Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili

This Instant Pot pumpkin chili is the perfect easy weeknight meal! Whole30, keto, and paleo friendly, its a one pot wonder.

The Instant Pot is magical, isn't it?

I mean really. Throw all your ingredients in a pot, close it up, walk away, and leave it for as long as you like, then come back and eat it whenever you're ready.

Does it get easier than that? I argue it does not.

This Instant Pot pumpkin chili is the pressure cooker version of my original turkey pumpkin chili recipe.

I love making it on the stovetop for all the warm fall smells it fills the house and kitchen with. Sometimes, though, you just want to set it and forget it, and that's where your Instant Pot comes in.

If you're used to pumpkin only showing up in sweet recipes, that's normal. In the fall, there's no shortage of pumpkin based recipes, paleo or not, for baked goods.

Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin scones, pumpkin bread, pumpkin spiced drinks. It's never ending. But sometimes I enjoy the savory pumpkin recipes even more.

The pumpkin in this Instant Pot pumpkin chili is really used as a thickener. You won't actually taste the pumpkin by the time all is said and done, and you will be left with a thick, delicious, hearty chili perfect for cool fall nights.

So, after making my original turkey pumpkin chili recipe, I knew I needed an Instant Pot version. And friends, here it is. The perfect hearty, meaty, warm and delicious pumpkin chili – in the Instant Pot.

Getting comfortable with your Instant Pot

The other day I was at a playground with my son, and I overheard a woman talking about how she returned her Instant Pot to Amazon and told them it was broken and got a refund, because she didn't know how to use it.

I get it - they can be intimidating at first. But if you're leaving it on the shelf, or in the box, or returning it, you're missing out.

(If this is you, start here with my post on getting comfortable with your Instant Pot!)

This instant pot pumpkin chili recipe is one of the easiest Instant Pot meals you can make. It’s great for beginners and will not intimidate you to no end like some other Instant Pot recipes out there.

You’ll get to use two or three different functions for this recipe:

Sauté: I typically use this when I want to either tender up some veggies or brown some meat before closing up the IP and letting it roll. In this case, we’re going to use it for both!

Chili: Yep, that’s right – it has a button to cook chili. No excuses here – no one with a Chili button gets to say this was too hard to make in the IP!

Manual: Not all models of Instant Pot have a Chili button. If yours doesn’t, you’re going to use Manual. All that means is you are manually choosing the amount of pressure to cook with, rather than a built in setting. We are going to use HIGH.

For real though, no excuses. Two buttons and you’re done. You’ve got this.

Freezing Instant Pot pumpkin chili

This Instant Pot pumpkin chili is the perfect freezer meal.

I love to make a batch of it, and put half straight into the freezer. The other half gets eaten for dinner or saved in the fridge for lunches or dinners throughout the week.

Whether you eat it right away, or freeze it for meal prep, one thing is certain – once you make it, this pumpkin chili will be on permanent Instant Pot rotation.

Need the stovetop version? Click here for my TURKEY PUMPKIN CHILI recipe.

Craving a more traditional chili? Click here for my CLASSIC PALEO CHILI recipe.

Need the traditional chili in the Instant Pot? Click here for my INSTANT POT PALEO CHILI.

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