Instant Pot Chili tastes like it has been simmering all day on your stove top, when really it is done in 30 minutes in your pressure cooker!
This is some damn good chili! Ground beef is seasoned with herbs and chili spices and mixed with onions, celery, and peppers, then blended with chili beans and northern beans in a tomato base.
This Instant Pot Chili recipe will be your new go-to when you want a big bowl of comforting chili. Just add some cornbread or cinnamon rolls (it’s a Midwestern thing… pick these Halloween cinnamon rolls during the fall) and you have a perfect dinner.
Chili also makes amazing leftovers. It almost gets more flavorful with time. This is a great make-ahead Instant Pot dinner. Save it in your fridge for up to 5 days and reheat portions as needed.
Chili Beans
We are not trying to reinvent the wheel over here. This chili recipe calls for store-bought canned chili beans in sauce. Which are usually red beans or pinto beans in a chili flavored sauce. I generally buy the mild, but if you like spicy chili buy the spicy beans.
Do not drain your chili beans. The sauce is flavored perfectly for your chili and adds the right amount of liquid for the recipe.
I know that there is some controversy as to whether or not chili should have beans. I vote for beans, so obviously this recipe has beans! If you hate the bean- check out this recipe for true Texas Style Chili with no beans.
How to Make Instant Pot Chili
Start with your pot on saute, add 1 tbsp olive oil. Then crumble and brown 1 lb of ground beef. It doesn’t need to be completely cooked through. It will continue to cook under pressure.
Drain any excess grease and return the beef to the pot.
Stir in 1 diced yellow onion, 2 chopped celery stalks, 3 chopped garlic cloves, 1 diced bell pepper. Saute until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
Add the seasonings:
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 heaping tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- pinch of each: ground allspice, clove, red pepper flakes
Stir to coat the beef & veggies.
ADD THE NEXT INGREDIENTS IN ORDER, AND DO NOT STIR– 1/2 cup water, 1 can drained northern beans, 1 can chili beans (NOT drained), 16 oz tomato sauce, 15 oz can diced tomatoes (not drained).
Pop the lid on and set for 10 minutes chili/bean mode (or manual pressure/high), do a 5 minute natural release and then do a quick release for any remaining pressure.
Stir and serve!
Spice Level
I would say that this chili recipe is mild in spiciness. If you like a real kick of heat when you eat chili you have a couple options:
- When you add all the spices add more red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper.
- Use spicy chili beans in sauce.
- Add a jalapeno pepper (the seeds and ribs carry the majority of the heat) with the celery, onion, and bell pepper.
- Dash in some hot sauce while you are eating.
Toppings
If you are a chili purist and like it just as is, skip this section. But if you like “loaded” chili, here are some great topping ideas:
- sour cream or plain greek yogurt
- green onions or red onions
- jalapenos
- cilantro
- cheese
- fritos
- crumbled cornbread
- hot sauce
No Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker?
That is ok! I have a very similar recipe for Classic Chili. This one is made the old fashioned way on the stove top for that simmered all day flavor.
Instant Pot Chili Recipe
Instant Pot Chili
Equipment
- Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb. ground beef 80/20, 85/15 or 93/7
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 yellow or white onion chopped
- 2 celery ribs chopped
- 1 bell pepper, any color chopped
- OPTIONAL FOR HEAT – 1 jalapeno, chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp (heaping) chili powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- pinch of each: clove, ground allspice, red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup water
- 15 oz can northern beans drained
- 15 oz can chili beans in sauce do not drain!!
- 16 oz tomato sauce
- 15 oz diced tomatoes do not drain!!
Instructions
- With the Instant Pot on saute mode, add the olive oil and ground beef. Crumble and brown the beef for a few minutes. You do not need to cook the beef completely, it will continue to cook under pressure.Drain any excess grease and return to the pot.
- Stir in 3 chopped garlic cloves, 1 diced yellow onion, 2 chopped celery ribs, 1 chopped bell pepper, and OPTIONAL chopped jalapeno.Saute until veggies begin to soften, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add all the seasonings & herbs: 1 1/2 tbsp white sugar, 1 heaping tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and a pinch of each: allspice, clove, and red pepper flakes.
- ADD THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS IN THIS ORDER AND DO NOT STIR, THIS WILL HELP PREVENT GETTING A BURN WARNING ON YOUR POT:1/2 cup water – 1 can northern beans – 1 can chili beans in sauce – 16 oz tomato sauce – 15 oz diced tomatoes
- Fight the urge to stir!!! DO NOT STIR!!
- Pop the lid on and lock the pressure valve to seal. Set the pot to cook on bean/chili mode (or manual pressure/high) for 10 minutes.Do a 5 minute natural pressure release.Finish with a quick release of any remaining pressure.
- Stir and serve!!
Notes
- buy chili beans in spicy sauce
- add a jalapeno, including the seeds and ribs
- increase the amount of red pepper flakes to 1 tsp.
- add cayenne pepper when you add the seasonings & herbs
- dash some hot sauce or tabasco into the pot or individual servings.
Nutrition
Instant Pot Soup & Stew Recipes
If you love your Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker and always on the lookout for other great recipes, check these out:
Anna Kate Goshko says
Never tried chilli in the instant pot! Will definitely give this a shot this weekend
Andrea Howe says
Yum Yum Yum! I needed a good chili recipe for my instant pot and this one is just perfect! Thank you
Tawnie Kroll says
The video was so helpful! YUM! New family favorite!
Emily Bruno says
It was hard not to stir, but I’m glad I listened to you – this was yum!!