Who doesn’t love having chili for dinner?! This comforting dish is ideal for cold winter days when you just want to snuggle up on the couch and relax.
Chili con carne means “chili with meat" in Spanish, and it's one of the easiest recipes you can make in your Instant Pot.
Usually chili recipes require to be simmered for several hours, but using the Instant Pot, we can make this whole dish in less than 30 minutes without sacrificing any of the flavor. Instant Pot Chili con Carne is the perfect comfort food recipe!
This Mexican dish is also super nutritious and well-balanced. The beans and meat are great sources of protein and the vegetables provide our bodies with necessary vitamins and fiber. Tasty AND healthy… sounds like a win-win to me!
Can I make it vegetarian?
For a vegetarian version, check out this Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili recipe.
Table of Contents
How Much Beef Do I Need?
This Instant Pot Chili con Carne recipe calls for 200g ground beef, which is about 7 ounces, or just under ½ lb. It doesn’t need to be weighed exactly—a half pound will work just fine.
I recommend using 85% lean ground beef for this recipe, but you could use a leaner ground beef like 93% to cut down on fat in the recipe if you’d like.
Can I Leave Out the Beans?
Traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex chilis usually contain beans, but this recipe can be made without any. If you omit the beans, I would add an extra can of diced tomatoes to make up for the volume lost.
You can substitute the kidney beans with pinto beans or black beans if desired. You could also use 100% red kidney beans or only white kidney beans, but I personally prefer the combination of one can of each.
What Can I Substitute for Beef Stock?
I recommend using a low-sodium beef stock for this recipe if you can find it. It adds savory beefy flavor without being overly salty, which some regular stock can be.
If you don’t have beef stock, you can use an equal amount of water or vegetable stock instead.
What Does Fresh Coriander Taste Like?
Fresh coriander leaves are also called cilantro, which is a bit of a polarizing herb. For a small amount of people, it actually tastes like soap! There’s a genetic component to whether or not you have this strong aversion to cilantro.
I personally think cilantro is an excellent garnish for this soup and adds a refreshing flavor with citrus notes that complements Mexican dishes well. If you haven’t tried it, you definitely should with this pressure cooker recipe!
Side Dishes
I’m eating it as is, but you can also serve this chili with jasmine rice or brown rice if you’d like a little more substance.
There are also lots of fun options for garnish and toppings. Try tortilla chips, sour cream, fresh herbs, or finish with a splash of your favorite hot sauce for a spicy kick!
Step by Step Instructions
This time I decided to take a picture of every step I did in order to make it easier for you to follow. Hope it helps. You can find the regular recipe on the bottom of the page.
Add olive oil and press "saute".
Add ground beef and saute for a few minutes until it's brown. Season with salt and pepper.
Move the into a bowl and clean the bottom of the pot a bit.
Add oil, onion, carrots, celery, red pepper and garlic and saute for 5 minutes
Add coriander and Instant Pot yogurt and serve.
Instant Pot Bean Recipes
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Instant pot Chili Con Carne
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 200 g ground beef
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tin red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 tin white kidney beans
- 1 tin diced tomatoes chopped
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 carrot finely chopped
- 2 stalk celery finely chopped
- 1 red pepper finely chopped
- 2 large garlic clove minced
- 2 tablespoon chili powder or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 pinch crushed chili flakes or more to taste
- 4 cups beef stock
- coriander for serving - optional
- yogurt for serving - optional
Instructions
- Add olive oil into the Instant Pot and press “Sauté”.
- Add ground beef and cook for a few minutes until it's brown. Season with salt and pepper.
- Move the into a bowl and clean the bottom of the pot a bit if necessary.
- Add oil, onion, carrots, celery, red pepper and garlic and saute for 5 minutes.
- Add chili powder, cumin, and crushed chili flakes and saute for 2 more minutes.
- Add beef stock, cooked beef, tomatoes, and beans.
- Secure the lid and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.
- When cooking ends, do a quick pressure release.
I need instructions for chili con carne using dried beans. Presoaking necessary? Cooking time?
I am sure it tastes great but let's clear up some issues with this article. This dish is not Mexican. You will not find this dish in a restaurant in Mexico. Tex-Mex yes, but NOT Mexican.
While we are at it, true Tex-Mex Chili does not contain beans. Never. Ask around in Texas. Also, not ground beef. But I have to admit, I use that too because convenience...
What is in Chili Con Carne??