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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Published: Mar 5, 2020 · Modified: Feb 4, 2022 by bri · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Easy Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili

    A hearty, flavorful veggie chili that's super simple to make. Just toss everything into the Instant Pot, shut the lid, and let it cook! No soaking, no sauteing, no fuss. This chili gets its subtle smokiness from chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Make a big batch of comforting vegan chili to feed a crowd - or freeze extras for quick and easy weeknight meals.
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    Bowl of veggie chili topped with avocado, sour cream and crispy tortilla chips

    This vegetarian chili has been a life saver since we decided to restore a 100 year old house and call it home. Our weekends are dedicated to DIY’ing our way through almost everything you could imagine...from hand-digging the ditch for new drainage, pouring concrete, patching walls, painting...so much painting. The process is very exciting (and also exhausting). But we’re lucky to have a constant stream of family and friends coming through the house to help. Which means a lot of mouths to feed at lunchtime. And very little time to cook it. 

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy.

    We aren’t kidding when we say this is THE “Easiest” chili. All you need to do is: chop up veggies, measure out dried beans, toss everything into the Instant Pot®, seal it, and let it do it’s thing. No need for soaking beans. No need to bother with a saute step. It’s really almost as easy as “set it and forget it”. Thanks to a slew of spices & flavor-bombs, anyone who takes a bite of the chili will think it’s been simmering on the stove for hours. 

    Instant pop filled with chili ingredients like carrots, spices, beans and onions
    Bowl of veggie chili with toppings on cutting board above

    Chili is notorious for having a long list of ingredients. While we wish there’s a way to have a mind-blowing “10 ingredient or less” chili, the reality is that each of the ingredients in this recipe add a special something-something. Luckily, you can find everything in a basic grocery store. This recipe is oil-free and all the ingredients cook at once. So to really build up the flavor, we use umami-packed ingredients like fire-roasted canned tomatoes, tomato paste and tamari. Chipotle peppers and adobo sauce also help give this chili a smoky, ever-so-slightly spicy flavor. You can find cans of “Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce” in the Mexican section of your grocery store. Do yourself a favor and keep extras on hand in your pantry. You’ll be surprised how versatile it is: use it to make a yummy 2-Ingredient Chipotle Mayo, Smoky Mushroom Tacos or Chipotle Black Bean Burgers.

    The step at the end of blending some of the cooked chili, and then mixing it back into the pot, is entirely optional. But we like to do this because it further thickens the chili, making it seem like it’s been bubbling away for hours. And after all, given how easy it was to throw together, it feels like it’s the least we can do! Serve the chili piping hot and with whatever toppings your heart desires. When serving a crowd, we usually put the “extras” (like cheese, green onions, cilantro, sour cream, crispy tortilla) into little dishes and let everyone pick their own toppings. It’s fun - and that way everyone can tailor it to their own taste. Going vegan? Skip the cheese and sour cream. Don’t like fresh cilantro? Skip it. Easy peasy. This recipe makes a big batch of chili, so if you’re cooking for just yourself, don’t be deterred. It freezes beautifully and can be defrosted in the fridge or directly on the stove over low heat.

    We hope you give this easy Vegetarian Chili a try. And we’d love to hear if you love it as much as we do!

    Close up of veggie chili bowl topped with avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips and scallions

    Easy Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili

    A hearty, flavorful veggie chili that's super simple to make. Just toss everything into the Instant Pot, shut the lid, and let it cook! No soaking, no sauteing, no fuss. This chili gets its subtle smokiness from chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Make a big batch of comforting vegan chili to feed a crowd - or freeze extras for quick and easy weeknight meals.
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour
    Servings 6
    Author: Bri
    Pin Recipe
    Close up of veggie chili bowl topped with avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips and scallions
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    Ingredients

    • 1 cup dried black beans (rinsed, see note 1)
    • ¾ cup dried pinto beans (rinsed, see note 1)
    • 1 yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
    • 1 sweet potato, diced (see note 2)
    • 1 red bell pepper, diced
    • 1 large carrot, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 chipotle pepper, minced + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from a can, see note 3)
    • 3 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce or liquid aminos)
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
    • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
    • 3½ cups vegetable broth
    • 1 (28 fl oz/796 ml) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (see note 4)
    • 2 cups frozen corn

    Suggested toppings

    • Avocado, thinly sliced (optional)
    • Scallions/green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
    • Tortilla chips (optional)
    • Shredded cheddar cheese (optional, see note 5)
    • Sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional, see note 5)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Combine: In an Instant Pot, combine black beans, pinto beans, onion, sweet potato, bell pepper, carrot, garlic, minced chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, tamari, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, and coriander. Pour in broth and tomatoes. Stir to mix.
    • Pressure cook: Seal, adjust manual setting to “high pressure” and pressure cook for 45 minutes. Once cooked, quick-release the pressure (see note 6).
    • Finish chili: Stir in frozen corn. To thicken chili, scoop out about 2 cups of the chili and transfer to the blender. Blend until the mixture breaks down (stop just before its a complete puree). Pour mixture back into Instant Pot and stir well to combine. Ladle into bowls and top with garnishes of your choice.

    Notes

    1. Beans: If you prefer, you can just use black beans or pinto beans. Just substitute an equal amount so that you're using 1¾ cups dried beans total.
    2. Sweet potato: No need to peel the sweet potato, unless you want to.
    3. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: This product is sold in small cans, typically near other Mexican ingredients. For this recipe, you need both 1 chipotle pepper and 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce, both from the same can. Extra peppers and sauce can either be refrigerated, or freeze for longer storage.
    4. Diced tomatoes: Use fire-roasted diced tomatoes if you can get them, because they add depth of flavor and subtle smokiness. If you can't find 1 (28 fl oz/796 ml) cans, use 2 (14 fl oz/398 ml) cans instead. In a pinch, you could use standard canned diced tomatoes instead of fire-roasted.
    5. Vegan option: The chili itself is vegan, so just stick to vegan toppings and you're all good! Use a vegan shredded cheddar cheese, vegan sour cream, or omit.
    6. Cooking beans: The amount of time to cook dried beans varies based on the type of bean - and also other factors, including how old the beans are. If your beans aren't cooked after 45 minutes, reseal the Instant Pot and add extra time until they are cooked to your liking.
    7. Storage tips: Refrigerate leftover chili or freeze. Reheat chili, covered with a lid, on the stove top over medium heat. You may wish to thin leftover chili with a bit of vegetable stock or water.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 875mg | Potassium: 1365mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 8204IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 5mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a rating below and tag us @evergreenkitchen on instagram!

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      Recipe Rating




    1. isobel says

      March 21, 2023 at 11:16 pm

      5 stars
      Very quick and easy. I added a bit of eggplant too, as I had some lying around. I didn't have chipotle peppers, so I put in two tablespoons of chili powder. If you like your chili hot, add more!

      Reply
      • bri says

        March 26, 2023 at 6:13 pm

        Hi Isobel! Glad you enjoyed this recipe and that the chili powder substitute worked out. Thank you for taking the time to share! Hope you have a great week ahead.

        Reply
    2. Jen K says

      October 23, 2022 at 7:30 pm

      5 stars
      This is my favorite go- to chili recipe! I found it when you both had just started your blog, and it was one of the first recipes posted. It’s a drizzly cold Rhode Island Sunday afternoon and my husband and I looked at each other and said, “Evergreen chili time”. Our first fall batch is in the pressure cooker and our kitchen smells delicious! I love the sweet potato- bean-pepper-onion combination, as well as the mix of spices. Thank you for sharing this! Looking forward to trying more recipes - that Shepard’s pie looks divine!💕

      Reply
      • bri says

        October 23, 2022 at 8:30 pm

        Hi Jen! Wow what a sweet note to receive, thank you so much for taking the time to share!! Anguel & I are thrilled you and your husband had an "Evergreen Chili" day. We're so happy this recipe is a go-to at your house. The colder weather is starting to roll in for us here in British Columbia, and we'll be making it again in no time! Hope you enjoy the Shepherd's Pie. It's also a great recipe for fall/winter!

        Reply

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