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CHEESY VEGETARIAN CHI LI

MAC
$8.90 RECIPE / $1.11 SERVING

BUDGET BYTES » RECIPES » ONE POT MEALS » CHEESY VEGETARIAN CHILI MAC

JUMP TO RECIPE  GROCERY LIST  FAVORITES

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 weeks 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
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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 PR EP THE LEF TOVER S

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).




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ONE POT CHEESY

VEGETARIAN CHILI MAC
This rich and comforting One Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac and
Cheese is the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal.
Works great for meal prep! 
TOTAL COST: $8.90 recipe / $1.11 serving
AUTHOR: Beth - Budget Bytes
PREP TIME: 10 mins
PRINT RECIPE 
COOK TIME: 25 mins
GROCERY LIST 
TOTAL TIME: 35 mins
SERVINGS: 8 1.25 cups each FAVORITES

INGREDIENTS 4.7 from 121 votes

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

1. 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.
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2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Once the pasta is tender, add the shredded cheddar and stir it in until melted.
Serve hot.

NOTES

*This chili powder is a blend of mild red chiles and other spices. Some brands may
contain spicy cayenne, so just be aware of whether your chili powder is spicy or mild.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!

NUTRITION

Serving: 1 Serving・ Calories: 400.38 kcal ・ Carbohydrates: 74.7 g ・ Protein: 19.29 g

・ Fat: 3.89 g ・ Sodium: 921.28 mg ・ Fiber: 15.18 g
Nutritional values are estimates only. See our full nutrition disclaimer here.

The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products we use and love. As an
Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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 VEGETAR I AN C HI LI MAC AND

CHEESE – STEP BY STEP PHOTO S

 
  

 

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.
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When the cheddar stirs in it will melt into the thick sauce and turn it all creamy and delicious.
 

This stuff is serious business. 

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I can not say no to the Cheesy Vegetarian Chili Mac!

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Can you??

POSTED ON JANUARY 11, 2016 IN BEAN & GRAIN RECIPES, 240 COMMENTS »
BEAN RECIPES, MAIN DISH RECIPES, ONE POT MEALS,
PASTA RECIPES, RECIPES, RECIPES UNDER $10, UNDER
$1.50 PER SERVING, VEGETARIAN PASTA RECIPES,
VEGETARIAN RECIPES
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240 COMMENTS ON “CHEESY VEGETARIAN CHILI MAC ”

« Older Comments

KARIN —
04.06.21 @ 9:41 AM REPLY

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.

MLDDJR —
04.01.21 @ 11:52 AM REPLY

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!

JANE —
02.28.21 @ 12:05 PM REPLY

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.

ARI —
03.16.21 @ 6:51 PM REPLY

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.

KAY —
02.25.21 @ 11:08 AM REPLY

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

MEGAN —
02.20.21 @ 11:41 PM REPLY

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. 

KATIE —
01.30.21 @ 9:34 AM REPLY

I’d love a slow cooker version of this! Looks delish!!

REBEKAH D —
01.25.21 @ 5:40 PM REPLY

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!

MEG B —
10.28.20 @ 4:56 PM REPLY

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. 

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