Why Make Chili in an Instant Pot?
Chili in the Instant Pot has the taste of chili that has been simmering all day, yet takes less than an hour. It really couldn’t be easier! You can do it all in one pot which means less cleanup too. The better question may be “Why NOT make chili on an Instant Pot?”
Instant Pot Chili Ingredients
Beef: You can also use ground turkey or stew meat. We prefer using ground beef because it’s easy and has great flavor. 93/7% or 85/15% ground beef will work great.Chopped Onions & Peppers: For the peppers, we like to use red bell pepper but green, yellow, or orange are delicious too! Tomatoes: I like to use a can of fire roasted tomatoes as well as a can of Rotel diced tomatoes with chiles. You can use two of just one kind or you can use plain diced tomatoes instead. Just be sure to add a littleBeans: There are many different kinds of beans that will work well with this recipe. Our favorites to use are kidney beans, black beans, chili beans, and even a can of chili with beans. Seasonings & Spices: chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, you can even add some dark, unsweetened cocoa powder for a richer flavorToppings: Cheese, sour cream, green onion or chives
A Tex-Mex Variation
If you want to add a Southwest flair to your Instant Pot chili, try seasoning your meat with taco seasoning. You can also add some lime juice, chopped adobo chiles, jalapeños, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and/or diced avocado. Top with tortilla strips or chips.
Steps for Making Instant Pot Chili
Sauté the ground beef, onion, and peppers in a little oilAdd remaining ingredients and stir wellPressure cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, Natural release 10-12 minutes.Serve and top with your favorite toppings.
5 Tips for Avoiding the Burn Notice on Your Instant Pot
Make sure the pot is extra clean on the bottom – If there are any little pieces of residue stuck to the bottom of the pot before cooking, this will cause your food to burn. Use steel wool or an abrasive sponge to get it extra clean. Also scrape up any food stuck on the bottom after sautéing. It helps if you use a metal spatula to really scrape the bottom of the pot before pressure cooking. Add oil to the bottom before cooking – this helps bits of food from getting stuck when sautéing Add a little more liquid – A little more broth will make the chili thinner, but it will reduce the possibility of a burn notice.Bring cooker to pressure on low heat – if your Instant Pot or pressure cooker has a tendency to burn or cook extra hot, try using the low pressure setting instead of high. Simple add an extra 5 minutes to the cook time. Simmer before sealing – Bringing the chili to a simmer using the “sauté” function and stirring often will help keep the ingredients from settling at the bottom. When the chili comes to a rolling simmer, place the lid and switch to manual high pressure for 30 minutes.
How do you thicken chili in an Instant Pot?
One of the easiest ways to thicken chili is to let it simmer until it cooks down. While this is an easy way to thicken, it takes the longest. If you want to hurry the process you can always add a thickener instead. Remember to wait to add the thickening agents until the chili is done cooking in the Instant Pot. Adding them beforehand will make the chili too thick and will cause your chili to burn. Here are some ideas for thickeners:
Tomato paste – I usually only need to add an 8 oz. can of tomato paste to thicken, add more if neededRefried beans – Stir in ¼ cup at a time until chili thickensCornmeal – sprinkle cornmeal a little at a time into the chili, stirring constantly. Don’t add all at once or the cornmeal will clump and won’t dissolveCornstarch/broth slurry – Make a slurry out of cornstarch and water and slowly add to the simmering chili, stirring constantly until you reach your desired thicknessShredded cheese – Add shredded cheese or cream cheese to thicken. This will make the chili creamy but it will still taste great
Storing the Leftovers
Refrigerate leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you prefer to freeze your leftovers, chili can easily be frozen after it has cooked. Place the leftover chili in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before re-heating.
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