35 min
Instant Pot Family Taco Soup
Ground turkey, beans, corn and tomatoes make a spoonable taco-night soup with crunchy toppings and heat added only at the table.
Photo: Carstor / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.5
Instant Pot Family Dinners
Instant Pot Weeknight Beef Chili
Ground beef, two kinds of beans, corn and tomatoes become a thick, scoopable chili with a mild shared-pot base and toppings for everyone.
Directions
Brown the beef
Select Sauté and cook the beef, onion and bell pepper for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles, until no pink remains. Spoon off excess fat if needed.
Bloom and deglaze
Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika and salt for 30 seconds. Pour in the broth and Worcestershire, then scrape the base completely clean. Cancel Sauté.
Layer the chili
Stir in both beans and the corn. Pour the crushed tomatoes over the top in an even layer and do not stir them down into the bottom.
Pressure cook
Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes. Allow a 10-minute natural release, then carefully release the remaining pressure.
Thicken uncovered
When the float valve drops, open the lid and stir well. Select Sauté and simmer 3 to 6 minutes until the chili is as thick as your family likes, remembering it thickens a little as it cools.
Serve by preference
Taste and adjust salt. Ladle into bowls and let everyone add cheese, sour cream, chips or hot sauce individually.
Why this works
Why it worksBrowning meat and spices first supplies the roasted flavor a sealed pressure cycle cannot create.
Why it worksTomatoes remain on top so their natural sugars are less likely to scorch.
Why it worksA short uncovered simmer gives control over thickness without adding unnecessary starch.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on Amazon6-quart electric pressure cookerThe recipe timing, minimum liquid, and family-size yield are written around this common capacity.See current options →
Compare on AmazonInstant-read thermometerVerify chicken, pork, meatballs, and meatloaf safely instead of relying only on programmed pressure time.See current options →
Compare on AmazonHeat-safe oven mittsDry, secure grip matters when lifting a hot pot-in-pot bowl, trivet, or foil sling.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Replace beef with ground turkey and add 1 extra tablespoon oil during browning.
- Use any two 15-ounce cans of beans you already have.
- For extra vegetables, fold in 2 cups baby spinach after pressure cooking and simmer until wilted.
Cook notes
- This is intentionally mild; cayenne, jalapeños and hot sauce belong at the table for a mixed-age family.
- Do not stir the crushed tomatoes into the base before pressure cooking.
- Beans and corn are already cooked; the pressure cycle blends flavor rather than tenderizing them.
- Written for a 6-quart electric pressure cooker; follow the minimum-liquid, fill-limit and release instructions for your exact model.
- Never force the lid. Open only after pressure is fully released and the float valve has dropped.
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze in meal-size containers for up to 3 months. Reheat to 165°F on the stove, in the microwave or on the cooker's Sauté-Low setting.
Questions
Can I use dried beans?
Not as a direct swap. Dried beans require different liquid, timing and fill-level planning. Use rinsed canned beans for this fast recipe.
What if the chili is too thick?
Stir in warm broth 1/4 cup at a time after pressure cooking. If it is too thin, simmer uncovered on Sauté.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Chili usually tastes even better the next day. Cool it promptly, refrigerate and reheat to 165°F before serving.
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Instant Pot Weeknight Beef Chili
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1. Brown the beefSelect Sauté and cook the beef, onion and bell pepper for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles, until no pink remains. Spoon off excess fat if needed.
2. Bloom and deglazeStir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika and salt for 30 seconds. Pour in the broth and Worcestershire, then scrape the base completely clean. Cancel Sauté.
3. Layer the chiliStir in both beans and the corn. Pour the crushed tomatoes over the top in an even layer and do not stir them down into the bottom.
4. Pressure cookLock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes. Allow a 10-minute natural release, then carefully release the remaining pressure.
5. Thicken uncoveredWhen the float valve drops, open the lid and stir well. Select Sauté and simmer 3 to 6 minutes until the chili is as thick as your family likes, remembering it thickens a little as it cools.
6. Serve by preferenceTaste and adjust salt. Ladle into bowls and let everyone add cheese, sour cream, chips or hot sauce individually.