This Instant Pot veggie chili recipe doesn't have any meat but you won't be missing it with the flavors that come together quickly in the Instant Pot.
When the temperature drops, there isn't much better than a hearty bowl of soup - from loaded potato soup to green chili chicken enchilada soup to sweet potato chili to butternut squash and red pepper soup.
But have you made soup in an Instant Pot? To be honest, it took me some time to join the revolution. However, after seeing countless bloggers using it, I figured it was time to pull the trigger.
It was Amazon's Prime Day a few years back that finally convinced me and 300,000 other people to buy it! And the first ever recipe I happened to make in it was this Instant Pot veggie chili.
The Instant Pot really couldn't be easier to use. The big benefit is what is a 4-8 hour recipe becomes a 30-60 minute recipe and it tastes just as good. And this vegetarian chili recipe isno different. It tastes like it had been stewing for hours.
And for those that might be turning their nose up to vegetarian chili, all I can so is don't knock it until you try it. And if you want regular old chili, I've got that covered too.
But take a risk and give this Instant Pot veggie chili a try. And if you don't have an Instant Pot, just wait for the next sale!
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Ingredient Notes
- Vegetables - the combination of onion, peppers, carrots and corn gives you a hearty but healthy soup.
- Tomatoes - you get a rich tomato flavor from the paste and tomatoes throughout from the can of diced tomatoes.
- Spices - you can't have chili without a bunch of spices and this is where you determine how much heat you want.
- Beans - I'm partial to the combination of black and pinto beans as it gives you flavor and protein.
- Quinoa - adds nutrients and helps makes the chili more filling.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can mix and match the ingredients. Some variations include:
- I like the variety of veggies I use in the chili, but you can others like sweet potatoes, celery or mushrooms.
- The combo of black beans and pinto beans is a go-to, but you can use any type of bean - from kidney to cannellini to garbonzo.
- Vegetable broth is perfect, but low-sodium vegetable stock works too.
- I use quinoa for the added nutrients, but you can also use farro, barley or even rice.
Step-by-Step Photos
Set Instant Pot to sauté setting and add olive oil, onion, peppers and carrots, cooking for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic, cooking for 30 seconds before stirring in the tomato paste and spices.
Stir in the diced tomatoes, beans, corn, broth and quinoa before sealing. Select Bean / Chili Instant Pot setting, adjust pressure to high and select time for 20 minutes. Do a quick-release once done and stir in cilantro, adjusting salt to taste.
FAQs
Not a problem. As I said, I didn't have one for quite a while. You can just throw all the ingredients except for the beans and cilantro in a slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. With 30 minutes remaining stir in the beans in cilantro.
If you want it milder, omit the cayenne pepper. If you like more heat, increase the amount of cayenne pepper or keep the seeds from the peppers.
The old saying goes that chili tastes better the second day and I don’t disagree. You just give more time for the flavors to meld together. If you put your chili in an airtight container in the fridge, it will last 3-4 days. You can also place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Benefits of Quinoa
Quinoa has become super popular and there is good reason for it. Some of the health benefits of quinoa include
- Contains all nine essential amino acids.
- Has twice as much fiber as other grains which lowers cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose levels.
- Contains iron which keeps our red blood cells healthy.
- Has lysine which is essential for tissue growth and repair.
- Is rich in magnesium which relaxes blood vessels.
- High in riboflavin which improves energy metabolism.
- Contains a high content of manganese which is an antioxidant.
Best Side Dishes for Chili
There are so many side dishes out there that go with chili but here are some of my favorites:
- Cornbread muffins
- Sweet potato fries
- Fried onion rings
- Beer bread
- Grilled cheese
- Flaky buttermilk biscuits
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Be consistent with the size you dice the vegetables so everything cooks evenly.
- Use quality low-sodium vegetable broth. Remember a lot of the flavor will come from the broth.
- Don’t skip toppings like cheese, avocado or sour cream. These ingredients all help enhance the flavor.
Other Soup Recipes
If you’ve tried this Instant Pot veggie chili recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Instant Pot Veggie Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 2 large red bell peppers, seeds removed and chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 (28 oz can) diced tomatoes, with their juice
- 2 (15 oz cans) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 oz can) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa
- avocado, chips, sour cream, grated cheddar for chopping
Instructions
- Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to the high saute setting. Heat olive oil. Add onion, peppers and carrots and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until onions are translucent.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, cocoa powder, paprika, oregano, coriander, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir in diced tomatoes, beans, corn, vegetable broth and quinoa.
- Select Bean / Chili Instant Pot setting, adjust pressure to high and select time for 20 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately and garnish with your desired toppings.
Notes
- Be consistent with the size you dice the vegetables so everything cooks evenly.
- Use quality low-sodium vegetable broth. Remember a lot of the flavor will come from the broth.
- If you like more heat, increase the amount of cayenne pepper or keep the seeds from the peppers.
- Don’t skip toppings like cheese, avocado or sour cream. These ingredients all help enhance the flavor.
Chris says
I’ve been debating on getting an Instant Pot as well. Might just have to do it!
Sophie says
Thanks for this recipe! I made it this weekend to take with us camping with family. It was a hit! Perfect to have around a campfire! I added celery and a bay leaf to the recipe. I will definitely be making this again!
Betsy says
This is the best veg chili recipe I have ever made! Added one extra carrot,onion, and red bell pepper because I really like them. Also used chix stock because that’s all I had on hand. Everything else according to the recipe.
Ryan says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Michele says
Just wondering if it has been tried with brown rice in place of Quinoa?
Ryan says
I haven't but brown rice would work just fine too.
Brooke says
Great recipe. I was looking specifically for one with cocoa powder because I love the depth of flavor it gives in chili. I used chipotle chile powder instead of cayenne, and did one tsp smoked paprika and one tsp regular. Next time I'll add a touch of cinnamon I think.
I've never used the chili/beans setting on my IP before but it really did work perfectly here. I noticed the pressure float never fully engaged, but it kept the veggies and beans from overcooking and the quinoa is perfect. I stirred in the frozen corn at the end. Thanks again this is going to be my go to from now on!
Ryan says
Glad you enjoyed it!
The actual Chris says
Instant pot not needed for this, just used a dutch oven and some of my mediocre cooking skills. Recipe was delicious and the cocoa does bring out a little more to the dish. Highly recommended. Bravo Mr B （╹◡╹）