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    Instant Pot Chili

    Instant Pot Beef Recipes Dairy-Free Recipes Instant Pot Kid Friendly Main Courses January 11, 2023 | By Kristen Chidsey | 90 Comments | *This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe
    Instant Pot Chili tastes like it has been simmering for hours but comes together in less than 1 hour. This is the ultimate chili recipe!  A classic beef and bean chili made in the pressure cooker speeds up the cooking process and results in a super rich and hearty chili. Your family will be begging for you to make this easy chili recipe again and again!

    Instant Pot Chili is the ultimate chili recipe! Using the Instant Pot, this classic beef and bean chili develops the most insane flavor in record time! It is going to quickly become a family-favorite recipe!

    Inspired by my recipe for Crockpot Beef and Bean Chili, this Instant Pot Chili delivers the same classic flavors FAST! Serve this pressure cooker chili with a side of Homemade Cornbread and deliver the ultimate comfort food recipe!

    Instant Pot Classic Beef Chili in red bowl next to pressure cooker.


    Why This Instant Pot Chili Recipe is the Best

    • Classic Chili Made Fast. Chili is one of those recipes the longer it simmers, the better it tastes. However, with this recipe for Instant Pot Chili, you can have a flavorful beef and bean chili on the table in less than an hour, without sacrificing ANY flavor!
    • Unbelievable Flavor. I personally think that the Instant Pot does a superior job of developing the flavor in chili, even better than a chili that has simmered for hours on the stove or in a crockpot. The pressure cooker locks in all the flavors, heightening each ingredient. It is just so good!
    • Award-Winning Recipe. I have had many readers share with me that this Instant Pot chili has won them neighborhood cook-offs and even state competitions. I think the combination of the best chili seasoning blend, light beer, and Worcestershire sauce make this simple recipe memorable! It is simply one of the best chili recipes ever!
    • Adaptable. While the recipe is perfectly spiced and seasoned as written, I do give you options to use different types of ground meat, omit the beer, and spice it up, so you can make this chili your own.

    Note on Ingredients Needed

    • Ground Meat: For the best flavor and texture, I recommend using 85/15 ground meat. While ground beef is the classic choice, you can also make this recipe using ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground bison.
    • Chili Seasoning: This is the BEST blend of chili seasonings that packs a lot of flavor into any chili recipe. You probably have all the spices on hand to whip up this seasoning mixture in a matter of minutes.
    • Aromatics: Adding a yellow onion and minced garlic really helps to build a great base for this flavorful chili.
    • Crushed Tomatoes: Instead of using diced tomatoes, use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, for a rich, thick chili.
    • Beef Stock: Beef stock is not traditional in most recipes for chili, but you need that thin liquid for the Instant Pot to come under pressure. And the beef stock adds to the rich flavor of this chili! Just be sure to use low-sodium broth to control the overall sodium in the dish.
    • Beer: I love to add a light lager beer, such as Coors or Corona, along with the beef broth, as the beer gives the chili a rich depth of flavor and a bit of tang. Feel free to use additional beef broth in place of the beer if desired.
    • Beans: Use dark or light red kidney beans. And while canned beans work keep this recipe super quick and easy, you can start this recipe by preparing dried kidney beans using my instructions for cooking dried beans in the Instant Pot. Keep in mind, that you will need to add 1-2 teaspoons of additional salt to the chili if you start with dried beans.
    • Worcestershire Sauce: Adding Worcestershire sauce will help to add depth and richness to this chili. Don't overlook this ingredient!

    Recipe Modifications

    • Cut the Sodium: To reduce the sodium content, use low-sodium beef stock, and no-salt-added crushed tomatoes, and cut the salt in half in the homemade chili blend.
    • Start with Frozen Meat: I recommend following my instructions for cooking frozen ground beef in your instant pot. Once your frozen beef has been cooked, remove it from the Instant Pot and crumble it up into bite-size pieces. Place all the crumbled meat, and the remaining ingredients for the chili into the Instant Pot and cook for 15 minutes on high pressure with a natural pressure release.
    • Make it Spicy: Add up to 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or 1 small minced jalapeno to the chili prior to pressure cooking to really amp up the heat!
    • Keep it Gluten-Free: Use additional beef broth or gluten-free beer in place of the beer and be sure your Worcestershire Sauce is gluten-free.
    • Thin it Out: For a thinner chili, use up to 2 cups of beef broth. For a thicker chili, use only 1 cup of broth.

    How to Make Chili Using an Instant Pot

    While this is an incredibly simple recipe, if you are unfamiliar with cooking in an Instant Pot or the functions of your Instant Pot, be sure to start with How to Use an Instant Pot for the best results on this and future recipes.

    Step One: Sear the Meat. To increase the flavor tenfold and also improve the meat's texture, it is best to brown the meat before pressure cooking the chili. To do this, you want to use the saute function and saute the beef along with the onion until browned. Once the meat is browned, it is best to drain off any excess grease, so your chili is not overly greasy.

    Ground beef and onions in inner pot.

    Step Two: Deglaze the Inner Pot. It is really important to take the time to scrape up the browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot to prevent a burn notice. To do this, simply add in the beer (or broth) and use a wooden spatula or spoon to scrape off the bottom of your inner pot.

    Ground beef with beef and stock insider inner pot.

    Step Three: Layer Ingredients. Add in the beans, seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, and both, and stir to combine. Then top with the tomatoes, but don't stir the chili again. Leaving the tomatoes on top of the other ingredients will help prevent a burn notice from happening.

    Step Four: Pressure Cook. Don't be tempted to use the Chili function on your pressure cooker. As I have shared in Instant Pot 101 and my guide to Instant Pot Functions, your pressure cooker has no way of knowing if you used dried beans, canned beans, or frozen meat. It is best to default to cooking on high pressure for 15 minutes using the manual or pressure cook button.

    Step Five. Let the Pressure Release Naturally. I don't recommend doing a quick pressure release when making chili because of the volume of liquid in your inner pot. It could easily spew out the vent knob, leaving a huge mess. Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes, a full natural pressure release is best.

    ingredients for instant pot chili inside instant pot.

    Serving Suggestions

    This instant pot chili can be served plain or with toppings as desired. My family prefers shredded cheese and corn chips, but diced avocado, diced onions, and sour cream all make great options for topping your chili. And of course, adding a side of Homemade Cornbread is never a bad idea.

    You can also opt to use this chili as a base for Tamale Pie, or use it to top baked potatoes or baked sweet potatoes. Some people love to serve chili on rice or pasta as well, for a heartier meal.

    Bowl of Instant Pot Chili Next to Instant Pot

    Storage Instructions

    • Refrigerate: Leftover Instant Pot Chili should be cooled and then transferred to air-tight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
    • Freeze: Allow the chili to cool then place the cooled chili into a freezer-safe container, leaving a bit of room for expansion. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
    • Reheat: If needed, defrost the chili in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat individual servings in a heat-safe bowl and warm up in the microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through.

    More Cozy Instant Pot Comfort Food Recipes

    • Instant Pot Lasagna
    • Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff
    • Instant Pot Mexican Lasagna
    • Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
    • Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana

    Need more inspiration for planning meals that your family will love? Sign up for my FREE Meal Plans and each week you will get a meal plan with a shopping list.

    If you enjoyed this Instant Pot Chili, I would love for you to leave a comment and a review below. 

    Bowl of chili next to instant pot.

    Instant Pot Chili

    This easy recipe for Instant Pot Chili is made with beef, beans, and rich tomato sauce. It comes together quickly, yet this hearty chili tastes like it has been simmering all day long!
    4.72 from 45 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Pressure Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 284kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds 85/15 ground beef or ground bison, turkey, or chicken
    • 1 small yellow onion diced
    • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
    • ½ cup light lager beer such as Coors or Corona
    • 1-1½ cups low-sodium beef stock see recipe note
    • 2 tablespoons Chili Seasoning Blend
    • 2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans rinsed and drained
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • Turn your instant pot to the saute function and allow it to heat up until it reads "Hot." Once heated, add in the ground beef and diced onions and cook until the meat begins to brown and the onions start to soften, breaking up the meat as it browns. This is about 5 minutes. 
      Ground beef and onions in inner pot.
    • Add in the minced garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes longer, or until the meat is fully browned. Turn Instant Pot OFF.
    • Drain off any excess grease and return inner pot to Instant Pot.
    • Add in beer and scrape up the browned bits off the inner pot. This step is REALLY important--if you leave too many browned bits on the inner pot, your pressure cooker may not come to pressure correctly.
      Ground beef with beef and stock insider inner pot.
    • Add in the beef broth, chili seasoning, beans, and Worcestershire sauce, and stir well to combine. Pour the crushed tomatoes on the chili, but do not stir in. They will naturally mix into the chili and that is okay.
    • Place the lid on the Instant Pot, being sure the venting valve is locked or pointed to "sealing." Set to cook on high pressure for 15 minutes by selecting manual or pressure cook and using the +/- buttons to adjust the time.
    • Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes. Remove the lid, stir, and dish up as desired.
      ingredients for instant pot chili inside instant pot.

    Equipment Needed

    • Electric Pressure Cooker (6 or 8 quart)

    Notes

    Beer: Use a light lager, like Coors or Corona. In place of beer, feel free to use wine or additional beef stock.
    For Gluten-Free Instant Pot Chili: Be sure Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free and use gluten-free beer, wine, or stock in place of the beer. 
    Meat: Ground chicken, turkey, or beef can be used for this Instant Pot Chili recipe. For the best flavor use 85/15 fat percentage but lean beef works well too. You will just need to add 1 teaspoon of oil before sauteing the meat. 
    Storage: Store chili in a sealed container for 3 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
    For the Chili Blend Use: 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
    Amount of Broth: For a thinner chili, use up to 1 & ½ cups of beef broth. For a thicker chili, use only 1 cup of broth.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 183mg | Potassium: 1146mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 215IU | Vitamin C: 12.5mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 5.8mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!
    « Vegetable Potstickers
    Instant Pot Creme Brulee »

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

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    1. Kristen

      April 26, 2023 at 2:16 pm

      Can I use dried beans instead of canned here?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 26, 2023 at 2:55 pm

        Hi Kristen! I would cook the dried beans separately first following my recipe for Instant Pot Dried Beans subtracting 10 minutes of the cooking time if you would like firmer beans, as they will finish cooking in the chili.

        Reply
    2. Mac

      March 15, 2022 at 4:26 pm

      Delicious! I sauteed the meat on my stove and used beef stock for all the thin liquid. I *loved* the consistency of the chili made with crushed tomatoes! I live in Texas so to keep the family peace I referred to this as "chili beans" instead of chili, and it was gobbled in a flash. My teen had a bowl, two chili dogs, and another half bowl mixed with mac n' cheese! thank you!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        March 15, 2022 at 7:08 pm

        Wow! It is always a good thing when your teen eats up! Thanks for sharing you enjoyed!

        Reply
    3. Katie

      January 23, 2022 at 10:33 am

      4 stars
      I forgot to buy beef stock. I am using Rotel tomatoes so can I just use a cup of beer?
      Thanks for all your yummy recipes.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        January 23, 2022 at 1:48 pm

        Because you are using rotel tomatoes instead of crushed tomatoes, 1 cup of beer should be enough liquid. Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Mark Richards

      January 15, 2022 at 8:31 pm

      5 stars
      This is an outstanding recipe. Best chili I ever made. I did everything by the book except I also added a diced green pepper in addition to the onion, and I used an extra 1/2 cup of beef stock because I don't keep alcohol in my house. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        January 16, 2022 at 7:10 am

        I love hearing you enjoyed so much! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    5. Lynn

      August 03, 2021 at 6:41 pm

      You didn't list the seasonings

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        August 04, 2021 at 7:31 am

        They are in the notes section 🙂

        Reply
    6. Gay

      February 06, 2021 at 10:46 pm

      5 stars
      This chili was really wonderful. I halved the recipe and it all halved easily. I served it with cornbread. Such a great support and easy to put together.

      Reply
    7. Monty

      February 03, 2021 at 8:05 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight using bison beef. To say it was outstanding is an understatement. My wife really enjoyed but I had to diminish the heat to satisfy her palate. I used your recipe for the spices and am glad I did. Please put me an your email list
      Monty

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 04, 2021 at 7:00 am

        I am so happy to hear you enjoyed so much Monty! Added you to my email list!

        Reply
    8. Kate

      January 28, 2021 at 5:20 pm

      5 stars
      Can I use Rotel Tomatoes instead of crushed tomatoes?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        January 29, 2021 at 6:50 am

        Hi Kate! Yes, the rotel will add some additional liquid and spice, so I may cut back the beef broth to just 1/2 cup (if using beer as well)

        Reply
    9. Darnisha

      October 13, 2020 at 2:16 pm

      5 stars
      Very easy and quick to make. I used fire roasted dice tomatoes for a roasted taste

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        October 13, 2020 at 3:44 pm

        Glad you enjoyed! I love fire-roasted tomatoes myself 🙂

        Reply
        • Cammie

          November 24, 2020 at 8:37 pm

          5 stars
          Easy everything! I used ground venison and soy sauce instead of Worcestershire sauce. I forgot the beer and a substitute but it was lovely. I'll try the beer next time, thank you! I especially loved your chili seasoning.

          Reply
          • Kristen Chidsey

            November 25, 2020 at 7:42 am

            I am so glad you enjoyed so much Cammie! Adding beer/additional liquid will make a bit less thick so keep that in mind for the next time you make this 🙂

            Reply
            • Shelby

              March 23, 2021 at 12:34 am

              4 stars
              Good flavor. I followed the recipe exactly and will make a couple changes to make it thicker next time (just my preference). But this is an easy and quick weeknight recipe. I like the addition of beer 🙂

            • Kristen Chidsey

              March 23, 2021 at 6:49 am

              Happy to hear you enjoyed Shelby! When making changes, just be sure to still have 1 cup thin liquid for a 6 quart and 1.5 cups of thin liquid for an 8 quart IP--that will prevent a burn notice.

    10. TravisP

      January 06, 2020 at 6:12 pm

      Love it! My boys and I looked at each other because the batch was gone quickly. I might have to experiment and double up. Easy to make, I sautéed the ground beef outside the Instant Pot. While the beef was on the stove, I added all the ingredients. I also added sausage like I do for my other chili recipes. I will make again. Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        January 06, 2020 at 7:24 pm

        I am so glad you and your boys enjoyed so much Travis!

        Reply
      • Steph

        March 12, 2020 at 11:28 am

        Sounds good. Did you brown sausage first?

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    Instant Pot Chili tastes like it has been simmering for hours but comes together in less than 1 hour. This is the ultimate chili recipe!  A classic beef and bean chili made in the pressure cooker speeds up the cooking process and results in a super rich and hearty chili. Your family will be begging for you to make this easy chili recipe again and again!

    Meet a Mind "Full" Mom

    A Picture of A Mind"Full"Mom

    Hi! I'm Kristen. I want to welcome you into my kitchen and my REAL, imperfect life. Let me share with you tips and tricks to help you make healthy eating a reality for your family in the chaos of life and on the constraints of a budget. Read more

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    Instant Pot Chili tastes like it has been simmering for hours but comes together in less than 1 hour. This is the ultimate chili recipe!  A classic beef and bean chili made in the pressure cooker speeds up the cooking process and results in a super rich and hearty chili. Your family will be begging for you to make this easy chili recipe again and again!

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