Name: Instant Pot Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon avocado oil; 1 large sweet onion, diced; 1 red pepper, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 3 carrots, sliced into coins; 4 cups diced sweet potatoes; 2 tablespoon cumin; 2 tablespoon chili powder; 1 tablespoons smoked paprika; 1/2 tablespoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce; 2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; salt to taste; 4 cups vegetable stock; 28 oz. fire roasted diced tomatoes; 14 oz. low sodium black beans, drained & rinsed; 14 oz. low sodium kidney beans, drained & rinsed; 1 1/2 cups frozen corn; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro; juice of 1 lime

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This Instant Pot Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili is a favorite in my house! An easy Instant Pot vegetarian chili recipe made with black beans and sweet potatoes. It’s full of flavor and a quick gluten free dinner idea!

bowls of instant pot sweet potato black bean chili

Table of Contents

An Easy Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
Is Vegetarian Chili Good For You?
Ingredients for this Vegetarian Chili:
How to Make Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
So, what instant setting do you use for chili?
How long do you Instant Pot chili?
How do you thicken a Vegetarian Chili?
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Chili?
What Goes with Vegetarian Chili?
Other Chili Recipes you’ll Enjoy:
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

An Easy Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili

Can I just tell you I’m officially in love with my Instant Pot. When I first bought it, I thought I would just use it for pressure cooking tough meat like this Chipotle Beef Barbacoa but y’all … it’s so much more than that. I use it to sear, saute, braise and pressure cook. And now to make the most bomb vegetarian chili ever!

This Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili is legit for a vegetarian chili. It has crazy depth of flavor. It’s sweet, spicy, savory all in one AND it’s thick not broth-y. Which in my opinion is the key to a good chili! Best of all you can saute your veggies in the Instant Pot then flip it to a Soup/Broth Setting and you have chili ready for you minutes! Let’s get started.

Is Vegetarian Chili Good For You?

Beans and meat-less crumbles provide a great source of fiber and vegetarian protein to help keep you full and your body strong. Combining vegetables with low-sodium, lean proteins and spices make this chili a heart healthy dish for the whole family!

Ingredients for this Vegetarian Chili:

Chili itself should never be a 5 ingredient recipe, especially if you’re using real ingredients instead of canned foods that already contain seasoning and this vegetarian chili recipe is no different. Most of these ingredients are pantry staples so get ready for a delicious cozy chili made in the instant pot!

Avocado Oil – This is my favorite high heat cooking oil because it is tasteless and great for high heat. If you don’t have avocado oil you could also use grape seed oil or coconut oil.
Onion – I used sweet onion, however you could use red or yellow if that’s what you have.
Red Pepper – fresh red pepper that is diced
Garlic – It makes everything taste better!
Carrots – I love add carrots to my chili, for the sweetness, texture and added nutrients. Plus this is a vegetarian chili!
Sweet Potatoes – Peel and dice sweet potatoes into 1/4″ cubes, try to make sure the size is even so that they cook evenly.
Spices – A combination of cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, cinnamon, salt and pepper will make this the most comforting bowl of soup ever!
Chipotle Peppers – You can find this in the Latin or International aisle at your grocery store. It will say chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
Vegetable Stock – To keep this recipe vegetarian I used vegetable stock, you could also use water, but the vegetable stock adds so much more flavor.
Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes – Fire Roasted is my go to, there is so much more flavor than plain stewed tomatoes.
Beans – I use a combination of black beans and kidney beans, just make sure they are low sodium and that you drain and rinse them before adding to the chili.
Corn – Add all the vegetables. Sweet Corn Kernels add a nice crunch and fit in with the flavor profiles of this recipe.
Cilantro – You’ll be adding fresh cilantro at the end, make sure it is fresh. This will brighten up your chili at the end right before serving and make it pop.
Lime Juice – I love the zesty flavor of lime juice at the end to bring the chili back to life after being pressure cooked for 10 minutes. Trust me, add it!

How to Make Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili

This Vegetarian Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili is made in the Instant Pot, you’ll be using both Saute Mode and Soup/Broth Setting. (you could also use the Chili Setting or if you have an older version Pressure Cooker Mode will work too)

Turn Instant Pot on to the Sauté setting and let it heat up.
Add Avocado Oil to the Instant Pot. Next, add diced onions, red peppers and garlic. Saute until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
Then add in carrots, sweet potato, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, chipotle peppers, cinnamon, black pepper and salt. Saute for 3-4 minutes while stirring to mix everything together.
Add your liquid. Pour in vegetable stock and fire roasted tomatoes. Using a spoon stir everything.
Place the cover on the Instant Pot. Seal the lid. Cancel the Saute setting. Switch the Instant Pot over to the Soup/Broth setting and set timer for 10 minutes.
When it’s finished, use the the Quick Pressure Release method. Remove the lid once the pressure is completely released.
Cancel the Soup setting. Switch the Instant Pot over to the Saute setting.
Add in the black beans, kidney beans, frozen corn, fresh cilantro and lime juice. Let the soup saute for 5 minutes.

So, what instant setting do you use for chili?

Well, on my Instant Pot (which is the Ultra 10 in 1) I have a Chili Setting. However, I know most of you may not have that option. So for this recipe I used the Soup/Broth Setting. What you want the Instant Pot to do is meld all those awesome flavors together without turning it into mush. Which is exactly what the Soup/Broth setting will do!

How long do you Instant Pot chili?

Well it depends on when you want to eat it. With this Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili I didn’t have to brown or braise the beef. I sautéed the vegetables then flipped it over to the Soup/Broth setting. Once on that setting, seal the lid and cook for 10 minutes. It came out perfect for me. If you have beef or chicken you may want to do it a little longer, maybe 15 minutes.

How do you thicken a Vegetarian Chili?

Chili Powders! Chili powders are made of a combination of spices like cumin, garlic powder and ground chili peppers. The peppers are the key, they act as a natural thickening agent. In this Vegetarian Chili I use both chili powder and chipotle peppers the combination of those two peppers thickens this soup right up!

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Chili?

Store leftover chili in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat just place chili in a pot and gently warm up on the stove until it’s at your desired temperature.

If you want to freeze this chili, let chili cool completely. Place in an air tight container or freezer safe storage bag for up to 3 months. To thaw place in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove.

I’ll definitely be making this Instant Pot Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili again.

It’s easy. Minimalistic. Crazy flavorful, you’ll taste all the taste tantalizing spices I used in this recipe, including the cinnamon, after your first bite! Meat? Who needs meat! The beans and sweet potatoes give this chili a hearty bite.

Bon Appetit friends! Now, go get your chili on!

What Goes with Vegetarian Chili?

Other Chili Recipes you’ll Enjoy:

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