Instant Pot Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili is such a flavorful and unique chili recipe that you will not even miss the beef. Bonus- it is cooks in just 5 minutes, such a great benefit of the Instant Pot! That is so much better than an hour or two on your stovetop, right?!
This quinoa chili has the perfect combo of flavors, it is a little sweet from the sweet potatoes, and balanced with savory onions, garlic and peppers, then the chili powder adds a nice warmth that you expect from chili. All-in-all the flavors are completely balanced, no one flavor overpowers the other.
You can make this Instant Pot Chili ahead if you have a busy week you are prepping for. You can make it on a day when you have a little more time to spend in the kitchen, then store it in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days. The flavors will deepen with time in your fridge! When you reheat it you may need to add a little water or broth as it will thicken as it sits in the fridge.
RELATED: Instant Pot Chili
Making It Vegetarian
I know a lot of Sweet Potato Chili recipes available are vegetarian. This one is not, but you certainly can make it that way! Simply swap the beef broth for your favorite vegetable broth.
Adding Meat
This Instant Pot Chili recipe doesn’t include any meat, like a classic chili recipe. However, you can definitely add meat if that is what you are looking for! I recommend choosing a ground turkey (93/7), ground chicken, or ground beef (85/15) to compliment the flavors in this sweet potato chili recipe.
When you sauté the onions, celery, and garlic, add the protein of your choice and crumble while it cooks for about 5 minutes. Drain any excess grease and then proceed with the recipe.
You may want to add a cup of water and and additional ½ teaspoon chili powder to the recipe to accommodate the extra ingredients.
Step by Step
- Sauté Veggies and Seasonings
- Set Cook Time
- Add Beans and Tomatoes
Start by setting your Instant Pot to sauté, once it reads HOT, add the oil, onions, celery and garlic and soften for about 5 minutes.
Stir in the can of green chilies and all the seasonings (chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, garlic & onion powder). Now, turn the sauté function off.
Next add in the sweet potatoes, quinoa, beef broth, and chopped bell pepper. Stir it once, then pop the lid on and lock the pressure valve to “seal”. Set the Instant Pot to Soup mode or pressure mode, on high, for 5 minutes.
Do a quick release by turning the pressure valve to “vent” at the end of the 5 minutes.
Add the diced tomatoes (undrained), chili beans in sauce, frozen corn, and 1 tablespoon of honey. Give it a good stir and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
This gives the beans and tomatoes a chance to warm thru and the honey to melt into the soup. It will also allow the soup to cool enough so it doesn’t burn your mouth!!
Topping Ideas
You can top this chili just like you would top a classic chili. Here are some of our favorites:
- Cilantro
- Fritos
- Avocado
- Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt
- Shredded Cheese
- Jalapenos– fresh or pickled
- Tabasco
- Red pepper flakes
- Chopped Bell Peppers
- Chopped Green Onions
What To Serve On The Side
If you plan to have this for dinner here are a few things that go PERFECTLY with quinoa sweet potato chili
- Cornbread or Cornbread Muffins
- Saltine crackers
- Raw veggie plate and ranch dip
- Fritos
- Tortilla Chips
- Green Lettuce Salad
More Chili Recipes
Instant Pot Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili
Ingredients
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 yellow onion - diced
- 3 plump garlic cloves - minced
- 1 celery rib - diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced - any color (could also use a poblano pepper)
- 1 4oz can diced green chilies
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon each: garlic powder & onion powder
- pinch of ground clove - a little goes a long way!!
- ½ cup dried quinoa
- 3 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes - about a ½-1 inch dice
- 32 oz beef broth
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (DO NOT drain)
- 15.5 oz can chili beans in sauce
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro - **optional
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot on to sauté mode, once it reads HOT, add the oil, onions, garlic, and celery and soften for about 5 minutes.1 T olive oil, 1 yellow onion, 3 plump garlic cloves, 1 celery rib
- Stir in the green chilies and chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, onion powder, salt, and clove.1 4oz can diced green chilies, 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon each: garlic powder & onion powder, pinch of ground clove
- Turn sauté mode off.
- Stir in the beef broth, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and quinoa. Close the lid and lock the pressure valve to “seal”, set the pot to soup mode or pressure mode, on high, for 5 minutes.Do a quick release of pressure.½ cup dried quinoa, 3 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes, 32 oz beef broth, 1 bell pepper, diced
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, chili beans, corn, and honey. Let those added ingredients warm thru for about 5 minutes.Serve!14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (DO NOT drain), 15.5 oz can chili beans in sauce, 1 cup frozen corn, 1 tablespoon honey, ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Toppings for Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili
- Cilantro, Fritos, Avocado, Sour Cream, Plain Greek Yogurt, Shredded Cheese, Jalapenos, Tabasco, Red Pepper Flakes, Chopped Bell Peppers, Chopped Green Onions
J. PETRELL says
I made this with some substitutes which may have had an adverse effect on the result. Didn’t have black beans so used Garbanzo beans. Plus used fresh tomatoes rather than the diced canned tomatoes. Plus put tomatoes in before setting the instant pot on. Tried to dig out the frozen corn AND tomatoes. Yep put corn in too soon as well and also tried to remove them too. Also honey before and after releasing pressure added another tsp of honey. I am not a whiz at following Directions!! Despite the mistakes it was OK. You guessed it, I am a husband not a wife. Will try it again.
Karla U. says
5stars: my new favorite. I leave out the oil and use vegetarian beans or just black beans. Simply delicious!
Janelle says
This recipe sounds amazing!! I’m new to the IP life….If you wanted to add meat to this recipe, when would you add it, and how (if at all) would that change the cook time/setting, etc? Thank you!
Susie says
Welcome to the wonderful world of Instant Pot!!!!!! It’s so amazing. If you add ground beef or ground turkey, just saute the protein first for about 5 minutes, then set aside and saute the veggies. Then add the protein back and move on with the recipe as written.
Let me know if there is another protein that you are considering and I can help you with times!
John says
I was skeptical upon hearing the name of this recipe but I am now a believer! This chili has a kick! Fresh jalapenos are a perfect topper!
Anna Kate Goshko says
In five minutes?! That’s what dinner dreams are made of. 🙂 I love that you can add meat or leave it vegetarian. Will definitely hit our meal rotation this week!
Susie says
Awesome! You are going to love this.
Tawnie Kroll says
I love that you added in honey too! Cant wait to try this one! Thank you!
Susie says
It just needed something at the end to balance everything, honey did the trick!
Stefanie says
This is SO good!! The combination of flavors is delicious! The only thing is I feel like it needs more quinoa (could be just that I like more—we like meaty chili, too)…would it mess things up to add 1 cup quinoa vs. half a cup?
Susie Weinrich says
I think that would work! If it’s too “casserole like” after cooking you can always pour in a little more broth.