There are countless versions of the comfort-classic chili mac, a dish that at its most basic is chili (usually meat chili) combined with elbow macaroni. This version is inspired by the flavors of Texas chili — cubed beef, chiles, spice and no beans. Traditional Texas chili takes hours to achieve its super-tender beef and famous long-simmered flavor, so we turned to the pressure cooker to help bring it together quickly. We also brought in that creamy queso-dip secret ingredient, processed cheese, for a perfect velvety finish to our dish.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 20 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds beef stew meat (preferably chuck), cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 poblano pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- One 10-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chiles, such as Rotel
- One 7-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 3/4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 3/4 cups elbow macaroni (about 9 ounces)
- 8 ounces processed block cheese, such as Velveeta, diced
- Fresh cilantro leaves, sour cream and pickled jalapeños, for serving
Instructions
- Mix the chili powder, cumin, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt and several grinds black pepper together in a small bowl. Place the beef in a medium bowl; add 4 teaspoons of the spice mixture and toss until evenly coated. Set aside.
- Set a 6-quart Instant Pot® multicooker (see Cook’s Note) to sauté at normal heat. When the display indicates “hot,” add the oil. Working in 2 batches, add the meat and sear until golden brown on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon and repeat with the remaining meat. Set aside.
- Add the onion, poblano, garlic and a pinch of salt to the pot. Cook, stirring often, until tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining spice mixture and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 1 more minute.
- Turn off the sauté setting and stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the seared beef and any of its juices, nestling the meat into the liquid. Follow the manufacturer’s guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook, making sure the steam valve is in the sealing position. Set to pressure cook on high for 30 minutes.
- After the pressure-cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer’s guide for quick release and wait until the cycle is complete. Being careful of any remaining steam, unlock and remove the lid. Stir in the elbow macaroni. Place the lid back on and lock it, making sure the steam valve is in the sealing position. Set to pressure cook on High for 5 minutes. Once the pressure-cook cycle is complete, quick release the steam again.
- Being careful of any remaining steam, unlock and remove the lid. Stir in the cheese until completely melted and smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. The macaroni will thicken as it sits and starts to cool. Transfer to bowls and top with cilantro, sour cream and pickled jalapeños.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 557 |
| Total Fat | 22 g |
| Saturated Fat | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Protein | 47 g |
| Cholesterol | 125 mg |
| Sodium | 1063 mg |
Reviews
Delicious! The beef chunks are so tender and it is cheesy goodness with the Velveeta! This recipe is a keeper!
This was good! Super easy too. We’re a two adult household, and I’d say it’s definitely a winner for a family with kids. We both thought it reminded us of school lunch fare in a good way! If I make it again, I will definitely find ways to cut the salt down. I forgot to get broth so I used Better than Boullion, which I use in soup and chili all of the time, but something made this really salty. I only used 1 tsp of salt in the seasoning. Maybe no salt tomatoes and sauce and half low sodium broth next time. I’ve never been happy with low sodium broth though. Maybe I just need regular cheddar. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve used Velveeta in my life. For some reason the big brick was on sale for 1.99 as opposed to 6.49 for the small one, so call me if you need Velveeta!