Description
This Ridiculously Easy Instant Pot Chili recipe is a quick and delicious one-pot meal perfect for busy weeknights. Made with ground beef, kidney beans, and flavorful spices, it combines the convenience of an Instant Pot with hearty ingredients to deliver a comforting chili that’s ready in about 20 minutes. Topped with your favorite garnishes like sour cream and shredded cheddar, it’s a family-friendly dish bursting with rich, spicy flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Produce
- 1 onion (chopped, about 1/2 cup)
- 1 green pepper (diced, about 1 cup; can substitute with red pepper)
Protein
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (16-oz) can kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
Liquids
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Spices and Seasonings
- 1 tablespoon chili powder (or ground paprika for younger kids)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- Black pepper (to taste)
Other
- 1/2 cup sweet corn
- Your favorite toppings: corn chips, sour cream, shredded cheddar, cilantro (to serve)
Instructions
- Brown beef and vegetables: Press the “sauté” button on a 6-quart Instant Pot. Add olive oil, then add chopped onion and diced green pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Stir in seasoning and liquids: Turn off the Instant Pot. Stir in the beef broth, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot thoroughly to prevent the burn warning. Then stir in tomato sauce, chili powder (or paprika), ground cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper to taste.
- Pressure cook: Lock the lid in place and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Once the cooking time is complete, allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes. Then carefully release any remaining pressure manually.
- Finish and serve: Open the lid and stir in the rinsed and drained kidney beans and sweet corn. Press the sauté button again and simmer the chili for 4-5 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until heated through and thickened to your desired consistency. Serve hot with your choice of toppings like corn chips, sour cream, shredded cheddar, and fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Using paprika instead of chili powder makes this dish milder and more suitable for children.
- To avoid the Instant Pot burn warning, make sure to scrape the browned bits off the bottom well before pressure cooking.
- You can substitute beef with ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option.
- For extra heat, add diced jalapeños or cayenne pepper along with the spices.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
