The BEST Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili Recipe

This Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili recipe is delicious & healthy. The best part is it cooks up quick & easy with your pressure cooker.

There’s something I find so warm and comforting about a bowl of chili. When it’s chilly outside, I find myself craving it on the regular. I’ve made many variations of chili – Instant Pot Chili Mac, White Chicken Chili and Buffalo Chicken Chili. But it’s this chili, that I make the most often, and I’ve been making it since college. I now make that version in the Instant Pot as well.

But today in the spirit of trying to eat healthier in the New Year, I’m making a delicious and nutritious Vegetarian Chili in the Instant Pot.

Ingredients needed

• Red Pepper
• Onion & Garlic
• Corn – I use a bag of frozen corn kernels.
• Canned Tomatoes – I liked to use fire-roasted tomatoes for this recipe.
• Canned Black Beans & Red Kidney Beans – You can also use pinto beans.
• Canned Green Chiles
• Olive Oil
• Vegetable Broth – Or water.
• Spices – Add in your usual chili seasoning blend of chili powder, cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper.
• Fresh Cilantro
• Lime Juice

How to make it

• Turn your instant pot to SAUTE and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and red pepper and cook 2-3 minutes, until the onion is softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds longer.
• Hit CANCEL and add tomatoes, beans, chiles, broth and spices. Stir to combine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot (this prevents a “burn warning”). Place the lid on and set to vent to seal.
• Hit MANUAL to cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to build then the countdown timer will begin.
• Hit CANCEL. Turn the knob to vent and quick release the pressure before removing the lid.
• Stir in the corn, cilantro and lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve with desired toppings. Enjoy!

Slow cooker directions

• If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can also make this Vegetarian Chili in a slow cooker. Just place all the ingredients in crockpot and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

I like my chili on the thinner side, and I love serving it ladled over a warm bowl of instant pot rice or instant pot quinoa. However, if you’d like a thicker Vegetarian Chili, I’ve got you covered.

How to thicken chili

• Option 1: Mix 1 Tablespoon water with 1 Tablespoon cornstarch. Ensure that mixture is smooth, then stir it into the hot chili. Allow to thicken for 5 minutes before serving.
• Option 2: Before mixing in the corn, add 1 cup of the chili mixture to a blender, or food processor (or use a potato masher). Process the mixture until smooth and then add it back to the pot. Stir to combine.

Toppings ideas

• Cheddar Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Avocado
• Cilantro
• Scallions
• Tortilla Strips
• Red Onions
• Jalapeno Slices

I love serving this Vegetarian Chili at parties since everyone can customize their own bowl. I like mine topped with sour cream, jalapenos, cilantro and shredded cheese.

How to make ahead and store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or, you can freeze it for up to three months. I like to portion it into freezer bags in individual serving sizes and place them on a cookie sheet to freeze.  Once frozen, I stack them in the freezer making for an easy individual lunch! Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.

What to serve with it

• Cornbread
• Instant Pot Rice
• Baked Tortilla Chips
• Crostini
• Instant Pot Quinoa
• MORE → 45+ sides for chili

Wine pairings for chili

• Zinfandel makes a perfect match with chili with its dark fruit aromas, hints of smokiness and just the right amount of tannins.

More chili recipes

• Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
• The BEST Buffalo Chicken Chili
• The BEST Instant Pot Chili
• Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese + VIDEO
• Spicy Beef & Beer Chili

More vegetarian recipes

• Butternut Squash Curry + VIDEO
• Instant Pot Dal with Split Peas + VIDEO
• Cauliflower Salad with Roasted Chickpeas & Quinoa
• Kung Pao Noodles
• Zucchini Lasagna Rolls

Instant Pot soup recipes

• Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
• Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Sausage & Kale
• Instant Pot Persian Beef Stew
• Instant Pot Weight Loss Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Pho
• Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
• Instant Pot Bean Soup with Pesto

Did you try this instant pot veggie chili?

If you loved this vegetarian instant pot chili I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

For more great Platings and Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on  Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and Facebook.

Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili

Instant Pot Veggie Chili is delicious & nutritious. It cooks up quickly and easily with the help of your pressure cooker and tastes like it's been simmering all day.

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Time for Pressure to Build: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 people

Created by Platings and Pairings

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion (diced)
• 1 red bell pepper (diced)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 14.5 ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 2 14.5 ounce cans black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 14.5 ounce can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 4 ounce can diced green chiles
• 1 cup vegetable broth or water
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup frozen corn
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• Toppings: cheddar cheese (sour cream, avocado, cilantro, scallions, red onions, tortilla strips, jalapeno slices)

Instructions

Instant Pot Directions

• Turn instant pot to SAUTE and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and red pepper and cook 2-3 minutes, until the onion is softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds longer.
• Hit CANCEL and add tomatoes, beans, chiles, broth and spices. Stir to combine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Place the lid on and set to vent to seal.
• Hit MANUAL to cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to build then the countdown timer will begin.
• Hit CANCEL. Turn the knob to vent and quick release the pressure before removing the lid.
• Stir in the corn, cilantro and lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve with desired toppings. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Directions

• Place all ingredients in crockpot and stir to combine.
• Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
• Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve with desired toppings.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or, you can freeze it for up to three months. I like to portion it into freezer bags in individual serving sizes and place them on a cookie sheet to freeze.  Once frozen, I stack them in the freezer making for an easy individual lunch! Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

Equipment

Instant Pot

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 815mg | Potassium: 704mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2052IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 4mg

This post was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2022 to add new photographs, and again in 2023 to add new content. The recipe remains the same. Enjoy!