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    Home » Simple Vegan Recipes

    Instant Pot Chili with Canned Beans and Tofu

    Last Modified: Jan 13, 2023 by Becky Striepe

    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Print

    This recipe is sponsored by EZ Tofu Press. All opinions are, as always, 100% my own!

    Instant Pot Chili with Canned Beans and Tofu is one of my family's favorite meals, and it's so, so easy to make!

    overhead photo of tofu chili in a bowl with vegan sour cream on top

    We have been eating this easy, delicious Instant Pot Chili with Canned Beans and Tofu once a week for months now! I love how it makes the house smell as it cooks, and I love that I don't have to watch a pot on the stove. Instead, you just saute a few ingredients, then add the rest of the chili ingredients, and let the pressure cooker do its thing.

    PS - If you have leftover Instant Pot Chili, you can use it to make an awesome Leftover Chili Pie for supper tomorrow!

    You may be asking, "Why use canned beans in the Instant Pot?" Of course, you can make chili from dried beans in your Instant Pot, but it takes longer. Sure, it doesn't take all day, like it would on the stove, but it still needs to cook at pressure for about an hour. Instant Pot Chili with Canned Beans and Tofu cooks at pressure for just 8 minutes!

    overhead photo of tofu chili in a bowl with vegan sour cream on top

    Prepping Your Tofu

    Pressing your tofu makes a big difference when you're cooking up this chili. As you guys probably know by now, I like to press mine with my EZ Tofu Press. The EZ Tofu Press uses two flat boards that tighten together with screws to press the tofu quickly, thoroughly, and evenly. I like to start my tofu pressing before I prep my veggies and other ingredients for this chili. That's more than enough time!

    Pressing Tofu

    When you press, you get the water out of the tofu, which makes it much firmer and better at standing up to the heat and pressure in the Instant Pot.

    Plus, when you press your chili, you're making more room for it to soak in the tasty broth flavors as it cooks. You'll end up with much more flavorful tofu if you take the few extra minutes to press.

    bowl of tofu chili in a bowl with vegan sour cream on top with the Instant Pot in the background

    Let's make some chili!

    This recipe makes about four to six generous servings. For my family of two adults and a preschooler, we get three suppers and two adult-sized lunches out of this pot. I'm erring on the conservative side with this recipe and calling it four servings, but you can definitely stretch it out depending on the toppings that you choose.

    Like most chilis, the toppings are my favorite part of this recipe. I think that's what makes chili such a crowd-pleasing recipe. Everyone can mix and match toppings to create their own perfect bowl of cozy, beany, goodness.

    SO! Choose your toppings, pull out your Instant Pot, and let's make some chili, y'all!

    Instant Pot Chili with Canned Beans and Tofu is one of my family's favorite meals, and it's so, so easy to make!

    Instant Pot Chili with Canned Beans and Tofu

    Instant Pot Chili with Canned Beans and Tofu is one of my family's favorite meals, and it's so, so easy to make!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    4.34 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Keyword: instant pot tofu chili
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 438kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    For the Instant Pot Chili

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 cup chopped onion
    • 1 bell pepper - chopped (Whatever color you like!)
    • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 tablespoons chili powder
    • 2 teaspoons cumin
    • 1 block extra firm tofu - pressed and diced into 1" pieces
    • ¾ cup water
    • 1 Not Beef Cube
    • 1 15-ounce can black beans - drained
    • 1 15-ounce can pinto beans - drained
    • 1 14.5-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
    • 1 cup fresh, frozen, or canned corn
    • salt and pepper - to taste

    Toppings (Choose your faves!)

    • Haas avocado
    • green onions
    • pickled jalapenos
    • vegan sour cream
    • vegan cheese shreds

    Instructions

    • Turn on your pressure cooker to the saute function, and add the oil. Saute the onion and bell pepper for a few minutes, until the onion turns translucent.
    • Add the garlic powder, salt, chili powder, and cumin. Give a quick stir, then add the tofu. Toss the tofu with the spices for 2 minutes.
    • Add everything else but the salt, pepper, and toppings. Stir, and lock your pressure cooker's lid. Bring to high pressure for 8 minutes, then do a natural release (10-15 minutes).

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot

    Notes

    Adapted from Dad Cooks Dinner.
    Creamy Buffalo Chili Variation: If you love Buffalo sauce like I do, I highly recommend adding it to this chili! Just add about a tablespoon to your bowl, if you're craving some heat. I like to offset the spicy, vinegary Buffalo sauce with a dollop of vegan sour cream. So good!

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Instant Pot Chili with Canned Beans and Tofu
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    438
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    6
    g
    9
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    5
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Sodium
     
    846
    mg
    35
    %
    Potassium
     
    1515
    mg
    43
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    71
    g
    24
    %
    Fiber
     
    19
    g
    76
    %
    Sugar
     
    7
    g
    8
    %
    Protein
     
    27
    g
    54
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1710
    IU
    34
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    35
    mg
    42
    %
    Calcium
     
    174
    mg
    17
    %
    Iron
     
    7
    mg
    39
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo!Mention @GlueAndGlitter on Instagram or Twitter!

    close-up of tofu chili in a bowl with vegan sour cream on top with the Instant Pot in the background, with text overlay

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    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Donna Ponte

      July 22, 2020 at 12:37 pm

      I have a beautiful All-Clad pressure cooker and would like to make the chili from scratch. Please tell me how much dry black and pinto beans to use. I'll then soak them overnight before I make the recipe in the pressure cooker.
      PS I love Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes too!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        July 22, 2020 at 1:23 pm

        That's a great question! That kind of conversion would require quit a bit of testing to sort out, and I'd hate to guess wrong! I'd recommend cooking the beans completely first, then using the cooked beans (1 1/2 cups per can the recipe calls for) in the chili recipe.

        Reply
    2. Shellie

      May 11, 2020 at 3:46 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious Becky. We loved it, and two of us ate it all.

      Reply
    3. missy

      March 19, 2020 at 4:16 pm

      Why has this recipe disappeared? All I can see are the comments & an about me blurb

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        March 20, 2020 at 10:34 am

        Oh that is weird! I am seeing it on my end. Maybe it was just a momentary glitch, where the recipe card wasn't loading? Let me know if you still can't see it if you refresh the page.

        Reply
    4. ROBIN Denise SCHULTZ

      February 11, 2020 at 7:55 am

      If the beans are canned, why do you need to cook it for so long? Seems like it would just need a couple of minutes to heat it through.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        February 11, 2020 at 10:25 am

        The cooking time allows the flavors to meld. You know how chili usually tastes even better the next day? Cooking for a bit longer gives you a bit of that flavor boost on day one.

        Reply
        • Kermit D Gingerich

          June 23, 2020 at 6:59 pm

          wonder where the recipe is also. Can't find it.

          Reply
          • Becky Striepe

            June 24, 2020 at 10:15 am

            If you are having a hard time finding it, you may need to disable your ad blocker. I use a recipe card plugin, and aggressive ad blockers block the recipe for some strange reason!

            Reply
    5. Sherie

      January 28, 2019 at 9:36 pm

      5 stars
      I am not accustomed to cooking with tofu, but this chili was amazing! I threw in a tablespoon of cocoa, a splash of wine, and a little honey at the end. It was probably the best chili I have made. Thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        January 29, 2019 at 7:11 am

        Ooh I love cocoa in chili! So glad you enjoyed it.

        Reply
    6. Shannon

      April 14, 2018 at 12:23 am

      5 stars
      We had a guest in who has recently adopted a strict vegan diet (no added oils) to address health concerns. I bought tofu and many vegetables and googled "tofu vegan chili instant pot." This recipe popped up, and it was so simple and flavorful. The guest enjoyed it and asked if she could pack the leftovers for her lunch and dinner tomorrow as she heads back on the road. The only modifications I made were no oil to saute the onions and peppers (added a little water instead) and some Mrs. Dash's original seasoning since I did not have the Not Beef Cube. I do not own a tofu press, but I bought extra firm tofu. It held up just fine. We spooned the chili over potatoes and acorn squash (also prepared in the instant pot).

      Thanks for sharing your recipe. It was a success!

      Reply
    7. Cassie

      February 19, 2018 at 8:31 am

      1 star
      I tried this yesterday - my IP kept displaying ‘burn’ message. After some online research, I found out that there should have been NO stirring after adding tomatoes. The sauce get too thick and not enough steam can build up.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        February 19, 2018 at 9:21 am

        So strange! I’ve never had that happen. Thank you for sharing this experience, in case it happens to someone else though. What kind of IP do you have?

        Reply
    8. Mary Ellen | VNutrition

      November 29, 2017 at 8:37 am

      5 stars
      So excited to try this once my Instantpot arrives! I think it's supposed to get here today. This looks so simple but tasty - my kind of meal!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 29, 2017 at 8:40 am

        I’m excited for your IP to arrive! You’re going to love it!

        Reply
    9. Sarah

      November 28, 2017 at 6:52 pm

      I love how simple and delicious this looks. I just got an Instant Pot and I always forget to use it. This is a great reminder! Thanks :)

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 28, 2017 at 7:09 pm

        Hooray! Enjoy your new IP!

        Reply
    10. Sarah De la Cruz

      November 28, 2017 at 2:33 am

      Love this! And I use canned beans as a short cut all of the time! Sometimes you just need something quick—and this looks like just the thing!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 28, 2017 at 6:59 am

        Totally! I had such a hard time finding any chili recipes for the IP that used canned beans, and zero vegan ones.

        Reply
    11. Linda Melgoza

      November 27, 2017 at 4:03 pm

      Is there any broth to this chili? 3/4 water doesn't sound like much for all those ingredients. I'm a newbie. Thanks

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 27, 2017 at 4:05 pm

        The IP uses less water bc it doesn’t lose steam. The tomatoes add liquid, also.

        Reply
    12. Dianne

      November 27, 2017 at 3:24 pm

      I've never made chili with tofu, but I love the idea! I need to break out my instant pot and try it!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 27, 2017 at 3:59 pm

        Treat yourself!

        Reply
    13. Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day

      November 27, 2017 at 2:01 pm

      5 stars
      I am adding this recipe to my list! What a delicious looking chili. And it's so easy to make!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 27, 2017 at 2:12 pm

        Hooray! Enjoy it, Amy!

        Reply
    14. Mischele HArt

      November 27, 2017 at 9:24 am

      Please sign me up for your newsletter/notifications of new posts. This recipe looks amazing!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 27, 2017 at 12:04 pm

        Thank you! You can sign up for my weekly newsletter right here, Mischele: http://eepurl.com/zfiP

        Reply

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    About Me

    Glue and Glitter
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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