Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili

Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili, made with tender sweet potatoes, hearty beans, and a richly flavored tomato sauce, is a healthy, hearty chili that comes together in under an hour.

Inspired by my recipe for Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili and featuring an award-winning chili seasoning recipe, this Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chili makes an incredibly flavorful plant-based dinner recipe.

There is something so magical about chili. Whether made with meat, vegetables, beans, or lentils, chili is an absolute stick-to-your-ribs comfort food.

But it also has the reputation of taking HOURS to make.

Not with the Instant Pot!

Chili that tastes like it has been simmering for hours is possible in a fraction of the time, thanks to the magic of the Instant Pot. Because the Instant Pot seals in the pressure, it also seals in the flavor--meaning this Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili will deliver more flavor than if made on the stovetop!

Made with sweet potatoes, beans, and a thick, smokey, perfectly spiced tomato broth, it is hearty, healthy, and oh-so flavorful! Plus this recipe is gluten-free and vegan friendly--although, even the carnivores at my house give this Veggie Chili two thumbs up.

Notes on Ingredients

• Sweet Potatoes: Sweet Potatoes provide both earthiness and sweetness to this chili that helps to counterbalance the smokiness from the chipotle sauce. Not to mention, they pack in nutrients and fiber.
• Beans: Feel free to use pinto beans, black beans, red beans, kidney beans, or a combination of beans for this vegetarian chili recipe.
• Tomatoes: You can opt to use diced, crushed tomatoes, or a combination of the two. I personally love using diced tomatoes for texture, but my son hates the texture of canned tomatoes, so I typically use crushed tomatoes.
• Chili Seasoning: I use my Homemade Chili Seasoning Blend which is made the perfect combination of chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
• Chipotle in Adobo Sauce: A little bit of canned chipotle in adobo sauce goes a long way to packing in flavor into this veggie chili. It adds smokiness and a bit of spice but does not overwhelm the flavors in the chili or make it overly spicy.
• Vegetable Broth: Use your favorite low-sodium store-bought or homemade vegetable broth for this recipe. Chicken broth can be used in place of vegetable broth, but the chili will no longer be vegetarian.
• Oil: Use canola, avocado, or olive oil for this recipe.

How to Make Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili

• Turn Instant Pot to the Saute function, add in a bit of oil, and let that heat for a minute or two.
• Once the oil is heated add in the minced onions and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until beginning to soften.
• Add in the minced garlic and saute for just 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until you smell the garlic--you do NOT want to let it burn.
• Turn the Instant Pot off by hitting cancel.

• To prevent a burn notice, add in a bit of the broth and use a wooden or silicone spatula to scrape off any browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot.

• Add the remaining broth to the inner pot, along with the chili seasoning and chipotle in adobo, sweet potatoes, and beans, and give everything a good stir to combine.
• Add the tomatoes on top of the mixture and lightly stir to combine.

• Place the lid on the inner pot and be sure the vent knob is pointed to sealed.
• Set the cooking time to 10 minutes on high pressure using the manual or pressure cook button.
• Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes. This will keep the hot liquid from spewing out of the instant pot and the sweet potatoes from turning to mush.

• Once the chili has been cooked and pressure released, give everything a good stir to combine.
• Dish out the chili and top with cilantro and cilantro if desired. If you are not dairy-free, this chili is also delicious topped with shredded cheese or sour cream.

Storage

To store this vegetarian chili, allow it to cool slightly and then place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Alternatively, you can freeze it by allowing the chili to cool fully and then placing it in a freezer-safe container. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and heat as desired.

Recipe Modifications

• Spicier: If you want to add a kick of heat to this Vegetarian Chili, saute 1 small seeded and finely minced jalapeno along with the onion.
• Add Quinoa: My original recipe for Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili has quinoa in it. The quinoa adds protein and makes this vegetarian chili a bit heartier. If you would like to add in quinoa, add ½ cup dried rinsed quinoa plus an additional 1 cup water or stock to the inner pot along with the sweet potatoes and beans.
• Using Dried Beans: Feel free to use my recipe for Instant Pot dried beans first and then proceed with the recipe.
• Peppers: Feel free to add a diced bell pepper (any color) to the chili for additional flavor and texture. I leave it out for picky kids.

Step-By-Step Video

If you do better learning through visual instruction and video, be sure to check out my YouTube Video for Sweet Potato Chili.

More Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes

• Instant Pot Lentil Soup
• Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
• Instant Pot Vegetarian Tikka Masala
• Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
• Instant Pot Tomato Soup

If you tried out this recipe for Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

This post was originally published in 2019 but updated in 2022 with a new video and tips.