This Instant Pot chili is a blend of beef, beans, tomatoes and spices, all simmered together in a pressure cooker until tender and flavorful. The easiest way to make chili; everyone will think you spent all day on it!
There’s nothing better than a big bowl of chili on a cool day, and this Instant Pot version is full of bold flavors, but ready in no time at all. Serve your pressure cooker chili with honey cornbread or garlic knots for a complete meal.
Sometimes I crave a bowl of chili, but I just don’t have the time to let it simmer all day. Enter the Instant Pot; rich, flavorful chili ready in less than an hour! This recipe is so easy to make and is mild enough that the whole family can enjoy it.
How do you make Instant Pot chili?
To make Instant Pot chili, you’ll need to first saute your ground beef and onions in the pot. After the beef is browned and the onions have softened, an array of seasonings go into the pot along with two types of beans, tomatoes and beef broth. Seal the Instant Pot, turn it to the Chili/Bean setting, then wait for your dinner to be ready!
How long does it take to cook chili in an Instant Pot?
It takes 20 minutes to cook chili under pressure, in addition to the time it takes you to saute the ground beef and onions. You can either release the pressure manually, or wait for the pressure to naturally release depending on how quickly you want to eat.
How do you thicken chili in an Instant Pot?
This chili comes out quite thick because it only contains a small amount of broth. If you prefer your chili to be even thicker, you can simmer it on Saute mode for 5-10 minutes after it’s already been cooked under pressure.
Tips for Instant Pot Chili
- I like to use 90% lean ground beef, as it has plenty of flavor but isn’t overly greasy. You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken.
- I use a blend of beans, with one can of kidney beans and one can of pinto beans. Feel free to use other types of beans to suit your taste, such as black beans or red beans.
- This chili makes for great leftovers. You can store the chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or you can freeze it for up to 2 months.
- This is a mild chili, but if you prefer a spicy chili, you can add some hot sauce to taste.
- I like to serve my chili with a variety of toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, tortilla strips, avocado and green onions.
This recipe can easily be doubled to serve a crowd. Sometimes I make a double batch just for my own family, then freeze half for another night. You’ll find yourself making this recipe over and over again!
More soups and stews
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
- Chicken Vegetable Soup
- Beef Noodle Soup
- Hamburger Soup
Instant Pot Chili
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 pounds ground beef I use 90% lean
- 1 onion finely diced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes do not drain
- 3 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
- 3/4 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 15 ounce can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- Assorted toppings such as shredded cheese, tomatoes, green onions and sour cream
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to Saute, then select More. Add the olive oil to the pot. Add the meat and cook until browned, breaking up the beef with a spatula as you stir.
- Add the onion and cook for 3 more minutes or until softened.
- Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, pepper and beans to the pot.
- Turn the Instant Pot to the Chili/Beans setting and place the lid on the pot. Cook for 20 minutes. Release the pressure either manually or allow it to release naturally.
- Serve with assorted toppings.
Melanie says
Delicious! Will definitely make again!
KG says
I made this tonight and my husband told me this recipe was a keeper. The only addition I made was to add another can of beans. Next time I’ll add 2 extra cans for a total of 4 cans. This makes a lot and we will easily have 3 more dinners out of it. (There are only 2 of us) i love when I can cook once and eat 4 times. We will put 2 of the meals in the freezer for another week. Thanks for the recipe.
Mike says
This is very good Chili. I made only a very few tweaks over the years. Olive oil and beef broth are completely unnecessary if you don’t use ground beef that is too lean. 90/10 ground beef is just too lean for chili, and you have to add all this stuff that doesn’t enhance the flavor because it’s too dry. 80/20 tastes and works much better and as a bonus, it’s cheaper.
Also, one teaspoon of sugar is not nearly enough, IMO. It might be enough to balance the acitic flavor, but it’s not enough to add any noticable sweetness. I like my chili slightly sweet for a reason. I’ve used homegrown tomatoes in my chili before and homegrown tomatoes are naturally sweet unlike canned tomatoes. So, to imitate homegrown tomatoes, you need to add at least 1 tablespoon of sugar to canned tomatoes, 2 if you like your chili sweeter.
But that’s it. I keep pretty much everything else the same. It’s a great recipe.
Mae R says
Made this recipe today with 2lb ground venison. Added 2oz of dark chocolate piece of leftover Easter bunny instead of cocoa. This turned out delicious and hearty! Thanks for a simple tasty IP recipe to add to my files.
Stacey says
Would this still work using frozen ground beef or should it be thawed first?
Sara says
It works best with thawed beef since you need to break it up into smaller pieces as it cooks!
Mary says
Great recipe. I have made this 4 or 5 times & making it tonight since it’s a chilly spring day, mid 40’s. It’s a permanent recipe for my family. Thank you!
Jonathon says
I loved this recipe and used my roommates instant pot! Now that I’m back at home though, how would I use this recipe for a regular slow cooker? Thanks again!
Sara says
Here is my slow cooker chili recipe: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/slow-cooker-chili/
BusyBee says
I’m brand new to Instant Pot and this was one of my first dinners – it was EXCELLENT. Rich flavors, hearty, and it called for my favorite secret ingredient for chili… cocoa powder! My family loved the chili and I have more confidence to try to cook more in the IP. Thanks for posting! I will need making this again and again.
Eve McPartland says
This is so easy to make and absolutely delicious!! Thank you so much. I love chili but was intimidated to make it. This is crazy easy and so full of flavor!!! Love making it and giving each of my daughters a batch. It’s so quick and easy.
Linda says
What is the capacity of the pressure cooker you used?
Sara says
I use a 6 quart pressure cooker.
Linda says
Thank you so much for your response. This recipe is the plan for tonight!
B says
We love this dish, just as is and my kids love it run through the food processor for chili dogs!
KW says
I’ve made this recipe 3-4 times now. It’s quick, delicious and very filling. I’m about to make it tonight!
Shelli says
I made this once a long time ago and really liked it. But now, (I’m older) and stumped. My Instant Pot does not have a Chili/Beans setting. So what do I do now? I’ve sautéed and added all ingredients?
Sara says
High manual pressure!
Shannon says
Can I use frozen deer burger and dry beans for this recipe?
Sara says
This recipe is not designed to be cooked with dry beans unfortunately!
Christie says
Delicious and quick! I used what I had and what I needed to use up – so my batch had 1 lb of ground beef, 3 cans of beans (black, kidney and great northern), half a chopped green pepper, half a can of tomatoes with green chiles, a cup and a half of beef broth, 2 15 oz cans of fire roasted tomatoes, 1 15 oz can of tomato sauce and the rest was what the recipe called for. In other words – this recipe is flexible! Definitely a keeper for those cold days when we want chili and no one managed to get it in the slow cooker!
Diane says
Hi don’t I have to discard the fat from ground beef after browning ? Or do I leave it all in the pot? If so doesn’t It make the chili greasy? What can I substitute for the cumin I’m not a big fan ? Also I can’t wait to try the recipe !
Thank you
Sara says
If you’re using beef with a higher fat content you should discard the grease!
DomestikGoddess says
Delicious and no heartburn afterward. Very filling!
Rossie says
Made this last night and it was delicious. Just one question. The calories and servings seem off by my calculations. What is the serving size? It feels like 2 lbs of beef makes much more than 6 servings.
Sara says
It should be 1 1/2 cups. The calorie counts are an approximation as I use an automated calculator, if you have specific dietary needs it would be a good idea to double check the numbers too!
Linda says
The serving calculator is set at 1/3 lb of beef per serving, that’s why. I don’t think we can change it to reflect 1/4 lb standard serving. But you may be able to run the list of ingredients through another calculator.
Terri says
Thank you for a great recipe! My family loved it!
Cindy says
I made this in the small IP but it wasn’t enough. Can I make this is a larger slow cooker if I brown the meat first?
Sara says
Yes that should be fine!