This is the ultimate, best ever Instant Pot Chili. Made with ground beef, green chilies, tomatoes & spices, it’s ready in just 30 minutes!
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Ingredients in beef chili
Here’s what you need to make this recipe. Full directions are at the bottom of this post.
- extra-lean ground beef
- yellow onion, diced
- celery, diced
- green pepper, diced
- green chilies
- garlic, minced
- chili powder, cumin, onion powder, paprika, coriander, oregano, salt & pepper
- kidney beans
- pinto beans
- crushed tomatoes
- beef broth
How to make beef chili in the Instant Pot
It’s so easy to make this chili! Here’s how:
- Heat Instant Pot on saute mode. Add ground beef, breaking up and browning.
- Add onions, celery and green pepper, sauteeing until softened.
- Turn off saute mode, then add in remaining ingredients (except for toppings).
- Place lid on Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release of the pressure.
- Serve chili in deep bowls
- Add toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Ingredient substitutions
- Ground beef – You can use ground chicken or turkey or chorizo instead of beef. Vegetarian meat crumbles can also make tasty chili.
- Yellow onion – Red or white onions or even chopped shallots will also work well.
- Celery – Celery adds crunch and flavor but you can omit it or replace it with more peppers if you like.
- Green pepper – Red and yellow peppers can add some color. Add some mild Anaheim or Poblano peppers for a little more flavor.
- Green chilies – If you don’t want to use green chilies, or if you don’t have any, add ¼ cup extra diced green pepper. You can add a little smokiness by adding a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. If you want to add more heat, add a can of hot chilies or add a minced jalapeño pepper. Even some hot pepper sauce will do.
- Garlic – Use ¼ teaspoon garlic powder or ½ teaspoon granulated garlic instead.
- Spices – You can use pre-packaged chili seasoning instead of individual spices. Add cayenne, extra chili powder or your favorite chili sauce if you need some more heat in your chili!
- Kidney and pinto beans – Substitute either or both with black beans, cannellini beans, or even garbanzo beans.
- Crushed tomatoes – If you don’t happen to have a can of crushed tomatoes, a can of diced or pureed tomatoes, or diced up fresh tomatoes will work equally well.
- Beef broth – Grab some chicken or vegetable broth if you don’t have beef broth. Just add some more seasonings to deepen the flavors. Even a can of beer can liven it up!
Using frozen beef
If you want to use frozen meat, you will skip the saute mode. Drizzle some canola oil in the bottom of the pot, then add the frozen ground beef and finally the rest of the ingredients.
Just double the cook time to 10 minutes to be sure the meat cooks all the way through.
No beans
Depending on where you are from, you may not even want beans in your chili. No problem-just skip the beans and double the ground beef. Add an extra pound of whatever protein you choose to the pot.
More topping ideas
You’ve got a great bowl of chili now, but don’t stop there! Keep piling on the flavors with toppings like:
- diced avocados
- red onion
- tortilla chips
- lime wedges
- saltine crackers or oyster crackers
- diced tomatoes
- fresh cilantro
- bacon
- pickled jalapenos
- Salsa
Storing and reheating
I think this chili is even better the next day after all the flavors have had a chance to blend. Be sure to refrigerate leftover chili within two hours of cooking in shallow, covered airtight containers. It will last for 4 or 5 days.
Reheat chili in a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches at least 140°F before serving it. It might be necessary to add up to 1/2 cup of water or broth to thin it and keep it from scorching.
You can also microwave individual servings for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Freezing this chili
You can keep Instant Pot chili in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool before transferring it to a shallow, airtight freezer container or plastic freezer bag.
When you’re ready to serve the chili again, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave on defrost before reheating.
More Instant Pot soups & stews
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on storing the leftovers
- I get all my grass-fed ground beef from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
5-Day Instant Pot Challenge!
Learn how to use your Instant Pot to meal prep by subscribing to our newsletter!
Ultimate Instant Pot Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 (127mL) can green chilies
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
- 1 (540mL) can kidney beans
- 1 (540mL) can pinto beans
- 1 (796mL) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups beef broth
Topping ideas
- Shredded cheese
- Scallions
- Sour cream
- Jalapenos
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Heat Instant Pot on saute mode. Add ground beef, breaking up and browning for 3-4 minutes. Add onions, celery and green pepper, sauteeing another 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Turn off saute mode, then add in remaining ingredients (except for toppings). Place lid on Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release of the pressure.
- Serve chili in deep bowls with toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
