This low carb & keto Instant Pot Chili (No Beans) is super hearty and perfect for the colder months ahead. It cooks for less than 30 minutes, yet tastes like it has been simmering for hours.
One of the first meals I cooked for my husband was chili without beans. It soon became one of his favorites, along with this Queso Chicken & Rice Skillet.
When I want to load up on the veggies, I make my No Bean Turkey Chili Recipe instead.
If you like your chili with beans, try my classic Dutch Oven Chili recipe. You will also love my Instant Pot Charro Beans.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy & healthy instant pot chili recipe without beans
- Not too spicy
- Simple ingredients
- Bold flavor
- Smokiness from the adobo sauce and bacon
- Cozy fall or winter dinner
- Gluten-free, low carb, & keto friendly chili (if made without corn)
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ground Beef: Swap for ground turkey or a leaner ground beef if desired.
- Smoked Paprika: Be sure to use smoked and not regular. It has a completely different flavor.
- Corn: Omit the corn if desired, but it adds a nice sweetness.
- Honey: Swap for 1 Tablespoon of white or brown sugar.
- Adobo Sauce: This normally comes in a 7 ounce can with chipotle peppers. Remove the peppers and discard or store the in the refrigerator. Measure 2 Tablespoons of adobo sauce to use in the chili. If you are sensitive to spice, you can omit this or only add 1 Tablespoon. If you like super spicy chili, you can add a chopped up chipotle pepper as well. Be careful, as these can be very hot. (Note: I updated this recipe, as a reader noted adding the peppers was too hot.)
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How To Make Instant Pot Chili Without Beans
Quick Overview
- Sauté the meat, spices, and veggies.
- Stir in all of the liquids and canned tomatoes.
- Pressure cook & enjoy with sour cream, cheese, and corn chips on top!
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Select “Sauté” mode on the Instant Pot. Add the beef and bacon. Sauté until mostly browned.
Step 2: Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
TIP - Browning the meat and bacon before pressure cooking deepens the flavor of the chili.
Step 3: Add in the onion and bell pepper. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in the stock, crushed & diced tomatoes, corn, tomato sauce, honey, worcestershire, and adobo sauce.
Step 5: Select “Pressure Cook” & “High”. Set the time to 25 minutes. Quick release (switch the valve to venting) the pressure as soon as the timer goes off.
After removing the lid, sauté the chili to thicken it up if needed.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
This Instant Pot no bean chili is delicious with topping and some sort of bread for dipping. Here are some ideas:
- Top with sour cream, chips, cheese, cilantro, lime wedges, and sliced avocado.
- Homemade Drop Biscuits
- Homemade Yeast Rolls
- Texas Toast Garlic Bread
- Cornbread without Buttermilk
Expert Tips
- Use lots of spices. This spice blend this recipe calls for is full flavor. I do not recommend replacing it with a store-bought kit or mix.
- Don’t skip the bacon or adobo sauce. These add so much smokiness to the chili.
- Pressure cook. Pressure cooking the chili is the best way to impart lots of flavor quickly.
- Freeze leftovers. Chili is a great freezer meal! Allow the leftovers to cool overnight in the fridge. Portion the chili in airtight containers or bags. Store in the freezer for 2-3 months. Reheat on the stove.
Variations
- Spicy: Add 1-2 chipotle peppers from the can of adobo sauce. This will make the chili very spicy.
- Stovetop: Follow the recipe as stated through step 4 in a large pot on the stove. Instead of pressure cooking, simmer covered for 3 hours on low.
- Slow cooker (crock pot): Follow the recipe as stated through step 3 in a large pot on the stove. Add the meat mixture and the rest of the ingredients into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
- Vegetables: Wilt in some spinach or chopped kale at the end for extra fiber and nutrients. This will slightly dilute the flavor.
Recipe FAQs
You can omit the beans for a low carb option or add a can of corn instead of beans.
This setting cooks on high pressure anywhere from 25-30 minutes. There is no reason to use this setting. Instead just cook on high pressure and manually select the time.
It can burn in the Instant Pot if there is not enough liquid in the pot or if a thickening agent like cornstarch is added before pressure cooking. Thickening agents should always be added after pressure cooking.
Texas chili and chili con carne often do not have beans.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Chili (No Beans)
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ pounds 80/20 ground beef*
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, diced
Chili Seasoning
- 3 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika*
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon granulated garlic
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
Vegetables & Liquid
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup beef broth or stock
- 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can yellow corn, optional*
- 1 (8 ounce) can can plain tomato sauce
- 1 Tablespoon honey*
- 1 Tablespoon worcestershire
- 2 Tablespoons adobo sauce*
Instructions:
- Review all recipe notes and instructions before beginning.
- Select “Sauté” mode on the Instant Pot. Add the beef and bacon. Sauté until mostly browned.
- Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add in the onion and bell pepper. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the stock, crushed & diced tomatoes, corn, tomato sauce, honey, worcestershire, and adobo sauce.
- Select “Pressure Cook” & “High”. Set the time to 25 minutes. Quick release (switch the valve to venting) the pressure as soon as the timer goes off.
- Serve with sour cream, cheese, and corn chips.
We found this recipe to be EXTREMELY hot (not just a little kick, it was FIRE). We used less then 2 of the peppers & the sauce. My husband likes things w/ a kick (hot wings etc) but this was too much even for him. I tried to add more tomato sauce etc but inevitably we threw the whole pot out ?
I am so sorry! I tend to like things on the spicier side. Chipotles can very a lot in spice level so I will be sure to add a note.
I tried it tonight and it’s a great Texan chili!! Will definitely come back for more recipes.
Thank you!
I secretly hate beans in my chili so when I was thrilled when I came across this recipe. The fact that it's prepared in an Instant Pot was another major selling point. This recipe turned out perfect - so easy and delicious! Thanks!
The perfect chili recipe. So easy and so much comfort in a bowl! Yum!!
Thanks so much for the slow cooker variation, I've pinned this recipe to make for tomorrow. Planning on setting it away before work! It looks so delicious.
Katie xoxo
All the substitution notes are so helpful! I used ground turkey and it was delicious!
Thank you so much for including all the tips at the end of the recipe! In particular, it's so great to have storage and freezing instructions because it just makes my life easier! Thanks again for a great recipe!
love that this has no beans. This is a nice lighter chili version!