Instant Pot vegan chipotle chili

Update: we've stopped eating meat, so I've added a vegan version! (Original meat version at the bottom of the page.)

Most home cooks have their favorite basic chili recipe. This is mine. I like it because it involves all the principles of my cooking philosophy: it is creative, simple, healthy, inexpensive, and delicious.

A generous amount of smoky chipotles in adobo, flavorful veggies, and my own blend of chili seasonings, make this dish richly flavored while being healthy and inexpensive. I add my favorite creative secretly healthy ingredient: pumpkin puree. It thickens the sauce without tasting "pumpkiny" at all. This is a simple chop and dump type of one pot recipe. I recently got an Instant Pot, and this recipe works great in it. I can make a long-cooked tasting chili with dried beans in less than an hour. It also works well in the slow cooker or stovetop.

Try it out and make it your own!

Instant Pot vegan chipotle chili

• 2 T olive oil or butter 
• 12-16 oz Impossible or Beyond Meat OR 2 cups TVP reconstituted in 2 cups water
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 1 heaping T minced garlic
• 1 T paprika
• 2 heaping T ground New Mexico chiles or ancho chiles (or more paprika if you have trouble locating these)
• 2 T ground cumin
• 2 T dried oregano leaves (Mexican oregano is best)
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce (use vegan if desired)
• 2 t Adobo seasoning, or salt to taste
• 2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 lb dried beans, soaked overnight if possible (I like pinto or a mix of pinto and black beans)
• 2-4 T chipotles in adobo, depending on how spicy you like it, mashed or blended to a paste
• 2.5 cups water
• 1 T Better than Bouillon "no beef" flavor
• 1 cup pumpkin puree

Suggested toppings
lime juice
Sour cream
Cheddar cheese
Green onion
tortilla chips

Instant Pot or pressure cooker instructions:
Saute onions and bell peppers in oil until a bit caramelized. Add meat or TVP and brown. Add garlic and spices and saute for an additional minute. Add all remaining ingredients except pumpkin puree (this may cause burning at the bottom of the Instant Pot). Set pressure to 35 minutes and seal. When finished cooking, turn the valve for quick pressure release. Add pumpkin, taste, and adjust seasonings as necessary.




Original Perfect Recipe Project chipotle chili (with meat)

• 2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 1 heaping T garlic, minced
• 1 T paprika
• 2 T ground New Mexico chiles or ancho chiles (or more paprika if you have trouble locating these)
• 2 T ground cumin
• 2 T dried oregano leaves (Mexican oregano is best)
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 2 t Adobo seasoning, or salt to taste
• 2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 3 15 oz cans beans or 1 lb dried beans, soaked overnight. If using dried beans, add extra cup liquid, like beef broth or water. I like a mix of pinto and black beans.
• 1/2 can chipotles in adobo, mashed or blended to a paste. If you like it really spicy, add more. I usually use a whole can when I want a really spicy chili
• 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree

Suggested toppings
Sour cream
Cheddar cheese
Green onion
tortilla chips

Instant Pot or pressure cooker instructions:
Saute onions and bell peppers in oil until a bit caramelized. Add meat and brown. Add garlic and spices and saute for an additional minute. Add all remaining ingredients except pumpkin puree (this may cause burning at the bottom of the Instant Pot). Set pressure to 35 minutes and seal. When finished cooking, turn the valve for quick pressure release. Add pumpkin, taste, and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Modifications for stovetop or slow cooker:
Saute meat and veggies as described above. If cooking on stovetop, cover and simmer for 45 minutes (if using canned beans) or 1.5-2 hours (if using dried beans). If cooking in slow cooker, cook for 8 hours on low.