Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili that is so hearty and flavorful, you won’t even miss the meat! Full of beans, veggies, and seasonings. Perfect for a cold winter’s eve!

A photo of a bowl of instant pot vegetarian chili topped with shredded cheese and slices of fresh jalapeno.

Easy Vegetarian Chili Recipe

Cade and I rarely turn on the TV anymore. There just is not any time. We get up at 5:30 to workout, which means we go to bed earlier than others and because we’ve got a teenager, phew, there’s no real alone time! Well, unless we are on a date which we try to do once a week.

But!!! The other night we watched a documentary about athletes using plant-based diets and it was fascinating! While we aren’t going vegetarian or vegan any time soon, we did decide to eat a more balanced diet which will mean more veggies and less meat than we are used to. And it’s feeling amazing!

This Instant Pot chili is totally vegetarian but tastes like it has meat! It is crazy and it’s the recipe that sold me on eating better. We include instructions for cooking it on the stove top and in the slow cooker too!

Does anyone do Meatless Mondays? I’m thinking we are going to start that up and maybe one more night a week to! This Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili is first on the list!

A photo of a bowl of hearty instant pot vegetarian chili topped with shredded cheese and sliced jalapeno.

Ingredients in Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili

Chances are you have most of these ingredients in your pantry or fridge already. This is the perfect blend of beans, veggies and seasonings for the most delicious meatless chili.

  • Sweet Potato — adding a peeled and diced sweet potato gives the chili a full hearty texture.
  • Beans — we like doing a blend of beans (chili beans and black beans) to add a variety of color and size. One of the cans of black beans can even be replaced by a can of pinto beans for even more variety (be sure to drain them).
  • Vegetables — the blend of veggies is my favorite part. Canned tomatoes, tomato paste, red onion, red and yellow bell pepper, jalapeño and garlic.
  • Liquids — vegetable stock and Worchestershire sauce.
  • Seasonings — oregano, cumin, Kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika and chili powder.

Did you have it all already? I hope so! Now you are ready to make this delicious chili!

A photo of a bowl of hearty meatless chili topped with shredded cheese and sliced jalapeno with two spoons sitting next to the bowl.

How to Make Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili

We have loved making this in the Instant Pot. I makes dinner so quick and easy, but we know you all want instructions for stove top and slow cooker too. We aim to please so here you go:

  1. Set the Instant Pot to “sauté,” add a little oil and sauté the peppers and onions until tender.
  2. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir to combine thoroughly.
  3. Change the Instant Pot setting to “chili” (or “manual” if you don’t have the “chili” setting).
  4. Set the Instant Pot to cook for 18-20 minutes.
  5. Allow it to release pressure for 10-15 minutes naturally or flip the quick release valve.

The chili will usually be done after 18 minutes, but there have been a couple of times the beans weren’t quite as tender or flavorful as we like. So we pressure cooked them for a few more minutes and they were perfect.

Tip: If you’re new to the instant pot, check out our Instant Pot Cheat Sheet Post. You are going to want to save that sucker to your phone for fast and easy use! It will SAVE YOUR LIFE!!

Other Ways to Make Veggie Chili (Stovetop or Slow Cooker) 

Stovetop method: For making the vegetarian chili on the stove top, just simply add all the ingredients into a large pot, bring it to a boil and lower the heat and let it simmer for 3 hours.

Slow cooker method: To make the chili in a slow cooker, sauté the onions and peppers first until tender, and then add everything to slow cooker and cook for 5-6 hours on low or for 3 hours on high.

A photo of a bowl of instant pot veggie chili topped with shredded cheese and slices of fresh jalapeno.

What to Serve with Vegetarian Chili

So many hearty sides pair perfectly with this Instant Pot veggie chili. A few of our favorites include: 

Our Favorite Veggie Chili Toppings 

Enjoy this meatless chili as is, or load it up with your favorite chili toppings! Some of the toppings we always serve this Instant Pot vegetarian chili with are: 

  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • Shredded cheese
  • Sliced jalapeños 
  • Fresh cilantro 
  • Crushed tortilla chips or Fritos 
  • Hot sauce 

A photo of a bowl of hearty veggie chili topped with shredded cheese and sliced jalapeno with two spoons sitting next to the bowl.

FAQ

How Long Does Chili Last?

Cooked chili will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days if it is properly stored in an airtight container.

Can You Freeze Chili? 

Yes! Chili also freezes well. Let it cool completely, place it in an airtight container (like a ziploc bag or a Food Saver bag), lay it flat, and it will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Does Chili Have to Be Refrigerated?

Yes! Anything that has been cooked with perishable ingredients in it, should be refrigerated. Even though there is not any meat in this recipe it still needs to be refrigerated. 

How to Keep Your Tupperware From Staining

Now listen, anything with a red sauce of liquid can stain your storage container, so one handy trick I like to use is to spray the container with nonstick spray before ever pouring in the soup or sauce. 

A photo of a bowl of Instant Pot meatless chili topped with shredded cheese and sliced jalapeno with two spoons sitting next to the bowl.

Tips for the Best Vegetarian Chili

  • Note that there are anchovies in Worchestershire sauce, so omit if you want to keep this meatless chili 100% vegetarian. However, it adds a depth of flavor. Alternately, you can see if your grocery store sells a vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (some do!). 
  • If you can’t find chili beans at your local grocery store, replace them with pinto beans. 
  • For a spicier Instant Pot veggie chili, leave the seeds in the jalapeño pepper. 

More Vegetarian Dinner Recipes:

Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili

4.75 from 12 votes
Servings: 10
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes

Description

Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili that is so hearty and flavorful, you won't even miss the meat! Full of beans, veggies, and seasonings. Perfect for a cold winter's eve!

Ingredients 

  • 1 Sweet Potato, , peeled and diced small
  • 1 Can (15 oz) Western Chili Beans, (meatless, not to be confused with a can of chili, it’s different)
  • 2 Cans (15 oz each) Black Beans, ,drained (or 1 can black beans and 1 can pinto beans)
  • 1 can (15 oz) Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 Can (6 oz) Tomato paste
  • 1 Large Red Onion, , chopped
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper, , seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 Orange Bell Pepper, , minced
  • 1 Jalapeño, , seeded and minced (optional)
  • 2 Cups Vegetable Stock
  • 1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
  • 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, (see note below)
  • 1 Tablespoon Garlic, , minced

Instructions

For the Instant Pot:

  • Turn the instant pot to saute. Add a few drops of vegetable oil. Add the peppers and onion and cook until tender.
  • Add all the remaining ingredients, and stir to combine.
  • Turn the instant pot to chili and cook for 18-20 minutes.* Allow pressure to release for 10-15 minutes, or quick release with valve.
  • Serve with limes, sour cream and cheese.
  • *Most batches will be done after 18 minutes, however we've had a few times when the flavor just wasn't there yet, so feel free to pressure cook a little longer for more flavor or if your beans are not as tender as you'd like.

For the Stove:

  • Put everything in and large pot, bring to a boil and then allow to simmer for 3 hours.

For the Slow Cooker:

  • Cook onion and peppers until tender.
  • Add everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3 hours.

Equipment

Notes

Worcestershire sauce: There are anchovies in Worchestershire sauce, so omit if you want to keep it vegetarian. However, it adds a depth of flavor.
Storage: This chili will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
To freeze: Cool chili completely. Place in a large ziploc bag or FoodSaver, removing all the air. Freeze by laying flat for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 184kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 9gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1536mgPotassium: 820mgFiber: 11gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 4783IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 4mg
Author: Sweet Basil
Course: 50 of the Best Easy Soup Recipes for Families, All Your Favorite Fall Recipes to Warm up to
Cuisine: American

A photo of a bowl of vegetarian chili topped with shredded cheese and slices of fresh jalapeno.

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