Vegetarian Chili – Instant Pot

  • Recipe yields approx 8 cups.
  • If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can make this recipe in a large pot. Just cook until the lentils in the chili are cooked through. Likely 45 minutes on medium/low. Stir every so often.
  • This Vegetarian Chili recipe is like “three recipes in one”  …. you can also use some of this recipe to make Plant Based Burgers. ( That recipe is here. )

  • When all is said and done, you will end up with about 8 Cups of Chili, which is great just as a Chili dish, Make Plant Based burgers, or put some as needed into Taco shells with sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce and onions and have yourself some tacos!

  • Note: If by chance your Instant Pot will not pressurize, which has happened to me on occasion, you just need to let it go through it’s 13 minute cycle the first time, and then just give it another 13 minutes. This happens as some recipes – such as this one – do not have a lot of water in them, which the Instant Pot needs to pressurize.

Ingredients (* = Some optional)

  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 tsp Olive Oil (or avocado/grapeseed oil)
  • * 1 bell pepper diced (To taste ….I used 1/3 of green pepper)
  • * 1 jalapeno pepper diced (Optional ….. I didn’t use)
  • 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
  • 28 oz canned tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes (I used tomato sauce)
  • 1/2 cup mild or medium salsa verde (I used Sobeys ‘Sensations’ Roasted Tomato Chipolte Salsa)
  • 1 small can of tomato paste
  • 19 oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 19 oz can pinto beans, or 6 Bean mix (drained and rinsed well)
  • * 1 cup corn, fresh, canned, or frozen, or use Endamame beans (optional)
  • 3/4 cup dried red lentils
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • * 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ( Optional …. I didn’t use)
  • * 1/4-1/2 cup 18% cream (Optional)
  • * Salt and pepper to taste (I omitted, as veggy broth usually has enough salt in it)
  • * Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (optional). – In a can near the pizza kits at the store.
    Spicy: 1 Tbspn,     Medium Spicy: 1/2 Tbspn 
    Tip: open the can, put in a blender. When well blended, put mixture into a baggie, flatten it, then freeze it. Next time, just break off the amount you need.

Toppings

* Crushed tortilla chips * Sour cream or Greek Yogurt * Shredded cheddar or mex-blend cheese
(Optional: * Sliced or diced jalapeños * Chopped red onion * Pico de Gallo * Sliced avocado * Fresh cilantro)

 

Instructions

  1. First, chop your veggies and measure out the ingredients
  2. Next add everything to your Instant Pot, except the heavy cream
  3. Set the Instant Pot to Manual (or High Pressure) for 13 minutes * see note above if it won’t pressurize
  4. Allow natural pressure release (don’t release the pressure right away yourself. Just let it sit for about 15 minutes after it’s done.)
  5. Stir in the cream (optional)
  6. Take some out, put into taco shells, or a bowl, add all your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
  7. I freeze most of the recipe in smaller containers, and use as needed.
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