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Home » Recipes » Chili

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

Oct 17, 2023 by Kaitlin · 42 Comments

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A feel-good Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili recipe that's satisfying and easy to make. It's full of rich, warm flavors and everyone can garnish their bowl with their own favorite toppings! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)

Overhead view of sweet potato black bean chili in a white bowl with spoon

This feel-good, cozy chili is like a warm hug in a bowl! It's made with healthy ingredients and simple pantry staples.

Hearty black beans with creamy sweet potato are a match made in heaven. We combine them with a richly flavorful broth with warm, smoky seasonings. Then everyone can garnish their bowl with their own favorite toppings!

This recipe has been a family-favorite for many years. My daughter still requests it often! I truly hope you enjoy it too.

Beans, potato, tomato, onion, garlic, and spice ingredients laid out on a metal tray

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Chili

For this recipe you will simmer in a large pot on the stove:

  • Yellow onion: Or white onion or sweet onion.
  • Fresh garlic cloves: Or substitute with dried garlic powder.
  • Sweet potato: We'll use one large sweet potato for this recipe (or about two cups cubed). You could also try butternut squash for a different variation!
  • Black beans: Beans are a great source of plant-based protein and fiber. They're a delicious & hearty base for this chili!
  • Canned diced tomatoes: I use fire-roasted tomatoes, but regular work great too.
  • Vegetable broth: Be sure to use low sodium if desired.
  • Chili powder: I use mild chili powder, most often from "Simply Organic". But if you're concerned about the spice level, simply cut back the chili powder, and increase the other seasonings instead. Most chili powders have only a slight hint of heat, but it can vary depending on how much cayenne pepper they contain.
  • Ground cumin
  • Smoked paprika: You can also add salt and black pepper to taste if desired.
Overhead view of adding ingredients to a large pot for chili

Customizing

Vegetables: Include other veggies like sweet corn (regular or fire-roasted), red bell pepper, diced green chiles, or poblano.

Make it "meaty": Add your favorite vegan ground beef crumbles if desired. I suggest cooking these separately according to package instructions. Then stir them into the pot towards the end of cook time.

Make it spicy: This chili is mild as written (if using mild chili powder). Spice it up with cayenne pepper, jalapeno, hot sauce to taste, or chipotle in adobo sauce.

Serving

Garnish your bowl with toppings before serving if you'd like! Fresh cilantro, avocado (my favorite!), green onion, hot sauce, fresh lime juice, crumbled tortilla chips, vegan cheddar cheese shreds, or dairy-free sour cream are great. Cooked brown rice or quinoa can be stirred in as well.

Sweet potato black bean chili cooking in a large pot with metal ladle

Storing

After it cools, store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I find it keeps well for about 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.

Freezing: I haven't tried freezing this chili, but I'm guessing it'd be great as a freezer meal. Be sure to let it cool completely, then transfer to a tightly sealed freezer-safe container. It should keep for about 1-2 months.

Overhead view of sweet potato black bean chili in a white bowl topped with avocado and cilantro

For more inspiration, also browse all chili recipes or easy vegan dinner recipes.

Overhead view of sweet potato black bean chili in a white bowl with spoon

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

A feel-good sweet potato chili that's satisfying and easy to make. It's full of rich, warm flavors. Plus everyone can garnish their bowl with their own favorite toppings!
4.90 from 19 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
Course: Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings: 5 medium bowls

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 large sweet potato (2 cups cubed)
  • 4-5 cloves garlic
  • 30 oz. canned black beans (two 15 oz. cans)
  • 15 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (or regular)
  • 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika

Toppings (optional):

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

Instructions

  • Dice onion. Peel and dice sweet potato.
  • In a stockpot over medium-high heat, sauté onion for 6-7 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. broth/water for no-oil sauté method.)
  • Add sweet potato, garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika. Stir and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add black beans (rinsed and drained), diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth.
  • Bring to a light boil. Then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes (or until sweet potatoes are cooked through), stirring occasionally.
  • Salt to taste and add any desired toppings. (I highly recommend avocado!)

Notes

Make it spicy: This is fairly mild as written (if using a mild chili powder) so add more chili powder or cayenne pepper if you like it spicier. Or add a dash of chipotle powder for a smoky kick.
Bean variation: Use one can pinto beans + one can black beans (instead of two black beans).
Red bell pepper: This is also a great addition. Simply dice and add it with the onion to sauté.
Recipe originally published October 2015. Updated October 2023.

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Nutrition Facts
Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
Amount per Serving
Calories
235
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
1
g
2
%
Saturated Fat
 
0.2
g
1
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.5
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
0.2
g
Potassium
 
932
mg
27
%
Carbohydrates
 
46
g
15
%
Fiber
 
15
g
63
%
Sugar
 
6
g
7
%
Protein
 
12
g
24
%
Vitamin A
 
7451
IU
149
%
Vitamin C
 
16
mg
19
%
Calcium
 
123
mg
12
%
Iron
 
5
mg
28
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.

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If you're enjoying this vegan Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili recipe, also check out:

  • Southwest Black Bean Soup
  • Mushroom Chili
  • Mexican Mac and Cheese
  • Red Lentil Sweet Potato Stew

Follow The Garden Grazer on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, or Facebook for more updates and inspiration.

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    Chipotle Black Bean Chili with Quinoa (Vegan!)

Comments

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    Recipe Rating:




  1. Christina says

    December 25, 2024 at 4:41 pm

    5 stars
    This was soooo good. I did add meat. I wanted to do ground turkey but grocery store was out so did ground angus. Had a bowl that night and it was good. Put the rest in the fridge and 2 days later it was phenomenal. Definitely try and make ahead so flavors can develop more!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      December 25, 2024 at 6:31 pm

      Thrilled to hear you enjoyed it, Christina! I agree - the leftovers are even better! Thanks for sharing your kind feedback.

      Reply
  2. Kathy says

    May 25, 2024 at 12:38 pm

    I would like to make this in the crockpot. Do you recommend cooking the sweet potato and onions separate and adding them in the crockpot at the end? This recipe sounds delicious!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      May 25, 2024 at 1:26 pm

      Hello, Kathy! I've never tried this recipe in a slow cooker/crockpot. But I'm guessing it would work great if you just added everything together and cooked on low for 5-8 hours. (Or on high for maybe 4 hours?) Or you may want to stir in the beans in at a later stage since canned beans are already cooked. You could also use 2 teaspoons onion powder instead of the fresh onion. Would love to hear if you give it a go and how it turns out!

      Reply
  3. Kevin says

    November 05, 2023 at 3:50 pm

    5 stars
    I love this - but did it get edited? I could’ve sworn it used to have pinto beans, and it no longer specifies when to add the sweet potato!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      November 05, 2023 at 4:39 pm

      Hello, Kevin! I did update it last month, yes! Thank you so much for catching & pointing out the sweet potato error. Not sure what happened, but that's been fixed. And the recipe used to include one can pinto beans + one can black beans. (I updated it with two cans black beans to simplify, but one of each is fantastic too!) Thank you again!

      Reply
    • Denise says

      February 03, 2024 at 6:03 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight but used black bean and chickpeas. Also threw in some yellow lentils with 1/4 cup more veggie broth. This was delicious! Very happy with this recipe.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin says

        February 03, 2024 at 7:00 pm

        Excellent additions, Denise! That sounds amazing. Thrilled to hear you enjoyed it and thanks for sharing your very kind and helpful feedback!

        Reply
  4. Annmarie says

    November 06, 2022 at 1:01 pm

    5 stars
    This was very good and so EASY to make! I used chipotle chili powder and regular paprika.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      November 06, 2022 at 2:59 pm

      Wonderful to hear, Annmarie! Chipotle chili powder sounds fantastic - thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  5. Kay says

    February 10, 2022 at 10:29 am

    I have been making this chili since you published it and it’s my favorite one!! Even my meat eater husband loves it!! I love it so much I won’t eat someone else’s chili!!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      February 10, 2022 at 11:15 am

      So great to hear that, Kay! Thrilled you're both enjoying it. Thanks very much for the kind feedback!

      Reply
  6. Theresa says

    April 07, 2021 at 1:32 pm

    5 stars
    This is my go-to, when I want to make chili! It is so good! I like mine more on the spicier side, so at the end of cooking, I add black pepper and a lot of sriracha. It comes out perfect! I have made this many times and will continue to do so. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn says

      April 07, 2021 at 2:08 pm

      Hi Theresa! That's really lovely to hear. So glad you're enjoying it. And great call with pepper + sriracha to spice it up! Thank you so much for sharing!

      Reply
  7. Zipporah says

    August 16, 2020 at 4:37 pm

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

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn says

      August 24, 2020 at 4:02 pm

      So lovely to hear that! Thanks for giving it a try and coming back to share your kind feedback.

      Reply
  8. DC Cat says

    March 07, 2020 at 9:26 am

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

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn says

      March 10, 2020 at 9:59 am

      So great! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  9. Diana says

    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 says

      December 16, 2019 at 10:28 am

      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.

      Reply
  10. Angie Smith says

    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 says

      February 24, 2019 at 2:36 pm

      Wonderful! Thanks for sharing your helpful feedback!

      Reply
  11. Unknown says

    December 09, 2018 at 11:56 pm

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

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer says

      February 24, 2019 at 2:37 pm

      Great call with the tomato paste! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  12. SteamQueen says

    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 says

      April 24, 2018 at 5:49 pm

      Fantastic! Thanks for sharing your adaptions!

      Reply
  13. JourneyJournal says

    March 08, 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 says

      March 19, 2018 at 8:28 pm

      So glad you're enjoying! 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. Jackie Hickey says

    March 08, 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 1/4 cup 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 says

      March 19, 2018 at 8:24 pm

      Awesome to hear you and your friend enjoyed, Jackie! Great idea with the quinoa. Thank you for the very kind feedback!

      Reply
  15. Lynny B says

    December 06, 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 says

      December 12, 2017 at 5:34 pm

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

      Reply
  16. Unknown says

    October 05, 2016 at 3:03 pm

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

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer says

      October 06, 2016 at 3:22 pm

      Wonderful! Thanks for giving it a try and sharing your kind feedback.

      Reply
  17. Laura Bartlett says

    October 04, 2016 at 12:36 am

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

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn says

      October 04, 2016 at 5:18 pm

      Fantastic to hear, Laura! Honored to hear it's your favorite chili. Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
  18. Laura Digilio says

    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 says

      February 23, 2016 at 4:34 pm

      That's amazing! Thanks for sharing your feedback, Laura.

      Reply
  19. Molly Sitter says

    January 06, 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 says

      January 09, 2016 at 4:27 pm

      So great to hear, Molly!

      Reply
  20. CK says

    December 07, 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 says

      December 07, 2015 at 6:02 pm

      So great to hear, thank you!

      Reply

Hello, I'm Kaitlin!
I live in Montana and share vegan recipes that are easy and healthy. About Me →

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