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Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

October 29, 2015 By Kaitlin McGinn 44 Comments

Our family’s favorite chili! This wonderfully satisfying Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili is super easy to make and full of rich, cozy flavors. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free)

Bowl of vegan sweet potato black bean chili topped with avocado

Hugging a warm bowl of chili totally comforts the soul. Especially on days like yesterday; a textbook autumn day with plenty of spooky Halloween vibes. Dark clouds looming with sprinkles of rain. Wind swirling the dull, crispy leaves in whimsical patterns. Ravens perched on the fence, crowing to the bare trees. It felt like something out of a movie, practically begging me to make chili. (Don’t have to ask me twice!)

Bowl of sweet potato chili topped with avocado and cilantro

Pretty sure this chili with fresh avocado on top is one of my favorite things ever. The broth thickens and develops such a rich, comforting flavor spiked with cumin and smoked paprika. And I love the combination of black beans and sweet potato together. Not to mention they look like a festive, color-themed meal for Halloween – perfect for warming you up after those chilly trick-or-treat shenanigans. Truly hope you enjoy this recipe as much as our family!

Come join The Garden Grazer on Instagram and share a photo if you make this! (Also please leave a review & star rating below if you give it a try. Your feedback is greatly appreciated – thank you!)

Overhead view of black bean chili in a bowl with avocado
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4.79 from 14 votes

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

Our family’s favorite chili! This Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili is super easy to make and full of rich, cozy flavors. Total soul-warming comfort food! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free)
Author: Kaitlin – The Garden Grazer
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:25 minutes
Total Time:45 minutes
Category: Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings:5 medium bowls

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric
  • 1 onion
  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 15 oz. can black beans
  • 15 oz. can pinto beans (or kidney, black, etc.)
  • 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • Salt to taste

Toppings (optional):

  • Avocado, cilantro, green onion, hot sauce, vegan sour cream, etc.

Instructions

  • Dice onion. Peel and dice sweet potato. Mince garlic.
  • In a stockpot over medium-high heat, saute onion for 6-7 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. broth/water for no-oil saute method.)
  • Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and sweet potato cubes. Saute for 3 minutes.
  • Add minced garlic and saute 1 minute.
  • Add vegetable broth and diced tomatoes with juice.
  • Rinse and drain beans. Add to stockpot.
  • Increase heat and bring to a boil. Then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 25 minutes (or until sweet potatoes are cooked through), stirring occasionally.
  • Salt to taste and add any desired toppings (avocado is my favorite!)

Notes

Try stirring in some cooked brown rice or quinoa to your bowl before serving!
This is fairly mild as written (if using a mild chili powder) so add more chili powder or cayenne pepper if you prefer it spicier. (Or try a little chipotle powder for a nice, smoky kick – we love this variation!)
Bell pepper is also a great addition. Simply dice and add it with the onion to sautΓ©.

Nutrition Per Serving (estimate)

Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Potassium: 966mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 8149IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 6mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @thegardengrazer on Instagram and hashtag it #thegardengrazer. I love seeing your recreations!
Sweet potato black bean chili in a bowl with avocado

Enjoying this Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili? Also check out this Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Stew, Asparagus Mushroom Stir Fry, or this roundup of 50 Awesome Vegan Black Bean Recipes for more black bean goodness.

Filed Under: Gluten-Free, Main Dish, Mexican-Inspired, Most Popular, Recipe, Soup, Vegan, WFPBNO Tagged With: autumn, black beans, chili, cumin, family-friendly, garlic, pinto beans, plant protein, smoked paprika, sweet potato, tomato, weeknight, winter

Previous Post: « Rustic Lentil & Potato Soup
Next Post: 5-Minute Lentil Tomato Salad »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle Gray

    October 29, 2015 at 3:20 pm

    Yum, you posted this at the absolute perfect time! I want to try a new chili recipe this weekend and this is definitely the one πŸ™‚ Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      October 31, 2015 at 10:04 pm

      Thank you! Hope you enjoy πŸ™‚

      Reply
    • DC Cat

      March 7, 2020 at 9:26 am

      Loved this chili. Added mushrooms, can of spicy rotel, Tj mix of peanut onions, celery and carrots. After sauteing veggies added to slow cooker. Awesome!5 stars

      Reply
      • Kaitlin McGinn

        March 10, 2020 at 9:59 am

        So great! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
  2. Unknown

    November 1, 2015 at 4:33 pm

    Made this last night……it was excellent!!!! I'm not a vegetarian, so I did add about a half pound of ground chicken, but other than that I followed the recipe as written and topped it with a couple of avocado slices. Can't wait for the leftovers tonight!! It's definitely going to be a recipe I turn to often. Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      November 1, 2015 at 6:40 pm

      Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  3. Hidayah Kendall

    November 8, 2015 at 2:25 am

    Does it matter what color bell pepper you use in this recipe?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      November 8, 2015 at 1:51 pm

      Hi! Any one will work! Though I usually use an orange or yellow for this since it’s not quite as bitter and the slight sweetness compliments the sweet potato very well πŸ™‚ I hope you enjoy!

      Reply
      • Amy

        October 14, 2019 at 4:39 pm

        I know this is an old comment, but I don’t see peppers in the ingredients.

        Reply
        • Kaitlin McGinn

          October 21, 2019 at 10:25 am

          Hi Amy! Good catch! When I first posted this recipe, I included a bell pepper but have since updated it and removed that ingredient. (The only reason for omission is most of the time when I make this now, I don’t have a bell pepper on hand and find it’s not absolutely necessary for the recipe.) It is a lovely addition however, so feel free to include it if you’d like! Just dice and add it with the onion while sauteing πŸ™‚ Hope you enjoy!

          Reply
  4. Gr8Life

    November 11, 2015 at 5:52 pm

    it looks fantastic! Can't wait to try it!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      November 16, 2015 at 5:08 pm

      Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  5. CK

    December 7, 2015 at 4:55 pm

    Wonderful chili. It's a winner in my book. Will be making this often. My grandson loved it too.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      December 7, 2015 at 6:02 pm

      So great to hear, thank you!

      Reply
  6. Molly Sitter

    January 6, 2016 at 6:46 pm

    I love this chili recipe. I've used it so many times for family and friends.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      January 9, 2016 at 4:27 pm

      So great to hear, Molly!

      Reply
  7. Laura Digilio

    February 17, 2016 at 1:44 pm

    This is tasty comfort in a bowl! I must have pinned about 20 different sweet potato chili recipes but they all tend to have an ingredient or two that I don't have or feel like buying because I know I'll never use it again. I came across this one yesterday while searching for something to do with the bag of sweet potatoes that I have lying around and was thrilled to realize that I had all of the ingredients, which feels like an even bigger win because I didn't have to leave the house. It was so incredibly easy, hearty, and delicious, and I love the fact that it fits into my healthy lifestyle! I followed the recipe exactly as written except I added a dash of cayenne pepper per your suggestion and it had just the right amount of heat. I gave it a test run while my husband is away on business but now I can't wait to make it again for the two of us when he returns because he will LOVE this. Now I'm off to check out your other recipes! Thanks again.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      February 23, 2016 at 4:34 pm

      That’s amazing! Thanks for sharing your feedback, Laura πŸ™‚

      Reply
  8. Chrystal Limon

    June 27, 2016 at 6:36 pm

    What is the serving size and nutrition on this? I made some last night had to double it for my large family. It was excellent.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      July 10, 2016 at 3:14 pm

      Hi Chrystal – so glad you enjoyed! The estimated nutritional content is now provided on the site! (You can find it below the recipe .)

      Reply
  9. Laura Bartlett

    October 4, 2016 at 12:36 am

    This is my favorite chili – hands down. Love it. Heartiest vegetarian chili I have had. A+!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      October 4, 2016 at 5:18 pm

      So great to hear!

      Reply
  10. Unknown

    October 5, 2016 at 3:03 pm

    Love this, made it yesterday.Best chilli ever, very fulfilling.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      October 6, 2016 at 3:22 pm

      Wonderful! Thanks for giving it a try and sharing your kind feedback πŸ™‚

      Reply
  11. Lynny B

    December 6, 2017 at 1:02 am

    Super good, this is now my go to chili recipe! Also just tried adding 1/2 cup of quinoa and that ended up being a lovely addition.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      December 12, 2017 at 5:34 pm

      So great! Love your quinoa addition – thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  12. Jackie Hickey

    March 8, 2018 at 12:04 am

    This is my favorite way to make chili! I made it for the very first time for a friend and she loved it too. I also tried using a 1/4c of quinoa as well to each portion when I put the portions into containers to store instead of sweet potatoes and it was just as delicious! I love your recipes so much

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      March 19, 2018 at 8:24 pm

      Awesome! Thank you for the kind feedback!

      Reply
  13. JourneyJournal

    March 8, 2018 at 1:11 am

    I've made this recipe several times and love it. Is it possible to freeze this recipe? It's just me and I would like to save the rest for later.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      March 19, 2018 at 8:28 pm

      So glad you’re enjoying πŸ™‚ I’ve personally never tried freezing this, but I bet it would freeze wonderfully. Would love to hear if you give it a go!

      Reply
  14. SteamQueen

    March 21, 2018 at 4:40 pm

    I add 1 can corn and a little left over breakfast sausage, so good! We’ve made it several times now

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      April 24, 2018 at 5:49 pm

      Fantastic! Thanks for sharing your adaptions!

      Reply
  15. Unknown

    December 9, 2018 at 11:56 pm

    Made this tonight, tasted awesome! Added tomato paste to make it thicker.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      February 24, 2019 at 2:37 pm

      Great call with the tomato paste! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  16. Angie Smith

    December 28, 2018 at 6:23 pm

    A favorite in our house! I usually throw everything in the instapot for 30 minutes and it turns out great!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      February 24, 2019 at 2:36 pm

      Wonderful! Thanks for sharing your helpful feedback!

      Reply
  17. Denise

    October 1, 2019 at 4:40 pm

    Just made this for lunch today……Tastes Amazing!!! Thanks for a great recipe 😊

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      October 21, 2019 at 10:17 am

      Wonderful to hear that Denise! Thanks for the kind feedback πŸ™‚

      Reply
  18. Diana

    December 11, 2019 at 7:21 pm

    In the winter I make soup every 3-4 days – this recipe is THE best soup I’ve ever made!!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      December 16, 2019 at 10:28 am

      Yay! So fantastic to hear you enjoyed this Diana! (I also make a big pot of soup/chili once or twice a week – love the leftovers as well.) Thanks so much for coming back to leave such sweet feedback. Very appreciated! Have a beautiful week and stay warm! -Kaitlin

      Reply
  19. Francie

    December 16, 2019 at 9:40 pm

    Are most of your soups easy/ok to freeze? Can’t wait to try!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      December 17, 2019 at 11:17 am

      Hi Francie! Yes! Most of the soups here will work wonderfully as freezer meals. Generally you’ll want to avoid any with a creamier base or ones with pasta as it tends to get mushy upon reheating. In that case, you can cook the soup without the pasta and add fresh pasta when you thaw and reheat. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  20. Zipporah

    August 16, 2020 at 4:37 pm

    This sweet potato black bean chili was delicious and so easy! Yum!5 stars

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      August 24, 2020 at 4:02 pm

      So lovely to hear that! Thanks for giving it a try and coming back to share your very kind feedback πŸ™‚ Very appreciated. Wishing you a beautiful week! -Kaitlin

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Kaitlin! I share easy vegan recipes that are mostly whole food, plant-based, oil-free, & gluten-free. Learn More About Me β†’

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