AIP Chili Recipe (Instant Pot, Nightshade-Free, Paleo, Whole30)

This fabulous nightshade-free AIP chili recipe packs an amazing flavor punch. It is my new favorite recipe. It may seem impossible to make a decent chili with no tomatoes and other nightshades but this tastes pretty close to the real thing. This paleo chili is made in an instant pot but you can find stovetop instructions below as well. The prep is relatively simple and the pressure cooker does the rest! The meal is ready in roughly an hour (of which only about 15 minutes is active prep work).

Yes, this recipe includes beets but don’t worry- they can be easily swapped out for something else if you’re not a fan (see below). 

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Ingredients in AIP Chili

I know this seems like a lot of ingredients but it’s mostly spices and they give it such a wonderful flavor. 

• Avocado Oil– You can also use olive oil, coconut oil, or other oil of choice.
• Yellow Onion– White onion would be fine too. 
• Ground Beef– I used some of my grass-fed ground beef from ButcherBox. White Oak Pastures is also a great place to find grass-fed beef. 
• Red Wine Vinegar– Some people have questions about wine vinegars on AIP. Red and white wine vinegar, plum vinegar, and champagne vinegars are AIP compliant. If you have a histamine intolerance, that may be a reason to avoid it, but otherwise, enjoy! I highly recommend using it in this recipe if you can. If you don’t have it or can’t use it, you can use white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or maybe a little lemon juice but I would add it slowly and taste as you go. You may also be able to omit it entirely if needed. 
• Carrots- I used carrots, parsnips, and beets for this chili but really you can use any starchy vegetables you want, like squash, sweet potatoes, yucca root, taro, boniato, etc.
• Parsnips
• Beets- I know not everyone loves beets and that’s ok. If you don’t prefer the taste of beets, you can sub in something else. Golden beets have a much milder flavor so that’s one option (though it’s still beets). If you prefer to avoid beets completely, you can just use extra carrots and parsnips in place of the beets. Other veggies that could replace the beets include sweet potatoes, red cabbage, and turnips.
• Low Sodium Beef Broth or Bone Broth– Use homemade or if using store-bought, make sure it’s AIP compliant. *Note- I used low sodium broth for this recipe. If you use a regular broth (not low sodium), you will likely need to add less salt than the recipe calls for.  homemade and/or AIP compliant store-bought
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Dill Weed
• Cinnamon
• Ground Ginger
• Dried oregano
• Sea Salt
• Dried Thyme
• Turmeric

How to Make AIP Chili in the Instant Pot

1. Set the instant pot to the saute function. Heat 1 tbsp of oil for about a minute then add the diced onions. Saute and stir for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
2. Add the ground beef, vinegar, and seasonings. Continue cooking/stirring until browned.
3. Add the broth, parsnips, carrots, and beets. Turn the saute function off and place the lid on the instant pot. Turn the steam valve to “sealing”. Set to high pressure and set to cook for 30 minutes.
4. Once the time is up, allow for a 10 minute natural steam release followed by a quick release.
5. Scoop out about 1 cup of the chili and blend it in a blender or food processor, then add it back to the chili. This will make for a thicker, richer sauce.

How to do NATURAL RELEASE ON AN INSTANT POT

While the food is cooking, the steam valve is set to “sealing” to keep the steam in the pot and the pressure up.

Once the cooking time is finished, a natural release simply means you leave the valve alone (sealed) and allow the pressure to come down naturally. 

This recipe says to give the natural release 10 minutes. This allows the pressure to come down part of the way. Then a short quick release at the end gets the rest of the steam out.

A quick-release means turning the valve to “venting” (basically it’s open) right after cooking and quickly releasing the steam. This has to be done carefully to avoid burning your arm or hand as the steam is very hot and there can be some splatter. I usually put a folded towel over the valve to block the steam and any water splatter.

Can You Make This AIP Chili on the Stove?

Yep! The directions are on the recipe card.

How Long Can You Keep This in the Fridge?

This will keep in the fridge for about 5 days. You can freeze it if you don’t think you’ll use it in time. 

Can You Freeze This Chili?

Yes. This is great for meal prep and freezer cooking. Just store it in a tightly sealed freezer-safe container. 

Notes

Thicker Sauce– One of the steps involves scooping out 1-2 cups of chili and blending it in the blender. This is an optional step but recommended because it makes the sauce much thicker, richer, and more chili-like. 

Using Different Veggies– As mentioned above, you can use whatever starchy vegetables you like. Some examples would be but squash, sweet potatoes, yucca root, taro, boniato, etc.

Use a Little Extra Broth if cooking it on the stove. You’ll use an extra cup of broth for the stovetop recipe since some liquid is lost to evaporation while it’s simmering.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like: 

Moroccan Chicken Stew

Ground Turkey Stroganoff

Easy Ground Beef Vegetable Skillet

Korean Glass Noodle Recipe with Ground Beef

57+ AIP Pantry Items and What to do With Them

Conclusion:

I hope you found this post useful. If you tried this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know what you thought!

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