Our easy 5 ingredient Instant Pot chili recipe costs less than $10 and is a healthy one pot meal my kids go crazy over! Made with ground beef, canned kidney beans, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, if you love our 5 ingredient crockpot chili recipe this is quicker.
I’ve been obsessed with my crockpot for years but when I saw this new thing called the Instant Pot it got me curious. The first thing I cooked was some of the easiest Instant Pot chili ever. It came out amazing and is now one of our favorite Instant Pot recipes, so easy too.
You can certainly use your Crockpot Express or as a Ninja Foodi recipe (with the lid attached) to make this as well. You just need the high pressure function for about ten minutes and all electric pressure cookers have that. We only use 5 ingredients but it is a great base to add a bunch of other things into the mix too.
Love spicy Instant Pot chili? Then by all means add some Sriracha or red pepper flakes, this one is mild but full of flavor. I typically use a chili seasoning packet but have an alternative listed below too if you don’t have one of those on hand.
If you are new to pressure cooking we have a lot of easy one pot meal recipes for you here. To begin with let’s start with a few basic tips:
- Make sure to Bookmark our InstaPot recipes page. We add new ones each week!
- Then PRINT this —–> Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet that will help you understand how long meat, vegetables and beans take to cook in your pressure cooker.
- I HIGHLY recommend you buy this non stick pot.
- You should know how to deglaze a pressure cooker after sautéing but it won’t have as many issues with this better liner.
For reference, this is the model I have (a 6 quart) and use for all recipe creations.
Easy Chili Recipe in Instant Pot
This was my first attempt at any recipe in this new pot of mine. I just got it and really wanted to try our favorite meal from our slow cooker in it. Knew it should take a whole lot less time from what I had heard so it was worth a shot. Used the same 5 ingredients and held my breath. OMG did it go beyond my expectations.
I first set it to sauté and when it beeped I put a bit of olive oil and my ground beef inside. Then added some diced onions and in about 4 minutes it was browned. Next, I added my other 4 ingredients, secured the lid, and pushed bean/chili button. I have used high pressure too.
I released the pressure valve at the top and once it was about done I opened the lid. It really did cook it well in just that short amount of time and softened the can of beans inside quite well. You can still set it for a longer time if you’re going to be gone all day and use the slow cooker function on it but using the pressure cooker function makes it done really fast!
It was so good it’s been on the top 10 most popular Instant Pot ground beef recipes TWO years in a row! And it is versatile so you can make it without the meat, with ground turkey for lower fat, or spicy ground sausage is one of our favorites.
Ingredient Notes
I will either use 80/20 lean ground beef, or will use a roll of spicy ground sausage (or half and half) for some heat. If you wanted to go healthier you could use ground turkey but I don’t think that has as much flavor.
I just use a can of kidney beans (or red beans) with the liquid and everything, no draining required
Diced tomatoes, I like the petite versions, right out of the can is can #2 and once again not drained. You want the juice to add to the necessary liquid needed to cook everything.
I like to add just a bit of Tomato sauce (or I have even used red enchilada sauce) just to thicken the sauce into more of a stew texture so it isn’t as liquidy.
Chili seasoning packet is what I use to make things easier but you could use a bit of Lawrys with garlic salt and onion powder instead with some chili powder for a bit of heat.
If you need to set it for the day and go follow the directions above but push the slow cooker setting instead of manual and pressure. It should automatically set to 4 hours total so it is still shorter than cooking in a traditional crockpot AND you don’t have to dirty a pan on the stovetop to cook the meat beforehand.
You can also easily leave out the meat and make an easy vegetarian Instant Pot chili too with this. Heat can be added with red pepper flakes or dry Sriracha. Make a pot of rice or serve inside pressure cooker baked potatoes for a hearty dinner.
Variations
If you like a little spicy, use 1/2 lb. of Jimmy Dean spicy sausage and 1/2 lb. of regular sausage instead of ground beef. I’m telling you, this makes it amazing if you’re okay with ground sausage Load it up with diced onions and bell peppers, they will soften as this cooks and brings a great flavor and texture to your chili Put a wollop of cheese on top when your chili is done, OMG so good
Can you use dry beans?
Of course!! That is a great option. We do this often when we make this homemade like our Pressure cooker chili with dry beans. Love lots of toppings and ideas, or want to make a chili bar for a get together??!!
Can you use frozen ground beef to make chili?
Yes, this is how to defrost Instant Pot frozen ground beef in case you forgot to thaw it out the night before. 😉 You would need to follow them first to thaw, then set to saute, break up the meat to cook and then follow the directions from there below in the recipe card.
Can you add noodles?
In the event that you wanted to transition either of these versions into our Instant Pot chili mac recipe you would just add 1 cup elbow macaroni to submerge and cook time would be just 3-5 minutes.
Can you double this recipe?
YES! Here it is with twice the ingredients but the same pressure cook timing. I will say that in a 6 quart it is close to the line you do not want to pass or it won’t come to pressure though so 8 quart is better.
Can you substitute chicken for beef in chili?
Yes just cut medium sized boneless skinless breasts in to thirds. Add this and all other ingredients into pot. Set to high pressure for 10 minutes. Shred chicken and serve (of course check to ensure meat is done in the middle)
Tips
I HIGHLY suggest you get a non stick pot as you see here! Directions for Crockpot Express chili are almost identical. Press the manual pressure button first before high if you have an older model and have this button. And make sure you get brown bits of meat off bottom of the pot after saute setting or you may get the burn on Instant Pot notice.
Once you’ve got that covered you can move on with this printable recipe for Instant Pot chili with beans recipe
If you are in need of Ninja Foodi chili instructions refer to the post here. We cook our pressure cooker chili at least 2-3 times a month, sometimes weekly. Or you can transition this one to a pressure cooker cheesy chili mac!
This is one of our cheap Instant Pot recipes as well because all the ingredients run you under $10 and feeds all 5 of us. If you love this, you should try a few of these other easy Instant Pot recipes
Instant Pot Chili Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pond ground beef, 1/2 lb. spicy ground sausage + 1/2 lb. regular ground sausage is best if you like a ton of flavor and a bit of heat
- 1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz, we prefer petite diced
- 1 can kidney beans, 15 oz.
- 8 oz tomato sauce, 1 small can
- 1 packet chili seasoning, or use 1 tsp Lawry's seasoning salt + 1 tbsp. dry minced onions + 1 tsp garlic salt + 1/4 – 1/2 tsp chili powder instead
Instructions
- Set instant pot to saute add a few tbsp of olive oil and brown meat (add 1/2c. diced onions and bell peppers if desired too now). Cook until onions soften a bit. Drain if desired, I do not drain.
- Empty cans of beans, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes on top (do not drain cans before adding).. Add packet of chili seasoning and stir everything together.
- Set it to manual, pressure, high for 10 minutes. Do a natural release for 5 minutes followed by a quick release of steam.
- Done! Serve by itself with cheese on top or on top of rice or potatoes.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
FAQ
You only need 10 minutes on high pressure but it will take a bit of time to come to pressure. I typically allow it to naturally release the steam for 5 minutes beyond that so in total you are looking at about 20 minutes or so. The fastest way to make 5 ingredient chili ever, with the same slow cooking flavors.
We have started with dry beans from scratch or for faster you can use red kidney beans. I mean any variety works but a larger firmer variety is most common. I have even doubled it with red and black beans if I want to make a larger batch, no draining or rinsing required.
Made this last night. My family enjoyed it very much, but, my husband – he RAVED about it as he ate 3 bowls!! ? This is my new go-to chili recipe! So easy, so good! Thank you for sharing!
I am so glad!!
Will this thicken as it stands? Mine was not as thick as I like it
If you double this recipe to have left overs do you still cook the same amount of time?
I would cook the same yes, you’re just warming it up once the ground beef is cooked.
This is exactly what I’m looking for dinner tonight. It’s 34 degrees in Florida today, perfect chili weather. Looking for something quick, easy, not too many ingredients…it’s perfect!
Yeah!! It is cold here too!
Quick & Easy dinner!
Does anyone user black beans instead of kidney?
Either one would be just fine.
Yes! I use black beans, dark red kidney as well as light red kidney beans when I make this. Enjoy!
Hi, what if I want to make this bean free? How long do I cook it and on what setting?
The same as all you are doing is marrying the flavors and heating everything up anyway since all ingredients are already cooked.
I’ve made this recipe a few times and now it’s a family staple I’m on a Leto diet so I just add less beans amd I add cumin our left overs we use for chili dogs
OH good!
it doesn’t specify is the ground beef lean or 80/20? if 80/20 are you draining the fat? Also the 15 min version is only for a quickie correct? otherwise it’s 45mins
That is your choice, I buy lower fat but you can use either and it is up to you whether you drain the fat. Yes I have cooked it longer and shorter and both work depending on how much time you have.
Made this a few times now. Very easy and delicious. I add an extra can of beans in the end because it seems to runny with just one. I also add more chili powder, and add cumin as well.