This Instant Pot Chili with beans and ground beef is thick, hearty, and weeknight-fast. My tricks ensure it won’t burn to the bottom (a common problem with other instant pot chili recipes!).
Chili is one of my favorite ground beef recipes. It makes amazing leftovers that keep getting better all week. This Instant Pot version is super fast.
I use smart layering to prevent pressure cooker burn warnings and get the rich flavor you’d expect from an all-day simmer.
Instant Pot Chili Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what goes into my Instant Pot chili con carne. Pantry staples, big flavor.
- Olive oil
- Ground beef
- Onion
- Jalapeño
- Garlic
- Chili powder (chili seasoning blend that includes cumin, ground chiles, oregano, garlic powder, etc.)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Water (or beef broth)
- Black beans
- Kidney beans
- Diced tomato
- Tomato paste
Full recipe quantities listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
Variations and Substitutions
Small tweaks can shift the flavor or fit what you’ve got on hand.
- Heat level: Use serrano for spicier chili.
- Types of beans: Try all kidney beans, pinto beans, or a mix.
- Meat: If you love pork, try my award winning pork green chili recipe. Love turkey? Make my Instant Pot Turkey Chili! I’ve got an excellent stovetop white bean turkey chili and ground turkey chili, too.
- Creamy: For a creamy version, try my Cream Cheese Chicken Chili or Healthy White Chicken Chili.
How to Make Instant Pot Chili: An Easy Guide
Preheat and Brown the Beef
Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and preheat until hot. Add oil, then beef. Break it up a bit, then let it sit to brown deeply before stirring. Browning builds flavor fast.
Soften Aromatics and Bloom Spices
Stir in onion, garlic, jalapeño, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until onions soften and spices smell toasty. This quick bloom makes the chili taste slow-simmered.
Add Liquid and Beans, Then Deglaze
Pour in the water. Add black beans and kidney beans with the remaining salt. Scrape the bottom until perfectly smooth so nothing remains stuck. Deglazing prevents burn warnings.
Layer Tomatoes and Paste (Do Not Stir)
Pour diced tomatoes over top with their juices. Dollop the tomato paste across the surface. Do not stir. Keeping tomatoes off the bottom prevents scorching during pressure cooking.
Pressure Cook and Rest
Lock the lid and cook on High pressure for 15 minutes. Let it rest 10 minutes naturally, then quick release. Open, stir well, and taste. Adjust salt if needed and serve hot.
No-Burn Trivet Setup (Optional, Best Flavor)
Brown beef, aromatics, spices, and tomato paste in a Dutch oven. Stir in beans, tomatoes, and part of the water. In the Instant Pot, add 1 cup boiling water and a trivet lined with crumpled parchment paper. Spoon chili on top and pressure cook as above.
PS. If you love fall-apart tender pressure cooker meat, don’t miss my Instant Pot Roast Beef, Instant Pot Steak or Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipes.
4 Common Mistakes When Making Instant Pot Chili
Here are the most frequent mix-ups to avoid when making chili:
- Stirring in tomatoes before pressure cooking: Keep tomatoes and paste on top so sugars don’t scorch.
- Skipping deglazing: Even a thin fond layer on the bottom can trip burn warnings. Scrape until smooth.
- Under-blooming spices: Give chili powder a minute in hot oil for depth.
- Stirring after layering: Leave the top tomato layer undisturbed.
Make Ahead and Storage
Cook once, enjoy easy meals all week.
Storing Leftover Chili
- Fridge life: Keeps up to 4 days in the refrigerator; flavor deepens by day two. Store in an airtight container.
- Portion smart: Single-serve containers make great grab-and-heat lunches.
Freezing
- Freeze flat: Use zip bags or deli tubs with headspace. Label and date.
- Best window: Enjoy within 3 months for peak flavor.
- Thaw smart: Thaw overnight in the fridge or gently in the microwave.
Reheating Chili Con Carne
- Stovetop: Reheat over medium-low, stirring often; add a splash of water if thick.
- Microwave: Cover loosely and heat in short bursts, stirring between.
- Refresh: A squeeze of lime and pinch of salt brighten everything.
How to Serve This Chili Con Carne Recipe
I serve it hot with a creamy topping and something crunchy. Bowls, baked potatoes, or over instant pot rice all work.
Chili Toppings
- Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, pickled red onion, sliced jalapeño, chopped cilantro, avocado, lime wedges, and/or crushed tortilla chips.
Side Dishes for Chili
- Spoon over instant pot mexican rice or classic basmati rice.
- Add brightness with my taco salsa and a drizzle of cilantro lime crema.
- Serve with cozy cornbread casserole or fresh coleslaw.
- Try mexican street corn off the cob for extra crunch and sweetness.
- I love to spoon leftovers onto microwave baked potatoes or instant pot sweet potatoes with sour cream, bacon and green onions.
How to Make the Best Chili Con Carne: Final Notes + Secrets
Unlock the full potential of your chili with these key takeaways:
- Bloom the spice: Toast chili powder briefly in oil for richer flavor.
- Layer smart: Tomatoes and paste on top prevent scorching.
- Salt in stages: Season early and at the end for balance.
- Rest matters: Ten minutes after cooking lets flavors settle.
- Brighten late: A squeeze of lime or dash of vinegar wakes it up.
- Thicken wisely: Simmer on Sauté or add a spoon of masa to finish.
Avoiding the burn warning is the goal here. Keep tomatoes and tomato paste on top, do not stir, and fully deglaze the pot. If your pot is extra sensitive, use the trivet with parchment method. It keeps tomato sugars off the base and stops scorching.
Yes, draining the beans is important for texture and seasoning. Drained beans make the chili thick and rich instead of starchy. If you prefer a looser chili, keep a little liquid, then adjust salt. I usually rinse for a cleaner flavor profile.
Using ground turkey works well in this recipe. Turkey is leaner, so keep enough oil for browning and do not skip blooming the spices. Taste and adjust salt at the end since lean meats can read flatter without careful seasoning.
Thickening chili is simple. Simmer on Sauté with the lid off until it reduces slightly. You can also stir in a spoon of masa harina and cook briefly. Another trick is an extra tablespoon of tomato paste added at the finish.
Spice level is moderate as written. For less heat, remove jalapeño seeds or skip the jalapeño. For more heat, add a second jalapeño, a pinch of cayenne, or a diced chipotle in adobo. Taste at the end and fine-tune carefully.
Yes, you can make a no-bean version. Increase beef by a half pound or add diced bell peppers for body. Reduce water slightly to keep it thick. The layering and deglazing steps remain the same for burn prevention.
A 6 to 8 quart Instant Pot works best for this volume. Smaller models may overfill and run hotter, which can trigger burn warnings. Leave headspace so steam builds quickly. The larger pot also makes stirring and layering easier.
Browning tomato paste matters because it deepens flavor fast. The sugars caramelize and the paste turns brick red. If you skip this, the tomato profile can taste raw. Use the Dutch oven start if you want maximum depth without burn risk.
Chili keeps in the fridge for up to four days. It also freezes very well for about three months. Cool quickly, portion, and label. Reheat gently with a splash of water if it thickens in storage. Fresh lime perks it up.
If the burn warning appears, stop and release pressure. Open and scrape the bottom clean while adding ½ to 1 cup water. Rebuild your layers with tomatoes on top and avoid stirring them in. If needed, switch to the trivet with parchment method.
Other Mexican Recipes You’ll Love
- Juicy Beef Fajitas (delicious with Taco Salsa and Baja Sauce!)
- Almost-Authentic Mexican Ground Beef Taco recipe (and what to do with leftover taco meat!)
- Shredded Beef Tacos
- Chicken Street Tacos recipe + Mexican chicken seasoning
Easy Instant Pot Chili (Foolproof Method!)
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 3 cups finely-chopped onion about 2 medium
- 1 finely-chopped jalapeño
- 2 tbsp minced garlic about 6 cloves
- ¾ cup chili powder
- 3 tsp kosher salt divided use
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 cups boiling water
- 2 15- oz cans black beans rinsed and drained
- 2 15- oz cans kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 1 28- oz can diced tomato undrained
- 1 6- oz can tomato paste
Instructions
Saute the Base
- Preheat the Instant Pot on sauté mode for several minutes. Add oil, then once it’s shimmering hot, add the ground beef.
- Break it up a little with a spoon, then let it cook without stirring until deeply browned on the bottom, 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in onion, garlic, jalapeño, chili powder, 1 tsp of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 6 minutes.
- Stir in the water, black beans, kidney beans and remaining 2 tsp salt. Really scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure it’s totally smooth and you get every last browned bit.
Important layering step.
- Pour in diced tomatoes (plus their juices) and the tomato paste but DON'T STIR THEM IN.(The sugars in tomatoes often trigger the 'Burn' warning on the Instant Pot, causing it to shut off. This layering helps prevent that.)
Pressure Cook
- Lock the lid and set the valve to Sealing.
- Select Manual or Pressure Cook on High for 15 minutes. When the timer ends, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining steam.
- Open the lid and give it a good stir. Enjoy!
Notes
- Once the tomato paste has darkened and is sticking to the bottom of the pot, stir in beans, tomatoes and 2 cups of the water.
- Place a trivet inside the Instant Pot and add remaining 1 cup water to the bottom of the pot. Add a layer of parchment paper as a barrier, making sure it comes up the sides of the liner a bit.
- Add the chili on top of the parchment paper and pressure cook as directed.
- Using boiling water gets the Instant Pot up to high pressure quickly! Start a kettle of water to boil while you do the sauteing steps.
- For a Thicker Chili: Let the chili simmer for 10 minutes on Sauté mode once you’re done pressure cooking. It also thickens up SIGNIFICANTLY on day 2, so make it in advance if you love thick chili.
- Chili Powder: Use the chili seasoning spice blend and not ground red chile powder, which is much spicier.
- Storage: Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was dinner tonight. My husband literally said ‘don’t lose this recipe.’ That never happens lol.
I’ve made a lot of IP chilis but this one’s absolute best. It gets thicker as it rests and the flavor is 10/10.