Instant Pot Chilli Con Carne

Instant Pot Chilli Con Carne. How to make a delicious one pot of chilli con carne in the instant pot. Loaded with 3 different types of beans, lots of tomatoes, ground minced beef and plenty of seasoning this version of chilli on carne is perfect for an easy weekday meal.

Easy Chilli Con Carne

This easy chilli con carne recipe is an update from a 2016 one pot recipe. Back then it was long before we got our first instant pot pressure cooker and we made it on the stovetop.

I couldn’t imagine now cooking chilli con carne any other way than the instant pot. Today is the day that I am converting my easy chilli con carne recipe to instant pot chilli con carne.

If you have not yet tried chilli con carne think of it as that easy healthy one pot meal. That has so many uses and occasions in mind.

It is perfect for dates. A non-cooking bachelor could serve it up for their date. In the old days it was always the spaghetti Bolognese that men were good at, but I think chilli con carne is easier to make and tastes better. Though this is also down to personal preference!!!

It’s for lazy days. When you think of those times when you come home from work and you just want to sit there and eat in front of the television and the last thing on your mind is cooking, then it is perfect timing.

You can quickly make it in your instant pot and the washing up will be minimal too.

It is fast. It was my quick lunch for me and Dominic when Sofia was at playgroup and we would have a big bowl of chilli con carne every week.

Play group would finish at 12.30pm and then by the time we have raced back home and fed Sofia it is already 2pm so by this point we are beyond starving and it makes perfect timing.

It is frugal. If your family is on a tight grocery budget, then make chilli con carne. Because of the amount of beans one big pot can feed a good-sized family and have some leftover for another day.

Or do what I do and use the leftovers for a delicious soup.

Whatever your occasion might be, sit back and relax and let your instant pot work its magic and produce a delicious pot of instant pot chilli con carne.

Easy Instant Pot Chilli Con Carne

Making chilli con carne in the instant pot is so easy. You start off by sautéing your onion and a few other ingredients.

Then dump everything else in the instant pot and close the lid. It then comes to pressure and pressure cooks for pot of chilli in JUST 6 minutes.

There is no coming back to stir it, instead you can put your feet up or decide what sides you are going to serve with your chilli.

Instant Pot Chilli Con Carne With Beans Vs Without Beans

Often the one thing that people don’t like about Instant Pot chilli con carne is the beans. Many people don’t like kidney beans, (my hubby included) or they follow a diet such as keto or paleo that doesn’t allow them to eat them.

Well the truth is that you can in fact make a delicious instant pot chilli con carne without beans.

Simply swap beans for lots of small cubes of your favourite vegetables.

For example, we like to make instant pot chilli con carne without beans using a mix of the following:

• Sweet Potatoes
• Rutabaga/Swede
• Parsnips
• Carrots

Or of course you make instant pot chilli con carne with beans like we will be showing you today, its just about personal choice.

What Ingredients For Chilli Con Carne?

There are 9 main ingredients that go into instant pot chilli con carne:

• Ground Minced Beef
• Beans
• Tinned Tomatoes
• Onion & Garlic
• Red Peppers
• Worcester Sauce
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Seasoning

Though, these are 9 ingredients that most homes have in all the time. Quite often when I make chilli con carne bowls, I don’t need to go grocery shopping.

Depending on where you are from, there might be different cultures of what chilli con carne is like where you live or how you perceive it to be like.

For example, in some countries the only beans would be kidney beans, yet in other countries it wouldn’t be chilli con carne without several beans being included.

My favourite ground minced beef to buy is from Butcher Box. They offer organic and high quality meat delivered direct to your door. You can browse their beef here and lots of other meats they sell.

The gadgets that we used, was our Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. We got our 8 quart big one out, because this dish makes a lot more food and it makes it easier for mixing it up and not worrying that some of it will spill out.

Plus, the instant pot won’t be overfull and feel like it’s taking forever to go to pressure.

Which Beans In Chilli Con Carne?

The best beans for a chilli con carne include:

• White Beans
• Black Beans
• Kidney Beans

You can use all three of these beans in your chilli or mix it up between the 3. You might hate one but love the others.

For example, here is how it looks when you use JUST kidney beans:

Which Herbs In Chilli Con Carne?

The best herbs for chilli con carne include:

• Oregano
• Paprika
• Cayenne Pepper
• Cumin Powder
• Salt & Pepper

Instant Pot Chilli Con Carne FAQ

I always get asked lots of questions about cooking chilli con carne in an instant pot.

Below I have put together a FAQ section for you for the main questions. If I have missed any, simply comment on the post and I will add it.

Can Chilli Con Carne Be Frozen? Yes it can. Allow your pot of chilli to reach room temperature and then load into your favourite freezer containers. These are the ones we use when we freeze our leftover chilli.

Can Chilli Con Carne Be Reheated? Yes it can. My preferred way is to grab your leftover pot of chilli (while still in the instant pot) and add in 2 cups of warm beef stock. Add in a little red wine and you have a delicious chilli con carne soup from the leftovers.

How Healthy Is Chilli Con Carne? Chilli con carne is very healthy. Spices are good for your metabolism; beans are an excellent source of fibre and the meal is completely gluten free too. It will keep you full for hours and stop you from snacking in between meals.

How To Make Chilli Con Carne Less Spicy? If you don’t like your chilli to be very spicy then half the seasoning. Though with a pressure cooker it does dull down the seasoning anyway, so it might not be as spicy as you would expect.

How To Thicken Chilli Con Carne? When it is cooked drain off any excess liquid and blend a small portion of the beans. This will make your chilli con carne a little creamy and will thicken it naturally.

Is Chilli Con Carne Keto? No it is not. This is because of the beans in the chilli con carne make it high in carbs. You can sub the beans for keto friendly vegetables instead to keep it keto.

Baby Friendly Chilli Con Carne Recipe

As I mentioned at the start of this chilli con carne recipe, it was originally meant for us to share with our daughter Sofia.

She was a year-old back then and loved a pot of bolognese. What we would do is serve hers and allow it to cool, then add extra seasoning before serving it for us.

You could do the same, also great if you have someone in the family that doesn’t like spicy food.

Instant Pot Chilli Con Carne Recipe

Making instant pot chilli con carne is EASY and it is a case of starting with a sauté, loading up your ingredients, stirring and then placing the lid on the instant pot.

1. Sauté your red pepper, onion, garlic with extra virgin olive oil.
2. Add in beans, seasonings, tomatoes and liquid.
3. Stir and place the lid on the instant pot pressure cooker.
4. Pressure cook for 6 minutes, stir and serve.

What Is Chilli Con Carne Served With?

You can have chilli con carne with whatever you like. It is probably most well known served with rice, but I like it in a number of different ways.

Air Fryer Dinner Rolls – Serve with my air fryer dinner rolls for a carb hit and why not turn the chilli into a spicy sloppy joes?

Slow Cooker Spicy Rice – This slow cooked vegetable spicy rice is delicious to serve with your chilli con carne and can make this frugal meal feed even more people.

Can’t make it now? Then pin it for later!