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Best Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili

Instant Pot Chili
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4.7 from 15 reviews

This is our family favorite Instant Pot vegetarian chili, starring two beans, lentils, and a hearty flavor that everyone loves! Making pressure cooker chili is fast and easy.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 medium yellow onions
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 3/4 cup dry brown or green lentils
  • 28 ounce diced fire roasted tomatoes
  • 28 ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 2 teaspoons cumin, divided
  • 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon chili powder*
  • 1 15-ounce can kidney beans
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans
  • 2 medium or 1 large garlic clove, grated
  • For serving: sour cream or cashew cream, shredded cheese, hot sauce, cilantro, sliced green onion, roasted and salted pepitas

Instructions

  1. Dice the onions. Dice the pepper.
  2. Turn on Saute mode and add the olive oil to the Instant Pot. When it is heated, add the onion, pepper, and fennel seeds and saute for 6 to 7 minutes until translucent. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 3 tablespoons chili powder. Lock the lid of the Instant Pot. Place the pressure release handle (vent) in the “Sealing” position.
  3. Cook on High Pressure for 12 minutes: Press the Pressure Cook button, making sure the “High Pressure” setting is selected, and set the time. Note that it takes about 15 minutes for the pot to “preheat” and come up to pressure before it starts cooking. (During cooking, avoid touching the metal part of the lid.)
  4. Quick release: Vent the remaining steam from the Instant Pot by moving the pressure release handle to “Venting”, covering your hand with a towel or hot pad. Never put your hands or face near the vent when releasing steam. Open the pressure cooker lid.
  5. Add the final flavorings: Drain and rinse the beans. Stir in the beans, grate in the garlic (using a microplane is easy), and add the remaining 1 teaspoon chili powder and 1 teaspoon cumin. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Taste and season with additional salt and fresh ground pepper as necessary.
  6. Load it up: Load up with toppings, as they provide the final flavoring! Use sour cream or cashew cream, shredded cheese, hot sauce, cilantro, sliced green onion, roasted and salted pepitas, or your other favorite toppings. 

Notes

*Use chili powder which is a blend, not chile powder (like ancho chile powder, which is straight ground chiles and very spicy).

Find it online: https://www.acouplecooks.com/instant-pot-vegetarian-chili/