This savory, warming chili is packed with flavorful ground beef and melt-in-your-mouth red kidney beans.

It is the perfect bowl of comfort on a cold day and tastes even better when eaten while watching your favorite football team play.

Or, if you’re like me and don’t care much for football, you can eat this while watching your favorite Christmas movie – even though it’s only October and your spouse may likely judge you for it. Sigh, true story.

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It’s no secret that we are a chili loving household. I make chili all the time in all different ways. This Instant Pot beef and bean chili is different from the rest of the recipes on my blog in that this recipe calls for dried beans. Dried kidney beans to be exact. I typically bulk my chili up with vegetables but this time, I decided to make chili the traditional way using a few simple ingredients: meat, beans and tomatoes. This, my friends, is the chili of my childhood.

You can easily adjust the spice level of this chili – add extra jalapenos and cayenne to make it spicy! I used one jalapeno with the rib/seeds removed and left out the cayenne. I was aiming for a flavorful chili without the heat, and it turned out perfect for our little family. My son, who recently turned one, loves this chili! I serve it to him over a piece of bread and then cover it with some cheese. He can’t get enough of it! He devours it within seconds. The first time I gave this to him, I turned around for a minute and was shocked to find his tray completely empty when I looked back over at him. I seriously searched his seat and the floor because I was sure he must have thrown it – but he ate the whole thing.

This dish cooks very quickly in an Instant Pot, but it does require a little planning – you just need to remember to soak the beans overnight. I always soak beans overnight in cold water because it’s supposed to help reduce anti-nutrients and can also help with digestion. Some people argue that soaking the beans doesn’t do anything. My mom has always soaked legumes as has her mom – it’s how I was taught. I realize that people are pretty split over whether to soak beans. You know where I stand, but feel free to do what you like!

Whatever you decide, tell me what you think of this chili after you make it! I also really want to know if you ate it while watching football (like my husband) or while watching a Christmas movie (like me!).

Instant Pot Ground Beef Chili (with Dried Kidney Beans)

Author: My Heart Beets

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup dried kidney beans,* soaked overnight
1 tablespoon oil or fat of choice
1 pound ground meat
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno, minced (remove seeds and rib for a less spicy chili), adjust to taste
2 teaspoons minced garlic

Spices:

2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons salt, adjust to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cayenne, adjust to taste — optional

3 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
Optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, sliced jalapeños

Instructions

Soak the kidney beans in cold water overnight. Drain, rinse and set aside for now.
Press the saute button and add the oil to the pot. Give it a minute to heat up, then add the ground meat, diced onion, jalapeno and garlic to the pot. Saute until the meat is browned.
Add the spices, stir, then add the kidney beans and diced tomatoes. Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and set the time for 30 minutes at high pressure.
Allow pressure to naturally release.
Serve with sour cream, cheese and green onion if desired.