A super easy sweet potato chili recipe, with everything you could ever want in a quick and healthy weeknight meal!
The best sweet potato chili
This classic homemade vegetarian chili recipe has been a favorite in my family for over ten years.
Packed with delicious and wholesome ingredients like sweet potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and black beans, what’s not to love?
Leftovers freeze well too, so it’s a really great healthy recipe for meal prep!
Along with my Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies, this chili is one of the first recipes I ever made without following instructions in a cookbook.
The chili can be vegan, gluten free, Whole 30, paleo, high in protein, and oil free.
Also try these Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Chili serving suggestions
Sliced Avocado
One of these Cauliflower Recipes
Serve over rice or quinoa
Serve over spaghetti squash
Or make up a batch of Applesauce Muffins or these Oatmeal Muffins to go along with your chili.
To make the sweet potato vegetarian chili, start by peeling your sweet potatoes and chopping the onions.
(I love roasting the sweet potato before beginning, but it’s not required.)
In a large pot, bring all ingredients except the zucchini to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low, and cook uncovered (adding zucchini about halfway through) until the sweet potato is soft.
Depending on the size of the potato, it should take around 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
I haven’t tried the recipe in an instant pot, so be sure to report back if you try. There is a slow cooker chili version here: Crock Pot Sweet Potato Chili.
Add a shake of hot sauce for smoky or spicy chili, and feel free to use whatever beans you have on hand. I especially like it as black bean sweet potato chili.
Leftover Sweet Potato? Make this Sweet Potato Salad or these Sweet Potato Brownies.
Above, watch the video of how to make sweet potato chili
The recipe was adapted from my Vegetarian Chili Recipe.
Sweet Potato Chili
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato (10 oz)
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 can black beans, or beans of choice
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup chopped zucchini, optional
- 2 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1/2 tsp each: cumin and salt
Instructions
- Peel sweet potato, and chop or dice, depending on desired size. (If you have time, I love roasting the sweet potato now, but it's not required.) Bring all ingredients except zucchini to a boil. Then turn to medium-low and cook uncovered (add zucchini about halfway through) until sweet potato is soft. It depends on the size of the potato but should take around 15 minutes. Taste, and add salt and pepper as desired. I add an additional 1/2 tsp salt. Serve with sliced avocado, tortilla chips, or whatever you wish.View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
More Healthy Dinner Recipes
Good cornbread recipe would actually be considered Spoon Bread. Its only made with cornflour. 🙂
http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/fluffy_spoon_bread
(It isnt the exact recipe I use but its close. I use the one from the older Better Homes And Garden cookbook)
OH! Thanks for the recipe! I cant wait to make this!
This was AMAZING. I was shocked at how sweet it came out. I’m really hoping my girls like it because this will definitely go into rotation!
I guess i am very literal, but do you mean chopped onion and should the beans be drained and rinsed?
Yes drain and rinse.
I like bigger onion pieces (so sliced), but you can dice tiny if you prefer.
I made this soup and it was outstanding! The flavors played off of each other so well. The orange zest adds so much to it surprisingly. I served it to friends and will make it again next week end for more friends. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I served simply with cornbread and an optional side salad.
I love your blog and i’ve made maybe half a dozen recipes so far, but I wanted to tell you that I made this recipe a couple weeks ago and froze the leftovers. My fiance and I just had some of the leftovers for lunch and he says, I quote:
“You need to make another 3 gallons of this stuff.”
So, I just wanted to share his highest praise with you! Thanks for writing!
Aww your comment put the biggest smile on my face, Christine!
I made this for dinner tonight. I cook all my soups in my pressure cooker so I dumped in all the ingredients, cooked for 8 minutes and it was done! It was great! A new favorite chili for our vegetarian family! I also don’t buy canned beans, I ended up putting about 4 cups cooked black beans in there.
Katie, I just started reading blogs about a month ago found yours and saved this chili recipe. I just made it, WOW, it is absolutely delicious! My husband even liked it. Thanks so much. I will be trying more of your recipes soon!!!
Thank you Katie – for a fabulous recipe. We just loved it. That hint of
orange in the chili was genius!
This chili is so good that I had to stop myself from eating a third bowl…not kidding.
Hi, do you think this would work with pumpkin instead of sweet potato? this would make it a 0 weightwatchers poingt dish! thanks
If you try it, be sure to report back with the results!