Ready in just 30 minutes, this dish is filled with fire-roasted tomatoes, beans, and pasta noodles with spicy, peppery, garlicky hints of smoke. This Cajun Chili Mac is a one-pot wonder that is quick, simple, and a dish the whole family will love!
Ingredients Needed:
- Oil: extra-virgin olive oil
- Flavor: minced garlic and red onions provide a sweet, savory flavor.
- Cooking Liquid: vegetable broth for Meatless Monday. otherwise, use chicken broth.
- Tomatoes: Fire-roasted diced tomatoes give this chili mac a little smokiness.
- Beans: at the base of this chili mac are kidney beans. They provide a fibrous meatiness to help fill you up. Make sure you drain and rinse them to reduce sodium. Read more about that HERE.
- Cajun Seasoning: Use your favorite. The seasoning I used for this recipe is no longer available. Just use your favorite. You can’t go wrong with that!
- Seasoning: Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.
- Pasta: raw elbows pasta was used for this recipe. Just about any noodle will work, so don’t make a special trip to the store. Use what you have on hand!
- Cheese: shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese is added to thicken the sauce. Use extra for serving!
- Herbs: fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley can be chopped, for garnish.
How to make Cajun Chili Mac
- Heat olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion; cook until onions are soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, beans, and Bayou Black seasoning; season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and stir in pasta. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through; about 13 to 15 minutes.
- It will seem like there is an awful lot of liquid in the pot, and you may think that it looks more like a soup, but just let it simmer; you’ll see it thicken up as the pasta cooks.
- Turn off the heat; top with cheese and cover until melted, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
This quick and easy Cajun Chili Mac is amazing. So good you won’t miss the meat. Try it today!
Cajun Chili Mac
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ red onion diced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 cup canned kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 10 ounces uncooked elbows pasta
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded + extra for serving
- fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion; cook until onions are soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, beans, and Cajun seasoning; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a simmer and stir in pasta. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through; about 13 to 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat; top with cheese and cover until melted, about 2 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Annie says
Chili-mac is one of my all time favorites – love this idea of adding Cajun spice, so up my alley, YUM!!!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks! Oh that’s right Norleans gurl! You’ve totally got to try this. It is amazing!
Ryan Anderson says
Wow what an amazing post! Thank you for sharing and looking forward to trying to win the cajun seasoning, it looks delicious!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks Ryan. I hope you will try this recipe. It’s delicious! Good luck!!?
Dana@IveGotCake says
I saw the word, ‘cajun’, and I was immediately here for this!
I always forget how easy mac n cheese is to make – bookmarking this for a summer potluck recipe <3
The Mountain Kitchen says
Woman, this will have your friends wanting more! So good!! ?