The Best Instant Pot Chili
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Hands down THE BEST chili ever. Done in less than 1 hour with no babysitting, no fuss! So easy and so flavorful!
I know, It’s not exactly chili season just yet. But, we’ve had the tiniest drizzle of rain with a bit of cold weather these last few days. So we’re staying in with a cozy bowl of chili under the thickest blanket we can find.
But guys, this is not your average bowl of chili. Nope, not at all.
This is the best instant pot chili recipe you can find (loaded statement, I know). The texture of the chili comes out oh-so-perfectly with the lean, tender, crumbled ground beef with all the spices (chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, cocoa powder, and cumin) alongside the black bean goodness.
It’s chunky, it’s hearty, it’s cozy and it’s perfect to dunk your buttery, crumbly buttermilk cornbread right in. Yes to all the cornbread, please.
TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE
DO I HAVE TO USE GROUND BEEF?
Not at all! Ground pork or ground turkey can be used instead of ground beef.
IS THIS FREEZER-FRIENDLY?
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop.
WHAT CAN I SERVE WITH HOMEMADE CHILI?
Buttermilk cornbread or homemade crusty no knead bread are two of our favorite sidekicks to chili!
I DO NOT HAVE AN INSTANT POT? CAN I MAKE CHILI IN THE SLOW COOKER?
Yes, you absolutely can! Here is our easy slow cooker chili recipe – also one of our favorites here!
The Best Instant Pot Chili
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 poblano chili, minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 12 ounces lager or pilsner beer
- 1 ½ cups beef stock
- 2 (10.75-ounce) cans tomato puree
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Set a 6-qt Instant Pot® to the high saute setting.
- Heat canola oil; add beef and cook until beef has browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks. Drain excess fat and set aside.
- Add garlic, onion, bell pepper and chili to the Instant Pot®. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, oregano, cocoa powder and cumin.
- Stir in beer, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in beef stock, tomato puree, black beans and ground beef; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 18 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Stir in cilantro; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately, garnished with sour cream and cheese, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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Any suggestions on making this in a slow cooker? I don’t have an insta pot.
A truly delicious chili! I substituted all broth instead of beer and broth then thickened the finished result with corn tortillas. The spices were perfect and everything was moist and tasty. We’ll be eating it all weekend.
Not only is this IMO the best IP chili recipe, I think this is one of the best IP recipes period. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve made this now, and it’s always excellent. Even fudging the recipe (I leave out fresh peppers and cut down a bit on tomato puree) it’s great. If you’re looking for a ground beef and bean IP chili recipe I can’t imagine finding better than this one.
Could I add a little masa harina to thicken it?
Why was there so much liquid when done cooking? The only thing I did differently was use petite diced tomatoes rather than tomato purée. And I used three drained cans of red skin beans.
I did put it on sauté once done cooking and added extra tomato paste in hopes to thicken it. Didn’t work so I just drained about 2 cups of liquid and it was very good.
This is my 3rd time making this recipe, and it is a real winner! I love the results from the Instant Pot for these dishes that are often cooked hours on the stovetop. For the “beer sub” question, I used leftover decaf brewed coffee instead, looking for that slightly bitter edge you’d get from beer. My friend voted it Best Chili of 2023!
Hey! Was wondering if there was a sub for the beer? Sorry if this was asked I read the comments and didn’t see. Thanks !
Our favorite chili recipe! We adjust according to what we have on hand, but you can’t go wrong with the seasoning. We add more beans, another can of black beans, and a can of kidney beans all drained. We’ve even added a can of Navy beans. I use canned petite cut up tomatoes instead of the puree, because that is what we have. My family LOVE it!
Only thing I wish was that the original recipe gave the calories per serving. Can you please post that to your recipes?
Does this chili freeze well?
It freezes so well. I make individual servings for lunch. Amazing
I have probably made this chili 10 times now and my husband absolutely LOVES it. (And so do I.) The flavor is amazing and it has just the right amount of heat. I would definitely recommend this recipe.
Delicious! Doubled the recipe for a large group and it turned out perfectly (followed the recipe exactly). It was even better as leftovers!
Did you double everything including the beer? And did you keep the same cook time?
This chili recipe is a keeper! I followed it *almost* exactly. The one substitution I made was that I used navy beans instead of black beans because my black beans had gone bad. It was excellent!
Definitely a great chili. I used a little more tomato paste and a small jalapeño. It was spicy, but good. Easy recipe. Very delicious. I used beef bone broth.
I’ve been looking for a chili recipe for the last year and haven’t found one that I liked until now! The tomato puree is a game changer! I ended up using more beef stock in the place of beer to make it on the healthier side and it was still delicious! Also used black beans and pinto beans for a variety. Will definitely be making this again and again and again!
During the 18 minutes cooking, is it set to venting or sealing position?
Sealing
Yep this really is the best chili. Most chili recipes call for tomato sauce or cans of tomato. I despise chunky tomatoes in my chili, so this recipe stood out to me because no chunks of tomato! It has such good flavor and so hearty. I did red onion as I prefer the flavor, and I did one can of black beans and one chili beans. Can’t go wrong with some minor substitutions.
I made this the other night and it is pretty tasty! I’m just curious if the chili powder ratio is correct. I used much less (1/2 tbsp) and it was so spicy! I cannot imagine what 3 tbsps would taste like
did you use american chili powder, which is not spicy and is a mix of a bunch of spices, or something like an indian chili powder which is pure chili? i made it with american chili powder at the full amount and it wasn’t spicy at all.
Having read all the incredible reviews, I will definitely be giving this recipe a try.
I’m thinking of increasing the ingredients enough to get 12 servings rather than 8. Has anyone tried making a larger batch? What changes did you make and how did it turn out?
Yep this is a good one. All the positive reviews made me want to try it. I added a light pilsner-didn’t have much red bell pepper left so added two ounces carrots too ( 1/2 cup) did’t have a poblano so added a jalapeno pepper. Used lower fat ground turkey. I started the whole thing in my pressure cooker–browning turkey then just added in the onion and veggies etc. I tried to get my pressure cooker to work but it wouldn’t go to pressure and I think my pot just wasn’t big enough for the volume. So I put in in a slow cooker on low. It was wonderful and a favorite. It has a much more “chili” like consistency and taste to us which is desirable. So many inventive chili recipes around with more veggies or added butternut or sweet potato etc etc and it makes for a very nice but not a “tradional” type chili. This one is one I will go to a lot.
She’s not kidding when she calls it the best Instant Pot chili. It is. It’s now my go-to chili recipe. The cocoa powder and the beer deglaze are everything. You won’t regret making this!
I make this time and time again. It is my go to chili.
I love making in and freezing it and taking it on river trips.
My go to Chile recipe…and my different, published Chile recipe (Our Latin Table Little Brown) won a state fair award in Colorado!
This is one of our go-to dinner recipes. We have served it for others too and always get great compliments and people asking for the recipe.
We make it with ground turkey instead, as well as replacing the beer with more beef stock, and half black beans, half kidney beans.
It’s a pretty giving recipe too but always turns out soooo good. And leftovers are delicious!
I’ve made this with beef and it the ultimate! But I’m hoping to make it with ground turkey this time (need a good recipe in a pinch and it’s all I have!) Anyone have success using it as a sub for beef with success?
We always do ground turkey instead and it’s awesome!
Can I make this in the IP using the slow cook option? Heading out for 5 hours and would love to have something hot and ready when we return!
I’ve cooked it with the pressure cook and left the “keep warm” setting on and it still turned out great.
I used this recipe as a basis for my first experiment with the instant pot, but I substituted elk (from my bro-in-law’s hunting success) and used more oil because the meat is so lean. And I added in a can of corn, because why not.
Anyway, the result was that my wife used some Boston-style language to exclaim how good it is! We figured any recipe that has beer AND cocoa can’t be bad, and we were right.
I’ve been making this for probably 2 years. It’s always a hit! I seldom get around to posting reviews for recipes but one of my New Year’s resolutions is to be better at giving credit where credit is due. This recipe definitely deserves it! Thank you!
Delicious! I made this chili with Yuengling and it was a hit! Everyone loved it and they kept going back for seconds!
Yummy! I really loved this recipe. Just about tripled the amount of beans and used a mix of black, kidney and northern. I will use this recipe for Chili from now on!
Didn’t have cumin, the plabano, or beer & used rotel chili and peppers but other than that – did it exactly as written and it was amazing! Added some jalapeño cornbread for a little pizazz and *chefs kiss* thank you!
I was pleasantly surprised with how it turned out! I just wanted a good chili, but one with some more pep in the step that just 4 ingredients. I stumbled across this one and it stood out. Some notes: Although I bought the red pepper and poblano, i decide to leave them out, since I originally wanted something more traditional. Totally fine to do so! I also only did one can of beans. I am the picky one in the house and the one can was just fine to get the beans of chili, but not too overwhelming. I did add some sugar and a little bit of cinnamon which I think was perfect. Everything else I pretty much stuck to the recipe! Would definitely make again!
The oil here really isn’t necessary especially since you’re draining off the fat – if you’re going to do this you might as well walk straight from your pantry to the sink and pour some oil down the drain. 85/15 beef has plenty of natural fat for sautéing. Just let that render while you’re cooking the beef and skip the oil or use a lot less. I didn’t bother draining the beef or even removing it from the pot. When the beef was well broken down and a little over halfway done I added the veg and that all cooked right along with the beef in the beef fat.
One great thing about chili is that it is a great equalizer. Use up whatever you have that you enjoy. I didn’t have tomato paste, and only had 8 oz cans of tomato sauce. But I did have about half a cup of leftover marinara, and some leftover roasted sweet potatoes that would take the place of a thickener and counter the bitterness all in one. So in they went! I substituted my favorite chili powder (Penzey’s Chili 3000) for all of the spices combined. And no beer on hand so I increased the beef stock.
Wow some folks here have strong opinions about beans in chili. You do you, man. I like beans. I added extra. Delicious!
I don’t understand why people make so many alterations to a recipe then give it a rating…..someone enlighten me.
Same. And they write “other than (lists 19 changes) I follow the recipe exactly.
AMEN!!
My husband always said he doesn’t like chili. I grew up with my dad making chili that took all day. I decided to give this a shot and I have to say out of this world amazing! Super quick and easy with the instapot…. cooked to perfection, no fuss and my husband love it so much we keep making! Our definitely go to during chili days qhe hunkering down! You won’t be disappointed!
This was a crowd pleaser. Made it for my picky family (four kids plus grandparents) and everyone loved it. Will be part of the regular rotation!
Best damn chili I’ve made in the IP:)
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. We had family in and served the chili w/cornbread and as a side potato pierogi. Everyone loved it!!
I made this tonight, it was delicious. Didn’t have any beer on hand, just subbed extra beef stock for the beer and it worked out fine. Also, per a recommendation in one of the reviews I added one teaspoon of sugar and that helped to cut the acidity a bit. Overall wonderful recipe and I have a ton left over for lunch/dinner tomorrow.
Everyone loved it!!
This chilli is great ive made it 4 times perfect every time
I’ve been making this recipe for years (in a wok on the stove though, i don’t have an instant pot!). If it turns out bitter you’ve mostly likely burnt the spices, if it’s too watery then cook it longer, and if it’s not spicy enough then add more chili powder – the complaints below are so silly! I recently made this with jackfruit instead of beef, and it was still amazing 🙂
This recipe is an awesome starting point. “Salt to taste” was a little ambiguous and I screwed up the first batch I made, however, I think I have it dialed in and it is amazing. I followed the above, but swapped canola for olive oil, and only .5lbs of beef goes in the instantpot, the other is browned in a bigger skilled. 2lbs is too much for the instant pot unless you do it in 3-4 batches. At Step 3 Add 2 serano chilies plus add one tablespoon “Shichimi” which is a japanese spice blend. You can get this on amazon look for the red can with gold top about $12. For step 4 I used a lager. At Step 5 add 1 table spoon kosher salt and half tablespoon ground black pepper before pressure cooking. Step 6 add 1-2 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and taste for salt add if needed mine typically needs 1-2 teaspoons more. I usually cook this down between saute and slow cook until it thickens up a bit typically 30 minutes plus.
Man, I was so looking forward to this recipe after reading all the great reviews. But I made it last night and something was “off”. Wound up with a strange bitter taste. It was still totally edible but just had an odd bitterness to it. I followed the recipe as written with no substitutions. Only thing I might have done wrong is when I put in the tomato paste and spices, I might have let it cook too long before pouring in the beer and broth. Maybe it kind of burned? Also, I know peppers can sometimes give a weird tinge to a dish.
Anyone else have this happen? Or have any advice to help troubleshoot it? I really think it’s a great recipe but the flavor with just off. Based on a comment from someone else, I did try putting some sugar in my individual bowl and that helped tremendously. And once adding sour cream and such, it did improve. But the base flavor was unfortunately off for me and my family this time.
Without a small amount of sugar to cut through the acidity it tends to come across as bitter. I use about a tablespoon but even a tsp may be enough so just stir it in a tsp at a time and taste until it tastes right 🙂
This chili was so good, added a can of corn in too. I added the beans in once it was all done because I thought it would turn into mush. I love all the bursting flavors in this recipe!
amazing
For some reason I cant get the recipe to show up anymore…Any help??? Was planning to make this for dinner tonight!! HELP! 🙂
Made this as written and I wasn’t a fan but when I added 1T of sugar it was perfect. It was the acidity that made me not love it.
Also added a little cinnamon to the chili when I added the cocoa powder. Made enough to fill my 8qt pot to feed my family of 5 and my kids were all sad that there wasn’t any left. Delicious with the sugar to even it out.
I just read and saved your chili recipe I am going to use
it tomorrow night. 3/1/2020
Hoping it tastes as good as it sounds
This chili was sooo delicious! My husband loved it! It’s definitely a keeper.
This chili was amazing – full of flavor and tasted like it cooked all day! We are definitely adding this to our rotation!
I may also change it up sometime by using 1 lb ground beef and 1 lb of spicy Italian turkey sausage and substituting red wine for the beer, just for a different taste (a spin off from my pre-instant pot chili recipe). Overall though this recipe is fantastic!
I gave this a 4, although i would love to give it a 5. Whether it’s Instant Pot or a soup pot, this is some darn good chili. Like the texture and the sweet heat with just a little more cayenne. Now if you’d leave those beans out, you’d have some great chili. Beans aren’t necessary anymore, they were used a long time ago to take up space when they couldn’t afford prices of meat. They just don’t belong there. But as I said, the ingredients here are right on !!! good stuff. Thank you.
This was a very easy to follow recipe and it was delicious. I highly recommend this chili
Very good, here were my modifications:
1) veggie broth instead of beef stock
2) beyond meat instead of ground beef
3) half red pepper instead of a whole
Overall it turned out great. Very pleased!
This is the only chili recipe I make anymore. Exactly as is. No substitutions. I love it. My partner loves it.
This is my go to recipe and I make it exactly as stated. If you want even more specific, I use Fosters lager 🙂
Made half the recipe in the mini pot. Worked out very well. I agree with everyone else though, could be spicier.
I have a mini IP too. Did you have to adjust pressured cook time? Everything I have cooked in mini seems to do fine with the ‘stew’ or ‘soup’ setting, but I think those are far less than the 18 minutes called for in this recipe.
This chili was good but not great. It needed more spice, and was more watery than I was expecting. Since there is a ton leftover, I added some more chili powder and put the rest in the freezer. That may do the trick, we’ll see!
Made this today and mixed it up slightly by adding diced tomatoes two cans of kidney beans with the black beans. Tastes great! Thanks!
Just made this recipe, thanks very much for it. It turned out well, but I thought the beer came through a little too much (and I am a beer drinker). I soaked my beans overnight and cooked them under pressure for 15 minutes and used natural release. I’ll make this again sans beer.
Great chili. Never thought to put cocoa in a chili before. The ingredients are a bit off though. Says you’ll only need one beer. I found that to be insufficient. I went through three or four before all was said and done. Only one went in the chili though.
Love this!!!
Sounds like my kinda review!
Hahahaha! You cook like me
Hahaha
This was delicious. I used EVOO instead of canola, bone broth instead of beef broth, and added diced tomatoes. The coco powder gave it an amazing depth of flavor.
I wasn’t sure about the cocoa powder. Tasted the concoction before serving and something was just off. Added the cocoa powder and dang…delicious!
62 degrees is cold??
This is a great chili recipe. I prefer vegetarian chili so I added a cup of lentils instead of meat and the texture was perfect. I saw a lot of reviews that said it was too soupy. I think cooking the lentils in it thickened it up. Will definitely be on repeat for us
The instant pot threatened to burn the beans twice. After the first time I added water and used low pressure, the instant pot Max stopped and displayed burn food a second time.
I wound up using the show cooker setting on low for 4 hours.
The beans needed to be kick up a notch for my taste. I add 4 ounces of Canned mild green chilies.
This really is the best recipe I’ve had for chili! The cocoa powder really melds the flavor together. Thank you another fabulous recipe!
This chili. My god. We’ve made it likes 5 times in the last month and it is fantastic. We’ve experimented with different beers, adding grape tomatoes and amounts of poblano. It’s always so good. It isn’t a thick chili but I turn it to saute and let it simmer a little longer and it thickens a bit. Thanks for all the yummy!
Good flavor, a little watery as others said. I did not have a poblano so I would like to try again with one to see the difference. I think I would also reduce beef broth to a cup or less. Not sure this is THE instant pot chili recipe for us yet, but I love lots of the recipes on this site so please keep them coming!!
First Chili recipe made in my Instapot. I used dark chili pepper and it made for a very heavy taste. Very good otherwise and my teenager ate seconds!
Great recipe!! Will definitely be using it again!! Made a few changes. Left out the poblano pepper because I wasn’t sure of the heat. Will add next time. I used half the pureed tomatoes, and added 2 cans of diced tomatoes because we like the texture. I didn’t have black beans so I used red kidney beans instead.
One of best chili recipes I’ve made but I’m a new instant pot user and I got burn message at beginning of cook time but then it went away so I was a little confused by the process but it tasted delicious
I know this is instant pot recipe but can I use this same recipe in slow cooker also?
You can try this slow cooker version instead. 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/2019/04/03/easy-slow-cooker-chili/
Really good. I put it in for 12 min instead of 18 min and threw in just a little bit of brown sugar at the end. Delicious.
One of my favorites….not very hot or spicy but that’s the way my better half likes it. This time I used ground chicken and vegetable broth instead of beef and beef broth and it tasted great…pretty close to the original.
Darn fine chili. I exchanged some Poblano for some Jalapeno and added cubed steak for a hotter and meatier experience. Came out runny, but another 10 minutes on saute and it thickened right up. Took 1:10 prep time included. The bang for the buck was totally worth it. Thank you for posting the recipe.
I made this today for the second time (I didn’t realize it was the same recipe). It’s too watery. We prefer a thicker chili. After it was done I went online to see how I could thicken it up. I added another can of kidney beans and the rest of the tomato paste. Now I’m simmering it on the stove to see if it will get thicker. Lots of flavor though. P.S. I added a chopped chipotle pepper with adobo.
This is the very best chili recipe ever. I don’t like canned chunkey tomatoes so the puree is perfect. Had many happy diners for the Browns home opener! Thanks for the recipe!!!
My family loves this chili recipe! Making it now.
Hello! I love your website and just got my first Instant Pot a few months ago– have made several of your recipes and my family all love them! I haven’t made this chili recipe yet– I have this thing about the texture of ground meat… I’d love to try this with shredded chicken or beef. Any tips for how much and what cut of meat to use as well as how I might need to modify the cooking instructions? Thanks so much!
I’m one of those crazy people that can eat soup or chili any time of the year so I made this for the first time today. Love the recipe, and will definitely make this again. Thanks!
Not a review – a question: At the point where you drain the fat and set the meat aside, how do you handle the hot insert pot to do this? I just purchased my unit and am wondering how you handle this process and if you shut the pot off or allow it to stay on the saute’ setting.
Thanks.
J’et, I prefer to drain the excess fat using paper towels. Or you can allow the insert to cool completely before lifting the insert to drain as needed. It is completely up to you!
But as always, please practice safety first when handling a hot insert.
You aren’t kidding. This absolutely *is* the best Instant Pot chili. Such a great flavor.
I never know how much salt and pepper to add when a recipe says “to taste.” In this instance, my chili was under-salted. So if anyone reading this comment has advice as to how much salt and pepper to use I’d love to hear it!
You add the salt and pepper to taste after the chili is cooked. You simply add a teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, then taste. Repeat until it is seasoned to your taste.
Or another thought since black beans have a lot of salt already I would add some lemon juice or other spice for a kick
Awesome Chili! Quick question, is there a reason why you put in the Veggies, Seasoning, Beer, and then Meat? I noticed that after you add the spices with the veggies, it creates a sort of dark fond which could easily burn if not careful; is this why we deglaze it with beer then add the meat?
Just wondering,
thanks!
-Oliver
Yes, that’s exactly right, Oliver! 🙂
Thanks!!!
These look absolutely delicious! You have amazing food photography too :] As much as I know my girls will love these, I know I will too!
My super picky grandson pronounced it “delicious”. The only changes I made was charring the poblano pepper before dicing it & using fire-roasted tomatoes.
Great recipe, made this for Father’s Day since my husband is a huge fan of chili. I will make this recipe again and again, there hardly any leftovers with only 3 of us! One thing I did do differently; I added the beans after cooking the the chili in the instant pot and kept it on warm for an hour or so until dinner and the beans were soft but intact. I noticed some of the comments indicating that the beans were mushy after the cook time in the instant pot. I will also try this recipe with small beef chunks in the future and perhaps add a chipotle pepper as it will make a perfect chili stew.
What a delicious pot of chili, so full of flavour! I followed the recipe with the exception of using crushed tomatoes instead of pureed, out of necessity. The 796 ml can was more than the amount called for and I probably should not have used it all because it was a bit liquid-y at first. The chili did thicken up once it was ladled into bowls and allowed to cool a bit. This was honestly the tastiest chili I’ve ever made and was a hit with my husband. There is a fair bit of prep work and my IP took a long time to reach pressure, so I would suggest giving yourself at least an hour start to finish. Thanks for this great recipe!
I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but it looks delicious, I was wondering if I could have your recipe for the cornbread. I absolutely love cornbread and this picture of it looks amazing. look forward to receiving it and trying it with this chili recipe 🙂
Hi Jessica! Here’s the recipe:
https://damndelicious.net/2011/12/30/jalapeno-cornbread/ 🙂
Great flavors from the modest amount of spice components. but after browning the meat and essentially cooking the vegetables and considering that canned beans don’t need much cooking, 18 min at high pressure was way too long to preserve any texture. I tried it a second time and reduced the high pressure cycle to 3 min and simmered it a bit after that. The flavors were still there but this improved the texture for me. Thanks for putting this out there. John
I’m making this for dinner tonight. However, I don’t add the beans until the end. Once I open the lid, I stir in the beans to heat through – this way they don’t get mushy.
Will a doubled amounts fit an 8 at instant pot?
This was a hit at the Chili-off! The 2 ingredients that threw me off a bit was the addition of beer and a bit of cocoa, but it was a serious game changer!
Thanks for trusting our ingredients, Rylan! 🙂
Spot on recipe! This is indeed a crowd favorite. I tend to serve over small Frito’s and that adds some crunch. I have reduced the smoked paprika due to smokiness imparted. As of /2/2/2019 made this 8-10 times with great results.
The chili is SO good! Highly recommend. BUT, be careful with the poblano pepper. I cut it up and then accidentally touched my face and got some in my eye. NOT FUN.
I’ve done that too. It just never stops burning!!!
Made this last night and it was delicious! Ang idea what the nutritional info is?
Nutritional information is provided only for select recipes at this time. However, if it is not available for a specific recipe, we recommend using free online resources at your discretion (you can Google “nutritional calculator”) to obtain such information. Hope that helps!
Quick Question: Have friends in recovery and need to know if the alcohol in the beer cooks out completely in this recipe. Or is there a substitution you would recommend? Thanks!
Beef broth can be used as a possible substitute – while obviously not the same, it still has a rich flavor that should hold up well. Hope that helps, DS!
I used lemon/lime seltzer water, with good results.
My husband is a very picky eater and usually not adventurous to try anything new. I made this for dinner tonight and he couldn’t stop raving about the flavor. He wants the leftovers for dinner tomorrow! This was absolutely one of the best Chili’s I’ve made. Packed full of flavor and very tasty. There is nothing I would change – the recipe is perfect as is. Thanks for sharing!
That’s awesome! Thank you for your feedback.
The chili was fantastic. It says 8 servings. Can you tell me what size the portions are?
Hi Patrick! You would have to divide the full amount by 8 servings to get the serving size. Hope that helps!
OMG I made this tonight it was so delish!
So happy you liked it!
Made this recipe “as is” and it was delicious. It was a great consistency, wonderful flavors. I would not change a thing–would prepare exactly as suggested next time. This will be in regular rotation! (Used a bottle of Yuengling beer.)
Thanks for sharing!
Oh WOW!!! Of course I changed a few things. I used one can each of white and red kidney beans because I didn’t have black beans. And because I didn’t have beef broth I used water an a veggie bouillon cube. Also put in two bell peppers because they were looking tired in my fridge.
Yum! Thanks for sharing.
Wow! What an awesome recipe. I just got an Instant Pot and decided to make the first meal chili.
This recipe is AMAZING, and I agree that it’s the best chili I’ve ever had.
I tweaked the recipe just a tad – used two type of beans (kidney and black); crushed tomatoes (instead of tomato puree), and added minced carrots, cayenne pepper and a little Worcestershire sauce.
Must admit that cutting/measuring everything took longer than cooking time itself. However, every minute invested in preparing this delicious chili is worth it.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It’s a total winner!! A+++
Thank you so much, Alexis!
Made it with ground Turkey!!!
Soooooooo good!!!!
Yum!
I’m not sure if I’m being wimpy but I found this to be very spicy. I’m not sure if maybe my chili powder was super potent or something was off with my poblano pepper? Other than that, it’s very good and I’ll probably use less chili powder next time!
I used root beer instead of beer and ancho chili powder. So yummy.
This chili recipe was on point. I had a house full of teenagers hanging out and they all came back for seconds and thirds.
I substituted chicken broth for beef broth because its all I had. I also recently pickled peppers and added those, the vinegar gave it a great flavor. I will definitely be making this again.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the great recipe! This came out great. I tweaked a bit and added some apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and a little bit of fish sauce. Finished with a bit of lime and Franks hot sauce, absolutely delicious.
I have a question – my Nova Plus Instant Pot gave me a burn sign about half-way through the 18 minute cycle. I’ve made all of your recipes on the top 10 list and they’ve all been delicious, so I’m frustrated about the chili problem. I didn’t know what to do so I put the pressure on normal for 30 min. Any suggestions?
Oh no – what a bummer! Here is a great resource for common reasons for IP burn messages and how to avoid it.
https://www.paintthekitchenred.com/instant-pot-burn-message/
I hope that helps!
This was my first recipe using my new instant pot and it came out delicious. Directions were spot on especially for someone who is new to the instant pot world. Just for my own preferences I omitted the bell pepper and oregano and added in a little sugar to cut the acidity. Portions were perfect too since it’s just 2 of us I was able to freeze enough for a second meal too. Thanks for posting this.
Thank you!
Best chili I’ve ever made. I didn’t use the poblano chili as there were none on hand at the grocery store, but it was just fine without it. I also used kidney beans instead of black beans as those are my preference. I will definitely make this again.
Awesome!
Thanks for sharing! Basically followed your recipe with a few subtle subs based on items on hand. Paired with some scratch corn muffins. Really tasty and a perfect meal for a chilly wet weekend.
Great!
amazing!! can’t wait to make it again. Followed the recipe exactly. This is a winner!!
Sweet!
Our poblanos are pretty big down here, about the same size as my red bell pepper. Should I be using the entire thing, minced?
Can’t wait to make it tonight!!!
Chris, you can use as little or as much as you prefer. 🙂
Just discovered your website and saw your Chili recipe. The one time I attempted to make chili in the instant pot it wasn’t thick but soupy. What consistency is this recipe? Your recipe sounds yummy.
This one shouldn’t come out soupy! It’s a great consistency when you stick to the directions.
Hello, we really enjoyed this recipe. But we’re wondering if 3 TBsp of chili powder refers to ground hot chili peppers or the spice mix ?
Spice mix. 🙂
Wonderful! What type of intsta pot did you use? a 6 quart or 3 quart? Should I change the amounts of each ingredient if I am using a 3 quart pot?
The 6 quart is used here but when using the 3 quart, the general rule of thumb is to divide the recipe in half with the same cook time. But as always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
Second time making this, unbelievable how good it is. Truly the best chili you’ll ever eat. For this second go, I made it with a pound of ground beef and a pound of chorizo. With chorizo, I cut chili powder in half and used two jalapenos in place of pablano. WOW! Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Not sure what went wrong with my pot of chili but it is extremely bitter. I haven’t put on the pressure yet but preliminary taste test is bitter. I added some sugar and then some red wine vinegar to no avail.
do you have the buttermilk cornbread recipe available? am trying this chili tonight — on a dark, rainy Halloween night 🙂
thanks for sharing!
This is an oldie but goodie! 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/2011/12/30/jalapeno-cornbread/
Can i substitute with ground turkey vs beef? Also, is the recipe for 8 servings?
Yes and yes! 🙂
Hello! I really like this recipe… what if I wanted to double the recipe? How much liquid do I need… I wouldn’t think I would double the liquid too?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, we cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Made this yesterday in my crockpot, and it turned out great! I browned the ground beef over the stove, drained and removed the ground beef like in the recipe. In the same pan sautéed the garlic, onion, and peppers. Added the rest of the ingredients except beans and ground beef to pan and cooked it for a bit. I was worried it would turn out runny so I cooked out some of the liquid. Stirred in beans and beef and then dumped it into my crockpot. Cooked on low for 5 hours, but was probably ready in 3 hours. My crockpot got too hot and I was afraid I’d burn the chili so I switched between low setting and warm. Turned out so yummy. Will definitely be making this recipe again!
Thanks so much for sharing with us!
This was my first Instant Pot recipe and it was a smash hit. I made a few adjustments: swapped out the beer for tomato juice (I’m not a big fan of beef stock and thought it might overpower the dish to just replace the beer with that as suggested), added a diced sweet potato, used a can of red kidney beans in place of one of the black beans, and I found it too bland so I added more salt, cayenne, and red pepper flakes. Increased pressure cooking time by 2 minutes because of the potato, just to be safe. Was so easy and the flavor combination was delightful. I especially appreciated that the cumin taste isn’t too strong.
Thank you so much for sharing with us! Happy you liked it!
Hi! Love all of your stuff. Unless I missed it, do you have a similar recipe that can be used in the crockpot instead? Thanks!
Not at this time – sorry! But you can try this butternut squash chili instead. It is so perfect for the fall and winter seasons!
https://damndelicious.net/2017/11/06/slow-cooker-butternut-squash-chili/
I was putting my grocery list together so I could make this and noticed the ingredient beef STOCK rather than beef broth. Are they different? I’ve never bought beef stock and wondered if there was a certain kind you would recommend?
They can be used interchangeably but if you prefer a light broth, it is best to use broth. Beef broth is typically made by boiling cuts of meat while stock is usually made from roasted bones and meat. Beef stock has a stronger, richer flavor.
I do not have a certain kind that I prefer. Any brand should work just fine. Hope that helps, Briana!
Thank you! I went with the beef stock and it was delicious!
Do you think I could freeze half of this after cooking? I never freeze things but am trying to build up a freezer stash… thanks!
Yes, you can freeze in plastic freezer bags (I like to lay them flat in the freezer to save on space), thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat over low heat.
Thanks!! Made it today, it is cooking now. I am worried the beer I used was to strong it was an ipa. We shall see!
Let us know how it went!
It was fabulous! Although next time I will definitely use a light beer, the hoppy taste was strong. My daughter who usually eats anything, told me I wouldn’t win a cooking contest with this. LOL! Other than wrong beer, it was amazing!
Great!
This has becoming one of our family’s favourite recipes this season! I’ve substituted more beef stock instead of using beer and reduced on the chilli a little bit for taste, and yet it is still a big hit! I want to experiment adding mushrooms as well to this delicious pot of chilli! We’ve actually been making it, on average, once a week! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe with the rest of us! 🙂
It’s so great! We’re happy you love it!
Can I use diced tomatoes instead of tomato puree? If so should I still use tomato paste? thanks want to make this tonight without running to the store
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, we cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Made this last night and it was “Damn Delicious”. The flavors were incredible, just the right amount of heat. Having it again tonight! Followed recipe exactly but I could have used a sous chef!!
Amazing! Glad you’re having it again.
I made this last night and it was delicious. Easily the best chili I’ve ever made and the Instapot made it so flavorful in the short time it cooked. This is my second DD recipe in 2 weeks and I am an avid new fan. Late to the party, but better late than never. Thank you for such wonderful recipes!
Can’t wait for you to try more of our recipes!
I just made this in my new instapot and oh-my-goodness!!
This is SO YUM! I had to sub a couple things I didn’t have, but none the less, it is truly the best chili I have every had.
I put in canned chili beans instead of one of the can’s of tomatoes puree. It’s SUPER DELISH! And really easy.
Great! Thanks, Vicki!
Can this be made in the Instant pot with stew meat instead of ground beef? and if so, how long. I haven’t used the Instant pot yet. This is my first try!!
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, we cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
I would like to make your chili with beef stew meat instead of hamburger. Using hamburger, you pressure cook for 18 minutes per your recipe. How many minutes if I use beef stew meat instead?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
Help! What kind of cocoa powder? No one drinks hot chocolate in our house.
Natural, unsweetened cocoa powder would be perfect for this.
anything you want to pick up at the bulk store will be most cost-efficient. do NOT substitute hot chocolate mix. it’s really not the same.
I made this chili and it was AWESOME! My family and kids loved it! I am a mom of 3 and cooking is a challenge. I recently got an instant pot as a present and am just learning to use it. This weekend I made 3 of your instant pot recipes (chili, broccoli mac & cheese, and potato corn chowder). Everything turned out great thanks to your detailed instructions, and videos! Thank you for doing what you do! You have my dream job!
It’s such a good one! Happy you and your family enjoyed it.
Crazy question, could you start with dry beans since you’re using a pressure cooker setting??
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
You could consider “power soaking” the beans and then use as if they are canned.
https://www.onehappyhousewife.com/power-soaking-beans-in-the-instant-pot/
This looks amazing and I’m going make it tomorrow for our family. Would you say that the chili is more on the liqudier ( kn know this is not a word lol ) side or more chunky?
I think it’s actually right in the middle of chunky and “liquidier”. 🙂
I just bought the Insta Pot. I got the 10 qt. Would this size make a difference with this (or any) recipe?
Here is a great tutorial on how to adjust for size differences utilizing the Instant Pot. Hope that helps!
https://mycrazygoodlife.com/instant-pot-cooking-differences/
I made this tonight! Loved it! Thanks. 🙂
Thank you for sharing Amanda!
We made this tonight since it’s rainy here in Colorado. This was much too tomatoey for our taste. We ended up not really loving it. 🙁
Hi Ashley! Thanks for trying my recipe! I totally hear you on the tomato-y taste. We all love our chili a bit differently so you can always reduce the amount of tomato puree to suit your taste preferences. Hope that helps!
you can also substitute half of the tomato puree with pumpkin. its wonderful
This recipe looks heavenly! Will sure make it for the family this weekend!
I love your patience and professionalism when answering people’s (I think funny) questions. Like how about “I dont want to use beef, pepper, beans or beer in your recipe. Can you suggest substititions?!” I would answer instead “Yes, substitute with another recipe where you like all the ingredients”.
I couldn’t agree more, Dorine.
* Example * “I’m allergic to onions – may I leave them out?”
* Response * “No, you MUST include them and just suffer the consequences.” Also, I don’t understand the people (here and on other sites) that post a five-star review then proceed to list the endless alterations they made, resulting in a completely DIFFERENT recipe (and flavor profile) altogether.
Chungah, you not only have the patience of a saint, you share incredible recipes with easy-to-follow instructions and gorgeous photos. I have thoroughly enjoyed every recipe I’ve tried – thank you!
@Susan
http://the-toast.net/2014/09/04/eighteen-kinds-people-comment-recipe-blog/
I love finding more ways to use my instant pot! This looks so cozy and yummy.
Beautiful recipes! thank for sharing with us
You’re so welcome Rosie, thanks for sharing!
What would you recommend using to replace the beer/lager?
Additional beef stock would be a great substitute!
Pilsner
I’m not a drinker, so could you suggest a brand of beer. I have no idea except that you’re probably not talking about a Budweiser! 😉
Budweiser is fine actually! You just don’t want to use something too strong so any light Lager or Pilsner is fine. Hope that helps!
I have never cooked with beer nor drink it. Does this make the chili have a hint of beer taste? Also is this safe for children? Does subbing the beer for beef broth alter the taste? Thank you
Beer adds that rich, earthy flavor to the chili that makes it taste like it’s been simmering for hours – it should not give a hint of beer taste unless you are using a strong beer. Most of the alcohol evaporates during the cooking process but as always, please use your best judgment to suit your children’s needs. Substituting beef stock will alter the flavors just slightly.
cooking with alcohol is fine for children. as mentioned, during the cooking process, a good portion of the alcohol burns off because alcohol has a very low evaporation point (stuff will evaporate at room temperature). also, one 355ml (which is about a cup and a half) can in an entire pot of chili means each serving gets MAYBE a quarter cup. max. Two ounces of standard 4.5% to 5% alcohol content beer won’t affect even the smallest child.
Having spent 5 years in Texas, I came to agree with true Texas Chili – which means no beans. What can I do to make up for the beans? I guess I could increase the tomato paste, but not sure what else. Any suggestions?
Thanks for the IP recipe – I have had one for almost a year and LOVE it.
Hi John! Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Just a suggestion…My secret ingredient in my chili is that I take a couple of cans of Cannellini beans and throw them in the food processor, add a little stock (chicken, beef, whatever) and purée them. It adds flavor and thickens the chili. Give it a try and see what you think.
Use mushrooms in place of beans.
Yes, cocoa powder!! It’s my secret ingredient for chili too, along with a teaspoon of cinnamon! I also love Red wine vinegar in chili as well!
love chili year round and always love new chili recipes, I’m guessing this works in slow cooker too, so thank you for this!
Yes, it should! Just be mindful adjusting times etc. Thank you Sabrina!
Jana, what would you suggest for the cooking time in a slow cooker – low or high setting? Do you think any other adjustments need to be made for a slow cooker? This recipe sounds oh so yummy. Anxious to try.
Hi Linda! I can’t answer that with certainty, since we haven’t tried making this in a slow cooker yet. But, if I were to make it, I’d put it on low and cook for 4-6 hour and check every once in a while to make sure. I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful, but if you try it, let us know how it goes!!
how many servings does this make?
8 🙂