We all have those weeks when we are so busy we don’t know what day of the week it is. Even working from home can make you feel like your days never end, right? So when do you have the time to cook? If you have an instant pot, this recipe is for you! And if you don’t…there’s another way to make it too! This instant pot veggie chili will keep you full of energy and satisfied!!
Ingredients
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
2 cups onion diced
2-4 cloves garlic minced
1 green bell pepper diced
1 red bell pepper diced
1 cup corn (frozen or canned)
15 oz can spicy chili beans in sauce
1 cup canned black beans (drained and rinsed)
3 TBSP chili powder
2 TBSP cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp smoked paprika plus extra to taste
salt and pepper to taste (I used 1/2 tsp)
1/2 cup dry quinoa
1/2 cup dried red lentils
TASTY TOPPING IDEAS:
chopped red onion
fresh pico de gallo or salsa
sliced avocado
fresh cilantro
chopped green onion
jalapeños or bell peppers
sour cream or greek yogurt skip if vegan
shredded cheddar cheese skip if vegan
corn chips
Instructions
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS
First chop your veggies and measure out the ingredients.
Add veggie broth and crushed tomatoes followed by lentils, quinoa, chili beans (pinto beans in chili sauce), black beans, onion, garlic, peppers, corn, and dried spices. Keep the ingredients layered and don’t stir for best results.
Set Instant Pot (I use a 6 QT) HIGH pressure for 5 minutes and allow to come to pressure.
Quick release (aka manually release) the pressure and wait for the pin to drop and the pot to depressurize before opening.
Lastly, feel free to adjust seasoning (spices and salt) to taste, adding more of what you prefer to get your ideal flavor punch.
Add all your favorite toppings and enjoy! This chili is great the day of, and even better as leftovers too. Chili is magic like that and great for meal prep for the week! You can even freeze some for later.
SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS
To use a slow cooker, you'll want to decrease the broth in this recipe from 4 cups to 2 cups. AKA just use 2 cups of broth here and you're good to go! Add all ingredients to your slow cooker (minus your toppings) and walk away. It’s that easy! This recipe takes about 5-6 hours on high. You’ll basically want to let this one simmer away until the lentils, quinoa, and veggies are super tender.
The chili will thicken as it cools. For extra flavor you can even sauté the aromatic veggies before adding it to the slow cooker, but it’s not at all essential. As I mentioned above, adjust the thickness to your liking with extra crushed tomato or broth and season to taste based on any changes/additions. Pile on the toppings and get ready to faceplant into this ultra-comforting bowl-o-veggies!