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-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 legumes, 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? (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?)
COOKING TIPS, SUBSTITUTIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS
How to cook 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 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 chili?
Yes! You can use another ground meat of your choice (e.g. turkey, chicken, goat, lamb, elk, bison, etc.), but choose one that isn’t super lean!
How do you keep the leftovers?
This chili 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:
- 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 or bone broth
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional)
Optional toppings:
- Sliced avocado
- Slivered scallions
- Finely diced white onions + minced cilantro
- Unsweetened coconut yogurt (I like Coyo brand the best)
- Lime wedges
Equipment:
- Instant Pot (I like this one and this one) or stovetop pressure cooker
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Liquid measuring cup
- Silicone spatula
Method:
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 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!
Wanna check out the replay of me making this chili on my Facebook Live broadcast (recorded on May 24, 2017)?
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) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!
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.
