Name: Instant Pot Chili Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 onion (diced); 28 ounces diced tomatoes (2 (14 ounce cans)); 8 ounces tomato sauce (1 can); ⅓ cup ketchup (or chili sauce); ½ cup water; 15 ounces dark red kidney beans ((drained and rinsed)); 1.25 ounces chili seasoning mix (1 packet); 3 stalks celery (chopped); 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 1 Tablespoon sugar; 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (optional topping); 9.25 ounces Fritos Corn Chips (optional topping)

About This Recipe

This Instant Pot Chili has been around our family for as long as I can remember. My mom would whip up a pot of this chili, and It would cook all day in the slow cooker, and the smell of the chili would fill the entire house. Don’t have an Instant Pot? Try our Slow Cooker version without pressure cooking and still a delicious recipe!

But now with this dump and go recipe using the Instant Pot, you can make it in a matter of minutes and top it with your favorite chili toppings and a dollop of sour cream.

A wooden spoon lifting a serving of Instant Pot Chili (Dump and Go) out of the instant pot into a bowl.

Top view of 2 bowls of Instant Pot Chili (Dump and Go) with toppings.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

To make our Instant Pot chili recipe, you need the following ingredients:

Meat: When making this recipe, use lean ground beef for the original recipe, but you can also use ground turkey as well or even a combination.

Beans: You can keep it simple by using just red kidney beans or pick more beans like pinto beans, black beans, white beans, or any canned beans for this meat and bean chili.

Seasoning: Get bold flavors in this easy chili recipe by using a combination of Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and a chili seasoning mix packet.

How to Make Pressure Cooker Chili

Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté function. Add the ground beef with chopped onion and cook until no longer pink.

As it cooks, use a wooden spoon or Chop-n-Stir to break up your ground beef and scrape off any of the browned bits at the bottom to avoid getting a burn notice.

Drain grease well and leave the meat in the Instant Pot.

Put in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, ketchup, water, kidney beans, chili seasoning mix, chopped celery, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Stir together.

Put the lid on and make sure the knob is sealed. Push the Manual or Pressure Cook button on your Instant Pot. Set the timer for 10 minutes of cooking time on high pressure.

When the timer is done, you can let it release on its own or do quick release. Do a quick release, just turn the knob to venting)

Top with shredded cheddar cheese and Frito’s corn chips or tortilla chips. Serve while hot.

Freezer Meal Modifications

Cook the ground beef and onion and place in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag or other freezer-safe container.

Dump in the remaining ingredients into the bag.

Let the bag cool down (if still hot from the cooked ground beef). Place in the freezer for up to 90 days.

When ready to eat, remove frozen soup from the bag (if it won’t come out, run the bag under hot water so that you can remove/peel off the frozen bag).

Place the frozen soup into your Instant Pot (if it froze in a shape that won’t fit into your Instant Pot, you may need to defrost it for a few minutes or break it into pieces to make it fit).

Add ½ cup water or beef broth to the bottom of the pot.

Place the lid on the top of the Instant Pot. Move the valve to SEALING (not venting).

Press the MANUAL (or PRESSURE COOK) button and set timer for 14 minutes.

When the timer is finished, let the soup do a natural release (this will take about 20 minutes).

Recipe Notes

Make loaded nachos with chili for a fun snack or appetizer recipe, or use our loaded nacho recipe for more ideas.

Serve your warm bowl of chili with some of your favorite toppings, such as sour cream, diced onions (green or white onions), lime juice (for some fresh flavor), or fresh cilantro.

Store the leftover chili in an airtight container for an easy and fast comforting meal for the next day, or store this easy chili recipe in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Switch up the way you use leftover chili by serving it over a hot dog to make a delicious chili hot dog similar to our loaded hot dogs and top it with some cheese. Our air fryer hot dogs recipe would also work great with this leftover chili.

Explore More Delicious Chili Recipes

Explore our collection of delicious, homemade chili recipes that are easy-to-make and freezer-friendly. For more chili inspiration, check out our full list of chili recipes!

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Questions & Reviews

Tyrissa says:

Try adding diced red and yellow peppers. You won’t be sorry.
Linda says:

I just received an instant pot for Christmas. I'm a little confused about the timing. Your chili you said to set timer for 10 minutes. But it also says it takes about 10-20 minutes to pressurize. So do I set timer for 20 minutes, or still just set for 10 minutes?
Marian Campbell says:

I have a good question- just found this recipe to make for tonight to go with nachos. But you didn’t state the amount of time for the sauté. I put 20 min but wasn’t sure
Caroline Wilson says:

Is there any way to cook the chilli and the rice in the instant pot at the same time? I don’t use meat I throw in soya mince.
Elizabeth Wilmouth says:

I made this recipe tonight and it was awesome! I’m new to the Instant Pot craze so this was super simple and super delicious!
Roses62 says:

It took my I.P. about 15 minutes to get up to pressure. You set it for only 10 minutes cook time. That does not include any time it takes to pressurize, that's separate. Then you will need time for the pressure to release on its own after the 10 minutes cook time, or do a quick release, which I did.
DJ says:

Is it me or the video just missed chili seasoning mix?
Cyd says:

Just add in the Chili Seasoning mix.
J. Vance Primm says:

Any thoughts about a recipe for canned chili. Since you can, can with your instapot. Put your chili in pint or quart jars and process. When you want to eat. Take it off the shelf and warm up.
Tammy says:

Twice I have received the word B urn on my instant pot, yet I have followed the recipe to a T. What did I do wrong?
Cyd Adamson says:

Usually the Burn notice is from not enough liquid. I'm so sorry. We have never had a burn notice on the chili.
Cathy says:

We love this recipe! We love it so much, can I safely double the recipe in my instapot? I have an 8 quart.
Lily Y. says:

So easy! I also added 2 cups frozen cauliflower rice before closing the lid. Came out great. *****
Glenda Fazekas says:

I am new to IP. I just found your You Tube and website. What size IP do you use for all of your recipes?
Momma Cyd says:

We use the 6 quart duo most of the time.
Melissa M says:

I was wondering the same thing! It's amazing !
Ted Denman says:

I just made this chili, for the third time. It was delicious all three times. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Momma Cyd says:

We are so glad to hear that you like it!
AG says:

I'm making this for the 2nd time this week! It came out amazing. I'm using the 6qt instant pot and I'd like to double the recipe. Is it big enough to fit in the 6qt?
Momma Cyd says:

You are probably ok to double. Did you pay attention to how high the single recipe of chili got to the fill line?
AG says:

Unfortunately I didn't pay attention to that. I'm not sure how close it was.
AG says:

I tried it and it just didn't work out. The pot was too full. I separated some out into another batch and pressure cooked 2/3 of the pot. For whatever reason despite evenly mixing it didn't come out well. The flavor is somehow different.
Katie says:

This was my first six sisters recipe to try and it kept burning! I've never had this problem with any soup etc I've ever used my instant pot for so I don't know what's up with it...
Momma Cyd says:

Did you get the burn notice? You might just need to add in about 1/2 cup liquid (water). We have not had a problem with this chili.
Andrea C says:

I love the ingredients but I got a food burn message twice on my instant pot. I didn’t stir in the beans after the other ingredients because I’ve gotten the burn message from beans before. Is there something I can prevent this?.
Lori says:

My family really loved this chili! Our new favorite chili 😋 I made a double batch and got the burn notice, which is rare for me. After stirring really well it gave the burn notice again. Something was slightly clinging to the bottom. I wonder if it's the beans ? We just turned it warming since everything's already cooked. It was amazing! I've added it to our cookbook and see us having it on the regular! Thanks for sharing!
Dorin says:

Hello! I’m prepping this meal for the freezer to cook in the instant pot later. In the freezer instructions it states to dump the ingredients other than optional toppings into the bag before freezing. The 1/2 cup water is listed in the ingredient list. It then says that when you’re ready to cook, to add 1/2 cup water or broth after thawing out the chili. Is that fresh 1/2 in addition to the frozen 1/2 cup to end up with 1 full cup water, or should I leave the 1/2 cup water out of the freezer bag and only add it when I’m cooking? Thank you!
Momma Cyd says:

You can add in the 1/2 cup of water or beef broth as suggested when ready to cook. This will help you avoid the burn notice, and 1/2 cup isn't going to make any difference in the chili.
Matthew Peterson says:

Can you substitute ground turkey for the ground beef? If so any tips on cooking it in the instant pot?
Momma Cyd says:

Yes, you can use ground turkey in place of the ground beef. Just follow same cooking directions.
Kellie Noles says:

I have three different chili recipes I work through and this one is by far my favorite and I keep coming back to it. I love this recipe. This is in my repeat box of meals I create for lunches or dinner on any given week. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
Douglas says:

I was printing this out to cook in the future and saw that it was for 8 servings. I wanted only 4 servings as I am single. As I adjusted the serving size the ingredient list also adjusted...I was amazed...Thank you so much for having this little feature...I love it!!!
Jessica Gregory says:

We LOVE this chili! It won our churches chili cook off this year! I add just a pinch of brown sugar. Love love love!
Momma Cyd says:

We love to hear this! Congratulations on your win!!!
Terry says:

I'm an old guy learning how to cook. I made the instant pot Chili last night .It turned out great and tasted great. Thanks for the recipes. When my wife was alive she told me I could always find good recipes on six sisters. She was right!