The Instant Pot makes a hearty beef and bean chili a breeze to cook. This classic chili is ready in about an hour from start to finish, and it tastes as if it simmered for hours. With an Instant Pot, you’ll have a delicious, belly-warming bowl of red in record time, making it a family-friendly meal that you can enjoy any night of the week. A variety of canned beans and fire-roasted tomatoes give this chili amazing texture, flavor, and color.
The chili is versatile as well. The recipe calls for canned kidney beans and black beans, but feel free to use whatever kind of canned beans you have on hand in your pantry. Great northern beans, pinto beans, and cannellini beans are all excellent choices.
No Instant Pot? You can use another brand of electric pressure cooker or a stovetop pressure cooker to make the chili. If you are using a stovetop pressure cooker, subtract about 5 minutes from the total time. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for added liquids and precautions.
Serve the chili with a pan of freshly baked cornbread, flaky biscuits, crackers, or tortilla chips. Add a side salad or homemade coleslaw for a well-balanced, satisfying meal.
Instant Pot Cornbread Recipe
“This classic chili couldn’t be easier and it’s miles better than anything you get in a can. The instant pot makes it nearly hands-free. Layering the tomatoes on top of the beans worked great to avoid a burn error, and simmering for 10 minutes after cooking really thickened the chili up.” —Danielle Centoni
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced fire roasted or regular tomatoes
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish, optional
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, for garnish, optional
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, for garnish, optional
- 1 medium avocado, diced, for garnish, optional
- 1 cup sour cream, for garnish, optional
-
Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce / Diana Rattray -
Select the sauté button on the Instant Pot and add the cooking oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the onions. Cook the onions for 3 minutes, or until they are slightly softened. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds longer.
The Spruce / Diana Rattray -
Add the ground beef to the pot and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the meat is no longer pink. If desired, drain and discard excess fat.
The Spruce / Diana Rattray -
Add the beef broth and stir, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Without stirring, layer the beans, the seasonings, tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
The Spruce / Diana Rattray -
Cover the Instant Pot and make sure the steam vent is set to “sealing.” Choose the manual or pressure cook setting (high pressure) and set the timer for 15 minutes. When the time is up, do a quick release and switch to simmer. Continue to cook uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, frequently stirring, until the chili is thickened.
The Spruce / Diana Rattray -
Ladle the chili into bowls and top with your favorite garnishes.
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
- Tomatoes and tomato sauce tend to stick to the bottom and could give you a burn error, so layer them on top without stirring.
- Besides cooking to evaporate excess liquids, there are a few other ways you might thicken a pot of chili. Mashing some of the beans can add thickness. Or, to keep with the Southwest flavors, add a tablespoon or two of masa harina or cornmeal to the chili and simmer it for 5 to 10 minutes longer.
- For spicier chili, add about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper or add 1 minced jalapeno pepper.
- For extra color and flavor, add about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of corn kernels to the chili after the quick release.
- For additional flavor, sauté about 1/2 to 1 cup of diced bell pepper along with the onion.
- Make the chili with ground turkey instead of ground beef.
- Refrigerate leftover chili in a shallow covered container within 2 hours, and eat within four days.
- To freeze chili, transfer portions to freezer containers or zip-close freezer bags and freeze it for up to six months.
Tomatoes and tomato sauce tend to stick to the bottom and could give you a burn error. To keep the chili mixture from burning, make sure to layer the tomatoes and sauce on top of the beef, beans, and broth, and avoid stirring.
The bean/chili setting on the Instant Pot cooks at high pressure and can be set to “more,” which is 30 minutes, or “less,” which will cook for 25 minutes. You may choose the bean/chili setting and do a quick release after 15 minutes.
65 Best Instant Pot Recipes to Try Now
