Instant Pot Chili

Name: Instant Pot Chili
Prep time: 22 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 22 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil (such as avocado or canola); 1½ cups (220 g) yellow onion, diced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces (about 1 large onion); 1 cup (150 g) green bell pepper, diced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces (about 1 medium pepper); 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 pounds (907 g) ground beef, 80/20, broken into chunks; 3 tablespoons (24 g) chili powder; 2 teaspoons (5 g) ground cumin; 2 teaspoons (5 g) smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano; 1½ teaspoons (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste; 1½ cups (360 ml) beef broth, low-sodium; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce; 2 cans (15 oz each) (850 g) canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed; 1 can (14.5 oz) (411 g) canned diced tomatoes, with their juices; 1 can (15 oz) (425 g) canned crushed tomatoes; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) apple cider vinegar, added at the end; shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced scallions, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, deeply savory beef and kidney bean chili made in one pot. Browning the beef and toasting the spices first builds flavor, and 20 minutes under pressure makes it taste like it simmered all afternoon. Extra broth and a careful layering order keep the pot from scorching.

Prep: 22 min
Cook: 1 hr
Wait: 22 min
Total: 1 hr 44 min
Makes: About 9 cups (6 generous servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil (such as avocado or canola)
1½ cups (220 g) yellow onion, diced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces (about 1 large onion)
1 cup (150 g) green bell pepper, diced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces (about 1 medium pepper)
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds (907 g) ground beef, 80/20, broken into chunks
3 tablespoons (24 g) chili powder
2 teaspoons (5 g) ground cumin
2 teaspoons (5 g) smoked paprika
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano
1½ teaspoons (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
1½ cups (360 ml) beef broth, low-sodium
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
2 cans (15 oz each) (850 g) canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz) (411 g) canned diced tomatoes, with their juices
1 can (15 oz) (425 g) canned crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon (5 ml) apple cider vinegar, added at the end
shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced scallions, for serving (optional)

Equipment (5)

6-quart (5.7 L) Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
Wooden spoon or flat-edged spatula
Liquid measuring cup
Cutting board and chef's knife
Can opener and colander

Steps

Before you start

Use a 6-quart (5.7 L) Instant Pot or larger. Do not fill it past the two-thirds line. This recipe stays under it.
Drain and rinse the canned beans well in a colander, so the chili tastes clean.
Dice the onion and bell pepper and mince the garlic before you start. The pot moves quickly once it is hot.
Plan on about 1 hour 45 minutes total. That includes about 10 minutes for the pot to come to pressure, a 15-minute natural release and a few minutes of venting.
Sauté settings are called High (More) and Normal (Medium) in this recipe. Use High only for the vegetables and beef.

1
Sauté the vegetables
- Select Sauté and press Adjust to High (More).
- Wait for the display to read Hot, about 3 minutes.
- Add the oil, onion, and bell pepper.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
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Ready when: Onion looks translucent at the edges and the garlic smells fragrant.
Tip: Don't let the garlic brown. It turns bitter.
2
Brown the beef
- Add the ground beef and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Break the meat into small crumbles with a wooden spoon.
- Cook on High (More) for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then.
- Leave it undisturbed for 1 minute at a time so it browns rather than steams.
- If the pot looks very greasy, spoon off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat.
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Ready when: No pink remains and some bits are browned.
3
Toast the spices
- Press Adjust to lower the heat to Normal (Medium).
- Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
- Add the tomato paste.
- Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, until the paste darkens slightly and the spices smell toasty.
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Ready when: Tomato paste darkens to brick red and the spices smell toasty.
Tip: Lower the heat first and keep stirring so the paste and spices don't scorch.
4
Deglaze the pot
- Press Cancel.
- Pour in the broth and Worcestershire sauce.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly with the wooden spoon, working across the whole surface, to lift every browned bit and any paste or spice that has stuck.
- Stir until the liquid is evenly reddish brown.
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Ready when: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, it slides smoothly with nothing sticking or gritty, and no dark bits remain.
Tip: This is your main safeguard against the Burn warning. Take your time here.
5
Layer beans and tomatoes
- Spread the drained kidney beans over the meat mixture, then pour the diced tomatoes with their juices over the beans.
- Finally, pour the crushed tomatoes over the top and spread them flat.
- Do not stir after this point.
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Ready when: Crushed tomatoes form a separate, unstirred layer on top.
Tip: Thick tomato products can scorch on the bottom under pressure, so keep the crushed tomatoes on top and let the broth sit below.
6
Pressure cook
- Lock the lid and set the steam valve to Sealing.
- Select Pressure Cook (Manual) on High and set 20 minutes.
- The pot takes about 10 minutes to come to pressure before the countdown starts.
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Ready when: The display counts down from 20 minutes once pressure is reached, then the pot beeps.
7
Release the pressure
- Let the pot release pressure naturally for 15 minutes without touching it.
- Then carefully turn the valve to Venting to release any remaining steam, about 2 minutes.
- Keep hands and face clear of the steam.
- Open the lid once the float valve has dropped.
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Ready when: The float valve has dropped and the lid unlocks easily.
Tip: A quick release will spray chili out of the valve, so wait for the natural release.
8
Thicken and season
- Stir the chili well to blend the top layer in.
- If it is thinner than you like, select Sauté, set it to Normal (Medium), and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Press Cancel.
- Stir in the apple cider vinegar and taste.
- Add more salt if needed.
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Ready when: The chili is thick enough to mound on a spoon and leaves a trail when you drag the spoon across the bottom.
Tip: Chili thickens more as it cools, so don't over-reduce it.
9
Rest and serve
- Let the chili stand for 5 minutes.
- Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar, sour cream, and sliced scallions if you like.
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Ready when: Chili is steaming hot and thickened.

Good to know

Tips

Use 80/20 beef for flavor. Leaner beef can taste dry, and you won't need to drain much fat.
For more heat, add ½ teaspoon cayenne or a diced jalapeño with the onion.
If you get a Burn warning, release the pressure, stir in ½ cup water, scrape the bottom, and restart.
Stir in the vinegar at the end. It brightens the flavors that long cooking dulls.

Make ahead

Chili tastes even better the next day. Cool it, refrigerate it in airtight containers, and reheat it gently with a splash of water or broth.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming hot (165°F/74°C). Add a splash of broth or water if it has thickened too much. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Substitutions

ground beef, 80/20 → ground turkey or ground chuck. Turkey is leaner, so use 2 tablespoons oil when browning and add a little extra salt.
canned kidney beans → pinto or black beans. Use the same weight of canned beans, drained and rinsed.
apple cider vinegar → fresh lime juice. Use 2 teaspoons to add brightness at the end.
green bell pepper → 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles. Drain them and add in place of the bell pepper for more heat.