This hearty, healthy Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili is a great weeknight dinner, with tons of fiber and protein. Also included are directions for slow cooker and stovetop. 254 calories and 1 Weight Watchers SP
This Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili is one of the first recipes when I first received my Instant Pot a couple of years ago. The pressure cooker sat in the box for close to a year before I pulled it out. Once I made this easy vegan chili, I wondered what had taken me so long.
If you have an electric pressure cooker, you know that soups cook in a matter of minutes. Pork tenderloin is so tender it practically falls apart as though it’s been cooking in a slow cooker all day long. Add this vegetarian chili to the list because it tastes as though it’s been simmering on the stovetop for a couple of hours.
No need to worry if you don’t have an Instant Pot. I also included directions for cooking this chili in the slow cooker and on the stovetop.
Tips for making Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili:
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.
***If you have a newer Instant Pot, please see the “Important Note” below about layering the ingredients.***
Chipotle peppers, which are smoked, dried jalapeno peppers, are sold in cans, along with some wonderfully smoky adobo sauce. I typically remove the seeds and membranes from the chipotles. But if you like a 5-alarm chili, feel free to leave them in.
Because I know someone is going to ask…yes, the recipe is supposed to read 1/4 cup chili powder. I promise that it’s just the right amount!
Can vegetarian chili be frozen?
Chlii freezes really well, which is why I always make a double batch when making my favorite stovetop turkey chili. It’s 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.
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 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.
Important note:
If you have one of the newer Instant Pot models, they tend to display the “Burn” warning much more readily than the older versions. If you have this model, modify Step 2 of the recipe directions slightly. Add the vegetable broth and stir with the previous ingredients. Then add the crushed tomatoes, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, all of the beans and salt. DO NOT STIR until after cooking.
Other vegetarian Instant Pot recipes:
Vegan Instant Pot Mushroom Soup {Cookin’ Canuck}
Instant Pot Vegetable Soup {Cookin’ Canuck}
Vegetarian Pad Thai (Instant Pot) {Kitchen Confidante)
Instant Pot Veggie Tortilla Pie {Simply Happy Foodie}
Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 3/4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 chipotle pepper seeded & minced (sold in can)
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from chipotle pepper can
- 2 14 ounce each cans of black beans (reduced sodium), drained & rinsed
- 2 14 ounce each cans red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 14 ounce can of cannellini or Great Northern beans (reduced sodium), drained & rinsed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley if desired
Instructions
For Instant Pot:
- Set Instant Pot to saute setting. Add the olive oil and allow to heat for 1 minute. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, oregano and cumin, and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, black beans, red kidney beans, cannellini beans and salt, and stir to combine. (See important Note below!)
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot, close the steam vent and set to HIGH pressure using the manual setting. Decrease the time to 10 minutes.
- Once the time is expired, wait for 5 minutes, then carefully use the quick release valve to release the steam. Stir in the cilantro or parsley. Serve.
For The Slow Cooker:
- Heat the olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, oregano and cumin, and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker, and stir in the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, all of the beans and the salt.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Stir in cilantro or parsley, if desired. Serve.
For The Stovetop:
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, oregano and cumin, and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, all of the beans and salt, and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Simmer longer if you would prefer the chili to be thicker.
- Stir in cilantro or parsley, if desired. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on January 10, 2017 and updated on February 11, 2020.
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Erren says
I know many people who’d love this, including me!
dick bennett says
Do you think this pot is better than a stovetop and why?
dar says
1- S A F E T Y … the odds of being Burned are remote [ it took one horrid stovetop-induced 3rd degree foot burn to switch to the IP] 2- set it & walk away…no babysitting…3- no hot & humid,smelly &noisey kitchen …plus no need to re&re kitchen fan. 🙂 4- one pot to wash +stainless steel liner has a such a fine finish, that beans from scratch & rice don’t burn/stick to the bottom & clean-up is with just warm h20 & a green scrubbie, & a thin coating of cc oil . As a ret mechanic, am in awe of the superb engineering that went into the IP [nb other electronic pressure cooker brands are being hit with class action lawsuits due to exploding units] cheers
Dara says
Yep, plenty of reasons to love the Instant Pot. 🙂
Maryanne | the little epicurean says
I need to get myself an Instant Pot. In the meantime, thanks for adding the slow cooker and stove top variation!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That looks so rich and satisfying and the addition of the chipotle is perfect!
Cathy Trochelman says
I’m loving the flavors in this chili!
Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch says
Great veggie chili! Looks perfect for these cold winter days!
Cassie Sue says
Oh my goodness this looks awesome. I just bought an instant pot and have kind of been stuck on how to get started. What a great, quick and easy recipe to try. Especially with it being so cold out.
Sandi (@fearless_dining) says
I love how filling this looks. Perfect for a hot dinner on a cold night.
Michelle Goth says
I have a friend who has been thinking of going vegan. However, her husband was worried that chili or anything that used to have meat, just wouldn’t be the same. I bet they would love this recipe!
Melanie | Melanie Makes says
Can’t wait to try this comforting chili in my new Instant Pot!
Katie says
HI!! This is delicious!! How long can it stay in the fridge and can it be frozen? This was the first recipe I used in my instant pot!! Thank you!!
Dara says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Aren’t Instant Pots the best?! It should stay good in the fridge for several days and in the freezer for about 3 months if sealed properly.
Corey Anderson says
I recently purchased an Instant Pot and this was the first recipe I tried. My vegetarian husband LOVED it, I thought the flavor was beautifully rich, and I so appreciated how fast this meal worked up in my Instant Pot. Good stuff!
Dara says
That’s so great to hear, Corey! Thanks for letting me know.
Mary Lou Keller says
I made for our dinner tonight. REALLY good flavor, nice and thick, very filling. One question, I am a Weight Watcher, exactly how much is one serving? I went under assumption a cup is a serving.
Thanks! I am loving my InstantPot more and more!
Kerr says
This is the best vegetarian chili I’ve ever had. My SO loves it. We’ve made it several times. This year we are going to use it as a filling for tamales! We don’t care for the flavor of chipotle, so I left that out. Its earned a place on our regular rotation. Thank you so much. 5 starts. I couldn’t get the rating to work.
Jeff says
This does not work in the instant pot. Not enough liquid to create pressure. All ruined. You really need to know something about the instant pot before you post a recipe.
Dara says
Hi Jeff, I’m sorry to hear this didn’t work out for you. I’ve have made this multiple times and never had any difficulties. Also, several readers have made this recipe with great success (please see above comments). I hope you have better luck with your next Instant Pot recipe.
Jeff says
Uncanny. Instant pot 101 states that thick concoctions are likely to burn and not come to pressure. I have made countless soups and other meals in my ip successfully as week as chili and have had failures when the liquid was not thin enough. The manufacturer even days you need at Leary two cups of liquid. I think I added up to 3 to 4 with what I added after the first time out failed to come to pressure. I should have trusted my instinct when I saw out was thick and stew like before I hit manual. Not sure how you got yours to pressurize worth something so thick. Thanks for responding.
Dara says
We shall agree to disagree. As I stated before, I have never had any difficulties with the recipe and several of my readers haven’t either, as noted by their comments on this post. Have a good day.
Edited to add: According to Instant Pot’s own Facebook page, the minimum amount of liquid needed is 1 cup (they adjusted that from originally recommending 2 cups), unless you are cooking something that absorbs liquid, such a rice or dried beans. This recipe uses canned beans, which do not require the absorption of water. In addition, it includes 1 3/4 cups of broth, plus the liquid from the canned tomatoes. Please see this conversation on Instant Pot’s page: https://www.facebook.com/instantpot/posts/857220614325330?comment_id=857255620988496
For those who are worried about their Instant Pot scorching, the Instant Pot has a built-in system that provides a warning if this is happening. On older models, OvHt (overheat) will appear. BURN will appear on newer models.
Jeff says
Ok here is what I found out from checking with the instant pot community. Evidently mine wasn’t the only failure like this. The reminder I got was to always layer ingredients with the liquid on the bottom especially if there is a tomato base. And not to stir until the end of the cycle. I did get most of this dish transferred back to the pot and put it into slow cook mode for 4 hours. I have to say I have never used chipotle but this is pretty darn good. I did add a tablespoon of brown sugar and some vegan beef base. This may become my go to chili recipe. Thanks for the encouragement and for listing 3 ways to cook It! That was great. I wish more recipes would do this.
Dara says
I’m glad you enjoyed it in the end, Jeff. Thank you for weighing in again with your end result and positive review.
Terri says
This came out perfect! Very flavorful! (I eliminated the chipotle)
Thanks for an easy, quick, tasty recipe!
Dara says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Ade says
Plan to make my first Instant Pot meal . Your chili looks delicious 🙂 I have a little boy who doesn’t like spicy food but my husband and I love it. Any ideas on what I can do so that the whole family can enjoy your chili?
Dara says
Sure thing! I suggest holding off on adding the chipotle pepper and adobo until after the chili is cooked. Scoop out some for your son, then add in the minced pepper and adobo sauce for the remaining portions for you and husband. I hope you enjoy it!
Corinne says
AMAZING RECIPE! This chili was soooo good! I substituted bell pepper for the chipotle pepper and added 1 package of fake meat and an extra 1 1/2 cups of broth to compensate for the thickness the meat added and it turned out perfect! The whole family gobbled it up! Will be making this recipe a million more times 🙂
Dara says
Corinne, I’m so glad you were able to make it your own to suit your family’s preferences and that you enjoyed it so much!
Maliha says
I’ve made this twice with much adoration! Second time around I added chopped green bell pepper when sautéing the onions and it was a nice addition. Thanks for this recipe! It’s now a staple item in our weekly dinners!
virginia says
thanks dara for your great recipe you shared with us. amazing taste of this vegetarian chili. as you said that healthy eating never needs to be boring. good job. keep it up.
Ann says
for me it will be the stove top version , I have never cooked with chipotle pepper because of the hotness. We do eat red yellow orange & green peppers Could I use these instead ?
Dara says
I would just leave them out. The minced chipotle peppers are no more than a tablespoon or two – more of a seasoning than a veggie in that way. Adding the bell peppers would add a lot more bulk.