Quick and easy Instant Pot Chili is the best classic comfort food that will keep you warm all through the winter months! It’s loaded with juicy ground beef, hearty beans, and a rich and flavorful spiced broth that will always leave you wanting more!
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Why You Will Love This Easy Instant Pot Chili
This easy Instant Pot chili recipe is loaded with rich and robust flavors and textures. It’s hearty, cozy, and as satisfying as any classic traditional chili should be! Except this one is done in a fraction of the time with no long simmering time or hours in the slow cooker.
The pressure cooker does everything in under 1 hour and infuses the flavors and tenderizes the beef, making this mouthwatering chili some of the best you’ve ever had. So, this chili Instant Pot recipe is a great one to have on hand with sourdough bread, for busy weeknights or weekends when you don’t want to make a fuss over making a meal!
Adjust the recipe to your liking by making it mild, spicy, or extra garlicky. Maybe you like yours with a bit more smoky flavor to it. You can also load it up with extra veggies, or make it completely vegetarian if you want!
Whatever you do, just make sure you make a big pot of it to reheat throughout the week for quick and easy dinners, and freeze the rest for later!
Substitutions & Variations
- Meat: You can make this chili using ground chicken or ground turkey as well.
- Vegetarian: Omit the beef and bulk it up with extra beans and veggies.
- Seasoning: You can replace the individual spices with a taco seasoning instead. You can also add some liquid smoke or smoked paprika for a smoky flavor.
- Spice level: Adjust to your liking. If you can handle keeping some of the seeds in the jalapenos, go for it. Keep it mild for the kids!
- Broth: I highly recommend using a homemade beef bone broth, but store-bought works too.
Favorite Toppings
There are so many ways to top your bowl of chili!
If you’re hosting a large crowd, setting up a DIY chili bar is always a hit at parties! The chili stays on the pressure cooker’s warm function and people can serve themselves. Have an assortment of toppings available for people to choose themselves.
Here are a few ideas:
- Freshly grated cheddar cheese
- Bacon crumbles
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Diced or sliced avocado
- Guacamole
- Cilantro
- Chives
- Tortilla strips
Ingredients Needed
- Ground beef: I usually aim to find 100% grass-fed beef whenever possible. This isn’t the same as organic beef, and either choice (much like commercially raised beef) can come with its benefits and drawbacks. You use whatever works for you and your family.
- Onion & celery: These get cooked down with the beef to create the base of the chili. Together they add so much flavor!
- Tomatoes: What’s chili without tomatoes?! I use fresh diced tomatoes but if you have a can of tomatoes on hand, you can go ahead and use that instead.
- Jalapeno: Before you finely chop the jalapeno, be sure to remove the seeds! This is where most of the heat lives. You’ll still get a slight heat without the seeds, but nothing overly spicy.
- Tomato sauce: A delicious tomato base in chili gives it a delicious flavoring while the acid helps to cut through the meat and beans. It’s a very nice balance.
- Beans: I use both kidney beans & garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained. This is my favorite combination, but you can use any combination of beans you like or just keep it to one type.
- Water: Chili, of course, needs some liquid but so does the Instant Pot. Without it, the Instant Pot won’t come to pressure or create steam inside to cook the chili. For extra flavor and nutrients, swap the water for bone broth.
- Chili spices: Chili powder, sea salt, ground cumin, salt, and pepper.
How to Cook Chili in Instant Pot
Step 1: Press sauté on the Instant Pot. When it says “HOT” add the ground beef, celery, and onion and cook for about 10 minutes, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon as you go.
Step 2: Once the meat is no longer pink, add the tomatoes, jalapeno, tomato sauce, and beans. Pour in the water and sprinkle in the spices.
Step 3: Give everything a good stir, then cover with the lid. Set the valve to the sealing position and cook using the soup/broth mode for 20 minutes.
Step 4: When the cooking time is up, do a quick release of the pressure, by carefully moving the valve to the venting position. It will splatter, so keep your hands and face away from the lid.
Step 5: Serve hot with your favorite toppings! I usually use grated sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, and cilantro. Sometimes chives, depending on what I have on hand!
Recipe Tips
- Cutting jalapenos. When slicing the hot peppers, use a pair of gloves if you have them. If not, just be sure to wash your hands before touching your face. It burns, so don’t even think about rubbing your eyes!
- If you like your chili a bit thicker, once you’ve opened the lid, put it back on sauté and allow it to simmer for a few extra minutes.
- I usually use lean ground beef to keep it as light as possible while still keeping the flavor. The seasoning and liquids add so much flavor to this easy Instant Pot chili as is, so I don’t need to worry about getting ground beef with higher fat content.
FAQs
Pressure cooking is a little funny in that there are certain factors that will affect the time it takes for your food to cook. The altitude of where you live is one of them! For the most part, however, chili takes about 20 minutes to cook under pressure. This doesn’t include the time it takes to brown the meat or the time it takes for the pressure to build.
Make a big pot and keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat throughout the week for an easy lunch or dinner.
Chili is thick, meaty, and hearty, and is already complete with protein, complex carbs, and veggies!
I do like to serve mine with a basket of soft dinner rolls on the table or a slice of cornbread when I’ve got a bit of extra time to do some baking. Otherwise, a simple avocado salad will do!
Chili Instant Pot Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Instant Pot Chili
- 1 lb ground beef grass-fed
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 long celery stick chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes cubed
- 1 medium jalapeno seeds removed & finely chopped
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 15 ounces kidney beans rinsed & drained
- 15 ounces garbanzo beans rinsed & drained
- 1 cup water or bone broth
- sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream & cilantro for garnish
Chili Spices
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Montereal Steak Spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot on Saute mode, then add 1 lb of ground beef, 1 chopped celery stick and 1 chopped onion. Mix and saute for about 10 minutes, stirring few times to break down the ground beef with a wooden spoon.
- Next, add 2 cubed tomatoes, 1 finely chopped jalapeno, 15 oz. of tomato sauce, 15 oz. of kidney beans and 15 oz of garbanzo beans. Pour in 1 cup of water and add all of the chili spices.
- Give it a good mix with a spoon, then cover and cook on Soup/Broth mode for 20 minutes. Quick release the pressure.
- Serve chili with grated sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream and chopped cilantro (I used chives, thats what I had on hands.) Enjoy with sourdough bread!
Video
Notes
- Feel free to adjust this chili recipe, like adding a garlic clove or use your favorite spices.
- Store leftovers in airtight container inside the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Q. Do YOU like this easy instant pot chili?
Let me know in the comments below, I would love to hear from you!
Thank YOU for YOUR Comment, Share & Recipe Review!
Quote of the Day
Have a wonderful day!
So delicious! My whole family enjoyed it! Thank you!