Sweet Potato Quinoa Lentil Chili Instant Pot Carve Your Craving

I am a big advocate of one-pot meals. In today’s unprecedented times when everyone is at home, Instant Pot recipes like this Curried Quinoa Spinach Sweet Potato and this pot in pot Dal Rice recipes are a big savior. My kids have started to love quinoa after I made this Vegetable Lentil Quinoa Soup and then there was no looking back. We are leaning towards more whole foods to keep our immune system high. My Sweet Potato Quinoa Lentil Chili is one such superfood meal packed with nutrient-dense ingredients.

This recipe is made up of four main ingredients and the rest are the tastemakers Main ingredients The tastemakers for this chili recipe are green chilies, onion, garlic, vegetable stock, fire-roasted tomatoes, and spices. We need them to make a meal tasty. These are equally important but can be adjusted to your preference.

Step by step instructions to make Instant Pot oil-free chili

I start by switching on the Instant Pot on saute mode. Then I add chilies, garlic, and onions. Sautee them with ¼ cup water for a minute. After that, I throw in the sweet potato, spices, lentil, quinoa, and vegetable broth. Then top it with tomato puree and fire-roasted tomatoes.

I don’t stir the chili at all because the tomato puree will stick to the bottom giving burn notification on the pot. Let it be absorbed slowly. Next, I place the lid and turn the knob to the SEALING position. Lastly, I press the porridge mode, use the (+/-) button, and come down to 14 minutes and let the chili cook on NORMAL pressure with natural pressure release. My work is done here.

Once the silver pin drops down its time to taste the chili and adjust any seasoning like salt if needed.

Just before eating add your favorite toppings like chilled sour cream, extra chilies, any garnishes like cilantro or spring onions to the chili.

Important tips to make a successful & delicious vegan chili

Possible substitutes

Vegetable stock adds a lot of flavor to this dish. If you don’t have it then this what you will do. Use an equal amount of water, throw in a bay leaf, small cinnamon stick, ¼ teaspoon of onion, and garlic powder. You can substitute sweet potato with pumpkin or butternut squash. You can use green lentil instead of brown ones. Swap fire-roasted tomatoes with an equal amount of tomato puree.

Storing Quinoa Lentil Chili

Chili makes great leftovers. Store it in the fridge for 3 days. Or freeze it in airtight containers for up to 3 months. As chili will thicken, add water to get it to the desired consistency.

Make-Ahead Of Time Tips

I love batch cooking and just double up this recipe and freeze. Seriously guys, please make a big batch of this chili, freeze it in portion size containers and add it to everything. Cooking every day is tiring and eating the same food day after day is boring. I totally get it. We dislike repeating the same meal for days. So, I have some amazing ideas for you to keep this chili interesting and adding to your diet just once a week. Pick and choose the day!

Some creative ideas to use this Quinoa Lentil Chili for months.

Repeat this every week to get into a clean eating routine. Or just rotate between this Vegan Beetroot Bean Chili and Instant Pot Two Lentil Vegetable Chili. Starting fall through winter I recommend adding my Black-eyed peas Lentils Butternut Squash Chili. It is so freaking delicious. The bonus thing is that all the above recipes are a one-pot meal made in an Instant Pot for maximum convenience.

A final note before the recipe

Minimum processed ingredients, zero oil, sugar-free whole grains, and veggies will make your tummy happy. I am sure you will feel good about what you ate. Make it a routine at least once a week to have unprocessed food. There is so much you can eat with very little effort. Have lots of fruits, veggies, legumes, beans, whole grain pasta, nuts, seeds whole grain flour tortillas, tofu in moderation, and plant-based milk.