Instant Pot Veggie Loaded Turkey Chili brings that slow-simmered flavor to the table without the wait.
This post was created in partnership with our friends at Milton’s Craft Bakers.
Dinner without the wait.
Nothing beats a pot of slow-simmered chili but sometimes you just don’t have time to wait and you’ve got hungry bellies to feed, or you need something for a work potluck, or well, you just didn’t plan ahead and now you’re not sure what to make.
Enter Instant Pot Veggie Loaded Turkey Chili. The speedier version of our popular Veggie Loaded Turkey Chili.
It’s the perfect meal for a cold day and with less than 30 minutes of hands-on cooking time, you can put a hearty meal on the table quickly and with just one pot.
A meal prep favorite made even faster.
I’m not kidding when I say that I eat this Instant Pot Veggie Loaded Chili at least once a week in the fall and winter. It’s my go-to because it’s packed with lean protein, veggies, and beans to fill me up and keep me going.
My freezer is filled with individual portions of this chili which I pull out to thaw overnight in the fridge and typically enjoy for lunch when it’s just me working from home.
While the stovetop version of this Instant Pot Veggie Loaded Chili doesn’t take all that long to make I always opt for the Instant Pot version because it’s so quick to make during my weekend meal prep and it frees up the stove for other cooking.
Looking for a slow cooker version of this recipe? We’ve got one here.
Veggies for the win.
Adding veggies to chili is a great way to eat more veggies without really having to try. Because they’re a great source of fiber they fill you up, keep you feeling satisfied, and support healthy digestion. Whenever I have greens in the fridge that need to be used up I add a handful to my bowl then ladle the hot chili over the top of them.
This Instant Pot Veggie Loaded Turkey Chili is a great way to use up veggies you have on hand in the crisper before they go bad. You can even use frozen onions and bell peppers to make prep time even faster.
Perfect pairings.
I think a bowl of this easy, hearty, and delicious Instant Pot Veggie Loaded Turkey Chili is the perfect starting point for an epic meal. It lends itself so well to all of the chili toppings or even just a handful of crackers if you want to keep it simple.
Here are a few of my favorite toppings to keep things interesting (I mean, I do eat this same chili almost once every week for half of the year):
- Milton’s Gluten-Free Crackers (the Olive Oil & Sea Salt and Everything flavors are my favorites)
- Blue corn tortilla chips
- Finely shredded cheese
- Diced or sliced avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Sliced green onions
- Hot sauce
- Pickled jalapeño peppers
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Lime wedges
Freeze now and enjoy later.
Though I love this chili, I could not eat it every day for a week which is why, after cooling completely in the fridge, I portion a few servings into small, freezer-safe containers to stash in the freezer.
Allowing the chili (or any food for that matter) to cool completely in the fridge before freezing helps decrease the number of ice crystals that form on the surface. These ice crystals not only make your food watery when thawed and reheated, but they also increase the likelihood that the food will develop freezer burn.
To thaw, simply remove the chili from the freezer and allow it to thaw overnight (and up to 3 days) in the fridge. If you’re in a hurry, place the container in a shallow bowl of warm water in the sink until you’re also to slide the frozen chili into a pan. Place a lid on the pan and reheat the chili over medium-low heat until it’s heated through (165℉ on an instant-read thermometer).
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Instant Pot Veggie-Loaded Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground turkey (may sub beef or chicken)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 2 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce + 1 can of water or broth
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (or 15 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes)
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn, frozen
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional toppings: Diced avocado, chopped cilantro, green onion, shredded cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt and/or lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Select ‘Saute’ on the Instant Pot and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add ground turkey, garlic, onions, bell pepper, zucchini, and carrots and sauté for 7-9 minutes or until meat is cooked and no longer pink.
- Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, tomato sauce, water or broth, diced tomatoes, black beans, and corn. Stir to combine. Lock lid into place and flip valve to sealing position.
- Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Allow for 10-15 minutes of natural pressure release before flipping value to venting position to release any remaining pressure.
- Serve with toppings of choice.
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Dietary
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If I double the recipe, does the cooking time stay the same?
Yes, the cooking time should stay the same but if you find you need a few more minutes to get the carrots soft you can always replace the lid and add a few more.
Thank you!! About to throw this in the instant pot!
Can you help convert this recipe to using a crock pot? It looks sooooo good!
Hi Sue! Yes you can cook this in a slow cooker. Simply complete the sauté step on the stove top and then add everything to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4. Enjoy!
Just curious, isn’t corn a grain? But this recipe looks delicious I’ll definitely have to try it!
Good question! Whole corn, like the corn off of the cob, is considered a vegetable. The corn kernel itself (where popcorn comes from) is a grain.
Made this on the stove- family loved it! Thank you!
SO GOOD! Would make again!