Back in the day, if you wanted to make chili, you needed to plan on some serious time in a hot kitchen while the stew simmered on the stove. Now, thanks to slow cookers and multicookers like the Instant Pot, that’s no longer the case. These ultra-dependable small appliances mean you can get all the goodness of a long-simmered chili with minimal time in the kitchen. Summer bonus: the kitchen stays cool. What’s more, the slow heat lets you combine the soaking and cooking steps for the chili beans, so everything can be done all at once. You won’t be sorry you tried this slow cooker chili.
This recipe is ideal for busy weeknights when you want to come home to a hot meal. It’s also open to endless variations when you doctor it up with spices or add other vegetables.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 1 1-ounce packet vegetarian chili seasoning, such as Simply Organic, or chili seasonings of your choice
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups unsalted vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup fresh or frozen whole kernel corn
- Toppings such as chopped bell pepper, sliced green onions, and/or snipped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, combine the beans, tomatoes, onion, seasoning, and garlic. Add the stock and water.
- Cover and cook on high heat for 4 to 5 hours; stir in the corn for the last 15 minutes. Serve with toppings.
