One Pan Chili Pasta Skillet

If you love my Best Chili Recipe, meet its faster weeknight cousin. This one pan chili pasta comes together in about 30 minutes with ground beef, black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and elbow macaroni all cooking in a single skillet.

The pasta goes in dry and soaks up every bit of that bold, chili-seasoned broth, then the whole thing gets blanketed in melted cheese and finished with green onions. One pan, minimal cleanup, and the whole family goes back for seconds.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

One pan means one pan to wash.

That alone earns this recipe a standing ovation on a busy Tuesday. The dry pasta cooks right in the skillet and soaks up all the flavor as it goes, so every bite tastes deeply seasoned. It’s hearty enough to feed six, calls for pantry staples you probably already have, and takes less than 30 minutes start to finish.

What You’ll Need

Here’s a basic list of the ingredients you’ll need to make this one pan chili pasta recipe. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients in the printable recipe card below.

• 1 lb lean ground beef — drain off any excess fat after browning. Ground turkey is a solid swap.
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans — rinsed and drained.
• 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes — don’t drain them; the liquid is part of what cooks the pasta.
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup dry elbow macaroni — goes in completely dry. Any small pasta shape works.
• 1 cup beef broth – to help soften the macaroni noodles and create a base
• 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles — mild heat, big flavor. Use hot if you want more kick.
• 2 tsp chili powder + 1/2 tsp garlic salt — the backbone of the seasoning.
• 1/2 cup shredded marbled cheddar — or Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend. Anything melty works.
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions — for topping.

How to Make One Pan Chili Pasta

Brown the beef and onion

In a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and diced onion together, breaking up the meat as you go, until the beef is browned and the onion is soft. Drain off any excess fat.

Add everything else (including the dry pasta)

Stir in the black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce, dry elbow macaroni, beef broth, diced green chiles, chili powder, and garlic salt. Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.

Simmer covered, then top with cheese

Cover the skillet and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring every 4–5 minutes so the pasta cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. When the macaroni is tender and most of the liquid has absorbed, remove from heat. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, cover for a minute to melt, then top with green onions and serve.

Tips for the Best Results

Keep the lid on. The trapped steam is what cooks the dry pasta. Lifting it too often lets steam escape and the pasta won’t cook evenly.

Stir every 4–5 minutes. The pasta can stick to the bottom once the liquid starts absorbing.

Too thick before the pasta is done? Add a splash of water or beef broth, stir, and continue simmering covered.

Pasta swap. Rotini, small shells, ditalini, or egg noodles all work. Avoid large pasta shapes.

Frequently Asked Questions

This one pan chili pasta is the kind of recipe that disappears fast. Give it a try this week and let me know what you think in the comments below!

If you’re looking for more easy ground beef dinners to add to the rotation, here are a few favorites:

• The Best Chili Recipe — the classic, made from scratch.
• Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls — another easy one-pan ground beef dinner.
• Ground Beef Cottage Pie — hearty, comforting, and totally weeknight-friendly.
• Lazy Chicken Tetrazzini — for when you want a creamy one-pan pasta instead.