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
InstructionsÂ
- 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
I was wondering what the serving size is and how many calories is in one serving ??
WOW!! This was good!!! Even the 16 year old teenager ate a whole bowl, and claimed it delicious! Thanks for the great recipe, its a keeper!
This is a fabulous recipe. I have made it 4 times, and shared it with many friends! Thank you – thank you!! Healthy – simple – memorable – a great combination!!
Hello Katie! I was so excited when I read that you lived in China. I am actually two weeks away from departing for Beijing! I understand China is not as vegan-friendly as the US is becoming, but do you have any tips for me? I am kind of just planning to not eat out for a while until I get the hang of conversing in Mandarin and can confidently order vegan dishes. I am hoping it won’t be too difficult for me since I don’t eat out much anyway.
Thanks! And this recipe looks wonderful, I plan on making it for dinner tonight 🙂
Hi Tamara. It will actually be easier than you think, because they eat a lot of different vegetables, use tofu all the time, and soy milk is readily available. There are many vegetarian restaurants too. I enjoyed visiting Beijing and I hope you do, too. 🙂
I just found this website yesterday and I made this chili today. WOW!!!! I am soooo happy!! This recipe was so easy and SOOOO yummy!! My Mom loved it too. I also made the chocolate chip blondies. ALSO YUMMY!! Katie, you are my hero!!
OMG! I just made this and it was fantastic. I actually boiled it on the stove and then left it in the oven on 300 degrees for about an hour…it was perfect! I added a little bit of pesto to my bowl when it was done 🙂
This sweet potato black bean chili is so good. I will be making it again for sure. I added cilantra and used yams instead of sweet potatoes as that is what I had on hand. Very good recipe
Just made it, cut it in half since it’s just for me, and added corn. It was wonderfully amazing!!! Thank you 🙂
Oh man, this was FANTASTIC. I made it yesterday for me and my roommate and her fiance, but neither of them showed up so a lot of it was actually put away for the next day. And you were completely right–the first day it was good, today while I’m eating it for lunch it’s FANTASTIC!
I think next time I make it I might halve the orange zest, and throw in some corn just because that sounds really tasty to me right now, and I know when my roommate and her fiance can’t eat many things for their orthodox lent, I’m going to make it. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Loved this recipe. I love sweet potatoes in things that aren’t sweet. I didn’t have a regular can of diced tomatoes, so I used a can of rotel (tomatoes and green chilis). It was spicy, but super yummy! Thanks for the great recipe!