Instant Pot Chili Recipe (2024)

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This quick and easy Instant Pot Chili Recipe is loaded with ground beef, beans and tomatoes in a hearty and smokey-sweet sauce.

Instant Pot Chili Recipe (1)Instant Pot Chili Recipe (2)I’ve taken my all time favorite (award winning) Slow Cooker Chili recipe and adapted it for the pressure cooker so you can enjoy this goodness in a fraction of the time!

Holy smokes, let me tell you… the delicious aroma that will fill your kitchen while whipping up this easy chili will get you so excited to dig in. One taste and I’m confident that this will become your new favorite chili recipe.

Instant Pot Chili Recipe

Chili needs time to develop it’s rich and bold flavors, which is why chili is normally cooked low and slow. Cooking chili in the instant pot (or pressure cooker) is a great way to intensify the flavor in a fraction of the time it normally takes in the slow cooker. The pressure in the Instant Pot can penetrate the beans with flavor quickly, tenderize the beef and enhance all the spices in minutes.

Instant Pot Chili Recipe (3)

Ingredients Required for Chili

Chili is one of those magical dishes that you can easily adjust the ingredients to your liking, making it perfect for picky eaters. Here is what you’ll need:

  • Ground Beef
  • Onion
  • Red Bell Pepper
  • Pinto Beans
  • Black Beans
  • Kidney Beans
  • Tomato Sauce
  • Tomato Paste
  • Beef Broth
  • Diced Tomatoes
  • Spices & Seasonings: Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Cumin, Red Pepper Flakes, Salt and Pepper

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How To Cook Chili In Instant Pot

What I truly love about this recipe is that I can brown the ground beef right in the instant pot on sauté mode. This saves me from having any extra dishes to clean and keeps my stove top nice and clean too.

  • Start by browning your ground beef (you can swap in ground turkey or pork here if you’d like), then drain any excess fat and return the liner to the pressure cooker.
  • Dump in all of the ingredients and give it a good stir.
  • Set to Chili/Beans setting or HIGH pressure and set for 18 minutes. Once it’s finished cooking release the pressure and you’re done!

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All that’s left to do is add your favorite chili toppings!

We love adding shredded cheese, sour cream and diced green onions. I’ll even throw some crunchy corn chips on top if I have them on hand.

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Tips and FAQ:

  • Can You Freeze Chili? Yes! You can freeze in an airtight container for up to 4 months. Defrost in refrigerator overnight for best results.
  • What Is The Bean / Chili Setting on My Instant Pot? This setting is automatically set to cook on HIGH pressure for 30 minutes. Simply press “more” or “less” to adjust the time setting up or down.
  • How Do You Thicken Chili In Instant Pot? You shouldn’t need to thicken this recipe, but if you’re here searching for the answer, you can thicken chili using a cornstarch slurry. Mix 2 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water and gradually stir into the chili while it’s bubbling away on Sauté mode. It should thicken right up.

Can I Use Dry Beans For Chili?

While this recipe calls for canned beans to save time, you most certainly can use dried beans! Here’s what you’ll need to do:

  • Rinse and pick through your beans (2 cups total of pinto and/or black beans), discard any broken pieces.
  • Add the dried beans to the liner of your Instant Pot and cover with 1 inch of water.
  • Pressure cook on HIGH for 12 minutes, then quick release.
  • Drain the beans and set aside.
  • Follow the remainder of the recipe as written.

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More Chili Recipes To Try:

  • Slow Cooker Thick and Hearty Chili
  • Sweet Potato Turkey Chili
  • Smoky White Chicken Chili
  • Chili Pasta Skillet

Instant Pot Chili Recipe (8)

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5 from 43 votes

Instant Pot Chili Recipe

This quick and easy Instant Pot Chili Recipe is loaded with ground beef, beans and tomatoes in a hearty and spicy sauce.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time18 minutes mins

Total Time28 minutes mins

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Calories: 232 kcal

Author: Shawn

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground beef, lean
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained
  • 1 15 oz can black beans, drained
  • 1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained
  • 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 10 oz can Rotel diced tomatoes, chili fixin's
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE mode and add ground beef. Brown and crumble the beef until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat from the beef and return liner to Instant Pot.

  • Add in remaining ingredients and give it a stir.

  • Attach lid, making sure valve is set to sealed position. Turn to Bean/Chili Setting or HIGH pressure for 18 minutes. Once finished cooking, release pressure and enjoy!

Notes

Total Cook Time reflects typical amount of time it takes to come to pressure.

This recipe was tested in an 8 quart Instant Pot.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 700mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1583IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 3mg

Keywords: Bean, Chili, Ground Beef, Instant Pot, Pressure Cooker, Spicy

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Instant Pot Chili Recipe (9)

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Instant Pot Chili Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How does chili function on Instant Pot work? ›

What Is the Instant Pot Chili/Bean Setting? The bean/chili setting on the Instant Pot cooks at high pressure and can be set to "more," which is 30 minutes, or "less," which will cook for 25 minutes. You may choose the bean/chili setting and do a quick release after 15 minutes.

Should chili be thick or soupy? ›

Ideally, chili should simmer low and slow. This allows some of the liquid to evaporate and results in a thicker consistency and deeper, more complex flavor as the aromatics and spices release their superpowers.

How do you keep chili from burning in Instant Pot? ›

To prevent a burn message, be sure to scrape the bottom well with a wooden or metal spoon to remove any bits before pressure cooking. Also make sure you do not stir in the tomato sauce — we want thin liquid on the bottom of the pot.

Why is my Instant Pot not pressurizing chili? ›

SOLUTION: Open the Instant Pot and make sure there's enough liquid. If too much liquid has evaporated, the Instant Pot won't pressurize, so add more liquid if necessary.

How to know when an Instant Pot is done? ›

The Instant Pot will still take several minutes to come to pressure (up to 10 minutes), and then as soon as the cooking cycle beeps to signal that it's complete, you'll quickly release the pressure right away so that the vegetables don't over-cook.

What adds depth of flavor to chili? ›

Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.

When to add beans to chili? ›

You know the saying, “save the best for last?” To keep your beans nice and plump, add them about 20 minutes before you finish cooking. This will give them plenty of time to impart that perfectly seasoned chili flavor to your recipe without overcooking.

What is the best thickener for chili? ›

Using Cornmeal to Thicken Chili

Cornmeal is one of our go-to thickening agents for chili. Unlike all-purpose flour, this Southern pantry staple adds a subtle earthy flavor to the chili in addition to thickening it up. You can use white or yellow cornmeal that is fine to medium-grain.

How do you fix watery chili in an Instant Pot? ›

Use All-Purpose Flour or Cornstarch

"Transfer some warm liquid [from the chili] to a separate bowl. Whisk in the flour or cornstarch, then slowly stir it back in the pot," advises Wofford. Bring the mixture back to a boil, which will "activate" the ingredient, instantly thickening the dish.

Do you leave the vent open on Instant Pot when slow cooking? ›

Another tip, taken from an Instant Pot Facebook group, is to open the valve all the way on your Instant Pot lid when slow cooking. This allows some moisture and steam to release and keeps the Instant Pot from overcooking your slow cooker recipes.

What are the 7 functions of Instant Pot? ›

Redefine cooking and enjoy quick and easy meals anywhere, any time.
  • Slim base and modern design with the same cooking capacity: an upgraded version of the best-selling Instant Pot® Duo® 6-quart.
  • 7-in-1 functions: pressure cooking, slow cooking, rice, yogurt, steam, sauté and keep warm.

What if my Instant Pot doesn t have a chili button? ›

Turn the instant pot to chili (if you don't have a "chili" setting, use the "manual" setting) and cook for 18-20 minutes*. Allow pressure to release for 10-15 minutes or quick release with the vent.

Can you keep chili warm overnight in Instant Pot? ›

How do I set my Instant Pot to Keep Warm? Simply hit the "Keep Warm" button! This will allow a natural pressure release as the float valve drops, so there's no need to do anything else. It will also automatically switch to keeping food warm after the cooking time is done.

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