Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.From the very first spoonful, my instant pot vegetarian chili had me hooked! It’s rich, smoky, and slightly spicy, it’s everything I want in a hearty meal. Packed with three kinds of beans and colorful veggies, it’s family-friendly, easy to make, and completely ready in just 30 minutes.
There’s nothing quite like cozying up with a warm bowl of chili after a long day. For me, it’s the ultimate comfort food – filling, hearty, and packed with bold, delicious flavors. My instant pot vegetarian chili has become a go-to in my kitchen. If you’re into flavorful, hearty meals like this one, you should also check out my vegan black bean chili.
👩🏽🍳 Why I Love This Recipe
What I adore most about this vegetarian chili is how easily it adapts to whatever I’m in the mood for. Some nights, I keep it simple with just beans, veggies, and spices, letting the bold flavors shine. Other nights, I’ll raid the fridge, tossing in zucchini, a handful of spinach, or whatever’s calling my name. Honestly, it’s become such a staple in my kitchen that I’ve lost track of how many times it’s brought warmth and comfort to my table.
I can’t live without my Instant Pot for meals like my vegetarian chili. It turns a handful of pantry staples and fresh veggies into a rich, aromatic dish that tastes like it’s been simmering all day, but it’s ready in under 30 minutes! This isn’t just any chili. It’s hearty without being heavy, packed with three types of beans, and spiced to perfection with just the right balance of smoky, savory, and spicy flavors. I’ve tried and loved many vegetarian chili recipes, but this one stands out.
Curious about my two secret ingredients? They’re unsweetened cocoa powder and smoked paprika. Together, they create a deep, smoky flavor that rivals any traditional meat chili. The best part? This version is healthier, vegetarian, and packed with protein and fiber.
It’s ideal for busy weeknights or meal prepping for the week ahead, and it’s totally kid-approved. The Instant Pot makes it a breeze – just sauté, add your ingredients, pressure cook, and you’re done! From my kitchen to yours, I hope this recipe becomes a staple in your home as it has in mine.
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🥘 Ingredients
I know the ingredient list might look a little long, but trust me, everything is easy to find, and the prep time is super quick. Here’s what I always grab to make this delicious veggie chili in the Instant Pot.
Canned Beans: I use kidney, black, and pinto beans to make the chili hearty, filling, and packed with protein. They’re easy to find and perfect for meatless meals!
Bell Peppers & Onion: These veggies add vibrant color and a flavorful base. I love how they make the chili fresh and delicious.
Crushed Tomatoes: They create a rich, savory foundation that ties all the flavors together. Any brand works, but I swear by San Marzano!
Spices: Chili powder, smoked paprika, and unsweetened cocoa powder give this chili its smoky, bold, and slightly spicy kick. It’s the secret to that “cooked-all-day” flavor.
Vegetable Broth: This ties everything together with a light, savory touch. It’s my go-to for making the chili perfectly hearty without being heavy.
🍲Substitutions
Beans: I love swapping out beans for chickpeas, lentils, or even white beans to switch things up. If I’m using dried beans, I soak them overnight and adjust the cook time.
Veggies: This recipe is perfect for cleaning out the fridge! Sweet potatoes, butternut squash, or greens like spinach work beautifully just adjust the spices to keep the flavor balanced.
Sauce: I often replace soy sauce with vegan Worcestershire for a slightly tangier kick. It’s a simple swap that adds a lot of depth.
Tomatoes: Canned fire-roasted tomatoes are my favorite for a smoky, rich flavor. They’re an easy way to level up the chili!
🔪 How To Make
When the weather starts to turn chilly, the first thing I can’t wait to cook is my vegetarian chili in the Instant Pot. Today, I’m excited to show you exactly how to make it.
Sauté: First, I set my Instant Pot to sauté and add a drizzle of olive oil. Then, I toss in the bell peppers, onion, and garlic, letting them cook for 2-3 minutes until they’re soft and the kitchen smells incredible!
Pressure Cook: Next, I add everything else to the pot: beans, spices, and all and give it a good stir to combine. Then, I close the lid, set the Instant Pot to high pressure, and let it cook for just 4 minutes!
Release Pressure: Once the cooking is done, I let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes before carefully doing a quick release. Then, I give the chili a good stir to bring everything together, it’s almost ready to enjoy!
Serve Chili: Finally, I ladle the warm chili into bowls and top it off with my favorite toppings. A little cheese, a dollop of low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt, diced tomatoes, green onions, or crunchy tortilla chips, whatever you love, pile it on and enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips
My #1 Secret Tip for making my Instant Pot vegetarian chili is to adjust for newer Instant Pot models to avoid that dreaded “burn” warning! I learned this the hard way when my first batch stopped mid-cook because the tomatoes and beans stuck to the bottom. Now, I always add the vegetable broth and spices first, give it a quick stir, and then carefully layer the beans and tomatoes on top without mixing. It’s such a simple tweak, but it makes all the difference for a smooth, stress-free cooking process!
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Use Spinach: I love adding a 5 oz box of chopped baby spinach for extra greens. Just toss it in with the other ingredients, and it blends right in perfectly!
- Adjust Spices To Taste: Everyone likes their chili a little different, so I always taste and adjust. Add more crushed red pepper for heat or more salt for balance, it’s totally up to you!
- Cook On The Stove: No Instant Pot? No problem! You can easily make this chili on the stovetop, check the FAQs for all the details.
- Make It Kid Friendly: For kids, I like setting up a toppings bar so they can customize their bowls. You can also puree the veggies with the tomatoes and tone down the spices for picky eaters.
📖 Variations
The beauty of this vegetarian chili is how easily you can make it your own! These are my favorites variations:
Cool & Fresh Toppings: I love adding a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for a creamy, tangy touch (or cashew cream for a vegan option). For something bright and fresh, I go for sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, or a spoonful of salsa, it’s like a flavor burst with every bite!
Crunchy & Spicy Toppings: Crushed tortilla chips, crackers, or pepitas are my go-to for a little crunch, they add the perfect texture. If I’m craving heat, I’ll dice up a jalapeño, toss in a chipotle pepper, or swirl in some adobo sauce for that smoky, spicy kick.
Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice: A squeeze of lime adds a bright, citrusy flavor that brings the chili to life. If I don’t have lime, lemon works just as well!
Brown Rice or Quinoa: These mix-ins are hearty and pair perfectly with chili, making it even more filling. My kids especially love adding a scoop to their bowls!
Cheese: Melty cheese is always a hit, whether it’s shredded cheddar, a Mexican blend, or even vegan cheese. It’s the ultimate finishing touch for a cozy bowl of chili!
🍽 Serving Suggestions
My Instant Pot vegetarian chili is so hearty and satisfying, it’s perfect on its own. But if you’re like me and love to pair it with a little something extra, here are some of my favorite sides to round out the meal!
A Fresh Garden Salad: I love pairing my chili with a crisp, refreshing salad like tomato avocado cucumber salad or my delicious Mexican fruit salad on greens. It’s light, colorful, and a perfect balance to the hearty chili!
Cornbread: my healthy cornbread is always a hit with chili! I also love serving it with fluffy low calorie biscuits.
Grains: A side of rice or quinoa is simple and satisfying, but vegan Mexican rice really takes it up a notch. It’s a flavorful way to round out the meal!
Quesadillas: Strips of veggie or vegan quesadilla are my favorite for dipping into chili. They’re fun, tasty, and perfect for scooping up every last bite!
🫙 Storage Directions
It’s easy to store this simple chili so that you can eat it throughout the week! And it tastes even better the next day when all of the flavors have a chance to meld together for longer!
Refrigerator: I store any leftover chili in an airtight container, and it keeps fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days. I always make sure to keep the toppings separate to avoid sogginess!
Freezer: Once the chili cools completely, I transfer it to a freezer-safe container. It freezes beautifully and lasts up to 3 months, perfect for meal prep!
Reheating: I let my chili thaw in the fridge, then either gently reheat it on the stovetop or use the microwave’s defrost setting. It tastes just as good as the day I made it!
Make-Ahead Tips: When I’m short on time, I chop all the veggies and rinse the beans a day or two ahead. I keep them in separate airtight containers in the fridge, so all I have to do is toss everything in the pot and cook!
❓Recipe FAQs
CAN YOU MAKE THIS VEGETARIAN CHILI ON THE STOVETOP?
If I’m making this on the stovetop, I start by heating olive oil in a large pot and sautéing the onions, garlic, and bell peppers for about 5 minutes. Then, I add the rest of the ingredients, bring it to a boil, and let it simmer on low for 30 minutes to an hour. The longer it simmers, the thicker and richer it gets.
What can I replace meat with in chili?
There are so many great plant-based options to replace meat in chili, and I’ve tried them all! Beans, chickpeas, and lentils are my go-to for their protein and meaty texture. For something different, I’ll crumble tofu or use tempeh for a chewy, hearty bite. Mushrooms or eggplant work beautifully too—when sautéed or roasted, they take on a rich, meaty feel. Sometimes, I even use Beyond Meat for a protein-packed.
Is vegetarian chili healthy?
As a nutritionist, I love that my vegetarian chili is not only delicious but also incredibly nutrient-dense. It’s packed with heart-healthy plant-based protein and fiber, keeping you full and energized for hours. My Instant Pot vegetarian chili is a powerhouse meal, low in calories, high in antioxidants from onions and peppers, and rich in vitamins, minerals, and wholesome carbs from the beans and veggies. Plus, it’s low in unhealthy fats, making it a guilt-free, satisfying choice for any meal!
🍛 More Instant Pot Recipes!
- Instant Pot Tomato Soup with Cumin
- Instant Pot Risotto
- Instant Pot Vegan Posole
- Instant Pot Chili Mac
- Instant Pot Applesauce
Love this plant based soup recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating 🌟 in the recipe below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page!
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📋 Recipe Card
🎥 Watch How to Make It
The Best Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
From the very first spoonful, my instant pot vegetarian chili had me hooked! It's rich, smoky, and slightly spicy, it’s everything I want in a hearty meal. Packed with three kinds of beans and colorful veggies, it’s family-friendly, easy to make, and completely ready in just 30 minutes.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 300kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 red onion diced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 15 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 can
- 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed 1 can
- 15 oz pinto beans, drained and rinsed 1 can
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes 1 large can
- 1 tbsp chili powder use a heaping tbsp or add more to taste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper more or less to taste
- a couple splashes of soy sauce
- 1-2 tsp salt more or less to taste
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp regular paprika
Instructions
- Turn your instant pot to the Saute function, and add your olive oil, bell peppers, onion, and garlic. Saute lightly for 2-3 minutes.
- Add everything else into the pot (beans through paprika in the list above) and stir to combine. Close your instant pot and pressure cook on high for 4 minutes
- Once the pressure cooking is done, let it natural release for 5 minutes, then quick release the rest of the pressure.
- Serve warm with any toppings you like! 1 Tbsp cheese, low fat sour cream or plain greek yogurt, diced tomatoes, green onions, or tortilla chips.
Notes
- I always adjust for newer Instant Pot models to avoid that dreaded “burn” warning! I learned this the hard way when my first batch stopped mid-cook because the tomatoes and beans stuck to the bottom. Now, I always add the vegetable broth and spices first, give it a quick stir, and then carefully layer the beans and tomatoes on top without mixing. It’s such a simple tweak, but it makes all the difference for a smooth, stress-free cooking process!
- I love adding a 5 oz box of chopped baby spinach for extra greens. Just toss it in with the other ingredients, and it blends right in perfectly!
- Everyone likes their chili a little different, so I always taste and adjust. Add more crushed red pepper for heat or more salt for balance—it’s totally up to you!
- No Instant Pot? No problem! You can easily make this chili on the stovetop, check the FAQs for all the details.
- For kids, I like setting up a toppings bar so they can customize their bowls. You can also puree the veggies with the tomatoes and tone down the spices for picky eaters.
Nutrition
Serving: 2ladles | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 61.8g | Protein: 18.1g | Fat: 1.7g | Sodium: 800mg | Fiber: 20.2g | Sugar: 4.3g
This sounds and looks delicious! We will be having a chili cook-off with our church family in a week and a half, and I am planning to make this! Thanks for sharing!
Oh that’s awesome! You’ll have to let me know how this recipe fares against the other chili in the cook-off Rebecca!! Have fun and I hope you love this recipe!
I made this in the crock pot today and it totally kicked ass. Thanks for the terrific recipe.
Woohoo!! So glad you liked it, thanks for letting me know Yvonnie!
My extremely carnivorous husband, who has been known to go to parties and fill his plate with meat and meat alone, LOVED this. We are having a chili cook off at work next week and I was challenged to bring a veg chili to enter. This is it.
Wooohooo! That is so great Samantha! Especially that your meat-loving husband loved this recipe! I can’t wait to hear how the chili cook off goes — keep me posted on whether you win! 🙂
I just made this tonight, since my family is trying to eat vegetarian/vegan meals at least a few times a week. I added mushrooms and it was delicious! I will make this again.
Awesome!! Love the addition of mushrooms — I bet it made the chili even more earthy/meaty tasting. So glad you liked the recipe! 🙂
Thank u soo much! Def crowd pleaser. Not to mention it is the best veg chili I ever made (that tasted close to the ‘real’ thing.. Lol). Coco was the missing link!!!
Awesome!! And yes! Cocoa is definitely one of the “secrets” to making this chili great. It adds such a wonderful smoky quality to the sauce — I love it! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Thanks so much for the recipe- it really was delicious. I added carrots and I think they were a good addition.
Yay!! So glad you liked it, and I love the addition of the carrots! I bet it gave it great texture 🙂
Hello, I just made this and my children and i absolutely LOVE it. I’m shocked that my kids love it as much as I do. Thank you so much for sharing. Don’t miss the meat at all.
Yay!! That is wonderful! So happy to hear that you and your kids loved this recipe 🙂 Thanks Cyndi!
Making this yet again today!! It was sooo helpful to have this in my fridge to chow down on when I would get home super late from work. Such a healthy, filling dinner with some avocado and light sour cream on it!
Hehe that’s awesome Kim! I actually made this recipe over this past weekend – ate it for leftovers on Sunday night, used it as a topping for nachos on Monday night, and used it as a filling for a burrito on Tuesday night! 🙂
Just discovered your blog yesterday…the chili was fantastic! I threw in a bunch of smoked paprika and ground coriander… yummy! Planning on trying the black bean and quinoa griddle cakes tonight… guess I’m hooked! Keep up the great work… we all need to try to adopt a more plant based diet, right?
The griddle cakes were wonderful, but I had trouble with the cakes falling apart when I turned and plated them… Had some crumbley leftovers that I piled up in a sauce pan and poured scrambled eggs over for brunch today… wow! The eggs bound everything together into an omelet sort of affair… so good!
Hi John! Aw I’m sorry the cakes didn’t hold together for you, but I am glad that you enjoyed the flavors and were able to use them in your eggs! What a great idea 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
Would you say one ladle is about 1/2 cup or 1 cup? This looks delicious (:
I’d say one ladle is about 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup! Hope that helps, and I hope you like the recipe! 🙂
I want to use dry beans in place of canned (actually, I want to use dried kidney beans, and probably canned for the black and pinto beans). Can you advise how I should go about doing so for this recipe, i.e. how to prepare the dry kidney beans so they can be switched in for the canned? I have a general idea on the basics–soak overnight, boiled for 10 mins. to remove toxicity, then cooked until ready–but never done this before, esp. for your wonderful sounding recipe.
Hi Sam! So basically, what you need to do is cook the dried beans and then (after they are cooked) measure them out so you are using the same amount of beans as this recipe calls for (about 40 oz of beans). For the kidney beans, first sort through them to pick out any old/shriveled beans, stones or debris. Then rinse them well in cold, running water. Then soak them: cover with cool water, set aside at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight. Drain well. If it’s warm in your kitchen, soak the beans in the fridge to avoid fermentation). To cook, put the beans into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until beans are tender when mashed or pierced with a fork. It’ll take about 1-2 hours depending on the beans.
Hope that helps! Let me know how it turns out!
You weren’t kidding..this is the best! This has become an almost weekly dinner for us. With all the kids evening sporting events this is perfect to prepare earlier in the day (and heat up later) or slow cook in the slowcooker. My meat loving husband loves this…which is a huge score because he is not easy to please and my kids (3 years old, 5years old, 7 years old and 8 years old) all love it! Please keep the great recipes coming.
Oh hooray!! That is so wonderful Babs! I’m so glad this recipe works for your whole family 🙂 If you have leftovers, it’s also a great topping for nachos or a filling for burritos for another quick, weeknight dinner!
I just stumbled across this recipe yesterday – and it is in the crockpot now!! Thanks for putting up a recipe for a healthy veggie chili!!
Hooray!! I hope you loved it!
I have recently had to cut meat, out of my diet due to the burning effect it has on my right side, as of late. Anyway, I’m desperate for great vegetarian recipes and was thrilled to find this one. Instead of having pain and nausea after eating, I devoured several bowls. I hope there are more as good as this or I’m going to be eating a ton of chil!
That is so great!! I’m so glad this recipe was satisfying and easy to digest for you as well 🙂 I can’t wait to hear how you like the other recipes on my site – I promise there are many more recipes that are as good as this one!
This is a fantastic recipe. When I first came across it, I was really impressed at how much better it sounded than the other vegie chili recipes I saw. We have made it several times now and it is definitely one of our favorite recipes. My hubby, who is not totally vegetarian, says this is his favorite chili and requests it on a ergular basis. Thanks so much for sharing.
Oh thank you so much Robin! So glad this has made it into your favorite recipes list! 🙂
I’m trying to convince the hubs to go vegetarian with me and this was my first attempt at a vegetarian adaptation. So good!! It got an A+ and I can’t wait to make it again! Great recipe…passed it along to my mom too!
Hooorayy!! It’s so great to hear that you and your husband enjoyed this chili!! I hope this helps him to ease into a vegetarian diet 🙂 Thanks for letting me know Rebecca!