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Our Instant Pot Chili Recipe is full of beef, beans, tomatoes, and spices simmered together in the pressure cooker for the fastest, easiest chili recipe ever. Everyone will think it took you all day, but it only takes about 40 minutes!
I’ve also got delicious recipes for Crockpot Chili and Healthy Turkey Chili!
The fall and winter months are the perfect time to make this Instant Pot Chili recipe. All the taste of a slow cooked chili, but in just 40 minutes! Serve with Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread, Parmesan Garlic Knots, and a Garden Salad for a complete meal.
As the days cool down, I know we will be having this Instant Pot Chili for dinner again and again!
Pin this recipe for later!Pin ThisTable of Contents
- Instant Pot Chili Ingredients
- How to Make Instant Pot Chili
- Chili Toppings
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Pro Tips
- More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Chili Recipe
Instant Pot Chili Ingredients
This easy chili recipe isn’t fancy and doesn’t have any unusual ingredients in it, just meat, beans, and vegetables. It is simple and classic and that’s what I love about it.
- Tomatoes – I use canned diced tomatoes with green chiles, a large can of crushed tomatoes and a small can of tomato sauce for maximum tomato flavor.
- Beans – Two kinds of beans: kidney beans and black beans. You could use a different variety of you like.
- Vegetables – An onion, a can of green chiles and a green pepper.
- Ground beef – I choose to use a leaner variety (like 90/10) for less grease.
- Beef Broth – water works too, to add the liquid need for IP cooking.
- Spices – Chili powder, cumin oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. I use a homemade mix of spices in my chili and love the flavor that the pressure cooker infuses into the meat. It’s not super spicy so it’s very kid friendly, but you can adjust the salt and spices to your liking, or add a few dashes of hot sauce to your own bowl.
How to Make Instant Pot Chili
- Brown the ground beef. Turn the IP to “saute” and wait for it to say “hot.” It should only take a minute or two. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spatula, and cook for about 5 minutes or until it’s no longer pink. If you’re concerned about the beef sticking you can add a little olive oil first.
- Deglaze the Instant Pot. Pour water or beef broth in and scrape up any brown bits that may be stuck on the bottom.
- Stir in vegetables and beans. Add Rotel tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, green pepper, onion, kidney beans, and black beans. Feel free to use a different variety of beans if you like.
- Stir in spices. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Go easy with the salt here because you can always add more later. I like to use Mexican oregano, but regular oregano is fine. You can go spicy here and add extra chili powder or a few dashes of hot sauce.
- Pressure Cook. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and seal it. Cancel the saute function and switch to manual (or use the chili setting), setting the timer for 25 minutes. After it beeps signaling it’s done cooking, release the pressure with a quick release, then remove the lid and stir. At this point you should probably give it a taste and add any additional salt or spices, stirring to combine. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to cool and thicken.
Chili Toppings
When you’re ready to serve, scoop chili into bowls and top with your favorite toppings. I usually set up a chili bar for everyone to make their own. I include cheese, green onions, sour cream, corn chips, crackers, avocado, and hot sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did I get a burn notice?
First, don’t panic! Your Instant Pot is just letting you know that the inner pot has gotten too hot so it’s turned itself off. Simply press the cancel button and do a quick release. If the valve wasn’t sealed, this could have caused too much moisture to evaporate and not enough pressure to build up inside, causing the burn notice.
If it’s not the valve, check if anything is stuck to the bottom of the pot. Scrape it up and remove it. You can now try resealing and starting the pressure cooking cycle.
How long does it take to cook chili in the Instant Pot?
There is about 5-10 minutes of prep, and about 5 minutes to cook the meat. The pressure cook time is about 25 minutes. You can choose to do a quick release when it’s finished cooking, or a natural release if you don’t need to eat right away. Total time is about 40 minutes, which is super quick for really tasty chili!
How do you thicken Instant Pot Chili?
This chili comes out pretty thick, but if you want it thicker, let it simmer on the saute mode with the lid off after it is cooked under pressure for the full 25 minutes.
What is the chili setting on the Instant Pot?
The chili setting is simply that – a preset on your pressure cooker for a set amount of time. I prefer to use the manual setting so I can set the time myself.
What’s the best ground beef for chili? Can I use ground turkey?
I always use 85/15 ground beef for chili. There’s good flavor from the fat, but it’s not overly greasy. And you can absolutely use ground turkey. You could also try our stovetop Turkey Chili.
Why is my Instant Pot chili watery?
It’s likely that the chili will appear watery after opening the lid because the water hasn’t yet evaporated. Simmer for a few minutes, then stir it, and it should look thicker.
Pro Tips
- Make ahead and storage: If stored in an airtight container in the fridge, chili will last several days. This makes it an excellent make ahead recipe! Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Freezing: Chili should be stored in an airtight freezer safe container or plastic bag and will remain fresh up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
- For a spicier chili, add more chili powder, cumin or hot sauce to the pot, or serve with hot sauce on the side.
- Add more flavor with cocoa powder! As a tablespoon of cocoa powder with the other spices. It will add an incredible layer of flavor that isn’t sweet at all.
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Scampi
- Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Stew
- Instant Pot Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Recipe
Instant Pot Chili
4.65 from 17 votes
Instant Pot Chili is full of beef, beans, tomatoes, and spices simmered together in the pressure cooker for a fast, easy chili recipe.
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 35 minutes mins
Total Time 50 minutes mins
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 1 cup water or beef broth
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 28 ounces can crushed tomatoes
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 4 ounce can green chiles
- 1 cup diced onion about 1 medium onion
- 1 green pepper seeded and diced
- 15 ounce canned kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce canned black beans drainedand rinsed
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Turn your Instant Pot to the saute function. Once the screen says HOT add the canola oil. Wait 1 minute, then add ground beef. Cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula as it cooks.
Once the meat is completely browned, add water or broth and stir well to deglaze the pot, scraping all the bits from the bottom. Add all remaining ingredients, except for the spices. Stir well to incorporate all ingredients.Stir in the spices and seasonings.
Put the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the valve to sealed. Cancel the saute function and switch it to manual. Set the timer for 25 minutes. Once timer beeps, do a quick release. *Note – a natural release is fine, too, but will take longer.
Remove the lid and stir the chili. Taste and add more salt, if necessary. Let the chili sit for about 10 minutes to cool and thicken, then serve with desired toppings.
Notes
- Make ahead and storage: If stored in an airtight container in the fridge, chili will last several days. This makes it an excellent make ahead recipe! Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Freezing: Chili should be stored in an airtight freezer safe container or plastic bag and will remain fresh up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 404kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 27gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 1415mgPotassium: 1438mgFiber: 15gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1811IUVitamin C: 46mgCalcium: 169mgIron: 8mg
Keyword chili recipes, instant pot chili
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