Serves 6 to 8

photo by Kate Lewis

I’m a vegan chili devotee! But sometimes you want chili and you want pasta and you don’t want to choose. Enter one-pot chili mac: the dish that says why not both? It’s kind of like hamburger helper in that the pasta cooks right in the pot with everything else. One pot, minimal dishes, loads of flavor. Why is life this easy?

The magic of cooking everything in one pot is that all the flavors blend together as they simmer. The pasta absorbs the tomato and chili spices, the seitan soaks up all that savory broth, and everything becomes this cohesive, deeply flavored masterpiece. The Mona Lisa of one-pot meals! It’s basically what those boxed hamburger helper mixes promised us in the ’90s, but actually good. And vegan. And made with real ingredients you can pronounce.

The baby carrots cook down soft and sweet, adding little pockets of sweetness and some color to all the red and brown. The jalapeños bring the kick.

If you’d like to replace the seitan, beans would be amazing. You can also just add some beans with the seitan. I would recommend kidney, pinto or black beans but now that I think about it why not great northerns or chickpeas? Whatever makes you happy.

You can also do it up with the toppings: vegan sour cream or shredded cheese. Add some tortilla strips for crunch. But honestly and truly, it’s perfectly wonderful as is.

Vegan Chili Mac FAQ

Can I use something other than seitan? Absolutely. Beans are great here! Kidney, pinto, black, great northern, chickpeas, whatever makes you happy. You could also use crumbled tempeh or store-bought vegan ground. Or just add beans alongside the seitan for extra protein, because why not have a protein party.

Can I use a different pasta shape? Yes. Elbows are classic but shells, rotini, or penne all work. Just make sure it’s a short pasta that can simmer in the pot. Cooking time may vary slightly.

Can I make this gluten-free? Swap the seitan for beans or your favorite vegan ground, and use a gluten-free pasta. Everything else is already gluten-free.

How spicy is this? Mild to medium. The chili powder is mild and two jalapeños give it a nice warmth without being intense. Seed the jalapeños if you want less heat, or add a diced habanero if you want more. And of course serve with plenty of hot sauce if you’re a spice freak.

My pasta isn’t cooking. What’s going on? Pasta takes longer to cook when there are tomatoes in the pot. The acid slows things down. Just be patient, stir occasionally, and add a splash of water if it starts looking too thick before the pasta is tender.

Can I make this ahead of time? This is one of those recipes that’s actually better as leftovers. The flavors deepen overnight. But a caveat: The pasta will get softer and absorb more liquid as it sits. But IMHO that’s part of the charm; it turns into this thick, stew-y thing that’s almost better than the original. Add a splash of broth when reheating if it needs loosening up. Keeps well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

Can I freeze this? You can, but the pasta texture changes a bit when frozen and reheated. If you want to meal prep, freeze the chili base without the pasta and cook fresh pasta when you reheat.

Vegan One Pot Chili Mac With Seitan

One-Pot Chili Mac With Seitan

Vegan chili mac that cooks entirely in one pot: pasta, protein, and all. It's hamburger helper for people who actually want to enjoy their dinner.
5 from 13 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups diced seitan
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 large yellow onion diced medium
  • 1 cup baby carrots diced
  • 2 jalapeños thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons mild chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 (25 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 8 oz macaroni pasta
  • For serving:
  • Scallions sliced, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat a 6-quart pot over medium-high heat.
  • Sauté the seitan in one tablespoon oil for about 5 minutes just to crisp it up a bit, then remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.
  • Add the remaining oil, then sauté the onion, carrots, and jalapeños with a big pinch of salt for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is lightly browned.
  • Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and nutritional yeast, and toss to coat the veggies, letting the spices toast for about 2 minutes.
  • Add the cilantro and sauté until wilted and cooked down, another 2 minutes or so.
  • Add the vegetable broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Add the canned tomatoes and pasta. Cover and bring to a boil, then give it a stir.
  • Once boiling, reduce heat and let simmer with the lid ajar so steam can escape. Pasta takes longer to cook when there are tomatoes involved, so this could take 20 minutes or so. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water if things start to look too thick.
  • Stir the seitan back in after about 10 minutes.
  • When the macaroni is tender, it’s ready! Tastes best if you let it sit for 10 minutes or so. Pro tip: tastes even better as leftovers.
  • Garnish with sliced scallions and serve.
Keyword 30 Minute Meal, easy AF, Super Bowl, Winter
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