Instant Pot Chili
Beef mince, beans, tomatoes and chili powder pressure cooked together until thick, in one pot. Six servings in 40 minutes.
Storing and Planning Ahead
Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freezes for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming throughout.
Making Instant Pot Chili
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Set the pot to sauté. Heat the oil and brown the mince for 8 minutes, breaking it up. Add the onion and garlic for 3 minutes.
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Stir in the chili powder and cumin for 1 minute, then the tomatoes, beans, purée, water and salt. Scrape the base of the pot so nothing sticks.
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Lock the pressure cooker lid, set the valve to sealing and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
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Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the rest. Stir, and use the sauté setting for 5 minutes if it is too thin.
Worth Knowing
- Scrape the base after sautéing, or the pot may give a burn warning.
- Keep the liquid modest; the pot does not let it evaporate.
- Taste for salt after pressure cooking.
Some Background
The pressure cooker does not brown anything on its own, so brown the mince first. Use the sauté setting for the first 8 minutes, breaking the beef up as it cooks, and the chili tastes of roasted meat and not of boiled mince.
Spices go in next, for a minute, in the fat from the beef. Chili powder and cumin taste raw if they are stirred into liquid, and deepen when they are fried first.
The pressure does the rest. Add the liquid carefully: a pressure cooker loses almost nothing to steam, so a chili that looks thin going in will be thin coming out. The tinned tomatoes and a small cup of water are enough.
Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then let it release naturally for 10 minutes. Stir, and if it is still thin, use the sauté setting for 5 minutes to reduce it. The chili is better the next day, and it freezes well in portions, so a full pot is a useful thing to cook for the week ahead.
Good Alongside
Rice · Cornbread · Grated cheddar · Soured cream
Swaps and Variations
- An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
Instant Pot Chili FAQ
How long does Instant Pot Chili take to make?
About 40 minutes in total — 15 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 6.
What are the key tips for making Instant Pot Chili?
Scrape the base after sautéing, or the pot may give a burn warning. Keep the liquid modest; the pot does not let it evaporate. Taste for salt after pressure cooking.
What should I serve with Instant Pot Chili?
Rice; Cornbread; Grated cheddar; Soured cream.
Can Instant Pot Chili be made ahead or frozen?
Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freezes for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming throughout.
Is Instant Pot Chili suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, low-carb and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Instant Pot Chili?
About 312 kcal per serving, with 23 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate and 16 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
What's in a Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.