How To Make Chili Colorado In An Instant Pot
This recipe calls for the same ingredients previous generations did, but with a modern twist.
First, this tender beef stew is made in an Instant Pot. Second, we use some canned goods: broth and prepared chili sauce .
Dont have a pressure cooker? No problem! Check the recipe card for instructions on how to make chili colorado in a slow cooker or on the stovetop.
This recipe is adapted from my friend Eva as told to her by her mama! The original instructions were to cook this in a slow cooker.
Getting hungry? Lets get cooking!
I Have Three Versions Of Classic Chili Recipes For You Today
Classic chili for the Stovetop, the Instant Pot , and a Slow Cooker.
And of course, if you dont want to make a Deanne sized batch, simply half the recipe.
We always have a freezer full of beef to use, so this is a frequently made go-to.
Whats that? You have a freezer full of beef, too? Oh, then check out my post with ideas to use up ground beef!
Be sure to top it with some sharp shredded cheddar, or sour cream, of whatever you like on your chili!
How To Make Beef Chili In The Instant Pot
Its so easy to make this chili! Heres how:
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How Long Does It Take To Make Chili In The Instant Pot
You’re not going to believe me when I tell you this, but it takes just 12 minutes to cook chili in the Instant Pot! Only 12!! Isn’t that crazy?!
But here’s the thing we have to remember with pressure cookers, it does take extra time to build up the pressure and then naturally release the pressure. So from start to finish, and with those two things accounted for, it takes about 45 minutes to make this instant pot lentil chili.
Instant Pot Chili Faqs

Can I use ground turkey instead?
Sure! It wont taste quite the same but will still be very good.;
Can I use a different type of bean?
Yes, you can basically use any kind of cooked canned beans you like.
I dont have Ancho Chili powder, what can I substitute?
You can use regular mild chili powder, or hot, whatever you prefer but you may need to adjust the amount down if your chili powder is hot. Ancho Chili powder has a mild earthy flavor and doesnt taste exactly the same as regular chili powder.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, put it in an airtight container and it will keep for a couple of months in the freezer.
How long will it keep in the fridge?
Up to four days, it tastes even better after the first day!
Is it spicy?
It has a mild kick, if you want it hotter add more cayenne pepper or a splash of hot sauce.
What should I serve it with?
Back home in the UK Chili is often served over rice. Here in the US is usually comes with a side of crackers, but we love it with some homemade gluten free cornbread. Our favorite Instant Pot Chili toppings include sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, and sometimes all three at once!
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What Even Is Chili Anyway
If you ask a Texan a real chili is any kind of meat or combination of meats, cooked with red/green chili peppers, various spices and other ingredients, with the exception of beans and pasta which are strictly forbidden. Yup, thats right: no beans! When many people think chili, they often think of beans, but for me, Im a Texas chili lover all the way. I love the pureness of Texas chili: perfectly seasoned, tender ground beef swimming in a pool of smoky, spicy, garlicky, roasty tomatoes and broth.
Saut Onion Garlic Spices
Now, add diced onions, minced garlic, 1 tbsp ground cumin seed, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp dried oregano in Instant Pot.
*Note: Adjust the amount of chili powder depending on your chili powders spiciness and how spicy you want your chili to be.
Sauté for about 5 minutes until the spices start to release their fragrance. Stir frequently.
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Other Posts You Might Like
- 2 ½ cups beef, chicken or veggie broth
- 1 cup dark beer
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
- 12 teaspoons dark cocoa powder,
- 12 teaspoons smoked paprika or ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- optional additions: frozen corn or diced red bell pepper
- Garnishes: grated cheese, sour cream, cilantro, avocado, scallions
What To Serve Chili Colorado With
Serve chili colorado with a fresh green salad along with the following side dishes:
- Spanish rice traditional basic fluffy full flavored rice with or without additional vegetables.
- 3 Ingredient Cauliflower Spanish Rice Keep this meal low-carb and serve with rice made with cauliflower.
- Mexican Pinto Beans crock pot recipe with flavorful spices like cumin, oregano, and fresh chopped tomatoes.
- Homemade Tortilla tender and chewy traditional flour tortillas.
- Low Carb Tortilla check out these low carb pre-made tortillas.
Cuisine:Category:
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Serving Instant Pot Chili
This is a little trick learned from other rich soups like French onion: A splash of vinegar added to the chili pot just before serving makes the whole pot more balanced. It helps the tang of the tomatoes, but it also brings out their sweetness and cuts the richness of the beef.
From there you can top the chili to your hearts delight. A little sprinkling of green onions or finely chopped red onion, a dollop of Greek yogurt, or a flurry of chip crumbs are all good, but with a simple and tasty chili that comes together this quickly, you might not need any toppings.
How To Make Instant Pot Chili
If you are new to Instant Pot, check out my Instant Pot guide.
- Brown ground beef until it is in small pieces, about 5 minutes. Please note, meat can be pink and if necessary deglaze the pot with stock. Drain fat, if desired . If tilting the pot to drain, make sure to flatten the meat after.
- Combine all ingredients in the following order: Canned beans, stock, salsa, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chili and chipotle powders. Do not stir to avoid the dreaded Burn.
- Pressure cook for 40 minutes by pressing Manual or Pressure Cook on High pressure. Please ignore Chili/Stew button if your Instant Pot has it. Even if you use canned beans, this long time is necessary for the depth of flavour. Beans wont fall apart.
- Release pressure after 15-30 minutes by turning valve to Venting. You can also let chili release pressure naturally and then sit on Keep Warm even entire day more flavour.
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How To Make Chili In The Instant Pot
The total prep time for this chili recipe is 15 minutes and the cooking time is only 20 minutes That makes this the perfect quick and easy, hearty and filling family meal! You could even whip up this chili recipe to surprise last-minute guests.
The first time I made this chili recipe, I was impressed with how easy it is to make without compromising on the taste at all! Making this instant pot chili recipe is as simple as dicing and sauteing before you mix all the ingredients together and leave them in the instant pot to work its magic.
Instructions:
Easy Ingredient Swaps And Additions

Since first posting this recipe, so many of you have made it and shared your success stories! You’ve also shared ways that you’ve adapted or swapped ingredients, which all sound so great. Here are some of favorite ideas:
- Add an extra can of beans for more protein
- Add a cup of frozen corn
- Swap the ground beef for finely-chopped flank steak or ground chicken
- Add cumin!
- Some BBQ sauce adds extra depth
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How To Make Instant Pot Chili With Dried Beans
I love-love-love making soup and stews, and salads with dried beans. 3 times cheaper, no BPA and 100 times less sodium.
- No need to soak: Rinse and drain dried beans. No need to soak.
- Remove these ingredients: Skip 3 cans of beans and 1/2 cup broth.
- Add these ingredients: Add instead an equal mix of 2 cups of three kinds of dried;beans: red kidney, cannellini and black. Also add 4 cups of low sodium stock.
- Adjust seasoning: I recommend to add up to 1/4 tsp salt as dried beans are salt free.
How Do I Use The Slow Cooker Setting On My Instant Pot
Chili’s taste benefits from time spent simmering. This recipe isn’t runny enough to work well with the PRESSURE COOK;setting on your Instant Pot. For the pressure setting to function, there needs to be a certain amount of liquid. If you try to use it with thick chili like this one, you’re liable to activate the BURN;warning.
As with many slow cooker recipes, this one starts out with onions and garlic sauteed in oil. Then, you’ll add your meat and brown it before setting it to SLOW COOK.
I love the fact that the whole process is all done in the same pot! The Instant Pot is nice and deep, so you’re not splattering all over your stove. And, you don’t have the skillet to clean up later. Any browned bits stuck to the bottom will come off easily after hours spent stewing in tomato sauce.
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What About Tomatoes In Chili
While I had heard that using beans in authentic Chili was a subject for much debate, I had no idea that the use of tomatoes was equally controversial. Some Chili experts insist that tomatoes are a later addition to the original recipe and therefore not authentic.
The story goes that a Texas newspaperman created what he called his Two-Alarm Chiliand added tomatoes to the meat plus the spices, he also believed that chili should left in the fridge overnight to allow the flavors to develop, and on that we are agreed!
If you can leave your Instant Pot Chili in the fridge overnight it will have an even better flavor on the second day, but of course it works well right out of the pot too.
Traditional Recipe With Modern Convenience
Do you remember the big pot on the stovetop simmering delicious meals for hours and hours growing up?
I do, especially when visiting my grandmothers homes. Every time we were over their kitchen waifed of the magical smell spices and foods that cooked ALL DAY LONG.
Those were the days, right? Simple, yet it wasnt. I didnt know then what I know now, but food needed to be stretched back then.
Both of my parents grew up in large families. Five kids each and they lived just two houses apart!
My grandmother and mother made their meals from scratch. I bet yours did too. It was just as common as opening a can of chicken broth is now!
Now were right smack in the middle of third and fourth Mexican-American generations. We have so many modern conveniences to help us savor homemade dishes like slow cookers and pressure cookers.
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Does Authentic Chili Contain Beans
Im hesitant to even wade into this debate, but the short version is that it depends who you ask! Most people will tell you that the earliest and original recipes did not contain beans of any kind.
However, beans have been used in several versions of Chili in the last century, so that seems long enough to me to claim it as authentic!
If you are a true Texas Chili aficionado, then you wont want to include beans at all in your recipe as Texas style chili is still made without them, But if not, then all bets are off!
If You Make This Delicious Recipe Be Sure To Share A Picture Of It On Instagram With The Hashtag #instantloss I Love See What You Are Cooking Up In Your Kitchen
Brittany Williams;has taken the weight loss world by storm with her best-selling;Instant Loss Cookbook. After reaching a peak weight of 260 pounds and spending a lifetime;struggling;with obesity, yo-yo dieting, autoimmune diseases, and chronic fatigue, Brittany changed her relationship with food and lost an astonishing 125 pounds in a year;through diet alone.
Brittanys latest book, Instant Loss Eat Real, Lose Weight shows how to make this a sustainable lifestyle with kid and family-friendly mealsfrom Strawberry Shortcake Oatmeal to Cowboy Chili to Easy 2-Minute Pork Chops. Members of her growing community have reported losing 50 and even 100 pounds themselves! This cookbook will help others achieve similar success with simple, delicious meals, nearly all ready in 30 minutes or less.
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Tips To Make The Best Instant Pot Chili
- Let your ground meat sit out at room temp for 15 minutes before cooking it. If you let it come to room temp before browning, less water will cook out during the browning process, making the outsides crisp and in the insides tender.
- Do two spice dumps: this makes sure that your chili is perfectly spiced without any muddled flavors
- Chili tastes more delicious the next day its science! Resting your chili overnight melds and redistributes the flavors throughout and lets the chili thicken a bit.
- Toppings! Dont forget the toppings because sometimes thats the best part! I love crunchy Fritos, the freshness of green onions, sometimes a squeeze of lime, shredded cheddar, sour cream, cilantro, sliced jalapeños, and avocados. The chili you see above is orange because of all the sour cream in it and its the best thing ever.
How To Make Wendys Chili In An Instant Pot

Serve this chili with Fritos, cornbread, or over rice. Its great for dinner on a cold day or to enjoy while watching football on game day.
Dont have an Instant Pot? You can make it on the stovetop with my recipe for copycat Wendys Chili.
I know you are going to love this Instant Pot Wendys Chili when you make it at home.
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High Pressure Elevates The Cooking Temperature
This makes for rapid tenderization of the beans. No pre-soaking is necessary, just around 33-minutes and youll have soft legumes that hold their shape. When testing the recipe, I notice the larger kidney beans require a few additional minutes of cook time.
Therefore the cooking time is calculated based on the minimal time needed to fully cook the larger size bean, otherwise, they will taste slightly underdone compared to the other varieties. You can always add the lid back on and pressure cook a few minutes longer if needed.
Make This A Freezer Dump Meal
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How To Store Freeze And Reheat
Refrigerate chili in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Chili is like fine wine or borscht that only gets better the next day. You will be amazed for like a week.
Chili freezes beautifully! Freeze in same container with limited air access to avoid freezer burns. Then thaw on a counter for at least 6-8 hours.
Reheat chili in a pot by simmering on low until warmed through, stirring occasionally. Chili will thin out a bit as it becomes hotter and hotter.
Made With Only 8 Ingredients Most Of Them Spices This Thick And Hearty Instant Pot Chili Is Going To Warm You Right Up On These Chilly Winter Days
Mamas Simple Instant Pot Chili is one of my mothers staples dinners! With seven children to feed, she kept things classically simple. Beans, meat, tomato sauce, and spices. One of the most comforting dishes for us children when the weeks turned cold. She often served it with a box of Jiffy corn bread mix but if youre looking for a healthier spin, check out my new Corn Bread Recipe for the Instant Pot in Instant Loss Eat Real, Lose Weight!;
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