This is the BEST Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili made with two beans, lentils and a bold flavor. (It’s vegan, too.) Pressure cooker chili is quick and easy!
Chili is the epitome of crowd pleaser and a meal we often cook up for guests. So if you’ve got a pressure cooker, why not try the… Instant Pot Chili? This is really the better Instant Pot Veggie Chili: It’s packed with beans, veggies, and lentils for a boost in plant-based protein. Alex and I prefer a pressure cooker over making crockpot chillies, which takes hours and can get mushy (ew!). This Instant Pot Chili is packed with savory and savory flavor. In fact… we might like it as the best of all our chili recipes!
How to Make Instant Pot Chili: A Tutorial
we have a secret Instant Pot Chili isn’t prepared in the blink of an eye. Uh, I know! We’re sorry to burst your bubble. (Oh, those clever traders at Instant Pot!) This Instant Pot chili takes about the same amount of time to make stovetop chillies. So why use a pressure cooker at all? It is a non-intervention method. Once you’re done with the stir fry, that’s it Set it and forget it! Throw it all in the jar and get on with your day.
Here are all the secrets to this best instant pot vegetarian chili (which is also a vegan chili). See the recipe below for more details.
Step 1: Chop 2 yellow onions and 1 green pepper.
The only knife skills required here are dicing two onions and one green pepper. For quick video tutorials on how to do this, check out How to Slice an Onion and How to Slice a Pepper.
Step 2: Sauté onions and peppers for 6 to 7 minutes.
Turn on the Instant Pot Saute mode and add the olive oil. Next, sauté the onions, peppers and a little fennel seed for 6-7 minutes until tender. Fennel seeds give the chili a meaty nuance (it’s a spice used in sausage).
Step 3: Add ingredients and pressure cook for 12 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, lentils, broth, and spices to the Instant Pot. Close the lid and pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. Note that due to the amount of ingredients in the pressure cooker It takes about 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to “preheat.”‘ or pressure. In all of our Instant Pot recipes, we like to be honest about this preheat time: this time is included in the cook time in the following recipe.
Step 4: Quick Release! Add the beans, garlic, spices and let stand for 5 minutes.
This is where the magic happens! Since the pressure cooker can sometimes muddy the flavors, it’s important to add ingredients at the end to liven it up. (We use the same technique in our instant lentil soup.)
Make a quick release, then add the canned beans (drained and rinsed), the grated garlic (you can grate it straight into the saucepan), and an additional 1 teaspoon of cumin and chilli powder. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the garlic flavor to meld in the pan. So it’s ready to eat!
Toppings for this Instant Pot Veggie Chili
The best thing about chili? The toppings! Alex and I found that this instant pot veggie chili absolutely needed toppings to get the final flavor, just like any vegan or veggie chili. Here’s what we think is important to get the right taste:
- Hot Sauce or Lime: Adding a tart undertone is important! We love hot sauces, but if you can’t make it hot, try freshly squeezed lime juice.
- Sour cream: It’s also important to add a little creaminess and richness. If you’re vegan or plant-based, use vegan sour cream or cashew cream.
- Sliced Spring Onions or Fresh Coriander: The final element is a bit of freshness. We like sliced scallions or cilantro: it adds a nice green pop, too.
- Cheese: For us, toppings 1 to 3 are indispensable. Cheese is optional but tastes great! For vegans, omit or use non-dairy cheese.
- Pepitas (pumpkin seeds), tortilla chips, or crackers: Another optional topping, but nice to have a little crunch too! Do you like salt in your chili? (Here’s a homemade version.)
- Pickled Jalapenos: If you like it spicy, homemade pickled jalapeños add a great flavor.
- tortilla strips: Try our Crispy Tortilla Strips for a crunch!
Try our chilli seasoning in this recipe! Add 5 tablespoons of the mixture in place of the spices, then add 2 teaspoons last.
want more? Try more of our best Instant Pot recipes!
This Instant Pot Chili Recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
The description
This is the BEST Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili made with two beans, lentils and a bold flavor. (It’s vegan, too.) Pressure cooker chili is quick and easy!
- 2 medium yellow onions
- 1 green pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ¾ cup dried brown or green lentils
- 28 ounces diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 28 ounces Can of mashed fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable soup
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 2 teaspoons Cumin, divided
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 tsp chili powder*
- 1 15 ounces of kidney beans
- 1 15 ounces black beans
- 2 medium or 1 large clove of garlic, grated
- To serve: Sour cream or cashew cream, grated cheese, hot sauce, cilantro, sliced spring onions, roasted and salted pumpkin seeds
- Cut the onions. Dice peppers.
- Activate jump mode and add the olive oil to the Instant Pot. When hot, add onion, bell pepper and fennel seeds and sauté for 6-7 minutes until translucent. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, 1 tsp cumin, and 3 tbsp chilli powder. Lock the Instant Pot lid. Place the pressure relief (vent) handle in the “seal” position.
- Cook at high pressure for 12 minutes: Press the pressure cook button, make sure the ‘high pressure’ setting is selected and set the time. Note that it takes about 15 minutes for the pan to “preheat” and build pressure before you start cooking. (Avoid touching the metal part of the lid during cooking.)
- Fast Release: Release any remaining steam from the Instant Pot by setting the pressure release handle to “vent” and covering your hand with a heated towel or pad. Never put your hands or face near the opening when dispensing steam. Open the lid of the pressure cooker.
- Add the final flavors: Drain and rinse beans. Stir in the beans, grate the garlic (using a microplane is easy), and add the remaining 1 tsp chilli powder and 1 tsp cumin. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper if needed.
- Load it: Stock up on toppings because they provide the final flavor! Use sour cream or cashews, shredded cheese, hot sauce, cilantro, chopped scallions, roasted and salted pumpkin seeds, or your other favorite toppings.
Remarks
* Use chili powder that is a mixture, not chili powder (like ancho chili powder, which is a ground and very hot chili).
- Category: main course
- Method: instant pot
- Kitchen: Vegetarian / vegan
Keywords: Instant Pot Chili, Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili, Instant Pot Vegan Chili, Pressure Cooker Chili, Pressure Cooker Vegetarian Chili, Pressure Cooker Vegan Chili
