Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili (2024)

March 4, 2018

posted by Marina Delio | 28 Comments

Jump to Recipe

An easy vegetarian bean, quinoa, and sweet potato chili made in the Instant Pot pressure cooker or slow cooker.

We’ve had a few days of cold weather lately and that always leaves me wanting something really warm for dinner. Vegan Chili has long been my go-to cold weather dinner. I make it on the stove, in the slow cooker, and now in my Instant Pot electric pressure cooker too. My Instant Pot Lentil Soup was such a big hit (thanks, guys!) that I wanted to share another hearty Instant Pot recipe with you. Next, be sure to try my Instant Pot Minestrone Soup! Actually, you can see all my favorite Vegan Instant Pot Recipes HERE!

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, don’t worry, I’ll leave slow cooker instructions too. If it seems like I’m posting a lot of Instant Pot recipes lately, there are two reasons for that. First, I’m really enjoying using it. I love that I can toss everything in and forget about it while I go about tending to other things. Second, I know many of my blog visitors are looking for Instant Pot recipes, so I’d like to have a nice batch of recipes living here.

This Instant Pot vegetarian chili is bulked up with two types of beans, quinoa, and sweet potato. It’s mildly spiced, so it’s not too spicy for kids. You can add more chili powder if you like more spice, or a dash of hot sauce on top. I love the contrast of the sweet potato and the other savory ingredients. This is another one of those recipes you might already have most of the ingredients for. Those are the best kind!

I often make this chili in the Instant Pot or slow cooker right when we get home from school and leave it on the “keep warm” setting until we are ready to eat. It’s so nice to have dinner ready at a moment’s notice when you have a family where one person doesn’t get home from work at a regular time each night and the kids are suddenly “so hungry.”

I usually serve this easy vegetarian chili with corn bread for a hearty stick-to-your-ribs meal. Bean and veggie chili is cheap, easy, and nourishing. I love to stir a handful of nutritional yeast into the pot for a mild cheesy flavor and added vitamins and minerals. My favorite nutritional yeast is from Bragg’s or Trader Joe’s. The kids hate it, but have never noticed it in soups and chilis. It cracks me up when they see me sprinkling the “nooch” and say, “Get your YEAST away!” The only thing I was missing with this dinner was some greens. I think next time I would slice some kale and wilt it in at the end. What do you think?

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time15 minutes

Total Time20 minutes

An easy vegetarian bean, quinoa, and sweet potato chili made in the Instant Pot pressure cooker.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
1 large onion, diced (yellow or red)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup diced peeled sweet potato
1.5 cups cooked/canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1.5 cups cooked/canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
1.5 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 (26 oz.) box chopped or diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
fresh cilantro, for garnish
1 avocado, peeled and diced, for garnish

Instructions

Heat the electric pressure cooker on saute mode. Add the onion and saute 1 minute. Add the garlic, bell pepper, and sweet potato and saute another minute. Add the beans, chilies, spices, salt, tomatoes, quinoa, and broth. Stir and turn the pressure cooker to manual mode. Set for 5 minutes with the valve set to sealing. Carefully, with hand covered, quick release the valve. Carefully remove the lid facing away from you.
Taste and add more salt or chili powder if desired. Serve warm with cilantro and avocado.

Notes

*I do my best to calculate approximate nutrition information for my readers who like it. However, I can't guarantee accuracy as I'm not a nutritionist and I use a third party site. If your health depends on nutrition information, please use your favorite calculator to re-calculate. Information is based on 1/6 of this recipe without garnishes.*Slow cooker option: Follow the same recipe, but set the slow cooker on low for 6 hours.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 256Saturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 12g

28 comments on “Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili”

Pingback: 40 delicious and easy Dairy Free recipes for the Insant Pot
Pingback: 50 Instant Pot Recipes for Busy Week Nights - Sparkles to Sprinkles
Tammy — July 11, 2018 @ 7:32 pm Reply

Can’t wait to try this one next!
The lentils are a favorite and that’s how I just saw this recipe!
Yum!!!
Pingback: 58 Quick, Easy, and Healthy Instant Pot Weeknight Dinners (allergy-friendly, too!)
Pingback: 20 Amazing Vegan Chili Recipes - Vegan Heaven
Eugenia — October 10, 2018 @ 3:14 am Reply

This is amazing. I made this last week and somehow i didnt save the recipe, i have been looking non stop for it and im so relieve i found it. Thats how good this is.
daisy — November 5, 2018 @ 12:08 am Reply
See Also
Pumpkin Brownies (3 Ingredients) - The Big Man's World ®

This is the first recipe I tried with my new instant pot. It was very easy. my husband and I liked it a lot. I added a little cinnamon. it was a little more watery than i prefer so i stirred in a little corn starch to thicken it. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Pingback: Instant Pot Chili Recipes That're Just Pure Perfection
Pingback: Going Vegan in 2019 - The Ultimate Guide for Beginners | The Green Loot
Tara hammer — December 18, 2018 @ 8:01 am Reply

This is one of the tastiest instant pot veggie chilis I’ve ever had, and I’ve tried dozens! I added about a teaspoon each of soy sauce, maple syrup, and bourbon but I’m not sure it really had any effect. What I did do was just dump all the ingredients in, did not sauté at all., and added a few extra minutes to the time. Very easy and very delicious chili. Thanks!
Pingback: 52 Instant Pot Super Bowl Foods (Keto & Paleo Game Day Comfort Food!)
Pingback: Delicious & Nutritious: 7 Healthy Meal Prep Recipes for Lunches On The Go - The Multi-Tasking Mom Life
Thais Malvezi — February 22, 2019 @ 2:45 pm Reply

hi, i have a stove top pressure cooker (actually, more than one…). how long do i have to cook after it starts sizzling?
Pingback: 15 Cozy Instant Pot Soup Recipes - Parsnips and Pastries
James Pickering — March 30, 2019 @ 10:52 pm Reply

A great tasting recipe, so easy to do Thankyou! 🙂 James (Emsworth, UK)
I adapted your recipe using the previous comments and a few of my preferences as well.
I can see why it needs the spices as per recipe, so next time I am going to use the full amount. I fried the onion a little longer just until they were a little soft to give them that sweetness I also fried the pepper, and also the spices just to get them to release some of their aroma. I added a thumb size of ginger for sweetness and warmth, and a little homemade tomato sauce (ketchup). For me the Quinoa needed longer than 5 minutes, so overall I cooked it for 10minutes under pressure which worked with the pressure cooker guidelines for the kidney and blacks beans as well. brilliant!
Pingback: A Gift Guide for the Highly Sensitive Mom - The Highly Sensitive Child
Felicia — July 28, 2019 @ 11:58 pm Reply

Mine came out pretty thin. I wish I’d put a tad more quinoa to thicken it up some but tastes really good
Laura — August 24, 2019 @ 4:59 pm Reply

Tasted good, but it was soup, not chili. WAY too much liquid
- Marina — August 24, 2019 @ 5:20 pm Reply
  
  Thanks Laura. Did yours look different than in the video here? Was your quinoa wet? I’d love to figure out what happened. Also, you can always set to sauté for a minute to cook off some liquid.
Beth — November 7, 2019 @ 1:21 am Reply

I absolutely love this recipe. I can’t even tell you the amount of times that I’ve made this!! I’ve started adding 1/4 cup brown lentils and 1/2 cup water. It’s great. I can’t say enough good things about it. Please try it as is first before making any additions!!! Worth it!
- Marina Delio — November 7, 2019 @ 1:34 am Reply
  
  Hey Beth, it means so much to me that you’d take the time to come back and leave this nice note. Thank you 🙂 So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
chooch Aroo — December 28, 2019 @ 5:57 pm Reply

Do I set the Instant pot to “pressure cook” for 5 minutes?
Sorry, this is my first IP recipe so am not sure what you mean by “manual” so I have it cooking on “pressure cook” now.
thanks, it smells delic after sautéing, at least!
- Marina Delio — December 28, 2019 @ 6:07 pm Reply
  
  Yes, the newer models say “pressure cook” whereas the older said “manual” it can be confusing! Enjoy!
Pingback: Easy Vegan Instant Pot recipes! Plant-based recipes for pressure cookers.
Rebecca — April 18, 2020 @ 2:59 am Reply

can I add some zucchini into the instant pot too? I’m just worried that it will turn to mush.
Thanks… sorry for caps. It won’t change to lower case!
Pingback: Vegan for Beginners: Complete Guide for 2020 – GetVeganFood.com
Pat — September 20, 2020 @ 11:18 pm Reply

This has become a go-to in my vegan household. The green chili’s and smoked paprika really make the recipe. Meat eaters that I have served it to really enjoy it as well!
jULIE — February 2, 2022 @ 3:50 am Reply

I LOVE THIS RECIPE. i WANT TO MAKE IT FOR MY SISTER BUT SHE CANNOT EAT PEPPERS. aNY SUGGESTIONS OF WHAT TO SUSTITUTE? i USE FARRO INSTEAD OF QUINUA.