This Fast Instant Pot Beef Chili Recipe is the perfect solution for busy days when you need a quick, delicious meal. This ground meat chili is made with ground beef and canned kidney beans, all simmered in a mildly spicy, rich tomato sauce.
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Beef and Bean Chili For A Cold Day
There's nothing better than a hot bowl of chili on a chilly day—even in Key Largo, where the occasional nippy winter day means turning off the air conditioner 😂.
Customize each bowl with your favorite toppings, such as cheese, sour cream, or avocado, or use this chili as a base for fun dishes like chili cheese dogs, nachos, or burritos. It's versatile, simple to make, and guaranteed to warm you up!
What's An Instant Pot?
An Instant Pot is an electric appliance that can also be used as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, and more. It allows for fast meal prep and significantly reduces cooking time compared to stovetop cooking.
Using high pressure to cook food quickly, you can have a flavorful pot of chili ready in a fraction of the time it would take on the stove or in a slow cooker.
What You Need
- Meat: lean ground beef (85/15 ground chuck works great). You can substitute with ground venison, bison, chicken, or turkey.
- Oil: olive oil, ghee, or butter for sautéing.
- Aromatics: onion and garlic add flavor.
- Diced Tomatoes: 1 (15-ounce) can of diced tomatoes or 2 cups of fresh, chopped tomatoes.
- Tomato Paste: acts as a thickener. If you don’t have tomato paste, ketchup works as a substitute.
- Beans: 2 (15-ounce) cans of red kidney beans. You can also use black beans, white beans, or pinto beans.
- Broth: beef broth, water, or homemade bone broth.
- Seasonings: chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper for the perfect spice blend.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Cook Chili in an Instant Pot
This recipe makes 2 quarts (8 cups) of chili.
- Press SAUTÉ mode and adjust to Normal/Medium heat.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add onions and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste.
- Cook the Meat: Add the meat and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until no longer pink.
- Combine Ingredients: Add beans, water or broth, tomatoes, and spices. Stir to combine.
- Press CANCEL to stop the SAUTÉ mode.
- Pressure Cook: Lock the lid into position and set the pressure release valve to SEALING. Select PRESSURE COOK and adjust to high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Quick Release: When the cooking time is up, slide the quick-release valve to the OPEN position to let the steam escape for 2-3 minutes.
- Simmer: Unlock the lid and press the SAUTÉ function on NORMAL/MEDIUM. Cover the pot and simmer the chili uncovered, scraping the bottom to release browned bits. Stir occasionally until it reduces slightly, about 5-6 minutes. Press CANCEL when done.
- Cool and Season: Let the chili cool until the pot is safe to handle, then adjust the seasoning to taste.
Toppings
Here's a list of our favorite chili toppings:
- Shredded cheddar or Colby-jack cheese
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Diced white or red onions
- Sliced green onions (scallions)
- Jalapeno pepper, diced or sliced
- Fresh chopped cilantro or parsley
- Tortilla chips or saltine crackers
- Hot sauce, such as Cholula (our favorite)
- Avocado slices
- Lime juice
What Goes With Chili?
This Instant Pot Chili is a comforting meal on its own or a topping for chili cheese dogs, chili cheese fries, and nachos, and it makes a great burrito filling.
- Steamed jasmine rice is a great side. You can also try our Spanish Rice recipe.
- Try something starchy like Poached Garlic Mashed Potatoes with your chili.
- How about a Stovetop Cheddar Mac and Cheese? Yum!
- For oven-roasted potatoes, try Roasted Baby Gold Potatoes or Roasted Tiny Red Potatoes
- Steamed Broccoli and Carrots
- Steamed Red Potatoes
- Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
- Cauliflower and Asparagus with Carrots
How To Stretch Leftovers Into A Meal
We recently turned a leftover pint of chili into a delicious chili mac by mixing it with pasta and cheddar cheese in a cast-iron skillet. Adding the pasta not only transformed the chili into a new dish but also helped "stretch" the beef, making it a filling meal for four. It’s an easy and budget-friendly way to repurpose leftovers into something everyone will enjoy!
Storage and Reheating
Let the chili cool completely before storing. Place it in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you want to store it longer, divide it into portions and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, or reheat from frozen in a small pot over low heat. Add a splash of water or broth if it’s too thick.
To microwave, transfer the chili to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until hot. Cover the bowl with a paper towel to prevent splattering and to keep the microwave clean.
Fast Chili Recipe
While this chili hasn't won any awards—except for accolades from my kids—try it out and let us know what you think in the comments below.
I've made this recipe so many times, and it works perfectly. For great homemade comfort food, this is a wholesome meal that's great for kids.
You can also take the chili to work for lunch. It's filling and simple to reheat.
To make the chili even more flavorful, add fresh toppings like chopped cilantro, diced avocado, shredded cheese, or sour cream.
FAQ
Yes, you can adapt the recipe for a slow cooker. Sauté the beef in a skillet until no longer pink. Add the cooked beef and remaining ingredients to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Absolutely! While kidney beans are classic, you can mix it with black beans, pinto beans, or any beans you prefer.
Yes, chili often tastes even better the next day. Prepare it in advance, let it cool and refrigerate. Reheat when ready to serve.
Yup, just check the labels on items like broth or any of the tomatoes and canned beans to make sure they're gluten-free.
Fast Instant Pot Beef Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste, or ketchup
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 2 (15 oz.) cans kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups beef broth or water
- 1 (15 oz.) can can chopped tomatoes, with liquid from the can or 2 cups diced tomatoes
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Spice Blend
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper use ¼ teaspoon for mild
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Press SAUTÉ mode and adjust to Normal/Medium heat.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add onions and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste.
- Add the meat and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until no longer pink.
- Add beans, water or broth, tomatoes, and spices. Stir to combine.
- Press CANCEL to stop the SAUTÉ mode.
- Lock the lid into position and set the pressure release valve to SEALING. Select PRESSURE COOK and adjust to high pressure for 15 minutes.
- When the cooking time is up, slide the quick-release valve to the OPEN position to let the steam escape for 2-3 minutes.
- Unlock the lid and press the SAUTÉ function on NORMAL/MEDIUM. Cover the pot and simmer the chili uncovered, scraping the bottom to release browned bits. Stir occasionally until it reduces slightly, about 5-6 minutes. Press CANCEL when done.
- Let the chili cool until the pot is safe to handle, then adjust the seasoning to taste.
Notes
-
- Shredded cheddar or Colby-jack cheese
-
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
-
- Diced white or red onions
-
- Sliced green onions (scallions)
-
- Jalapeno pepper, diced or sliced
-
- Fresh chopped cilantro or parsley
-
- Tortilla chips or saltine crackers
-
- Hot sauce, such as Cholula (our favorite)
-
- Avocado slices
-
- Lime juice
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