Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chili

We were so excited to receive an Instant Pot as a holiday gift this year and have fully jumped on the bandwagon. After making a few things, we are understanding why people rave about these things – curry, chili, or soup in under an hour? YES PLEASE. I mean, to come home from work, pop something in there, and eat ASAP is pretty much ideal. Only one pot to clean makes it that much better.

We are still playing around with measurements to get our ratios right for soups and stews. Since it cooks in a fully sealed pot, there isn’t the same slow, steady evaporation of liquid that allows you to control the thickness and consistency as easily. We are big fans of the Nom Nom Paleo blog and she is pretty much an Instant Pot expert, so we read through some of her recipes to get an idea for timing and measurements to get started.

All that research led to developing this recipe loosely based on her paleo beef chili but with some added sweet potatoes, black beans, jalapeño and chipotle peppers with adobo sauce that bring out some awesome flavor and spiciness.

We love topping our chili with full fat Greek yogurt (as a substitute for sour cream), big slices of avocado, and fresh chopped cilantro. We also love scooping it up with some Jackson’s Honest blue corn chips. Such a hearty and cozy meal for these cooler (or FREEZING) temperatures – we see you east coasters.

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you could also make this in a slow cooker or just over the stove – just make sure you brown the beef first, then simmer the full pot of goods in the broth until the sweet potatoes are cooked through, stirring every now and then.

Recipe adapted from Nom Nom Paleo

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or ghee
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1.5 lbs ground beef (we get Kirkland organic from Costco)
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 jalapeño, chopped (remove seeds for less spice)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 tbsp chopped chipotles in adobo sauce
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
• ½ cup chicken broth or bone broth
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional)

Toppings:

• Sliced avocado
• Sliced scallions
• Chopped cilantro or parsley
• Greek Yogurt (we like Straus)

Method:

Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot and wait for the metal insert to heat up. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of fat to coat the bottom.

Add the diced onion and jalapeño pepper with a sprinkle of salt and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.

Stir in the tomato paste and minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add in the ground beef along with 1 more teaspoon of kosher salt. Brown the meat and break it up with a spatula.

When most of the beef is no longer pink (5 – 7 minutes), stir in the diced sweet potato, black beans, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and chipotle peppers with adobo sauce. Stir well to combine the spices with the meat and veggies.

Stir in the drained tomatoes and broth, making sure the liquid reaches the bottom of the insert. Lock the lid and cook under manual high pressure for 20 minutes.

When the chili is finished cooking, release the pressure manually or let the pressure come down naturally. Check that the sweet potatoes are cooked through, then taste the chili and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Sprinkle on some extra salt and stir in the apple cider vinegar, if desired.

Serve with sliced avocado, a dollop of greek yogurt, scallions, cilantro and some corn chips for extra crunch!