I already have a great recipe for Spicy Black Bean Chili here on the blog, but when I spotted this recipe for The BEST Black Bean Chili over at Gimme Some Oven, I knew I had to give it a try anyway! I decided to make a few tweaks though – the biggest one being that my version is not vegetarian. I used half as many beans and added some extra lean ground beef because…why not?? I don’t use my Instant Pot all that much, but it’s recipes like these where it really shines. Dry (not pre-soaked) beans to perfectly tender in less than an hour! #winning The flavor is phenomenal, thanks to the salsa verde and the roasted red peppers. Is it “the best”? I don’t know, but it’s really, really good! Give it a try! Of course, if you don’t have an Instant Pot, I have included slow cooker and stove top instructions too. Enjoy!
Instant Pot Black Bean Chili
1/2 pound dry black beans, rinsed and picked over
1 pound extra lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 medium white onion, peeled and diced (sometimes I use frozen chopped onion)
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
6-8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
16 ounces salsa verde
1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp chipotle chili powder (or regular chili powder)
salt and pepper, to taste
toppings: diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, diced red onion, shredded cheese, sliced jalapeños
Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Directions:
1. Turn instant pot to sauté and cook ground beef. Drain if necessary. (If extra lean, there might not be anything to drain.) Add black beans (no need to pre-soak), onion, garlic, 6 cups stock, salsa verde, diced tomatoes, roasted red peppers, cumin, chili powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine and add lid.
2. Turn to manual, high pressure for 38 minutes. Once done, do a quick release. Remove the lid and stir. Taste, and season with extra salt and pepper as needed. If you want it “soupier”, add additional stock.
3. Serve immediately. Add toppings as desired.
Slow Cooker Directions:
1. Brown beef in skillet. Drain if necessary. Add cooked beef, black beans (no need to pre-soak), onion, garlic, 6 cups stock, salsa verde, diced tomatoes, roasted red peppers, cumin, chili powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the bowl of your slow cooker. Stir to combine.
2. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on high, or until the beans are completely tender. Stir. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. If you want it “soupier”, add additional stock.
3. Serve immediately. Add toppings as desired.
Stovetop Directions:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil (extra ingredient for stovetop version) in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for 1-2 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Add ground beef and cook until browned.
2. Add in beans (pre-soaked overnight) 6 cups stock, salsa verde, diced tomatoes, roasted red peppers, cumin, chili powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes, or until the beans are completely tender, stirring occasionally.
4. If you would like a brothier soup, feel free to add in 1-2 extra cups of stock. (If not, leave the soup as-is.) Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
5. Serve immediately. Add toppings as desired.
*If making this soup on the stovetop, you’ll need to soak your beans in water overnight, increase the cook time to ~1.5 hours, or (for a much faster version) you can sub in 2 (15-ounce) cans of rinsed and drained black beans, which will only require about 10 minutes to cook in the soup.
