Instant Pot Vegan Chili

This Instant Pot vegan chili is a blend of veggies, beans, quinoa and spices, all cooked together in the pressure cooker until deliciously flavourful. It's absolutely the easiest way to make chili, and you can have it on the table in just 30 minutes!

Few things are more comforting than a bowl of chili, and this Instant Pot vegan chili is simply one of the best I've ever tasted.

It's made hearty with a mix of beans, vegetables and quinoa, delivering a perfect bowl of plant-based comfort food.

Quinoa might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about chili, but it adds a very interesting texture plus healthy amounts of protein and fibre.

I like to make this chili medium spicy, but you can definitely adjust the hotness level to suit your family's taste.

Why you'll love this Instant Pot vegan chili

• It's extra healthy. This veggie chili instant pot is loaded with protein and fibre, not to mention vitamins and minerals from the veggies.
• It's very easy to make. Making this Instant Pot veggie chili couldn't be easier - it takes just half an hour to have a steaming bowl on the table.
• You can easily make it your own. Play with the veggies, beans and spices to adjust this vegan chili recipe to your taste.

Ingredients and substitutions

Olive oil - If you don't cook with oil, saute the veggies in a bit of veggie stock or water instead.

Red onion - Any onion would work in this chili, but I like to use red onion in just about any Tex-Mex recipe.

Carrot and celery - I like to dice the carrot and celery on the smaller side, but you can do bigger chunks if you like.

Garlic - Freshly chopped garlic is best in this chili, but you can also use frozen garlic if that's what you have on hand.

Spices - I use a mix of chili powder, ground cumin and chipotle chili flakes in this chili. You can also add some dried herbs such as oregano and marjoram.

Tomato paste - Feel free to adjust the tomato paste quantity depending on how tomato-ey you want the chili.

Chopped tomatoes - Canned tomatoes are perfect in this veggie chili - you can use either chopped or crushed tomatoes.

Fresh veggies - I used a mix of bell peppers and sweet potatoes, but you can add just about any veggies you have on hand here.

Beans - Pinto beans, black beans and red kidney beans are all excellent choices for this chili.

Quinoa - Half a cup of uncooked quinoa gives this chili a wonderful texture while adding loads of protein and fibre. Feel free to skip it if you're not a fan.

How to make veggie chili in the Instant Pot

Set the Instant Pot to "Saute" and add the olive oil when you see "Hot" on the display. Add the red onion and saute for 1 minute, then stir in the carrot, celery stalks and garlic and continue to saute for 2 minutes.

Stir in the chili powder, ground cumin and chipotle chili flakes, then add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Turn off the saute function.

Add the chopped tomatoes, bell pepper, sweet potato, beans, quinoa, salt and water. Stir to combine, then secure the Instant Pot lid.

Set the Instant Pot to "High Pressure" for 5 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the lid carefully and perform a quick release.

Stir in the fresh coriander, adjust the seasoning and serve with tortilla chips or cornbread.

Leftovers and storage

• Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
• You can reheat this veggie chili on the stovetop or in the microwave. You may need to add a splash of water or stock when reheating since the quinoa will continue to soak up the liquid.
• The chili will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Recipe notes and tips

• You can serve this chili with tortilla chips, cornbread, breadsticks, or baked potatoes.
• Some toppings you can add to individual bowls include lime wedges, sliced jalapeños, avocado slices, fresh coriander (cilantro), toasted pumpkin seeds or a dollop of plant-based yoghurt.
• This Instant Pot veggie chili is medium spiced as written. If you want it milder, use mild chili powder and add just a pinch of chipotle chili flakes. To make it extra hot, double the amount of chili flakes and/or use a medium/hot chili powder.

If you liked this Instant Pot vegan chili, you might also like some of my other easy vegan Instant Pot recipes:

• Instant Pot Ratatouille
• Vegan Instant Pot Creamy Pasta
• Vegan Instant Pot White Bean Soup
• Instant Pot Coconut Curry Lentil Soup
• Zuppa di Farro (Instant Pot)

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