The BEST Instant Pot Chili Recipe - Quick & Easy Steak Chili! (2024)

By: Krista

  • GF
  • KF

Jump to Recipe·

1 Comment

·

Rating★★★★★ 5 from 1 vote

The BEST Instant Pot chili recipe is filled with hearty vegetables, juicy steak, black beans, and the perfect chili seasoning! It’s an easy chili recipe that the whole family will love. Each bite is so flavorful and comforting – it’s the ideal fall dinner to please a crowd!

Looking for more chili recipes? Some of my family’s favorite chili recipes are this 30 minute beef chili recipe, healthy white chicken chili, crockpot beef and bean chili, and dutch oven beef chili.

The BEST Instant Pot Chili Recipe - Quick & Easy Steak Chili! (1)

Table of Contents

  • Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Chili
  • What You’ll Need
  • How to Cook Instant Pot Chili
  • Chili Topping Ideas
  • Can I Freeze Steak Chili?
  • More Easy Chili Recipes
  • Get the Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Chili

I don’t know if you know this, but I’ve got all kinds of chili recipes on my website. Vegetarian, lentil, beef, chicken, sweet potato, and now STEAK! This instant pot chili recipe might be my new go-to… here’s why:

  • Filled with spicy flavor. Made with diced chipotle peppers, smoked paprika, chili powder, and more, this steak chili is perfect for those of you who like to kick up the heat!
  • Great texture. Every bite of this chili is filled with ultra-juicy steak and tender veggies and beans.
  • Quick and easy. It takes 10 minutes to prep this meal, and just over 30 more to cook it in the Instant Pot. Easy peasy!
The BEST Instant Pot Chili Recipe - Quick & Easy Steak Chili! (2)

What You’ll Need

Don’t let the longish list of ingredients scare you – most of them will just go straight into the Instant Pot. (Also, if you’re looking for exact amounts or the concise instructions, check out the recipe card below!)

  • Avocado oil – You can use another oil with a high smoke point if you want, like canola.
  • Steak – I like to use top sirloin, cut into 1/2” cubes.
  • Veggies – This recipe calls for diced sweet onion, carrots, red and yellow pepper, and muir glen fire roasted tomatoes.
  • Chipotle peppers – I also like to add in diced chipotle peppers in adobe sauce to kick up the heat a little!
  • Garlic – Freshly minced garlic offers the best flavor, but store-bought will also work.
  • Spices – You’ll need a mix of ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, and sea salt.
  • Tomato sauce – My top choice is muir glen tomato sauce (no salt added), but feel free to use whichever plain tomato sauce you like.
  • Beef broth – Vegetable broth will also work in a pinch.
  • Black beans – Make sure to drain and rinse these before you begin.
  • Fresh cilantro – For a bit of lemony flavor.
The BEST Instant Pot Chili Recipe - Quick & Easy Steak Chili! (3)

How to Cook Instant Pot Chili

This steak chili recipe is a lifesaver on busy weeknights! It comes together just like that:

  • Prep the Instant Pot. Turn your Instant Pot onto the Sauté setting and let it heat up.
  • Sauté the steak. Add some avocado oil to the Instant Pot and brown the steak cubes for about 2 minutes, then remove them and place them in a bowl. Next, add in your diced onions and garlic. Sauté everything until translucent (about 2 minutes).
  • Toss in the veggies and spices. Add in the red pepper, yellow pepper, carrots, chipotle peppers, and chili seasoning. Sauté these for 2-3 minutes while stirring to mix everything together.
  • Add the steak back in. Next, add the steak back into the pot along with the fire roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth.
  • Place the cover on the Instant Pot. Seal the lid, then cancel the sauté setting. Switch the Instant Pot over to the Soup/Broth (or Chili if you have that) setting, and set the timer for 20 minutes.
  • Use the Quick Pressure Release method. Remove the lid once the pressure is completely released.
  • Cancel the Soup setting. Finally, switch the Instant Pot over to the Sauté setting and add in the black beans and fresh cilantro. Let everything sauté for 5 minutes. Then, serve and enjoy!
The BEST Instant Pot Chili Recipe - Quick & Easy Steak Chili! (4)

Tips & Recipe Variations

This Instant Pot chili recipe is pretty much a breeze from start to finish, but I still have a couple of tips to share with you just in case!

  • To thicken up your chili. There are a couple of different ways to thicken up chili if you want it less watery. The first way is just to let the chili simmer longer, the beans will release properties that will help thicken the chili naturally. Seasonings like chili powder or paprika – which have dry peppers in them – are also natural thickeners, so you could add more seasoning. If you are in a hurry, you could add a cornstarch slurry. Just combine 1/4 cup cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water, add that to the chili, stir to incorporate, and that should do the trick!
  • Switch up the meat. You could use ground beef, ground turkey, ground lamb, brisket, chunk roast, or even top sirloin in this recipe. If you use the tougher meats, I’d recommend doing a crockpot version of the chili so that it can cook long and slow to really break down the meat. If you you want a vegetarian version, swap out the meat for sweet potatoes – just like in my Instant Pot sweet potato black bean chili.
  • Change up the beans. Honestly, you could use any type of bean in this chili recipe. I like to use kidney beans (red beans) and black beans, but you could also use pinto beans if you’d like.
The BEST Instant Pot Chili Recipe - Quick & Easy Steak Chili! (5)

Chili Topping Ideas

When it comes to chili toppings, we like to keep things simple in my house. Here are some of our go-to options:

  • Sliced avocado – Creamy avocado wedges go perfectly in this spicy steak chili.
  • Chopped green onions – Diced red onion also works well as a garnish.
  • Fresh cilantro – Feel free to add some more cilantro on top of your chili as you serve!
  • Shredded cheese – Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Pepper Jack are all good choices.
  • Sour cream – A dollop of plain greek yogurt will also work.
  • Sliced jalapeño – If you like your chili extra spicy, this is the way to go!
The BEST Instant Pot Chili Recipe - Quick & Easy Steak Chili! (6)

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Got some leftover chili? Here’s how to save it for later!

  • To store. Once it has fully cooled, keep your chili in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
  • To reheat. You can microwave it, or warm it up on the stovetop over medium heat.

Can I Freeze Steak Chili?

Yes! You can freeze your chili in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Remember to let it thaw overnight in the fridge before you reheat it.

More Easy Chili Recipes

You can never have too many chili recipes on hand! Here are a few more that I highly recommend:

  • Smoky Lentil Chili
  • The BEST Crockpot Chili
  • Easy Crockpot White Chicken Chili
  • Crockpot Quinoa Vegetarian Chili

Print

The BEST Instant Pot Chili Recipe - Quick & Easy Steak Chili! (7)

The BEST Instant Pot Chili Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review

  • Author: Krista
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 810 1x
  • Category: Beef
  • Method: Instant Pot
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

This Instant Pot chili recipe is filled with juicy steak, tender veggies, and hearty black beans. The entire family will instantly adore this filling and ultra-comforting meal!

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 2 pounds top sirloin, cut into 1/2” cubes
  • 1large sweet onion, diced
  • 3garlic cloves, minced
  • 3carrots, diced
  • 1red pepper, diced
  • 1 yellow pepper, diced
  • 2 teaspoonsdiced chipotle peppers in adobe sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoonschili powder
  • 1 tablespoonsmoked paprika
  • 1/2 tablespoonground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tablespoonsea salt
  • 28 ouncesmuir glen diced fire roasted tomatoes
  • 14 ounces muir glen tomato sauce (no salt added)
  • 1 cupbeef broth
  • 2 14 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

  1. Turn your Instant Pot onto the Sauté setting and let it heat up.
  2. Add Avocado Oil to the Instant Pot.
  3. Next, add steak cubes. Saute until slightly browned, about 2 minutes. (you may need to do two rounds of this) Remove steak from the instant pot and place in a bowl.
  4. Next add in diced onions and garlic. Saute until translucent, about 2 minutes.
  5. Then add in red pepper, yellow pepper, carrots, chipotle peppers, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, cinnamon, coriander and salt. Saute for 2-3 minutes while stirring to mix everything together.
  6. Next add the steak back into the pot along with fire roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce and beef broth. Using a spoon stir everything.
  7. Place the cover on the Instant Pot. Seal the lid.
  8. Cancel the Saute setting. Switch the Instant Pot over to the Soup/Broth (or Chili if you have that) setting and set timer for 20 minutes.
  9. When it’s finished, use the the Quick Pressure Release method. Remove the lid once the pressure is completely released.
  10. Cancel the Soup setting. Switch the Instant Pot over to the Saute setting.
  11. Add in the black beans and fresh cilantro. Let the soup saute for 5 minutes.
  12. Serve.

Notes

  • To store. Once it has fully cooled, keep your chili in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
  • To reheat. You can microwave it, or warm it up on the stovetop over medium heat.
  • To freeze. You can freeze your chili in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Remember to let it thaw overnight in the fridge before you reheat it.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 280
  • Sugar: 7 g
  • Sodium: 798 mg
  • Fat: 5 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 30 g
  • Fiber: 7 g
  • Protein: 28 g
  • Cholesterol: 52 mg

Filed Under:

  • Beef
  • Cooking Method
  • Diet
  • Easy Healthy Dinners
  • Gluten-Free
  • Instant Pot
  • Kid Friendly
  • Lunch
  • Recipes
  • Soups
The BEST Instant Pot Chili Recipe - Quick & Easy Steak Chili! (8)

DON’T MISS A RECIPE ->

FACEBOOK|TWITTER|PINTEREST|BLOGLOVIN|INSTAGRAM

Let's Connect:

The BEST Instant Pot Chili Recipe - Quick & Easy Steak Chili! (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to really good chili? ›

Only Add Flavorful Liquids

Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.

What is the best meat for chili? ›

What is the best meat for chili? The best meat for chili depends on the type you're making, but professionals generally use a combination of ground chuck, brisket, short ribs, or diced tri-tip sirloin mixed with bacon and sausage to layer multiple textures and flavors.

What makes a chili strong? ›

Contrary to what many people believe, the strongest part of the chili is not actually the seeds, but the placenta and the pith. That is the white part to which the chilis are attached. A chili is not equally strong all over.

How do you make chili taste stronger? ›

If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.

What not to put in chili? ›

Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.

What is the most important spice in chili? ›

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

What kind of beans are best for chili? ›

The best beans for chili are pinto, kidney, and black beans, like in this easy and tasty recipe. This 3-bean chili freezes great for meals later in the week. If you prefer thinner chili, add an extra can of tomato sauce. The green chiles are not hot and add a wonderful flavor, so don't be afraid to use them.

Which onion is best for chili? ›

Sweet onions are great for caramelizing due to their higher sugar content. You can cook them into your chili, serve them raw over top, or even elevate your chili with a sophisticated caramelized onion topping! Some of my favorite sweet onions are Walla, Walla, Maui, and Vidalia Onions.

Do you brown meat before making chili? ›

Raw meat and pot of chili are two things that just don't belong together. If the recipe includes any type of ground meat, bacon, chorizo, or cubes of beef, it should always be browned first. Try this: The first order of business before adding anything else to the pot is to brown any meat in your recipe.

Should chili be thick or soupy? ›

Traditionally, we expect a robust, spicy base, meat and/or beans, perhaps some bonus veggies, and a thick, rich consistency. Unlike soups, which are brothy, or even bisques, which are creamy yet thinner, chili is meant to be more stew-like; it's a definite stick-to-your-ribs creation.

What liquid to add to chili? ›

Chili cooks low and slow, so you need enough liquid to tenderize the meat and keep everything from drying out. That liquid should also add flavor to the chili, so use chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or beer.

How important is oregano in chili? ›

Oregano is an important herb in chilli con carne. The oregano that you'll most commonly find is the Mediterranean kind, commonly found in Greek and Italian cooking.

Does chili need tomato paste? ›

Tomato sauce is not a strong a taste as tomato paste. Also, sauce will increase the liquid content of your chili ever so slightly. Tomato paste has a more full, rich, tomato taste and smell. Using either one is appropriate, but you will need to tweak your seasonings to suit your personal tastes, anyway.

Do you cook onions or meat first for chili? ›

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onions, garlic, and red pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the beef and increase the heat to high; cook, stirring with wooden spoon to break the meat into ¼-inch pieces, until the beef is browned, 10 to 12 minutes.

Does sugar make chili taste better? ›

Now for the piece de resistance: 1-2 heaping Tablespoons brown sugar. The chili tastes completely different without the brown sugar so if you like a subtle sweetness in your chili then you've just got to go for it! Trust me, it will not make your chili taste like candy.

Why is my chili not flavorful? ›

Change up the beans. Use black beans, pintos, or a combination of beans to give more flavor. Cook the chili! If you don't cook it long enough (or put in a pressure cooker to speed up the process), it won't taste quite right.

Why add vinegar to chilli? ›

With only about 1 tablespoon per pot added toward the end of the cooking process, the vinegar will make the flavors more vibrant without overwhelming the dish with its biting tang. Through just a splash, everything becomes a little brighter, and the chili's flavors are more balanced.

How do you make chili taste more meaty? ›

Ground Beef: Provides the hearty meaty base for the chili. Opt for 85% lean; the fat enriches the meat, enhancing the dish's overall flavor and texture. And don't stress about the fat—post-cooking, it's easy to skim off any excess. Baking Soda: Helps tenderize the beef by locking in moisture, making it more succulent.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Fr. Dewey Fisher

Last Updated:

Views: 5705

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (62 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Fr. Dewey Fisher

Birthday: 1993-03-26

Address: 917 Hyun Views, Rogahnmouth, KY 91013-8827

Phone: +5938540192553

Job: Administration Developer

Hobby: Embroidery, Horseback riding, Juggling, Urban exploration, Skiing, Cycling, Handball

Introduction: My name is Fr. Dewey Fisher, I am a powerful, open, faithful, combative, spotless, faithful, fair person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.