Chilli con carne and pasta Bake are two of our favourite meals. This delicious Chilli Pasta Bake recipe combines the two. Spicy beef chilli mixed with rigatoni pasta, topped with mozzarella and baked for a cheesy comfort food fusion.
If you are looking for an easy family dinner, this recipe for chilli pasta bake could be the one.
When it comes to comfort food, I don’t think there’s much better. It’s easy, tasty, filling and nutritious!
*This post may contain affiliate links to products I find useful when making this recipe. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.*
Can You Serve Chilli Con Carne with Pasta?
This is a common question. We typically serve chilli with rice, but you can absolutely serve chilli with pasta or rice.
Jacket potatoes are another favourite of mine. I can’t see why you can’t serve chilli with anything you want.
Why I Love Chilli Pasta Bake
I love this spicy beef pasta bake because:
- Chilli is one of my favourite dinners. Pasta bake is one of my favourite dinners. Putting them together in an easy chili pasta bake was always going to be good!
- It’s filling.
- It’s a super easy dinner to make.
- You can make it spicier or milder to suit you.
- The kids love it. Family-friendly comfort food is perfect.
- Apart from cooking the pasta, it’s a one pot dinner recipe.
Ingredients for Chilli Pasta Bake
I basically use the same things I use to make a chilli, with added pasta and cheese. What could be better? When I make my easy chilli pasta bake recipe, I use:
Cooking Spray – Olive oil or other cooking oils are fine too.
Red Onion
Garlic Puree – You can use fresh, crushed garlic cloves and fresh, diced red chillies, but I’m a big cheat!
Beef Mince
Red Chilli Puree
Red Peppers
Beef Stock
Tinned Chopped Tomatoes
Tomato Puree
Henderson’s Relish – Other brands of Relish are fine. But they do not taste the same.
Cumin
Chilli Powder
Smoked Paprika
Coriander
Cinnamon
Salt and Pepper
Kidney Beans
Rigatoni
Mozzarella
Equipment
I bake my chilli pasta in a large cast iron Dutch Oven dish suitable for use on the hob and in the oven.
I also use a large pan to cook the pasta before stirring it in with the chilli.
If you don’t have a dish suitable for use in the oven and on the hob, make your chilli in a large frying pan before transferring it to an ovenproof dish to bake.
Can You Make a Chunky Chilli Pasta Bake?
I make my leftover roast beef chilli with chunks of roast beef instead of mince. It’s delicious, and I love the chunkier texture. That would work here too.
Can You Use Different Pasta?
I like Rigatoni for pasta bake because the sauce sticks in the ridges really well. It’s not essential, though. If you have something else or prefer another kind of pasta, use that instead.
Can You Use Different Cheese?
I like mozzarella on pasta bake. But you can use a different cheese, too, as long as it will melt onto the top.
For a super cheesy pasta bake, use a combination of cheddar and mozzarella.
Can You Use Different Beans?
Kidney beans are the traditional option for chilli, but you can use other kinds if you prefer. You can also make this chilli pasta bake without beans if you prefer.
How to Make Chilli Pasta Bake – Step-by-Step Instructions
Making a chilli pasta bake starts very similar to making a chilli. You just add a couple of steps to the end. You can also get the complete instructions and quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step One
Mist a large, flameproof, ovenproof dish with cooking spray and warm on the hob over medium heat.
Step Two
Add the finely chopped red onions and fry for 5-10 minutes until soft, stirring often.
Step Three
Add the garlic puree (or 2 crushed cloves garlic) and cook for a further 3 minutes, stirring often.
Step Four
Add the minced beef and cook, stirring often, until browned.
Step Five
Stir in the red chilli puree and diced red peppers.
Step Six
Stir in the beef stock, tinned chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and Henderson’s relish.
Step Seven
Add the cumin, chilli powder, smoked paprika, coriander, cinnamon, salt and pepper, and stir well.
Step Eight
Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat.
Step Nine
Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and reduced.
Step Ten
Add the kidney beans, stir well and cook for a further 5 minutes before removing from the heat.
Step Eleven
While your chilli is simmering, cook the pasta to pack instructions for around half the time.
Step Twelve
Drain the pasta and add it to the chilli, stirring well.
If you have cooked your chilli in a frying pan and need to transfer it to an ovenproof dish before baking, do so before adding the pasta.
Step Thirteen
Liberally sprinkle over the grated cheese.
Step Fourteen
Bake in the oven at 180 degrees C (fan assisted) for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.
Step Fifteen
Remove from the oven and leave to settle for 5 minutes before serving. This stops the sauce from running to the bottom as soon as you break the cheese crust.
What Should You Serve with Chilli Pasta Bake?
Chilli pasta bake is a filling meal on its own. You don’t need to serve it with anything. If you want to add sides, I recommend garlic bread and salad.
Yes, let it cool in a clean tub, seal and freeze. Just remember, your pasta will soften when reheated.
Thaw in the fridge, transfer to an ovenproof dish and bake for around 20 minutes until piping hot.
Yes. I love making my own chilli, but if you’d rather use a jarred chilli sauce, go for it.
Yes, just make sure it’s browned in the pan. I recommend chopping it up into small bitesize chunks.
Yes, see my leftover roast beef chilli recipe, and add the pasta bit from this one.
I like Rigatoni. You want something with ridges or shapes, so the sauce sticks ideally.
Around half of the time it says on the pack, this is usually about 5 minutes. Any longer, and you might have mushy pasta.
Other Pasta Bake Recipes
If you love pasta bakes as much as I do, you might also like:
- Pizza Pasta Bake
- Sausage and Bean Pasta Bake
- Spicy Chicken Pasta Bake
- Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
- Halloumi Pasta Bake
- Chicken and Chorizo Pasta Bake
Chilli Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- Cooking Spray (or a Splash of oil)
- 1 Red Onion (Finely Diced)
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Puree
- 500 g Beef Mince
- 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Puree
- 2 Red Peppers (Deseeded and diced)
- 300 ml Beef Stock (made with 1 stock cube)
- 400 g Chopped Tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon Tomato Puree
- Good Splash Henderson’s Relish
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- 1 Tablespoon Chilli Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ½ Teaspoon Coriander
- Small Pinch Cinnamon
- Pinch Salt and pepper
- 400 g Tin Kidney Beans (Drained)
- 250 g Rigatoni
- 200 g Grated Mozzarella
Instructions
- Mist a large, flameproof, ovenproof dish with cooking spray and warm on the hob over medium heat.
- Add the diced red onions and fry for 5-10 minutes until soft, stirring often.
- Add the garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the minced beef and cook, stirring often, until browned.
- Stir in the red chilli puree and diced red peppers.
- Stir in the beef stock, tinned chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and Henderson’s relish.
- Add the cumin, chilli powder, smoked paprika, coriander, cinnamon, salt and pepper, and stir well.
- Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat.
- Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and reduced.
- Add the kidney beans, stir well and cook for a further 5 minutes before removing from the heat.
- While your chilli is simmering, cook the pasta to pack instructions for around half the time.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the chilli, stirring well.
- Liberally sprinkle over the grated cheese.
- Bake in the oven at 180 degrees C (fan assisted) for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and leave to settle for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- I bake in a large cast iron dish that is flame and heatproof. If you don’t have a cooking dish suitable for use in the oven and on the hob, prepare your chilli in a large frying pan on the hob, and then transfer it into an ovenproof dish before stirring in the pasta, topping with cheese and baking.
- Use 1 finely diced red chilli and 2 crushed cloves of garlic if you prefer.
- See the post above for more tips and advice.
Nutrition
Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.
