Sweet Potato Chili
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Sweet Potato Chili is thick, hearty, and packed with black beans, pinto beans, tender sweet potatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, and bold homemade chili seasoning. Everything simmers together in one pot until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chili develops a rich, savory flavor with a subtle sweetness.
Pair with my Sweet Cornbread or Ciabatta Bread.
Quick Look: Sweet Potato Chili
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Cook: 35 minutes
- Total: 50 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Method: One-pot stovetop
- Dietary: Vegetarian with vegetable broth; can easily be made vegan
- Technique: Sauté, bloom spices, simmer, and naturally thicken
- Flavor: Smoky, savory, subtly sweet, warmly spiced
- Texture: Thick and hearty with creamy beans and tender sweet potatoes
Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili Recipe!
As soon as the weather cools down, I crave a cozy pot of chili. This Sweet Potato Chili is hearty and satisfying, with tender sweet potatoes, creamy beans, and a rich tomato base. My homemade chili seasoning is the little secret that takes it to the next level. Add all your favorite toppings and let everyone build their own bowl- my kind of dinner!
You’ll also like my Healthy White Chicken Chili and Taco Soup.
Made With Amore,
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
The flavor comes from a combination of sweet potatoes, two types of beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and homemade chili seasoning simmered together until thick and hearty.
- Sweet Potatoes: Cut them into uniform 1/2-inch cubes so they become tender while holding their shape.
- Black Beans and Pinto Beans: Using two types of beans gives the chili a mix of textures, with pinto beans adding extra creaminess.
- Fire-Roasted Crushed Tomatoes: Create the rich tomato base and add a subtle smoky flavor.
- Homemade Chili Seasoning: The blend of chili powder, paprika, cumin, onion, garlic, oregano, heat, salt, pepper, and optional cinnamon builds the main flavor of the chili.
- Vegetables: Yellow onion, red bell pepper, and garlic create the savory base of the chili.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Beans: Kidney beans, cannellini beans, or chickpeas can be used in place of the black or pinto beans. For more delicious soups packed with beans, try my 15 Bean Soup and Sausage White Bean Soup.
- More Vegetables: Add corn, zucchini, carrots, or spinach if desired.
- More Heat: Add minced chipotle in adobo or additional cayenne for a spicier bowl.
- Add Meat: Brown 1 pound ground turkey or beef first, remove excess fat, then continue with the recipe. You’d like my Beef and Bean Chili.
How to Make Sweet Potato Chili
Sauté the vegetables, bloom the homemade chili seasoning, then simmer the sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, and broth together until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chili thickens. Follow the step-by step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Don’t let it brown.
- Add the diced sweet potatoes and homemade chili seasoning. Stir well so the vegetables are coated in the spices. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often. This quick step wakes up the dried spices before adding the liquid and gives the finished chili much more depth.
- Add the black beans, pinto beans, crushed tomatoes, and broth. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender and the chili has thickened. Keep it at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil so the sweet potato pieces hold their shape.
- For an even thicker chili, use the back of a wooden spoon to mash a few pieces of sweet potato and some beans against the side of the pot, then stir them back in. If it becomes thicker than you like, add a splash more broth.
- Taste and add more homemade chili seasoning or salt as needed. Remember that toppings like cheese and tortilla chips will add saltiness, too. Spoon into bowls and let everyone add their favorite toppings.
Sweet Potato Chili FAQs
No. Add the raw sweet potato cubes directly to the pot. They cook right in the tomato broth, which means fewer dishes and more flavor.
Cut them into even 1/2-inch cubes and keep the chili at a gentle simmer. Start checking them around 20 minutes and stop cooking as soon as they’re fork-tender. Uneven pieces are usually the culprit when some turn mushy while others stay firm.
First, simmer it uncovered a little longer. For an even thicker chili, mash a few sweet potato pieces and beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in. No flour or cornstarch needed. Thick versus saucy consistency is something home cooks specifically discuss with this dish.
Yes. Add everything to the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours or LOW for 5 to 6 hours, just until the sweet potatoes are tender. Check toward the end since sweet potatoes can become too soft when cooked for a long time. Similar slow-cooker versions use roughly this range.
This chili is perfect for making ahead, and the flavors are even better the next day. Store cooled chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or microwave individual portions until hot. Add a splash of broth if the chili has thickened while sitting.
Serving Suggestions
This sweet potato chili is delicious with a few simple sides that balance its warmly spiced flavor. Serve it with my Sweet Cornbread or Ciabatta Bread for dipping, or add something fresh and crisp like a Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad or Famous La Scala Chopped Salad. Make sure to add your favorite toppings! I like avocado, jalapenos, sour cream, and cheese. For dessert, take a look at my Pecan Pie Brownies.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Cut the sweet potatoes evenly. Keep the pieces at 1/2 inch so they become tender at roughly the same time.
- Bloom the spices. Let the homemade chili seasoning cook with the vegetables for 1 to 2 minutes before adding the liquid to deepen its flavor.
- Use fire-roasted tomatoes. They add a subtle smoky note that works especially well with the sweet potatoes and chili seasoning.
- Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can cause the sweet potato pieces to break apart before the chili has finished cooking.
- Thicken naturally. Mash a few beans and sweet potato pieces into the chili instead of adding a separate thickener.
Other Soup Recipes You’ll Love
💙 MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💙 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love connecting with you! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Pinterest.
Sweet Potato Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
- 2 tablespoons homemade chili seasoning, plus more to taste
- 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
- 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth, low sodium
- Salt, to taste, if needed
For serving, optional:
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Thinly sliced scallions
- Diced avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Sliced jalapeño
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the garlic. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Don’t let it brown.
- Add the sweet potatoes and seasoning. Add the diced sweet potatoes and homemade chili seasoning. Stir well so the vegetables are coated in the spices. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often. This quick step wakes up the dried spices before adding the liquid and gives the finished chili much more depth.
- Build the chili. Add the black beans, pinto beans, crushed tomatoes, and broth. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.
- Simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender and the chili has thickened. Keep it at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil so the sweet potato pieces hold their shape.
- Adjust the consistency. For an even thicker chili, use the back of a wooden spoon to mash a few pieces of sweet potato and some beans against the side of the pot, then stir them back in. If it becomes thicker than you like, add a splash more broth.
- Taste. Taste and add more homemade chili seasoning or salt as needed. Remember that toppings like cheese and tortilla chips will add saltiness, too.
- Serve. Spoon into bowls and let everyone add their favorite toppings. I love the contrast of cool avocado or sour cream with the warm, smoky chili and a few crunchy tortilla chips on top. Serve with my homemade cornbread recipe.
Notes
- Pair with my Sweet Cornbread or Ciabatta Bread, or add something fresh and crisp like a Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad or Famous La Scala Chopped Salad.
- Cut the sweet potatoes evenly. Keep the pieces at 1/2 inch so they become tender at roughly the same time.
- Bloom the spices. Let the homemade chili seasoning cook with the vegetables for 1 to 2 minutes before adding the liquid to deepen its flavor.
- Use fire-roasted tomatoes. They add a subtle smoky note that works especially well with the sweet potatoes and chili seasoning.
- Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can cause the sweet potato pieces to break apart before the chili has finished cooking.
- Thicken naturally. Mash a few beans and sweet potato pieces into the chili instead of adding a separate thickener.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
