This Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili is a hearty and healthy stew that's packed with flavorful plant-based ingredients. Loaded with black beans, quinoa, fire-roasted tomatoes, and colorful veggies, this one-pot meal is ready in just 25 minutes. Serve it with your favorite toppings, and dig in for a satisfying and filling meal!
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Who doesn't love a cozy bowl of hearty chili on a crisp evening? Chunky vegetables, creamy beans, and nutty quinoa in a thick broth that's seasoned with earthy Tex-Mex spices. Wait till you try this chili!
This Vegetarian Chili recipe is healthy, gluten-free, vegan, and rich in plant-based protein and fiber. It's a 30-minute meal that's just perfect for meatless Mondays, game days, or weeknight dinners.
While this Instant Pot veg chili is incredible as-is, it is also easy to customize. Use veggies of your choice, swap the black beans for pinto beans, serve it as vegan chili, make it in the crockpot or on the stove, you name it. (instructions included below). Let's get started!
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
This chili is packed with simple ingredients. Let's take a look at what we need to make vegetarian chili in the instant pot:
- Olive Oil: Any clear oil, like olive, avocado, or vegetable oil will work.
- Veggies: I use a delicious combination of onion, red or green bell pepper, and jalapeño for the veggie base. Frozen corn and sweet potatoes add a subtle sweet flavor to each bite. No need to thaw the corn, just add it as it is. And dice the sweet potato into ½-inch pieces so it cooks through.
- Garlic: use freshly minced garlic for the best flavor.
- Seasonings: we're using a simple blend of salt, chili powder, ground cumin, and paprika. Use regular paprika preferably. But if smoked paprika is all you have, use half the suggested quantity.
- Broth: I use vegetable broth to keep this chili vegetarian, but if you don't mind chicken broth, that will work as well.
- Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes: one 15-ounce can is good. No need to drain the can. The liquid incorporates right into the chili.
- Black Beans: you can use a 15-ounce can of black beans or 1 ¼ cups of cooked beans.
- Quinoa: this is a great way to incorporate more plant-based protein and texture into the chili. Quinoa also makes this a filling meal.
- For serving: finish your chili off with chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, hot sauce, avocado, lime wedges, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Vegetarian Chili in Instant Pot
This easy vegetarian instant pot chili recipe comes together in a total of 15 minutes.
Sauté the aromatics: Preheat the instant pot on SAUTE mode. Add in the oil, onion, pepper, and jalapeño. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the garlic and spices. Sauté for another minute, then hit CANCEL.
Add other ingredients: Add in the drained beans, corn, broth, and quinoa. Give the mixture a stir.
Pressure Cook: Close the lid, set the vent to sealing, and select manual/pressure cook. Set the timer for 5 minutes and cook at high pressure.
Release Pressure: When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally, then open the lid when the pin drops.
Garnish and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, then serve with your favorite toppings.
How to thicken chili in the instant pot? Here are two ways:
- If your chili is not thick enough, take a potato masher and randomly mash it a few times to break down a few beans and vegetables. This naturally thickens the chili.
- Alternatively, make a cornstarch slurry by mixing together 2 tablespoons each of cornstarch and water. Turn on saute, and when the chili starts simmering, pour in the slurry while stirring. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then cancel saute.
Alternative Method: Stovetop Vegetarian Chili
No instant pot? No problem! This vegetarian chili can easily be made on the stove!
- Heat a large stockpot over medium heat, then add in the oil, onion, pepper, and jalapeño. Cook until the onion is soft, then stir in garlic and seasonings. Cook until aromatic.
- Mix in the beans, corn, broth, and rinsed quinoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat.
- Simmer the soup for 45-50 minutes then serve with garnishes and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this vegetarian chili with cornbread and any of your favorite chili toppings.
I love topping it with chopped cilantro, shredded cheddar, hot sauce, avocado chunks, lime wedges, sour cream, and a sprinkle of crushed tortilla chips or strips.
For vegan chili, swap the cheddar for a vegan variety and use cashew sour cream instead!
How to Store & Reheat
Leftover vegetarian chili will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight if frozen, then warm in the microwave or on the stove until heated through.
Keep in mind that the chili will thicken as it sits. If you like your thick chili, great, if not, add a splash of veggie broth to thin it out as it warms.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Customizations: Switching the black beans with kidney or Cannellini beans. Skip the sweet potato or replace it with butternut squash. Skip the Jalapeno for a mild flavor. If not a fan of quinoa, skip it and add another can of beans instead.
- Rinse Quinoa: Rinsing quinoa gets rid of the bitter-tasting compound (saponin) that coats the seeds. Don't skip this step.
- Tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes add a subtle smoky taste to the chili. If you prefer otherwise, you can add plain diced tomatoes instead. Canned tomatoes taste better here and hold their shape after cooking. But if using fresh, add 3 Roma tomatoes instead.
- Spices: Use can also use ancho or chipotle chili powder for a smoky taste. However, stick to regular paprika as smoked paprika would add an overwhelming smoky taste.
- Stovetop Instructions: Saute aromatics for 2-3 minutes in a soup pot on medium-high heat. Add the remaining ingredients with an additional 1 cup of broth/stock. Bring it to a boil and cook for 30 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked through.
- Slow Cooker Instructions: Add all the ingredients, stir, and set it for 6 hours on low, or 3 hours on high.
- How do you thicken chili in instant pot: Mash a few beans and veggies to thicken the chili naturally. Alternatively, make a slurry by combining 2 tablespoons each of cornstarch and water. Pour while stirring, then simmer the chili for 2 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vegetarian chili is incredibly simple, and also very customizable. While there are tons of variations on vegetarian chili, this recipe is made with a few classic veggies, a spicy blend of dried seasonings, black beans, quinoa, and jalapeño for a kick of heat.
Since chili is a thick stew, it is common to get the burn message unless you deglaze the pot well before pressure cooking. To prevent the burn message, scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any brown bits that may have stuck while sauteing.
The Bean/Chili setting button can be used to cook dry beans and chickpeas, or dishes like chili. The setting defaults to 30 minutes of high-pressure cooking, which is ideal for dry beans and tough meats.
This vegetarian chili just needs 5 minutes of pressure cooking time. The cooker takes about 10 minutes to come to pressure, then 5 minutes to cook, and about 10 minutes to depressurize. So, all in all, it takes 20 minutes to make vegetarian chili in the Instant pot.
Yes! This homemade vegetarian chili is packed with tons of veggies and vegetarian protein from both quinoa and black beans. It's a completely vegetarian or vegan meal that pretty much couldn't be healthier.
Chili is considered a type of stew because of its low liquid content. Most chili recipes are made by simmering meat and/or vegetables in a spicy tomato sauce.
More Hearty Instant Pot Chili Recipes
Making chili and soups in the instant pot could not be easier. Here are a few more of my favorite instant pot chili recipes:
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
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Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion diced (white or yellow)
- 1 cup red or green bell pepper diced
- ½-1 Jalapeno finely diced remove seeds or skip for mild
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 cloves
- ¾ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder (Mexican)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika regular not smoked
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes 15-ounce
- 1 can black beans rinsed and drained 15-ounce can or 1¼ cups cooked beans
- 1 cup frozen corn no need to thaw
- 1 cup sweet potato diced in ½-inch pieces
- ¼ cup quinoa rinsed
Toppings For Serving
- cilantro leaves
- shredded cheddar cheese use dairy-free cheese for vegan
- hot sauce
- avocado chunks
- lime wedges
- sour cream or cashew cream for vegan
- crushed tortilla chips or strips
Instructions
- Saute Aromatics: Preheat the Instant Pot on SAUTE mode. Add olive oil, onion, bell peppers, and jalapeno. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and spices and saute for another minute. Cancel SAUTE.
- Add Ingredients: Add drained beans, corn, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, broth, and rinsed quinoa and give it a stir.
- Pressure Cook: Close the lid and set the vent in sealing position. Select manual/pressure cook and set 5 minutes at high pressure.
- Natural Pressure Release: When the cooking is done, let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid once the pin drops.
- Check consistency: If the chili is not thick enough for you, use a potato masher and mash a few beans and vegetables to thicken it naturally. Alternatively, combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Turn on Saute and let the chili start simmering. Now pour in the cornstarch slurry while stirring. Continue to simmer for 2 minutes, then cancel saute. This is step is optional.
- Serve with toppings: Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed. Serve in bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Customizations: Switch the black beans with kidney or Cannelini beans. Feel free to skip the sweet potato or replace it with butternut squash. Skip the Jalapeno for a mild flavor. If not a fan of quinoa, skip it and add another can of beans instead.
- Rinse Quinoa: Rinsing quinoa gets rid of the bitter-tasting compound (saponin) that coats the seeds. Don't skip this step.
- Tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes add a subtle smoky taste to the chili. If you prefer otherwise, you can add plain diced tomatoes instead. Canned tomatoes taste better here and hold their shape after cooking. But if using fresh, add 3 Roma tomatoes instead.
- Spices: Use can also use ancho or chipotle chili powder for a smoky taste. However, stick to regular paprika as smoked paprika would add an overwhelming smoky taste.
- Stovetop Instructions: Saute aromatics for 2-3 minutes in a soup pot on medium-high heat. Add the remaining ingredients with an additional 1 cup of broth/stock. Bring it to a boil and cook for 30 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked through.
- Slow Cooker Instructions: Add all the ingredients, stir and set it for 6 hours on low, or 3 hours on high.
- How do you thicken chili in instant pot: Mash a few beans and veggies to thicken the chili naturally. Alternatively, make a slurry by combining 2 tablespoons each of cornstarch and water. Pour while stirring, then simmer the chili for 2 minutes.
Marie-Claire Staub says
excellent delicious and easy to prepare
Aneesha Gupta says
Thank you so much Marie-Claire 🙏🏼
srimayyia says
Very nice recipe of Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili. Keep Sharing. Keep Sharing,
Aneesha says
Thank you!
Kelly says
This was so good! I made double the amount so I did both black and kidney beans. Love all of your modification bits of advice, I went with chipotle chili powder and it was fantastic. I did canned sweet corn instead of frozen and it also worked great.
Aneesha says
Hi Kelly, I'm so happy you enjoyed this chili and were able to customize it. Thank you for your kind words and the ratings!
IPnewbie says
When do we add the sweet potatoes and tomatoes?
Aneesha says
Hi there, you add them along with corn and beans. Sorry for the confusion.