Sweet Potato Chili
This Sweet Potato Chili is a cozy one-pot dinner made with tender sweet potatoes, black beans, pinto beans, peppers, and fire-roasted tomatoes. Homemade chili seasoning gives the chili bold flavor, while gently simmering the ingredients together creates a thick, hearty texture.
Servings: 6 servings
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
Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 534mg | Potassium: 459mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 16951IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg
