Is it chili? Is it mac and cheese? This slow cooker recipe combines the best of both

When a friend mentioned that she serves chili over noodles, I was intrigued. We always serve our chili straight up with cornbread or tortilla chips on the side, but I had to try this new way, and the results were what inspired this chili mac from my cookbook "Mostly Veggies."

Is it chili? Is it mac and cheese? It's the best of both worlds, and it's surprisingly healthy and packed with veggies.

I love my slow cooker! It's so convenient to throw ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and have a delicious, healthy meal ready to eat at the end of the day. You are more than welcome to cook dried beans from scratch, but that usually involves soaking and long cook times. For that reason, I'm a big fan of using canned beans for easy meals.

Slow Cooker Chili Mac

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red or orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen sweet corn kernels
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (8-ounce) box chickpea elbow pasta noodles
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for serving (plant-based, if needed)
Sliced green onions, for garnish

Directions

Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, beans, corn, tomatoes and their juices, broth, and seasonings to a slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Add the pasta, cover, and continue cooking on low for 20 minutes, until the pasta is cooked through. Add the cheese and stir to combine.

Serve immediately. Evenly divide the chili mac into six bowls, top with more cheese and green onions. Or, to meal prep, evenly divide the chili mac into six meal prep containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to serve, reheat the chili mac in a saucepan over medium heat until warm throughout, 5 to 10 minutes, or in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve topped with more cheese and green onions.

Brittany Mullins is a recipe developer, photographer, and founder of Eating Bird Food, a website where she shares simple, nutrient-dense recipes. She has a marketing degree, a health coaching certification, and lives with her husband, two children and pup in Richmond, Virginia.

Excerpted from "Mostly Veggies" by Brittany Mullins. Copyright 2023 by Brittany Mullins. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.