It is the perfect bowl of comfort on a cold day and tastes even better when eaten while watching your favorite football team play. Or, if you’re like me and don’t care much for football, you can eat this while watching your favorite Christmas movie – even though it’s only October, and your family will likely judge you for it. Sigh, true story. It’s no secret that we are a chili-loving household. I make chili all the time in many different ways. This instant pot beef and bean chili is different from the rest of the recipes on my blog in that this recipe calls for dried beans. Dried kidney beans, to be exact. I typically bulk my chili up with vegetables, but today, I’m sharing a more traditional recipe using a few simple ingredients: meat, beans, and tomatoes. This, my friends, is the chili of my childhood. You can easily adjust the spice level of this chili – add extra jalapenos and cayenne to make it spicy! I usually use one jalapeno with the rib/seeds removed which results in a mild but flavorful chili. I’ll add extra jalapenos and cayenne directly to my husband’s bowl because he prefers spicy chili. My son, who recently turned one, really loves this chili! I serve it to him over a piece of bread and then cover it with some cheese. He can’t get enough of it! He devours it within seconds. The first time I gave this to him, I turned around for a minute and was shocked to find his tray completely empty when I looked back over at him. I seriously searched his seat and the floor because I was sure he must have thrown it – but he ate the whole thing. This dish cooks very quickly in an instant pot, but it does require a little planning – you just need to remember to soak the beans overnight. I always soak beans overnight in cold water because it’s supposed to help with digestion. Some people argue that soaking the beans doesn’t do anything. My mom has always soaked legumes as has her mom – it’s how I was taught. I realize that people are pretty split over whether to soak beans. You know where I stand, but feel free to do what you like! Tell me what you think of this chili after you make it! I also really want to know if you ate it while watching football or a Christmas movie or well, something else. I’m a bit nosy and like to know these things, haha. 🙂 Like this recipe? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board now so you will remember to make it later!
