Easy Instant Pot Chili (Foolproof Method!)
A hearty, thick chili with ground beef and beans made in the Instant Pot. It’s got rich, all-day-simmered flavor but is done in under an hour (with a special layering technique to ensure success!).
Servings: 8
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
Alternative Method: For even richer flavor and to totally eliminate risk of a 'burn' warning, do the sauté steps in a large pot on the stove. Add the tomato paste after the beef is cooked,
- 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
Calories: 583kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 2053mg | Potassium: 1635mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 7193IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 196mg | Iron: 10mg