Instant Pot Vegan Chili {Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili}

This Instant Pot Vegan Chili comes together in a flash in your pressure cooker. Loaded with butternut squash, quinoa, black beans, and smoky chipotle peppers for a healthy vegetarian chili packed with protein and fall flavours - you can't beat this easy recipe! Stovetop instructions are included as well.

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I know that some people say that real chili doesn't have beans in it, and to those people I say pffft. This recipe is not for you. 

THIS Vegetarian Chili Recipe has beans in it, and lots of 'em. And it has quinoa. And butternut squash. But if this chili is wrong then I guess I dont' want to be right because it's so, so tasty. 

Imagine all that plant-based protein from the beans and quinoa snuggled up with lots of veggies, canned tomatoes, and smoky chipotle pepper. And now imagine that all you had to do is throw that stuff into your Instant Pot and set it on high pressure for 8 minutes and ohhhh baby you've got yourself a bowl of Instant Pot Vegan Chili that's going to take the chill right off the winter months. 

Why this recipe works

• It's simple to make, either in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop.
• It's made with easy-to-find ingredients and pantry staples that won't send you running around town.
• It's loaded with plant-based protein and is super satisfying! 
• It makes a big batch, and it's totally freezer-friendly!

Why make chili in the Instant Pot? The pressure cooker does an amazing job of bringing out the flavors in a short time so your chili tastes like it's been simmered for hours, but in reality it's super fast. 

What's in this recipe?

Time to gather your ingredients, my friends! Here's what you'll need:

• Butternut squash --> A small-ish one will do just fine.
• Carrots, celery, and onion --> The mirepoix. 
• Garlic --> As one does.
• Chipotle pepper --> Bringing some heat and smoky flavour.
• Quinoa --> This does wonders for the texture.
• Beans --> We're using both black and kidney beans to mix things up.
• Crushed tomatoes --> A canned classic.
• Spices --> We're going in with cumin, chili, oregano, and smoked paprika.
• Vegetable broth --> Store-bought is totally fine! 
• Oil --> I use olive oil, but a neutral flavoured oil is fine as well if you prefer.

Equipment

If you want to make Instant Pot Vegan Chili, you're going to need an Instant Pot! If you don't have a pressure cooker, no problem! You can totally make this recipe on the stovetop as well.

My favourite for stove top soups and stews is my Le Creuset Dutch Oven. I love how heavy it is and how evenly it heats and it has a nice big capacity. 

How to make Instant Pot Vegan Chili

You'll find detailed instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post, but for now let's walk through it step by step.

Serving suggestions

I love going maximalist when topping my vegetarian chili. Here are a few ideas:

• Diced avocado
• Cilantro
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Shredded cheese
• Tortilla chips
• Lime wedges (or just a squeeze of lime juice)

Chili is great served as is, but I also love serving it over a baked potato (try these Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes) or it would also be great with Crispy Potato Wedges to make chili cheese fries. 

Pro tips / recipe notes:

• This recipe might look like it's got a lot going on, but it spends most of the time simmering away in the pot.
• Get your chopping done up front, and you won't even have that much to do once the cooking starts!
• Do I need to use the quinoa? The quinoa serves two purposes. First, it thickens the chili and has a texture similar to ground beef. Second, it adds a lot of protein to the dish. If quinoa in chili weirds you out you can leave it out and reduce the liquid a bit, or replace it with rice.
• Can I use a different bean? Sure thing. Try mixing things up by using chickpeas or even lentils in place of the black or kidney beans. 
• Is this recipe gluten-free? You bet it is! 
• Can I make this recipe a day in advance? Please do! Vegetarian chili is one of those recipes that always tastes better the next day.

How to freeze Chili

Your Instant Pot Vegan Chili will last about three days in the fridge. Like most soups and stews, this one freezes brilliantly.

To freeze, simply transfer cooled chili into freezer-proof containers and ensure there's enough head space for the soup to expand as it freezes. I often re-use yogurt containers for freezing my soup, but I also love these reusable silicon freezer bags. 

You can also freeze chili in Mason jars, but you need to be really sure to leave enough space for expansion so the jars don't break in the freezer. 

Reheating Chili

To re-heat chili I most often use my microwave. 

If the chili is frozen, I'll drop the frozen block of stew into a pot and heat on low heat, covered, on the stove top until the chili has melted and warmed up. 

Let's talk nutrition!

Gladly, my friends.

Winter squash such as butternut squash are rich in carotenoids, a precursor to vitamin A, and are a good source of vitamin C. It is also a very good source of dietary fiber.

Black beans are a good source of folate, dietary fiber, protein, phosphorus, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium and vitamin K. A one cup serving of black beans contains 15 grams of fiber (over half of the daily recommended intake), and 15 grams of plant based protein.

The protein-fiber combination is key in stabilizing blood sugar levels, as both protein and fiber move through our digestive systems at a moderate pace.

Other recipes you might enjoy:

Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry
Spicy Carrot Soup with Tahini and Garlicky Greens
Vegan Corn Chowder
Mung Bean and Coconut Curry
Vegan Chickpea Noodle Soup
Spicy Instant Pot Black Beans
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Vegetarian Dumpling Soup
Mung Bean Soup
Instant Pot Borscht
Pinto Beans in Instant Pot

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4.75 from 12 votes

Instant Pot Vegan Chili {Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili}

This Instant Pot Vegan Chili comes together in a flash in your pressure cooker. Loaded with butternut squash, quinoa, black beans, and smoky chipotle peppers for a healthy vegetarian chili packed with protein and fall flavours - you can't beat this easy recipe! Stovetop instructions are included as well.

Course Main Course, Soups

Cuisine American

Keyword Instant Pot Vegan Chili

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Pressuring / Venting 20 minutes

Total Time 58 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 231kcal

Author Katie Trant

Equipment

• Instant Pot

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion about 1 ½ cups diced
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 medium butternut squash about 1.5 - 2lbs / 900g, peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 2 medium red bell peppers diced
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce minced
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
• 1 14 ounce can kidney beans 400g / 14oz can, drained and rinsed
• 2 14 ounce cans black beans 400g / 14oz cans, drained and rinsed
• 2 14 ounce cans crushed tomatoes 400g / 14oz cans
• ½ cup uncooked quinoa
• 6 cups vegetable broth

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions

• Heat the oil in the instant pot using the sauté function, then sauté the onion, celery, and carrots for about 5 minutes, until translucent. 
• Add the garlic and sauté another 1-2 minutes.
• Add the cubed butternut squash and red pepper and stir to combine. 
• Add the spices, chipotle pepper, vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, and quinoa. 
• Put the lid on the instant pot, set to manual / high pressure for 8 minutes. 
• When the cooking cycle is complete, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
• Stir in the beans, and let stand for 5-10 minutes to heat them through before serving.

Stovetop Instructions

• Place a large heavy-bottomed pot (such as a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. 
• Heat the olive oil for a minute, and then add the onions, celery, and carrots.
• Sauté the vegetables for 3-5 minutes, until the onions are becoming translucent. Add the garlic, and sauté another 2-3 minutes.
• Add the cubed butternut squash, and red peppers, and stir to combine. Continue to cook the vegetables for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add the diced chipotle pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and smoked paprika. Stir to combine well.
• Add the kidney beans, black beans, crushed tomatoes, quinoa, and vegetable broth. Stir.
• Allow the chili to come to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes until the quinoa is cooked and the vegetables are tender. 

To serve

• Serve topped with diced avocado, green onion, cilantro, or other toppings of your choice. 

Notes

• Nutrition values are an estimate only.
• Note! If you have a 6-quart Instant Pot you may not have capacity to add the beans until the pressure cooking cycle is complete. Simply stir them through at the end. 
• Chili is one of those recipes that tends to taste better the next day after the flavours have had a chance to come together, so it's a great one to plan to make in advance.
• Chili freezes beautifully, so any leftovers can be portioned into individual containers and frozen for a busy day. 

Nutrition

Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 898mg | Potassium: 816mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 4870IU | Vitamin C: 50.4mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 4.4mg

This recipe was first posted October 23, 2017. It has been re-tested, edited, and updated to include new photos and video and was re-published on October 19, 2021.