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.
Do you drain your meat? I don’t see it in the instructions
I typically use 90% lean ground beef which doesn’t leave a lot of grease so I don’t drain it. If you’re using beef with a higher fat content then drain it!
I only have 1 lb of ground beef. Do I need to change the recipe at all to account for this?
How many people are you looking to serve?
Fwiw I make this recipe regularly for my family of 4 and I have only ever made it with 1lb of beef. We have never thought it’s not beefy enough or that it needs more.
I made this recipe last night and it was a hit!! I followed directions, but added a poblano pepper and cayenne pepper as well. It was a 10 out of 10 ! Thank you for this amazing recipe!
We have been using this recipe for probably a couple years, finally a chili the whole family loves! Somewhere along the line I started adding a can of pork and beans and the family likes it even more. We also skip the Pinto and add another can of kidney beans. Thanks for the great recipe!
Delicious recipe! I’ve made it before but this time I got the dreaded food burn message. Any tips to avoid this in the future? I made no modifications to the recipe.
If this happens you can simply stir everything well and continue on!
I need to make a large pot of this for like 18 people. Can I make this on stove top the same way without using an instant pot?
Yes you’ll just want to let it simmer for another 15 minutes!
It was a little runnier that chili should be. Any suggestions? It was delicious though,
After you remove the lid you can switch to saute mode and let it simmer uncovered to let some of the liquid cook off.
Sooo delicious!!!!! It had all the tastes I have been looking for. Every day, it just got deeper and richer. Mmmm….!!!!! Thank you!
I don’t have cocoa powder. Is it a must?
It’s fine to omit it!
Thank you for this recipe!
I finally took out my instant pot to give it a go as I wanted to make some chili!
My husband said it was the best he ever had! Lol
I substituted ground turkey for the beef and did not use the stock, everything else was to the T.
The chili itself was mild and full of flavor. I will definitely makes this again and add it to my favorites! I may spice it up a tad bit more but not by much!
Topped it with mild shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream. Homemade bread on the side!
Love it!
If I plan to cut this in 1/2, do I still cook for the same amount of time? Sounds delicious, just too much for my husband & I. Excited to try. Thanks!
Yes you’d cook it for the same amount of time!
I rarely rate anything or comment. But this was delicious!! My 18 year old son has always preferred canned chili!! Ugh! But he raved about this chili! I finally found a recipe he likes. It was perfect. I made it by the recipe 100%. Lots of flavor and not too spicy. It looked thin when I opened the pot, but after a good mix it was perfect. This will be my go-to chili recipe from now on. Thank you so much!
Did you taste the Cocoa powder?
Love this recipe, I make it all the time! Is the nutrition info per serving or for the entire recipe?
It’s per serving which is 1 1/2 cups!
Is this for a 3qt or 6qt instant pot?
I typically use a 4 quart, but I think a 3 or 6 would also be fine!
This was so delicious! I just got my Instant Pot Pro Crisp and was a bit nervous. Your instructions were so straight forward and easy to follow. Thank you. My only tweak next time will to be to add a little cayenne. Thanks for making my maiden voyage so successful.
For the can of tomato sauce .. what is the amount . It says 3 8onze .. are we saying 3 portion of 8 onze ? Or 38 onze . Thank you
3 8-ounce cans, which is 24 ounces total.
This is our favorite chili. I was gifted some venison. Can I use that in place of ground beef?
That should work!
I like this recipe for Chili its quick and simple. I might add cinnamon instead of sugar. Thanks
This recipe is my go-to chili every time — I’ve probably made it 10+ times now. It’s absolutely great as it is, but it’s also a perfect base layer chili to experiment with more ingredients if you feel like adding them in.
In my last batch, I added in 2 diced poblanos, a little extra cumin/salt/pepper than the recipe calls for, a few drops of liquid smoke and then little concoction of a sweet jalapeno salsa with some jolokia powder for some heat. That’s been my favorite batch so far! I’m actually using it in a chili cook-off this weekend 🙂
I’d definitely make it as it is written the first time and you’ll love it, and then you can always add more stuff to it according to your tastes/preferences.
Highly recommend!
Excellent recipe!