Seriously The Best Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
This Instant Pot vegetarian chili is amazing for so many reasons. Beyond the fact that its made with whole ingredients, tons of veggies, and lentils, it only has a 7-minute cook time in your Instant Pot !
Not only is this chili vegetarian, but its also vegan, making it 100% plant-based. That means, this recipe is dairy-free and meat-free. We love the savory taste of this vegan chili and know you will too.
Why This Is The Best Vegetarian Chili You’ve Ever Had
- Fast. Ready in under an hour with the help of your Instant Pot.
- Easy. A simple pour and cook recipe.
- Vegetarian. Who needs meat for a delicious and filling chili recipe?
- Vegan. An amazing blend of veggies and lentils make it a great option for your next vegan dinner night.
The dish typically consists of a mixture of beans and ground beef and has a place in our hearts as classic American comfort food.
But what about those living a vegetarian lifestyle? This Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili Recipe gives you all goodness of a classic chili in a deliciously meatless form.
I mean, if they can make a veggie-less chili, why can’t they make a meatless version as well? You most certainly can, and let me tell you, this great recipe for chili is everybit as good as the classic.
From the bite of the black beans and kidney beans to the slight crispness of the corn and the zucchini to the smoky, mild spiciness of the canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, you’re sure to enjoy this Vegetarian Chili Recipe every bit as much as any other good chili.
Add on a little fresh cilantro and some of the toppings suggested below, and you’ve got a vegan chili that will become your go-to easy chili recipe.
Not only is this a delicious vegetarian chili, but it’s also a very easy chili recipe, and that’s thanks to it being anInstant Pot recipe.
Ingredients For Vegetarian Chili
Gather these ingredients to make your chili:
- Canned beans. Youll use both black and kidney beans for the chili.
- Sweet potatoes. This simple starch adds a ton of flavor to the chili. If you love sweet potatoes, this is the recipe for you! They also add nutrition and extra fiber.
- Canned tomatoes. I use petite diced tomatoes from Hunts.
- Fresh mushrooms. Button or cremini work.
- Yellow onion. White onion will also work if thats what you have on hand.
- Green bell pepper. If you prefer, use red or yellow bell pepper.
- Fresh garlic. I highly recommend using fresh as it brings out the flavor even more than powdered.
- Vegetable broth. We used canned in this recipe, but if you prefer homemade, our recipe for Instant Pot vegetable broth will amp up the flavor even more.
- Olive oil. Necessary to sauté the vegetables.
- Brown sugar. This brings a nice molasses-like consistency, however can use granulated if you like.
- Balsamic vinegar. For added acidity and sweetness.
- Spices. This chili gets flavor from cumin, smoked paprika, and dark chili powder.
NOTE: This is a sweet chili that gets a lot of flavor from the sweet potatoes. If you love sweet potatoes and sweet-savory combinations, youll love this chili!
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Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili + Video
This Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili recipe is delicious & healthy. The best part is it cooks up quick & easy with your pressure cooker.
Theres something I find so warm and comforting about a bowl of chili. When its chilly outside, I find myself craving it on the regular. Ive made many variations of chili Instant Pot Chili Mac, White Chicken Chili and Buffalo Chicken Chili. But its this chili, that I make the most often, and Ive been making it since college. I now make that version in the Instant Pot as well.
But today in the spirit of trying to eat healthier in the New Year, Im making a delicious and nutritious Vegetarian Chili in the Instant Pot.
I like my chili on the thinner side, and I love serving it ladeled over a warm bowl of instant pot rice or instant pot quinoa. However, if youd like a thicker Vegetarian Chili, Ive got you covered.
Cook Once And Eat Twice
Leftover chili is the best. We often say it is the best the second time we eat it. Here are some of our favorite ways to make vegetarian chili into another meal:
- Make Crockpot Baked Potatoes for a quick lunch or even dinner. Baked potatoes are so yummy with this chili. I have even topped my potato with chili.
- We have even baked the chili over Doritos or corn chips and topped with cheese. This is a great way to use leftovers and create a new meal with it. The kids think they are eating something new and gobble it up.
- You can use your leftover chili and make chili mac. Boil some pasta and mix it together with some chili. My kids love this option.
- Chili Cheese Wrap is one my personal favorites. I put a tortilla down with some Fritos. Then spoon chili on top of the Fritos, top with cheese and add the onions.
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Is Vegetarian Chili Good For You
This Instant Pot chili is good for you! Its loaded with wholesome, healthy ingredients like sweet potatoes, beans, and quinoa that contain numerous health benefits.
This recipe is also low in calories, but high in protein and fiber, which makes it ideal for filling lunches and dinners.
Here are just a few of the health benefits of this chili and its ingredients:
- High in Fiber, Vitamins, and Minerals. Thanks to the sweet potatoes, red peppers, onions, quinoa, red beans, chili powder, and tomato sauce.
- Rich in Antioxidants. Credit to the onions, sweet potatoes, and red peppers.
- Packed with Protein. The quinoa drives the protein levels in this chili. Beans offer added protein as well. For even more protein, top your chili with Greek yogurt.
How To Make Instant Pot Vegan Chili
This meatless chili recipe is a freaking masterpieceâ¦if I do say so myself. And, its also super simple. So, if youve been looking for a recipe for vegetarian chili that will satisfy a lot of people you can finally rest easy. You found it.
Start by hitting the sautee function on your Instant Pot pressure cooker. When its ready add your onions, garlic, chipotle pepper, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano.
Stir it all together and make sure the onions and garlic are covered. Let it all toast together for just a couple of minutes. This is how chili gets its flavor. If youre worrie about the food sticking ou can add a couple of tablespoons of water or vegetable broth.
Now, add your red kidney beans, black beans, diced tomatoes, and maple syrup. Give everything a good stir to make sure its well combined. Lock the lid of your Instant Pot and set the timer to 5 minutes. Yes, 5 minutes.
When time is up, do a âquick releaseâ by turning the release valve to âventingâ and remove the lid. Thats it! Instant Pot Vegan Chili.
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Instant Pot Vegan Chili
May 6, 2022
There isnothing better to warm you up on a cold day than a big bowl of hearty chili, and its even better when it can be ready and on the table in minutes without any fuss in the kitchen. This Instant Pot Vegan Chili is easy to make and chock full of healthy wholesome ingredients.
Chili is such a comfort food with its warm spices, convenient can beans, and filling grain like bulgur, quinoa, or brown rice. Its inexpensive to make and can feed a crowd.
If you dont have an Instant Pot or would just rather allow it to cook while youre at work, theres even a Crockpot Chili recipe thats perfect for a slow cook method.
An Easy Vegetarian And Vegan Chili Recipe With Beans
Chili is one of those cozy weeknight meals thats perfect to come home to after a long busy day. And with an Instant Pot, you can make an Instant Pot Vegan Chilli in just 20 minutes! If you also enjoy slow cooker recipes make sure to check out this Slow Cooker Quinoa Chili.
This recipe starts with a base of veggies that get sautéed in the Instant Pot before spices, tomatoes and canned beans are added in. Its made with simple ingredients that deliver big flavour.
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Why Youll Love This Recipe
- This Meatless Chili is made in an Instant Pot, so its super quick and easy to make. It can also be made on the stovetop or in a slow cooker, so you have plenty of ways to make the recipe.
- Its a versatile recipe, so if there are any vegetables or ingredients you love in your chili, just add them in.
- This is a freezer-friendly recipe! So, its perfect to prep in advance and store in the freezer for when you need dinner on the table fast.
Ingredients For Vegetarian Chili Recipe
- Beans: I used canned black beans, red kidney beans, and pinto beans, but feel free to use your favorite combo of beans. Make sure to drain and rinse the canned beans before using them. You may also soak dried beans and cook them in an Instant Pot pressure cooker if you don’t prefer canned. You may pick and choose beans like garbanzo, cannellini, great northern, black-eyed peas, and cannellini beans as well.
- Veggies: I used onion, zucchini, bell peppers, and carrot.
- Tomatoes: I have added regular diced Roma tomatoes to this recipe. To add smokiness, add fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Tomato Sauce adds more tomato flavor and helps to thicken the soup. You may also use crushed tomatoes.
- Seasoning and Spices: chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, and salt.
- Vegetable Broth: I recommend using low-sodium vegetable broth. You may also use water if that’s what you have in hand.
- Lime Juice Use fresh lime juice, it adds a hint of tang and enhances the soup flavor.
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Meal Prep And Storage
Vegetarian chili works great for meal prep, and can be prepped ahead in one of two ways:
Freezer packs
Freezer backs are assembled ahead and frozen before cooking. This means on cook day, you simply dump the bag into the Instant Pot, no prep required!
Reheat meals
You can also portion the chili out for easy meals through the week. Here’s how to store:
- fridge– store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
- freezer– portion out into meal prep containers and freeze for up to 3 months
- reheat– heat in the microwave until steaming hot, or on the stove top, adding additional water as needed as you heat
Easy Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
Super easy Instant Pot vegetarian chili has sweet potatoes & is just a bit spicy. Slow cooker option included serve over quinoa, potatoes or cornbread!
Everything You Need to Know About
I think everyone should know how to make a good chili .
Just like being able to bake a delicious loaf of bread, how to roast a whole chicken in the oven, and how to roast potatoes we all need to know how to make a good, worthy-of-another-bowlful chili recipe.
After trying no less than a dozen chili recipes, I think this vegetarian chili is the one you should print out and put in your recipe box.
I have to be honest though I didnt originally set out to make a dozen chili recipes just to find you the perfect one.
Oh no! This originally started with my mother-in-law coming to visit.
She lives in Delaware, so her coming down to see us is a big deal.
My sister-in-law and her husband live 3 hours from us, so knowing her mom was so close, her and her family packed up and came down for the weekend too.
So basically, I had to come up with a really good yet easy meal to make for 10 people that wouldnt cost me an arm and a leg.
Thats why I made chili.
I did some research ahead of time, trying to narrow down a chili recipe that would work for both my husband and the rest of us meat-eating people.
I found one I thought would work, made it, and it was DELICIOUS!!
It was so good in fact, that my husband WHO IS A RECOVERING BEAN-HATER had two bowlfuls!!
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Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili Is The Perfect Beginner Recipe
The Instant Pot is the perfect kitchen appliance for so many different wonderful recipes and cuisines. And it really excels when it comes to soup and chili recipes. The pressure cooking process naturally lends itself to meals such as this vegetarian chili, which would normally require long periods of time to cook. With this recipe, we can have the prep done in about 10 minutes by using simple ingredients, then we let the Instant Pot do its magic. The actual pressure cook time is only 10 minutes. With the time it takes to come to pressure, then the 5 minute release time, the whole dish cooks in about 20-25 minutes from start to finish. With the prep time being only around 10 minutes, we can have an awesome pot of the most flavorful chili in about a half hour. I love it!
How To Make Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili:
NOTE 1: Remember that the Instant Pot takes some time to reach the specified pressure. The more ingredients that are in the pot and the colder they are, the longer it will take to pressurize. I included the approximate pressurization time in the total cooking time in the recipe below so that you can plan your dinner prep properly.
***NOTE 2: If you have a newer Instant Pot, please see the Important Note below about layering the ingredients.***
NOTE 3: Instructions for cooking this chili on the stovetop or in a slow cooker are included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
SAUTÉ: Press the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot. Let it heat for a minute and add the olive oil and onions. If using water instead of olive oil, add it now. The onions should be translucent and soft. That should take about 5 minutes.
SPICES & TOMATO PASTE: Stir in the minced garlic and the spices. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute
ADD THE REST: Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, all of the beans and salt. See the IMPORTANT NOTE just above the recipe for stirring/no stirring directions.
SEAL THE INSTANT POT: Put the lid on the Instant Pot and set the steam valve to Seal. Use High Pressure and set the time to 10 minutes.
PRESSURE RELEASE: Once the cook time expires, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then do quick release. Be careful there will still be a lot of steam released!
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How To Make Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
The best vegetarian chili is made of a combination of fresh ingredients like onions, sweet potatoes, and bell peppers, and pantry staples like spices, quinoa, and beans.
Instant Pot vegetarian chili takes 8 minutes of pressure cooking, plus the 10 minutes youll need for the Instant Pot to come to pressure. At the end, your quinoa will be perfectly cooked, the sweet potatoes tender, and chili ready for its finishing touches.
Can Vegetarian Chili Be Frozen
Chlii freezes really well, which is why I always make a double batch when making this recipe or my favorite turkey chili. Its great to have on hand for last-minute dinners.
Allow the chili to cool, then transfer to freezer proof containers. Cover and freeze for 4 to 6 months.
Or use freezer ziplock bags. Lay the filled bags flat on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, they can be store flat or upright .
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What To Serve With Vegetarian Bean Chili:
If you want to keep this meal vegan, find dairy-free versions of yogurt or cheese to dollop and sprinkle on top. We also like to garnish with some minced cilantro.
We typically serve chili with a green salad, such as Apple Pecan Salad or healthy slaw to work in some extra veggies. Cornbread fans in the house? Make a double batch of cornbread muffins and freeze the extras to serve with another chili meal.
Both kids and adults love to dip or crumble tortilla chips into the chili.
What To Serve With Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
We serve this quick instant pot chili by itself or you can add your favorite sides. Keep in mind if you are following a specific diet, some of the options will need to be modified.
- The chili is delicious with this easy homemade cornbread.
- You can also try Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Recipe for a little extra kick.
- We love to dip the cornbread into the chili to get every last drop.
- Serve with a variety of crackers and cheeses.
- Chili is great in a bread bowl.
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