A rich and hearty chili recipe made quick and easy in the Instant Pot! A secret ingredient, wheat berries, makes this vegetarian chili extra filling and nutritious.
Bulk Items Used: Kidney Beans, Red Beans, Wheat Berries
There is just something so comforting about digging into a warm and hearty bowl of chili. I have a problem though. I love a good hearty chili but I hate ground beef. What a conundrum!
Sure, I've made chili before with just beans, but it just feels like something is missing. Enter wheat berries. These healthy whole grains give the perfect flavor and texture to chili sans beef. Plus, they blend in so seamlessly you'll be able to trick the persnickety eaters in your life that they aren't even there. If you'd like to learn more about what exactly wheat berries are, and why you should be eating more of them, check out our All About Wheat Berries post.
Tips for Making Vegetarian Chili in the Instant Pot
- It's always a good idea to soak dried beans and wheat berries before cooking them. This helps them cook quicker and it also can reduce the beans from splitting open. Is it 100% necessary? No. I forget to do this step all the time, and it still turns out just fine. But, it you remember and have the time, do it!
- After you've sauteed your veggies and added in the broth, make sure you really scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot pot before beginning the pressure cook. If food is stuck to the bottom it can start burning and your Instant Pot will give you error alerts.
- I use red and kidney beans when I make this, but any beans you have on hand will turn out great!
- There are so many delicious options for garnishing chili: sour cream, cilantro, avocado, tortilla chips, limes, cream cheese, green onions, Fritos, plus a variety of cheese-cheddar, Monterey jack, pepper jack, and Mexican blend.
More Wheat Berry Recipes
Looking for ways to use your cooked wheat berries? Check out my wheatberry Pinterest board for lots of inspiration.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this chili and that you'll try some more wheat berry recipes. They are seriously my favorite grain!
✌️Ems
Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry red beans
- 1 cup dry kidney beans
- 1 cup dry wheat berries
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 2 14.5 oz cans petite diced tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable or beef broth
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup cheese to garnish I like a mix of cheddar and monterey jack
Instructions
- In the morning, combine both the dry beans and wheat berries in a large bowl. Add enough water to cover all the contents by 1 inch. Cover and set aside.
- 8 hours later, drain the bowl and set aside. Dice the onions and peppers.
- Set the Instant Pot to high "saute" and add the olive oil, onions and peppers. Saute for 4 mins. Then add in the broth and diced tomatoes. Mix in the corn, dried beans and wheat berries. Season with garlic, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, paprika and pepper.
- Turn the Instant pot to "pressure cook" and put on the lid, making sure it seals correctly. Cook on high for 30 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 15 mins. Follow instructions to quick release steam and open lid.
- *Garnish as desired.
Notes
Need a Pressure Cooker?
There are a lot of great options out there, but the Instant Pot Ultra is my favorite. I love being able to make yogurt in it!
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Lilly says
I just purchased dried wheat berries and this was the perfect way to use them! This chili is so flavorful and was easy to make. Thanks for the recipe!
Jeannie says
so flavorful, beans are a must for me to have so we really enjoyed this chili recipe
Addie says
This chili is so hearty and flavorful! I love it even more as leftovers too!
Michelle says
So Yummy and Easy to make equals a WIN at my house!
Oscar says
Loved the blend of these beans in this chili. The seasonings were just perfect and we devoured it in minutes. Great recipe.
B says
Nice recipe. What size are the cans of tomatoes?
Thanks!
Emily says
Thanks for catching that! It should be 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes. I updated the recipe card.