Slow cooker chili mac combines two of your favourite dinners into one satisfying meal. Does your family celebrate Taco Tuesday every week? Do the kids always request pasta nights? Slow cooker chili mac (also known as taco pasta) gives you the best of both worlds. And it couldn’t be easier to make in your Hamilton Beach® slow cooker.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute onions and garlic for about 3 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add a pound of ground turkey (you could substitute ground beef if you prefer) to the skillet and saute until browned.

Add the meat mixture to the slow cooker crock with the remaining ingredients – 2 cans of diced tomatoes and green chiles, 1 can of crushed tomatoes, 1 can of kidney beans, an additional can of green chiles, chili seasoning, salt, and black pepper.

Cover the slow cooker crock and cook on HIGH for 3 ½ to 4 hours or on LOW for 7 to 8 hours. When the meat sauce is finished cooking, stir in a pound of cooked pasta and some cheese (feel free to be very generous with this step). Let the cheese melt a little before serving.

Slow cooker chili mac is a hearty meal complete with pasta, beans, meat and cheese – what more could you want? This big bowl of pasta swaps out marinara for a flavorful sauce packed full of your favourite Mexican flavours. While this dish is delicious served directly from the slow cooker, we took the liberty of adding some (OK, a lot) of our favourite taco and chili toppings. Fresh jalapenos, sour cream, hot sauce, even more cheese. Put a few of your a favourite mix-ins on the table and let everyone customize a bowls to their liking.

Serve chili mac for family dinner any night of the week or at your Cinco de Mayo party alongside a build-your-own margarita bar. Your guests will undoubtedly enjoy customizing their dinner and drinks.

Slow Cooker Chili Mac

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 pound lean ground turkey or ground beef
2 cans (10 oz each) mild diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies, undrained
1 package chili seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
1 package (1 lb) cellentani pasta, cooked
1 package (8 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese

Servings:

Units:

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the oil.
Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in ground turkey, cooking until browned, about 6 minutes. Drain fat if necessary.
Add meat mixture to slow cooker crock with tomatoes and chilies, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato sauce, green chilies, chili seasoning, salt and black pepper.
Cover slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or LOW for 7 to 8 hours.
Stir in cooked pasta and 1 cup shredded cheese before serving. Let stand on WARM for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, if desired.