can’t wait to make more of your recipes. Thanks!
Hi Beth!
Do you add the tomatoes WITH the juice or drain them? You don’t say in the post only to drain and rinse the beans. I have made tons of your recipes! Thanks for the dinner time dilemma of “what’s for dinner?!?” So much easier :)
With the juice. :)
Love this recipe besides the kidney beans! Very popular at my house.
I just made a vegan version of this with Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds. I only used about 1/3 cup because a little Daiya goes a long way. I also added some nutritional yeast, about 2 tablespoons.
This is SUPER delicious and feels very indulgent. I almost feel like I need to eat a salad after I eat this because it’s so rich and satisfying.
I’m glad it works with daiya, I was just wondering!
Do you simmer covered or uncovered?
Covered. You’ll need to uncover occasionally to stir, but replace the cover each time.
So happy to see this. I’ve always secretly loved Hamburger Helper but hated that there’s meat in it….idk. I just remember as a kid eating it and thinking how much better it would be sans meat. So glad there’s an alternative now :) this reminds me of something else you made…creamy enchilada pasta maybe? Can’t remember the name. It’s from your site, with pintos, green chilies and mont jack cheese.
Oh My! This could change my mind about vegetarian chili….looks scrumptious!!!!!!! Pinned and definitely making. Enjoy your site so much. Thanks for sharing.
Assuming I can use any kind of broth? Have some open I would like to use up. Silly question but thought I would ask anyway! Thank you for all your recipes and ideas!
Yep! The flavor will change a bit, but I think beef or chicken would also be good.
I just made this using Better than Bullion beef base and it was off the charts amazing
Thanks of asking about the broth! I was wondering the same thing. Lol
Thanks for all the vegetarian dishes! I get so uninspired to try new recipes when things get busy. Big batches are great too! Leftovers are a must!
AH! Last night I bought the ingredients I needed to make the One Pot Chili Pasta (which I LOVE), and then I see this! I can’t wait to try it!!!!!!!
Do you think this would freeze well or should I downsize it? (there’s only one of me)
I think this one would freeze very well. I plan on freezing a few servings myself. :)
I made this a few hours ago and it was delicious! I can’t stop eating it. I had to replace the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce with salsa and pasta sauce because that’s what I had on hand. But it still turned out great.
Hi Beth,
Would beef broth work ok in place of vegetable broth?
Yes, that would work very well. :)
I loved your SNAP challenge! I can’t wait to try this, especially since I’m trying to eat less meat. I’m not as big of a cheese lover, so I’ll probably just omit it. :)
This looks amazing! What do you think about freezing the leftovers?
I think this one should freeze pretty well. :)
Oh my goodness! I have loved your blog for years, it is my go to site for recipes. I just love your style. And I love that you are posting more vegetarian recipes. My daughter recently decided to become a vegetarian so recipes like this help to make my life easier. I’ve always cooked with lentils and beans, but it is nice to have vegetarian versions of some of the classics. I made your vegetarian shepherds pie tonight and it is a hit!
This looks PERFECT for a potluck I am going to on Sunday! Do you think I could make on the stovetop and keep hot in crockpot?
Yes, although the pasta might continue to soften a bit (that wouldn’t bother me, though!).
looks wow! I’m sure adding a little ground beef/turkey during the onion stage would satisfy the carnivores at home. I seriously LOVE the step-by-step photos!
I came on the site to make oven fajitas and now I want this so badly I can hardly stand it. Tomorrow.