This recipe for Instant Pot Sweet Potato Beef Chili is a tasty and nourishing dinner that you can throw together in a short amount of time. You can serve it right out of the pot, and then use the leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day. This homemade chili is ready in just 35 minutes!

two bowls of instant pot sweet potato chili with fresh parsley on top.

This Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chili recipe has it all: flavorful ground beef, hearty sweet potatoes, super rich tomato paste, and beans. The flavor of the chili is classic and satisfying, without being too spicy.

This recipe is also very versatile. If you don’t want to use ground beef, you can substitute with ground chicken, turkey, or pork. You can also use your choice of beans, such pinto beans, white beans, black beans, or whatever bean have on hand.

See my related recipe for Instant Pot Sweet Potato Turkey Chili.

Contents hide
1 Key Ingredients
2 Recipe Steps
3 Recipe Tips & Substitutions
4 Recipe FAQs
5 More Easy Instant Pot Dinner Recipes You Might Like
6 Don’t Miss These Instant Pot Resources
7 Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chili with Ground Beef

Key Ingredients

ingredients with labels to make instant pot sweet potato chili with beef.

You’ll need ground beef for your chili. I recommend using grass-fed, grass-finished beef when possible.

Chopped sweet potatoes are also a key ingredient for this sweet potato chili.

Onions and spices help add texture and flavor.

Tomato paste adds even more depth of flavor and helps make this tastes like a rich chili.

Beans are the last key component to this tasty dish.

Recipe Steps

If you’ve ever made chili on the stovetop, then you know how long it can take. Homemade chili is usually an all-day affair. 

This version of sweet potato chili is so much easier than using the stovetop because the pressure cooker cuts the cooking time down. That said, I’ve also included stovetop instructions if you prefer to make this in a pot instead of a pressure cooker.

process photos for instant pot sweet potato beef chili.

Step One

Sauté the onion and garlic in a little bit of oil using the Sauté mode on your Instant Pot.

Step Two

Add the ground beef and use a spatula to break up the pieces. Let the beef start to cook for about 3 minutes.

Step Three

Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Lock on the lid and set the time to 8 minutes at high pressure.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Step Four

Once the cooking time is complete, let the pressure come down naturally for about 10 minutes. Then, use the quick release to get rid of any remaining pressure.

Carefully remove the lid, stir, and serve hot. 

I hope your family loves this Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chili as much as mine does!

cooked sweet potato chili in an instant pot pressure cooker with a serving spoon.

Recipe Tips & Substitutions

  • Stovetop instructions: sauté the garlic and onion in the oil for a few minutes in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and use a spatula to break it up as it start to cook. Then, add the broth, sweet potatoes, pinto beans, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cover the pot with a lid. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the sweet potato chunks are fork tender. Serve hot.
  • Feel free to use your favorite protein in this recipe. I used ground beef, but you can use ground chicken, pork, or turkey.
  • To make this recipe Whole30 or paleo friendly, just leave out the beans.
  • To make this recipe vegetarian, use three cans of beans and leave out the meat.
  • To freeze any leftovers, see my guide on how to freeze beef stew.

Recipe FAQs

Is this recipe healthy?

I consider this a healthy recipe as it uses real, unprocessed ingredients and has a balanced mix of protein, complex carbs, and fat. It’s also homemade using real food ingredients which makes it much healthier than any canned or packaged chili you’ll find at the store.

Is this recipe keto?

No, this recipe is not considered keto or low-carb because the sweet potatoes and beans add carbs.

Can this recipe be made in a 3-quart Instant Pot?

Yes, just cut the recipe in half.

bowl filled with sweet potato chili and topped with fresh parsley.

More Easy Instant Pot Dinner Recipes You Might Like

Don’t Miss These Instant Pot Resources

25+ Easy Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners

25+ Healthy Instant Pot Side Dishes

11+ Best Healthy Instant Pot Cookbooks (2023)

Instant Pot Meal Prep Gift Guide (Plus Recipes)

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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instant pot sweet potato and beef chili served in a white bowl

Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chili with Ground Beef

★★★★★

5 from 13 reviews
Print Recipe

This recipe for Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chili is a tasty and nourishing dinner that you can throw together in a short amount of time. You can serve it right out of the pot, and then use the leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day. This homemade chili is ready in just 35 minutes!

  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef or vegetable broth
  • 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 1 1/2 pounds)
  • 1 15–ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Press the Sauté button on the Instant Pot and pour in the cooking oil. Let the oil heat up for a few minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and onion and let them cook for a couple of minutes so they start to soften.
  3. Add the ground beef and use a spatula or wooden spoon to break up the meat. Cook for 3 minutes.
  4. Add the broth, sweet potatoes, beans, tomato paste, chili powder, ground cumin, and salt.
  5. Lock on the lid and set the time to 8 minutes on high pressure.
  6. When the cooking time is complete, let the pressure come down naturally for about 5 minutes, and then use the quick-release to get rid of the remaining pressure.
  7. Carefully remove the lid, stir, and serve hot.

Equipment

Notes

  1. Stovetop instructions: sauté the garlic and onion in the oil for a few minutes in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and use a spatula to break it up as it start to cook. Then, add the broth, sweet potatoes, pinto beans, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cover the pot with a lid. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the sweet potato chunks are fork tender. Serve hot.
  2. Feel free to use your favorite protein in this recipe. I used ground beef, but you can use ground chicken, pork, or turkey.
  3. To make this recipe Whole30 or paleo friendly, just leave out the beans.
  4. To make this recipe vegetarian, use three cans of beans and leave out the meat.
  5. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.
  • Author: Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Instant Pot pressure cooker
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Keywords: healthy chili recipe, sweet potato and beef chili, chili recipe for camping

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