Are you craving a big bowl of meaty, fragrant chili, but sweating at the thought of simmering a pot in this heat? Instant Pot Ground Beef Chili to the rescue! Homemade ground beef chili is one of my favorite comfort foods. It’s inexpensive to make, packed with robust flavors, feeds a crowd, and—if you make it in a pressure cooker—keeps your kitchen (relatively) cool. Did I mention it’s Whole30- and keto-friendly, too?
I know: Folks can be very opinionated about what should or shouldn’t go in a hearty bowl of chili. (For another version that uses chunks of beef stew meat, try the Southwest Cowboy Chili on page 224 of my first cookbook, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans or my Instant Pot Cowboy Chili.) Some of you chili snobs may turn up your nose at this Instant Pot Ground Beef Chili ’cause it includes tomatoes and fish sauce(!), and omits pinto beans, but that’s okay—just call it something else.
No matter if you think it qualifies as chili or not, I love this umami-packed recipe because it hits the spot with my family, and I can whip it together on a weeknight with stuff that’s readily available in my kitchen. Besides, have I ever steered you wrong in the past? I swear, this is the best chili! (Bonus trivia: Henry and I won a chili cook-off way back in college, so either we know our stuff, or we had lots of friends who stuffed the ballot box. But who remembers?)
How to cook ground beef chili on the stovetop?
To make my Ground Beef Chili on the stovetop, just follow the same instructions as presented in my Instant Pot Ground Beef Chili recipe below, EXCEPT:
- Instead of using ½ cup chicken broth or bone broth, use 1 cup; and
- Instead of cooking it under pressure, simmer it in a partially-covered stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat for 1 hour or until the flavors meld.
How to cook ground beef chili in a slow cooker/Crock-Pot?
Prefer to make it in a slow cooker/Crock-Pot? Then refer to the instructions below for Instant Pot Ground Beef Chili Recipe, EXCEPT:
- Do all the sautéing in a pot on the stove before transferring everything to the slow cooker.
- Set the slow cooker on low and cook for 6-8 hours.
Can I use another protein in this Instant Pot chili?
Yes! You can use another ground meat of your choice (e.g. ground turkey, ground chicken thighs, ground pork, goat, lamb, elk, bison, etc.), but choose one that isn’t super lean!
How do you store leftover chili?
This Instant Pot chili recipe is a fantastic emergency entrée to stock in your fridge and freezer. This ground beef chili can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 6 months. It reheats really well on the stovetop, in the microwave, or in the Instant Pot (program for 2 minutes under high pressure). You can eat it as-is, throw it on zoodles, spoon it over some grass-fed hot dogs, stuff it in an omelet—you name it!
Now, go get your chili on!
Ingredients
Serves 6
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil, ghee, or cooking fat of choice
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 garlic cloves,minced
- 2 pounds ground beef (85% lean, 15% fat)
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
- ½ cup chicken broth, beef broth, or bone broth
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional)
Optional toppings
- Sliced avocado
- Slivered scallions or green onions
- Finely diced white onions + minced fresh cilantro
- Unsweetened coconut yogurt (I like Coyo brand the best) or dairy-free sour cream
- Lime wedges
Equipment
- Instant Pot (I like this one)
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Liquid measuring cup
- Silicone spatula
How to make Instant Pot Chili
Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot and wait for the metal insert to heat up. Once the insert is hot, add 1 tablespoon of fat and swirl it around.
As soon as the oil is shimmering, add the onions and bell peppers with a sprinkle of salt.
Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened.
Stir in the tomato paste and minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add in the ground beef…
…along with 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt. Brown the meat and break it up with a spatula.
When most of the ground beef is no longer pink (5 to 7 minutes), stir in the chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cayenne pepper (optional).
Combine well to distribute the fragrant spices.
Toss in the drained diced tomatoes, broth, and fish sauce.
Stir everything well, making sure the liquid reaches the bottom of the insert.
Lock the lid and cook under high pressure for 15 minutes. (In other words, press the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button and set the time for 15 minutes under high pressure.)
When the chili is finished cooking, release the pressure manually if you’re itching to eat it right away. Otherwise, you can let the pressure come down naturally and chow down when you’re ready.
Taste the chili and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Sprinkle on some extra salt and stir in the apple cider vinegar, if desired. Taste again to see if you need to punch up the flavors.
Ladle up the chili and serve with your favorite toppings, like sliced avocado, white onion, and cilantro!
You can store the chili in a sealed container for up to 4 days in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Obsessed with your Instant Pot? I’ve got my ever-expanding list of recipes on this page!
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Instant Pot Ground Beef Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 pounds ground beef 85% lean, 15% fat
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Red Boat fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar optional
Optional toppings:
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced scallions
- Finely diced white onions + minced cilantro
- Unsweetened coconut yogurt I like Coyo brand the best
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot and wait for the metal insert to heat up. Once the insert is hot, add 1 tablespoon of fat and swirl it around.
- As soon as the oil is shimmering, add the onions and bell peppers with a sprinkle of salt.
- Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste and minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add in the ground beef, along with 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt. Brown the meat and break it up with a spatula.
- When most of the ground beef is no longer pink (5 to 7 minutes), stir in the chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cayenne pepper (optional). Combine well to distribute the fragrant spices.
- Toss in the drained diced tomatoes, broth, and fish sauce. Stir everything well, making sure the liquid reaches the bottom of the insert.
- Lock the lid and cook under high pressure for 15 minutes. (In other words, press the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button and set the time for 15 minutes under high pressure.)
- When the chili is finished cooking, release the pressure manually if you’re itching to eat it right away. Otherwise, you can let the pressure come down naturally and chow down when you’re ready.
- Taste the chili and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Sprinkle on some extra salt and stir in the apple cider vinegar, if desired. Taste again to see if you need to punch up the flavors.
- Ladle up the chili and serve with your favorite toppings, like sliced avocado, white onion, and cilantro!
- You can store the chili in the fridge for up to 4 days in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Video
Notes
- Instead of using ½ cup chicken broth or bone broth, use 1 cup; and
- Instead of cooking it under pressure, simmer it in a partially-covered stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat for 1 hour or until the flavors meld.
- Do all the sautéing in a pot on the stove before transferring everything to the slow cooker.
- Set the slow cooker on low and cook for 6-8 hours.
Kathie Gray says
Looks yummy, as always! I tried making chilli in my instant pot before but it came out watery and tasteless! I swore I would never make it in the IP again but having seen this recipe I will have to revise that statement! Thanks for giving me the friendly shove I needed!
Sasha Postnikoff says
I made this today and it was awesome. I didn’t add the fish sauce because I’m allergic 🙁 but it tasted great. I can’t believe I like a chili that doesn’t have any beans in it. In this recipe though, I don’t even miss them. I’m doing a Whole30 right now, and this will definitely make it easier. Thank you!
nomnompaleo says
Yay!
Anne says
Quick question- Are the canned fire roasted tomatos approved for Whole 30? The brand we have in our area has yeast extract??
nomnompaleo says
Muir Glen fire-roasted tomatoes tomatoes are compliant.
joe082288 says
What cooking adjustments ( if any ) in case you use ground turkey ?(85/15)
Socks4dobby says
So delicious! And I love that you can make it all in the Instant Pot. Very easy to make and clean up. I think this might replace your Instant Pot Mexican Beed as my go-to protein. I make it all the time!
Cherlyn C says
Made this tonight…ahh-mazing! Another fantastic addition to the instant pot cooking rotation. Where has this gadget been all my life haha. Thanks Michelle and keep ’em coming!
Rocket Jones says
I made this and it’s wonderful. The recipe is very similar to what I call “Mom’s Chili”, which was what an Iowa farm girl might think real chili was like. Pure comfort food for me. And once again, I backed off a little on the salt and replaced the fish sauce with magic mushroom powder.
Julie Warnke Beeson says
Any idea how long to let it cook, after adding the spices, if I don’t have a pressure cooker?
Heidi Dybeck says
I let it simmer covered for about 45 minutes just to soak up the flavors
Adam Betz says
I think I might need to get one of these Instant Pots 🙂
Is the IP really necessary, though? Seems like this recipe would also work on the stove in a stockpot or dutch oven. the IP might be a *little* faster … unless I’m missing something about pressure cooking, wouldn’t the IP and stove version be the same?
Other than that, this looks good!
Joanne says
I recently bought an Instapot, and it’s my favorite appliance now. I’ve been making tons of bone broth, and now I’m going to try this recipe. I don’t cook much, but with my new Instapot, I’m cooking a lot. I love it. You won’t regret getting one.
Eric Doherty says
I made this and my wife and I loved it! We are always on the lookout for a chili recipe that has no beans and this was a winner. Also another excuse to use our beloved Instant Pot. This will go into the monthly dinner rotation.
Lupe Massey says
I want to double this for a potluck on the 4th. Do I still set instant pot for 15 minutes or should I add time?
Mike R says
This turned i to a bit of a grease slick for me. I haven’t enjoyed the Instant Pot sautee function because all the grease is trapped, next time I’ll brown the meat on the skillet, drain and transfer to the IP.
Ashley Duncan says
This is the best chili recipe! I’ve made it three times now and served in on spaghetti, on it’s own and on kosher all beef hot dogs (don’t judge!) with mustard and onions. I cook my onions a bit longer and then throw in the peppers to help develop the onion flavor a bit more. Also, don’t be scared of fish sauce. It stinks, but adds a next-level umami flavor to the dish.
nomnompaleo says
Yay!
Michelle C says
Hi! What is the serving size?
Heidi Dybeck says
I just made this using a regular pot on the stove and it came out amazing! I basically just let it simmer at the end for 30-45 minutes covered to really soak up the flavors. So delicious. I would highly recommend this recipe. For the ground beef, I used 93% grass-fed instead of the 85%.
Shannon Miller says
This was absolutely delicious! I used ground venison instead of beef, omitted the cayenne pepper (ran out!) and did add a splash of apple cider vinegar + extra salt/pepper at the end. We served it with cilantro and a little lime. It was perfection – I’m eating the leftovers right now (there wasn’t much!) Totally a keeper.
nomnompaleo says
Yay!
Kimberly Munn says
I usually always drain the oil after cooking ground beef for a dish. This doesn’t get too oily without draining? I only saw one person say that they thought it was oily. No one else mentioned it. I’d like to make this tomorrow but would love to hear if people are draining any excess oil before pressure cooking. Thanks!
nomnompaleo says
I don’t mind the extra fat — but you can definitely drain it if you’d like.
Console Hacks says
How is this with Chili 9000?
nomnompaleo says
I haven’t tried it, but I bet it’s great! I love Chili 9000!
Kim Nguyen says
I’ve never used apple cider vinegar before. What type of flavor does this add to the chili?
Kathleen Hamm says
My husband made this for me. He used venison instead of beef. Sprayed with EVOO instead of adding all the oil. Used Mexican oregino instead of regular. Added a bay leaf and a cinnamon stick. It was very delicious and very low fat!
phenocopy says
I made this yesterday and it was much, much, too spicy. I even omitted the cayenne. Maybe because the only chili powder I have in the house right now is “chipotle chili powder?” Anyway, it smelled great but my toddler and I couldn’t eat it. My husband got through it by adding some sour cream to cool it down a bit.
nomnompaleo says
You used the wrong chili powder! Chili powder is blend of spices, usually ancho chile powder, paprika, cumin, and Mexican oregano. Other spices like coriander, cayenne, and garlic powder round out individual blends.
Martha Dyson says
Is there any reason you couldn’t use a regular pressure cooker to make this recipe?
nomnompaleo says
Nope! You can totally use a stovetop pressure cooker!
Melinda Smith says
What can I replace with the fish sauce? The husband is allergic.
Erika Lynn says
You could substitute Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
nomnompaleo says
Here’s a vegetarian fish sauce recipe from Cook’s Illustrated: https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/6610-making-a-vegetarian-substitute-for-fish-sauce To keep it Paleo, use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce.
Cynthia says
Made this last week and it was awesome! My husband is requesting it again this week and I would like to double the recipe. What changes should I make as far as cooking time? Thanks for all of your AMAZING recipes!
Victoria says
Cynthia, I’ve tried doubling it a few times and have had to cook it waaaaaaay longer than I would have thought, to get the extra liquid off. Have you received any answers?
Anne Rebelo says
I think I will make this tonight but add mushrooms and one small can of kidney beans. I know beans are not paleo. Are Mushrooms?
Also I am debating leaving out the fish sauce because I don’t have any – but I don’t want to kill this as it sounds wonderful. Thoughts?
Ron says
This has now become my go to Chili recipe. It’s solid and so easy to put together. I put it together at lunch and after the natural release I switch the IP to low slow cooker until serving at dinner.
Martin W. Eldred says
I’ve made this about four times now, and it is a consistent winner. I use Moose for the ground meat and I do add beans, but it is a great recipe!
Kelli Herzog Anderson says
Do you add dry beans or cooked/canned?
Martin W. Eldred says
I’ve done both. If using dry, I would suggest upping the cooking time by about 10 min.
Kelli Herzog Anderson says
Thank you!
Jessica Suraci says
Thinking about throwing some butternut squash in this…should I add more liquid?
Bonnie says
Delicious! As amazingly flavorful as every other nomnom recipe my family has tried. The sheer amount of spices gave the final product a slightly gritty texture. Should I scale back the spices at all or is there a way to neutralize them?
Matt Farides says
What do you recommend for thickening it a bit? Paleo-friendly flour? more tomato paste?
Falling in love with the instant pot. Thanks for the great step by step! I used chunks of chuck along with the ground beef and was amazed how tender it came out in only 30 minutes (this used to take most of the day).
hopittome says
Using fish sauce is brilliant. I got this trick from Kenji at Serious Eats and it’s been a great replacement for anything that needs some salt. Adds amazing umami to the dish.
Making this tonight!
Abigail Burnette says
You guys. I didn’t have any oil or ghee, so I cooked the veggies up in bacon grease. It’s a miracle. ❤️
Tanuja Nadarajan says
This looks so good! If use use 1lb ground turkey instead of the 2lb beef, then should I change anything with the cooking time and amount of broth? Thank you!
Olga alvir says
This looks great but I don’t have any chicken broth in the house – only beef. can I still use beef broth with this recipe? Thx
nomnompaleo says
For sure!
Olga alvir says
Thank you!!
Ana says
I was hoping I could use 2 lbs. ground turkey instead of the beef. Would this change anything in the Instant Pot? I’m fairly new to using it.
Victoria Cervantes says
Should not change anything regarding IP.
Teresa Pedockie says
We loved this chili! It tasted great and it saved me from throwing away 2 lbs of pork sausage meatballs (new sausage recipe we didn’t like – not yours, lol). Can’t wait to try again with ground beef because I know it will be even better. Thanks!
Katrina says
Do you have the nutritional breakdown fo
r this recipe?
Anna Abreu says
Hi Michelle, can I use ground turkey instead of beef? Thanks,.
Shelley says
Where can I find nutritional information for your recipes? Seems strange that that info wouldn’t be included with the recipe. Maybe I’m missing it.
Bob says
Paleo folks aren’t known for calorie counting. If you really want to you can do it yourself on a nutrition website, just enter all the ingredients by quantity.
Cassie @ Average Healthy Mom says
Is there something else to use in place for fish sauce? I don’t eat/like seafood. Thanks!
Cassie @ Average Healthy Mom says
Asking for all recipes calling for fish sauce, not just this one. Ive noticed it a lot in all your deliciouslooking recipes and I don’t want to miss out on them! =)
Victoria Cervantes says
Most chili recipes do not include fish sauce so I imagine you could just leave it out.
Victoria Cervantes says
Farther down someone mentioned she is likely using fish sauce in place of salt so you might want to add a tsp of salt.
xly says
Just tried this and omg it’s so delicious!!!
JON SMIFF says
Hello! New Instant Pot owner here. I followed this recipe exactly and it burned the bottom of the pot before reaching pressure. I added more broth, but it still burns. Am I doing something wrong?
Michele says
Hi! Loving this recipe so far. I doubled it and put it in the crock pot because my instantpot wouldn’t be big enough. What’s the apple cider for? I added a jalapeno, and now it may be a bit too spicy. My bad! Would the apple cider vinegar neutralize it?
Beth Kells says
What do you think the calorie count for a cup full of the beef chili would be?
Julie Knowles says
Tried this yesterday and it was so so good!!
Misti Gildemaster Hauser says
Has anyone tried to double this recipe in the IP? Just wondering if it would fit and if you need to increase the time at all? Oh, and I should add that I make an adjustment to the recipe and add 5 cups of broth versus only 1/2 cups of broth to make it more soup like. Not sure if doubling it that way would fit?!
Cali says
I know this is old comment. But maybe others have question. I am making now with 3 1/2lbs of ground beef. This is our go to chili recipe. I obviously increase the spices. I always increase garlic/onion/peppers even with regular recipe size (we like heavy garlic and onion), I used 3 cups of bone broth, extra tomato paste (eyeballed to cover onions, garlic, peppers), and 3 14 oz cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes UNDRAINED. It is filed to top of my regular sized instapot. I also do slight change that I brown the meat BEFORE. I do 2 separate batches in instapot. Let it sit. Then saute onion, garlic, peppers, add tomato paste in the pot with some lovely meat juices, add meat back then follow as directed.
COYO Account says
Great recipe!
Laura Shaffer Sommers says
after reviewing the recipe and having much experience cooking..few things I adjusted to make it healthier.
omit all salt, its not needed..fish sauce has over 1000mg of sodium. cut the beef in half, use 1 lb not 2. and double the amount of peppers, or additional veggies. no need to add broth or water, dont drain the tomatoes, use a 22 0z full can undrained.
g. a. e. g. says
I make this often and we always love it.
Tonight I planned to make it but I’m realizing I don’t have any ground meat. I’m thinking of using chicken thighs, and then shredding them when it’s done, to serve over tasted butternut squash. Do you think this would be good? I’m hesitant, but not sure I should be… And we were all hoping for chili for dinner.
Karla says
I don’t have fish sauce. Can I leave it out or sub it for something else ?
T. Johnson says
I made this recipe last night in my crock pot and tasted it this morning. It was delicious!
Katy says
Y’all – this is my go to chili recipe! It is so easy, so yummy, and so quick. It is my instant comfort food and what I bring if I ever need a meal to bring somewhere. I swear I can’t get sick of this recipe. Run, do not walk to make this recipe!
Becky Kelly says
The spice and texture are right on target. I cut the fish sauce to 1/2 tsp (we don’t like ‘fishy’, but it adds depth), and substituted 1# beef with 1/2 cup dried chickpeas soaked in 1 cup chicken broth for 15 minutes. In the future, I will make this recipe as written or with chickpeas. Finally a keeper chili recipe!
TJ says
Is there a way I can add canned pumpkin to this? Has anyone tried that?
Bridgid says
The whole family loves it! My go-to chili. Thanks NomNom Paleo!
Christine says
Used chilli powder here in The Netherlands and it’s not the same thing só got way too spicy! Tried to salvage it with extra broth and oil! It’s going to be a challenge but will make this again keeping in mind that next time I’ll have to find some other “chilli powder” or make my own. Overall great recipe!