Instant Pot Chili Recipe
This simple Instant Pot Chili is thick, rich, hearty, and packed with bold flavors. It is so easy to whip up a pot of chili in the pressure cooker, and it tastes like it's been simmering all day long! Serve this chunky, delicious chili along with some homemade cornbread and your favorite toppings.
Servings 4 to 6 people
Equipment
- Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- One large onion finely chopped, about 2 cups
- 1 red bell pepper finely chopped, about 1 cup
- 4 cloves of garlic finely minced, about 1 tablespoon
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced finely, optional
- 1 teaspoon Better than bouillon beef stock base dissolved in 1 cup of hot water, or 1 cup less-sodium beef stock
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1- (14.5 oz) canned diced tomatoes, do not drain
- 1- (15 oz) canned dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1- (15 oz) canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Chili seasoning mix
- 3 tbsp Mexican chili powder you may adjust depending on the heat level of you chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or as per your desired heat levels I've not added
For the topping,
- Diced avocados or guacamole
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
- Freshly chopped cilantro
- Fresh or pickled jalapenos
- Green onions
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Press the 'SAUTE' button, set it to 'MEDIUM' heat, wait until it displays 'HOT'. Add the oil, once it heats up, add the ground beef, leave it undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. Break up the meat into small or large crumbles with a spatula or wooden spoon. Cook the beef until no longer pink and lightly browned.
- Next, add the chopped onions, bell peppers, minced garlic and diced jalapeno (if using). Cook, stirring frequently until the onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add chili seasoning mix, mix well, and saute for another 1-2 minutes or until the spices are fragrant.
- Add tomato paste, and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Make sure there are no browned bits stuck at the bottom of the inner pot at this stage to avoid any potential 'BURN' message. If you do have some, add 1/4 cup of the stock and deglaze the pot by scraping all the browned bits with a wooden spoon.
- Add the stock, the diced tomatoes along with the juice, drained and rinsed beans. Mix everything gently.
- Press 'CANCEL', close the lid of the Instant Pot with the valve on 'SEALING' position. Press the 'MANUAL' or 'PRESSURE COOK' button and pressure cook on 'HIGH' for 15 minutes. It will take some time for the pressure to build up, after which the timer will start.
- Let the pot depressurize for 10 minutes, then do a quick release of leftover pressure as per the manufacturer's instructions. Once the float valve (silver pin) drops, open the lid.
- Give the contents in the pot a quick mix. Check for seasoning and adjust with more salt and pepper if required. If you'd like to thicken the chili further, turn on 'SAUTE' and cook until the chili reduces to your desired consistency or see other options listed in the FAQ above. The chili tastes delicious right away but so much better if it is allowed to sit for at least 30 minutes to overnight before serving, as the flavors have a chance to mingle and intensify.
Notes
I have made this recipe several times as is, without getting any 'BURN' notice, even though I mix everything before pressure cooking. If your IP is sensitive to the 'BURN' message, add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce (if using) on top and do not stir. Stir the contents well after the pressure cooking cycle.
Adjust the seasonings to suit your palate or simply use a packaged chili seasoning such as McCormick's.
Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
Measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml, 1 teaspoon = 5 ml