Instant Pot 3-Bean Chili

This Instant Pot 3-Bean Chili is perfect comfort food for those cold, wintery days! With warm and comforting flavors, this chili is rich and savory comfort food with the option to be as fiery hot or as mild as you prefer.

Easy to make and budget friendly using a combination of dried pinto, black, and kidney beans (option to use canned if you prefer), this chili has complex flavors and plenty of hearty vegetables.

Tips for a fabulous chili

Cocoa powder – This is chili’s secret ingredient! Adds a deep, complex flavor that you can’t quite get using anything else!

“Toast” the spices – Rather than tossing the chili spices in with the liquid before simmering, I like to “toast” them in a drizzle of oil along with the tomato paste to bring out a brighter flavor.

Toss old spices – Ground spices lose their luster quickly, within a few months. Toss out those old spices and replace with fresh ones frequently. Grinding your own is even better!

Sweetener – The sweetness balances out the spice. Brown sugar has a deep, caramel flavor but maple syrup or white sugar works too!

Lime juice – The acidity brightens up the flavors, making them pop and adding that fresh tang.

Don’t skimp on ingredients – I had made many different pots of chili, trying to keep the ingredients to a minimum but that kept the flavor to a minimum as well. When it comes to chili: the more, the merrier!

How to make Instant Pot 3-Bean Chili

Step 1: Prep the night before cooking: In a large bowl, soak ½ cup black beans, ½ cup pinto beans, and ½ cup kidneys beans in water overnight. *If using canned beans, skip this step.

Step 2: Chop all the veggies, and measure into a small bowl: 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 Tbsp smoked paprika, 1 Tbsp cumin, ¼ tsp chipotle powder (optional). Measure out everything else so it’s ready to go.

Step 3: Once ready to cook, press the “sauté” button on Instant Pot. Once hot, add 2 tsp avocado oil and the chopped onion, carrot, celery and 1 tsp salt. Cook until until softened, stirring occasionally.

Step 4: Once mirepoix has softened, hit “cancel” and stir in garlic and tomato paste. Then stir in the the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and chipotle powder.

Then add everything else: 30 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 Tbsp oregano, 1 Tbsp cocoa powder, 2 tsp brown sugar, ¼ tsp cinnamon, and 1 bay leaf. Use a colander in the sink to strain the soaking water of the beans, rinse well, and add the beans to the Instant Pot. *If using canned beans, drain and rinse beans and add at this point.

Step 5: Seal Instant Pot and cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes. If using canned beans, cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes. Allow a full natural release.

Step 6: Once pressure has released, open lid and stir in 1 Tbsp lime juice and ½ cup chopped cilantro. Taste, and add anything more chili may need.

Garnish and Serve: Serve immediately with optional toppings: fresh avocado slices, vegan sour cream, and cilantro garnish. Enjoy!

Other Recipes

• Love chili? Try my Spicy Southwest Vegetarian Chili!
  
• For a simple, warming soup, my Lentil and Sweet Potato soup is perfect for chilly days.
  
• For a taste of fall, check out my Creamy Pumpkin Spiced Soup. Easy to make with all the delicious aromas of October.

If you enjoyed this Instant Pot 3-Bean Chili, leave me a comment and star rating below! I love to hear from my readers
out there! 💫

Print Recipe

5 from 1 rating

Instant Pot 3-Bean Chili

This Instant Pot 3-Bean Chili is perfect comfort food for those cold, wintery days! With warm and comforting flavors, this chili is rich and savory comfort food with the option to be as fiery hot or as mild as you prefer.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Instant Pot gain and release pressure30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, southwest, tex-mex, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: Chili, Comfort food, dinner, Instant Pot, spicy

Servings: 6 Servings

Author: The Wandering Veggie

Equipment

• 1 Small bowl
• 1 Large pot or Instant Pot
• 1 Colander

Ingredients

• ½ cup dried black beans drained and rinsed *see notes below for dry beans
• ½ cup dried pinto beans drained and rinsed
• ½ cup dried kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 2 tsp avocado oil
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• 1 tsp salt to-taste
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp smoked paprika powder
• 1 Tbsp cumin powder
• ¼ tsp chipotle powder (optional, for smokey spice)
• 30 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 Tbsp oregano
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf

Stir in after cooking

• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• ½ cup cilantro chopped

For Serving

• Avocado optional
• Vegan sour cream optional
• handful of Kale thinly sliced (optional)

Instructions

• Prep the night before cooking: In a large bowl, soak ½ cup black beans, ½ cup pinto beans, and ½ cup kidneys beans in water overnight. *If using canned beans, skip this step and see notes below.
• Chop all the veggies, and measure into a small bowl: 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 Tbsp smoked paprika, 1 Tbsp cumin, ¼ tsp chipotle powder (optional). Measure out everything else so it's ready to go.
• Press "sauté" button on Instant pot. Once hot, add 2 tsp avocado oil and chopped onion, carrot, celery and 1 tsp salt. Cook until until softened, stirring occasionally.

  Once mirepoix has softened, hit "cancel" and stir in garlic and tomato paste. Then stir in the the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and chipotle powder.
• Then add everything else: 30 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 Tbsp oregano, 1 Tbsp cocoa powder, 2 tsp brown sugar, ¼ tsp cinnamon, and 1 bay leaf. Use a colander in the sink to strain the soaking water of the beans, rinse well, and add the beans to the Instant Pot.
• Seal Instant Pot and cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes. Allow a full natural release.
• Once pressure has released, open lid and stir in 1 Tbsp lime juice and ½ cup chopped cilantro. Taste, and add anything more it may need.
• Serve immediately with optional toppings: fresh avocado slices, vegan sour cream, and cilantro garnish. Enjoy!

Notes

*If using canned beans, the only thing that changes is the cook time! Follow stovetop directions with sautéing and adding ingredients, then seal Instant Pot lid and cook for 10 minutes on High Pressure. Allow a full natural release.