This healthy one pot meal is so easy to make and loaded with tons of vegetables! Perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Last year the thought of making a one pot pasta dish made me really nervous. It almost seemed like a science to me. You had to know exactly how much extra liquid to add in so that your pasta would cook perfectly, but not too much or it would be watery or too little and you’d get hard pasta. But my hatred of doing dishes won out and I decided to give these one pot pastas a try!
I’ve also always had a little bit of fear about eating pasta and beans together. I’m not sure exactly why, but for some reason it just didn’t make sense to me. But, this Loaded Vegetarian Chili Mac has completely changed my mind. It’s a super hearty dinner that is packed with protein and vegetables.
Chili is one of those meals that I could eat everyday. It’s so comforting, but also can be really healthy if you want to make it that way. I also love chili because I can pack it really full of vegetables and it’s not always that noticeable. My husband doesn’t necessarily shy away from vegetables but I’m not sure he would be very enthusiastic if I told him just how many I put in this chili mac. And he did eat about 3 bowls so I don’t think he minded at all 🙂
This Loaded Vegetarian Chili Mac is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner when you don’t feel like slaving over the stove or the sink!
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One Pot Loaded Vegetarian Chili Mac
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 small red pepper, diced
- 1 small green pepper, diced
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 1 small summer squash, diced
- 2 (15 ounce) cans of beans, drained and rinsed (I used pinto and black)
- 1 (8.5 ounce) can sweet corn, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, juice included
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups elbow pasta, gluten free if necessary
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat and add olive oil and onions. Cook onions for 2 minutes and then add the peppers, zucchini, and summer squash. Cook vegetables until tender, 7-10 minutes.
- Next, add the beans, corn, canned tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir until everything is combined and then add all the seasonings, broth and noodles.
- Stir everything, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer chili mac until noodles are cooked, about 20 minutes. Enjoy with toppings of your choice.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Entree, Gluten Free, Vegan
I have made this routinely for several years and I absolutely love it as a quick and nutritious meal prep lunch! I had surgery today and was able to look forward to eating this homey, comforting recipe. It’s like a hig in food form. Thanks so much! ?
That is so nice to hear, Shauna!! I hope you heal quickly! <3
Seriously good comfort food!
Thank you!!
I just made this tonight and it was so delicious! My one and 4 year olds ate it up! I have a ton left over. Does this recipe freeze well?
So glad you both liked it! Yes, you can defiantly freeze this recipe!
We’re making this one tonight because it’s quarantine comfort food. And mostly made from things we had. The store only yellow squash and we’re using frozen chopped green peppers, but hey! it’s still veggies and warm and homey.
I hope you enjoy!!
I would like to make this recipe, but I have a question. I don’t care for zucchini or summer squash. Do you have any recommendations of what to use instead? Thank you…
You can really use any vegetables you like! Broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, spinach, tomato, bell peppers, cauliflower
I’m not a big fan of beans or spices, but this recipe was great at “masking” the beans with all of the other vegetables. Additionally, this was not spicy at all, so thus kid-friendly. In fact, I would dare add more chili powder to make it a tad bit spicier. Great recipe, and I can’t wait to make it again, especially with the cold weather coming up.
Yah! So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
My kids are extremely picky and it’s always a challenge getting the three of them to eat, but they all enjoyed this!! I’m shocked! And grateful cause I really enjoyed it too! Thanks so much for sharing!
Yah!! That’s one of the highest compliments when a kid enjoys it 🙂
This looks delicious! Do you think it would work in a crock pot?
Thanks! I don’t actually have a crock pot so I can’t say for sure if it would work or what settings you should use, but I imagine it would!
As far as I’m aware, “petite crushed tomatoes” aren’t a thing, so I went with crushed tomatoes, and it was so very good. 20 minutes is a very, very long time for noodles to simmer; I would warn readers that it can be as little as 8 minutes for al dente pasta. I brought to a boil and reduced to the lowest heat setting possible and had slightly overcooked noodles after 10 minutes. I also can’t imagine this making 4-6 servings, this made 8 hearty servings for my family. Amazing recipe, though! Great flavor.
Is it petite crushed tomatoes or petite diced tomatoes? You specifically said “juice included” and used the term “petite” so are you meaning diced tomatoes? I’ve never seen petite crushed tomatoes. Thanks for the clarification
Sorry for the confusion! It is petite diced tomatoes 🙂
This by far one of my favorite vegan dishes to make!! Easy and amazing!
That’s so nice to hear! Thank you!
So good!!! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome!! I’m so glad you liked it!
This is currently on my stove cooking 🙂 My kitchen smells sooooo good!
I hope you enjoyed it, Melissa! 🙂
Am making this now. In the instructions, first part, you say to add the zucchini and corn. Then in 2nd part, you again mention adding the corn. I suspect the squash is added with the zucchini in the first part, no? Then the corn is added with the beans?
Hi Ali, so sorry about that! Yes, add the summer squash with the zucchini and then the corn can be added with the beans. I’ve updated the recipe 🙂 Thanks so much for bringing that to my attention!
Love it!
Yah! Thanks!
One pastas are lifesavers, and aren’t they the creamiest? This chili mac looks amazing Izzy! I love all the veggies in here, and I’d look forward to eating this about every day!
So creamy! I love how everything just cooks together! Thanks, Marci!
WOW. a) I love chili mac, this recipe looks brilliant, MASTERFUL job! Thanks for creating it! and b) Maybe I will make it Tuesday and c) I am a potter and holy cats you have a pretty bowl there, nicely presented!
Thanks so much, Gary! That’s awesome you are a potter! Can you keep a secret? The bowl is actually plastic, haha! 🙂
I love one-pot anything and certainly have an appreciation for the tex-mex flavors of a chili mac. So your one-pot chili mac sounds superb, especially as we’re getting through the last of winter. I hear you on the hesitation for combining past and beans but it looks like it totally works here.
Thanks, Katie! For some reason it really does work in this dish 🙂
Aren’t one pot meals the best? Especially pasta…I could eat that every day. And chili, that’s another food that I could pretty much eat ALL the time, especially in the winter! This vegetarian chili mac is calling my name…looks SO good!
Yes and yes! I love chili so much too 🙂
I think it’s so great how you write your experiences with the food, you really put your heart in it. You can tell your soul is in the business. I’m trying to become a vegan, and your energy just seems so light, I thank you for being an inspiration to me on top of the bliss I already feel from the color, of the recipes, the goodness, and the fruitfulness of it. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your kind words!! <3