Try this Instant Pot Chili Con Carne for a tasty and easy dinner option. It is packed with flavor, and the Instant Pot ensures that it’s cooked to perfection in no time. Plus, it’s a great meal to make ahead of time and freeze for later.
Why you’ll love this recipe
When it comes to comfort food, few dishes can compete with a steaming bowl of chili. And while there are many ways to make chili, one of the easiest is in an Instant Pot.
This Instant Pot chili con carne is packed with flavor, and can be on the table in under an hour. So if you’re looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal, give this Instant Pot chili a try.
Serve over rice with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese and a side of cornbread for a complete meal.
Scroll down for the printable card for this chili con carne Instant Pot recipe, or read on for all the details.
What do you need?
Instant Pot or other pressure cooker
I used an Instant Pot to make this recipe, but you can use any brand of electric pressure cooker or multicooker with a pressure cook function.
Ingredients and substitutions
Ground beef
The recipe below uses ground chuck which gives a tender mince when cooked in a pressure cooker.
You can substitute another ground beef mince, or even use another type of ground meat like ground turkey or ground pork if you prefer.
Beans
This recipe uses canned kidney beans and black beans. You can substitute any other type of beans that you would normally use to make chili. Try pinto beans or navy beans.
Stock
Use beef stock or beef broth for best results. You can substitute chicken or vegetable stock if needed, though the flavor of the final dish won’t be as rich.
Onion
The recipe below specifies a yellow onion (aka a brown onion), but you can use red onion if that is what you have to hand.
Green bell pepper
A green bell pepper or capsicum adds flavor and color to the dish. You can substitute a red or yellow bell pepper if you prefer.
Chopped tomatoes and tomato paste
Using both chopped tomatoes and tomato paste gives the sauce much more depth of flavor. You could substitute tomato sauce, or even tomato ketchup in a pinch, but tomato paste is going to give you the best flavor.
Spices
This recipe uses garlic powder, chili powder, ground cumin and cayenne pepper to flavor the chili. Feel free to adjust the amount of chili to increase or decrease the heat to your preference.
You can also add any other spices you like with chili, or you can substitute a ready-made taco seasoning if you don’t have the individual spices.
How to make chili con carne in the Instant Pot
This recipe is very simple, but there are a few steps you need to get right to make this the best recipe for chili con carne in the Instant Pot.
- Brown the ground beef with the onions and pepper, then allow it ti drain before adding the other ingredients. This helps to keep the beef tender, removes excess fat, and keeps the texture of the chili thick.
- Use the beef broth to deglaze the pot. This may sound fancy, but it just means adding the broth to the Instant Pot and using a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits off the side of the pot, to add extra flavor.
- Add the ground beef, beans and seasonings to the pot and stir to mix them well.
- Then add the crushed tomatoes on top of the meat mixture, and dot the tomato paste over the top. Do not stir it at this stage.
- Pressure-cook the chili in the Instant Pot on high for 25 minutes.
- When the cooking time is up do a manual release, carefully remove the lid, and stir the chili before serving.
Serving ideas
Top this Instant Pot chili with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of shredded cheese, and some sliced green onion.
I like to serve it over rice or spaghetti, but it is also great served with baked potatoes, or in a hamburger bun to make sloppy Joe’s.
Storing and reheating
Store any leftover chilli con carne in an air tight container in the fridge. Use within 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 4-6 minutes on high (stirring halfway through the cooking time)
Alternatively, freeze in freezer-safe container in portion-sized amounts.
Note: don’t refreeze this meal if the ground beef that you used was originally frozen.
Instant Pot Chili Con Carne
Ingredients
- 2¼ pounds / 1 kg ground chuck/ beef mince
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 1 green bell pepper (seeded and diced)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 to 4 cups beef broth (depending on desired thickness)
- 15 oz / 425 g light red kidney beans ((1 can) drained and rinsed)
- 15 oz / 425 g black beans ((1 can) drained and rinsed)
- 28 oz / 800 g diced tomatoes ((1 can))
- 6 oz / 170 g tomato paste ((1 can))
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
Directions
- Set the Instant Pot to 'Saute', and heat until “hot.” Add the ground beef, onion, and green pepper. Cook until the beef is completely browned. Transfer the meat mixture to a colander to drain well.
- While the meat drains, pour the beef broth into the electric pressure cooker and gently scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pot.
- Return the meat mixture to the Instant Pot. Add the beans and seasonings to the meat mixture. Stir to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Pour the canned tomatoes over the top and dot with tomato paste. Do not stir.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and set the valve to 'Sealing'. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on “manual” or “pressure cook” for 25 minutes.
- When the cooking cycle has completed, perform a quick release. Remove the lid and stir the chili before serving
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.