This Instant Pot pineapple chili is a unique chili recipe combining sweet pineapple with spicy beef. The sweet and spicy chili make perfect comfort food. This recipe is very easy to make and it is a low prep one pot dinner made using pantry staples that are combined in a new, fun way. Kid friendly and ready in 45 minutes!
When it comes to chili I like recipes that have a little bit of sweet mixed in with the spicy. So naturally Cincinnati Chili, which includes cocoa powder, is one of my favorite chili recipes. This recipe is another unique twist on chili, with sweet and tropical pineapple adding delicious flavor.
This pressure cooker pineapple chili is based on a slow cooker Hawaiian chili recipe I have made for years. I just made a few changes to adapt it for the pressure cooker.
I think the recipe tastes even better when made in the Instant Pot. The texture of the pineapple firm and still a little crisp after pressure cooking. And the pineapple is the star of this recipe!
Easy Recipe
I originally got this recipe from my son, as it was a favorite camping recipe for his Scout troop. Since it was a recipe designed to be made on camp outs it is very easy and is a great way to make a homemade dinner fast!
Another great thing about this recipe, and one of the reasons it is great for feeding a crowd, is that it is healthy, easy to make ahead and reheat, gluten free and dairy free. All this and it is a one pot dinner ready to eat in about 45 minutes!
Ingredients
Pineapple chili uses a relatively small number of ingredients, most of which are pantry staples. A can of pineapple chunks, a can of chili beans and a can of tomatoes with chilies come straight out of the pantry.
The other vegetables included in the chili are onions and celery, two vegetables which keep well in the refrigerator – or in the cooler on a camping trip.
The chili is flavored simply with chili powder and ginger for a subtle flavor that lets the pineapple shine through. And I use ground beef for the chili meat.
Variations and Substitutions
You could easily change the ground meat and make this with ground turkey, chicken or pork. Changing to a lower fat meat like ground turkey would be an excellent way to make the dinner even healthier.
Similarly you could change the type of beans and use black beans or kidney beans in the recipe. I would suggest staying with chunks of pineapple though. Using crushed pineapple would eliminate the sweet bursts of flavor you get when you bite into a pineapple chunk, which is my favorite thing about the recipe.
This chili is somewhat spicy but is still kid friendly. If you want to spice it up you can increase the chili powder or add some hot sauce.
How to Make Instant Pot Pineapple Chili
1. Brown the Meat
Start by turning the Instant Pot onto Saute and adding the ground beef. Cook it for about 5 minutes until it is no longer pink.
If you use very lean ground beef or a lower fat meat like ground turkey you might need to add some oil to the Instant Pot to brown the meat. I usually use 80/20 ground beef, which doesn’t need added oil.
2. Add the Vegetables
Once the meat is brown add the onions, celery and garlic and let them cook for another 5 minutes. Then turn the pressure cooker off.
3. Deglaze the Instant Pot
Add 1 cup of beef broth (or water) to the Instant Pot. Stir and scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot to make sure no bits of meat or vegetables are stuck to the bottom. This reduces the chances of getting a Burn error during pressure cooking.
4. Add Everything Else
Now add the chili powder, ginger, salt, beans and pineapple. Stir everything to mix it together well.
Finally add the tomatoes on top of all the other mixed ingredients, but don’t stir them in, let them sit on top. Leaving the tomatoes on top also reduces the chances of getting a Burn error.
5. Pressure Cook
Put the lid on the Instant Pot, making sure the sealing ring is in place and valve is shut. Set the pressure cooker on Manual, High Pressure, for 12 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to reach pressure.
6. Serve
After the Instant Pot is done let it release pressure naturally for about 10 minutes. Then release any remaining pressure manually and serve.
Can I Make this Ahead of Time?
This Instant Pot pineapple chili recipe is perfect for making ahead of time and reheating. You can store the prepared chili in containers or a storage bag and reheat over low heat.
You can also free the chili, although the texture of the pineapple will be more mushy after freezing. But it still tastes delicious!
How to Serve Pineapple Chili
This chili is a great one to serve with a toppings bar. Here are my favorite toppings for this chili:
- Green onions
- Sour cream
- Cheddar cheese
- Avocado
- Tortilla chips
Adding pineapple to chili makes a unique chili recipe with a fun flavor twist. The sweet pineapple adds warmth to the slightly spicy chili for the perfect combination of sweet and spicy.
Instant Pot Pineapple Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 celery stalks chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt optional
- 1 can chili beans 16 ounce
- 1 can pineapple chunks drained (20 ounces)
- 1 can tomatoes with chiles 14 ounce
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot on saute and let it heat for a few minutes. Add the ground beef and cooking, stirring, for about 5 minutes.1 pound ground beef
- Once the meat is no longer pink add the onions, celery and garlic. Cook for another 5 minutes.1 onion, 4 celery stalks, 3 garlic cloves
- Turn the Instant Pot off. Add the beef broth and deglaze the Instant Pot. Stir, scraping the bottom to make sure no bits of beef or vegetables are stuck to the bottom. Deglazing reduces the chances of getting an Instant Pot Burn error.1 cup beef broth
- Add the chili powder, ginger, salt, chili beans and drained pineapple. Stir the ingredients to mix well.1 Tablespoon chili powder, 1 Tablespoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 can chili beans, 1 can pineapple chunks
- Add the can of tomatoes with chiles to the Instant Pot. Don’t stir it in, let the tomatoes sit on top. This also reduces the chances of getting a Burn error.1 can tomatoes with chiles
- Put the lid on the pressure cooker, making sure the sealing ring is in place and the valve is closed. Set for Manual, High pressure for 12 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to reach pressure.
- Once the pressure cooking is complete let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes. Then you can release any remaining pressure and serve.
- Garnish with green onions, cheese, sour cream, avocado or tortilla chips.
Notes
- You can substitute any type of ground meat for the ground beef, like ground pork or ground turkey. If you use a low fat type of ground meat add 2 Tablespoons of oil to brown the meat.
- I make and test my recipes in a 6 quart Instant Pot, and using a different size or brand might effect your results. If using an 8 quart Instant Pot I would probably suggest doubling this recipe.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
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I use imitation meat instead real meat.
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
How do you view the reviews?
Do I have to do anything different if I double the recipe?