Description
Sweet Potato Chili is a rich, comforting, and hearty dish that combines naturally sweet and creamy sweet potatoes with robust spices, beans, and vegetables. Perfect for cozy dinners, this versatile recipe is vegetarian-friendly, easily customizable, and ideal for batch cooking. Enjoy layers of warm, earthy flavors and satisfying textures in every nourishing bowl.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into bite-sized chunks
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
Spices
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Liquids and Canned Goods
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable broth
Beans and Oils
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients: Start by peeling and dicing your sweet potatoes into bite-sized chunks while chopping onions, garlic, and bell peppers finely to ensure even cooking and easy flavor release.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, cooking until soft and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes, to build the base flavor.
- Add spices and vegetables: Mix in chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper, stirring to toast the spices slightly. Add diced bell peppers and sweet potatoes, coating them well with the spices for depth.
- Pour in tomatoes and broth: Add canned diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer uncovered for about 25-30 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.
- Stir in beans and finish: About 10 minutes before the end, add rinsed beans to the pot to heat through and blend flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed for a perfect balance.
Notes
- Use fresh spices: Fresh chili powder and cumin bring out much richer flavors than old, stale spices.
- Don’t overcook sweet potatoes: Keep them tender but not mushy to maintain pleasant texture throughout the chili.
- Simmer low and slow: Slow simmering helps flavors meld together and develops a deeper, richer profile.
- Allow it to rest: Let the chili sit for 10-15 minutes off the heat before serving for the best flavor absorption.
- Optional smoky twist: Add a dash of smoked paprika or chipotle powder if you want a smoky edge.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Sweet Potato Chili, Vegetarian Chili, Hearty Chili, Comfort Food, Gluten Free Chili, Bean Chili, Fall Recipe
