Cozy Sweet Potato Chili

I never thought I’d be the person putting sweet potatoes in chili, but here we are. Growing up, chili meant ground beef, beans, and tomatoes—nothing fancy. My kids rolled their eyes when I first suggested adding sweet potatoes to our usual weekend chili.

But this recipe changed their minds completely. The sweet potatoes add just enough sweetness to balance out the spice, and they make the chili more filling too. Plus, it’s one of those meals where you can throw everything in one pot and let it do its thing while you tackle the laundry.

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What Kind of Sweet Potatoes Should I Use?

For this chili, you’ll want to stick with orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, which are the most common variety you’ll find at the grocery store. These have that classic sweet, creamy texture that pairs perfectly with the smoky spices and beans. You can use either the darker-skinned varieties or the lighter tan ones – both will work great. Make sure to choose sweet potatoes that feel firm and heavy for their size, without any soft spots or wrinkled skin. When you’re prepping them, try to cut your pieces into uniform ½-inch chunks so they cook evenly and don’t turn to mush in your chili.

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Options for Substitutions

This sweet potato chili is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps – here’s what you can change up:

• Sweet potatoes: You can replace sweet potatoes with butternut squash, regular potatoes, or even carrots cut into similar-sized pieces. Keep the cooking time the same, but regular potatoes might need an extra 5-10 minutes to get tender.
• Black beans: Kidney beans, pinto beans, or navy beans work great here. You can also mix different types of beans together for variety.
• Green bell pepper: Red, yellow, or orange bell peppers will work just fine. For a bit of heat, try poblano peppers instead.
• Vegetable broth: Chicken broth works if you’re not keeping it vegetarian, or you can use water with an extra bouillon cube or two for more flavor.
• Fire roasted tomatoes: Regular diced tomatoes are perfectly fine if that’s what you have. You’ll just miss out on a little smoky flavor, but the chili will still taste great.
• Canned green chilis: Fresh jalapeños (1-2 peppers, seeded and diced) or a 4 oz can of diced jalapeños can replace the green chilis if needed.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making sweet potato chili is cutting your sweet potatoes too large, which leads to uneven cooking where some pieces are mushy while others remain hard – stick to that ½ inch size and make sure they’re all roughly the same size for consistent results.

Another common error is adding the sweet potatoes too late in the cooking process, so make sure to give them a good 10-15 minutes to soften before adding your liquids and beans.

Don’t skip toasting your spices for 30-60 seconds in the oil before adding the vegetables, as this simple step releases their flavors and prevents that raw, powdery taste that can ruin your chili.

Finally, resist the urge to rush the simmering process – let your chili bubble away for at least 25-30 minutes so the sweet potatoes break down slightly and naturally thicken the broth.

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What to Serve With Sweet Potato Chili?

This hearty chili is perfect on its own, but I love serving it with warm cornbread or crusty dinner rolls for scooping up every bit of that smoky, sweet goodness. You can also spoon it over baked sweet potatoes for an extra dose of comfort, or serve it alongside some fluffy rice to make it even more filling. Don’t forget the toppings – diced avocado and fresh cilantro are already mentioned, but shredded cheese, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime juice make it even better. For a fun twist, try serving it over baked tortilla chips for a chili nachos situation that everyone will love.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This sweet potato chili actually tastes even better the next day after all those flavors have had time to meld together. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I love making a big batch on Sunday for easy weeknight dinners throughout the week.

Freeze: Sweet potato chili freezes like a dream! Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. I like to freeze individual servings so I can just grab one for a quick lunch or dinner when I’m in a pinch.

Warm Up: To enjoy your chili again, just heat it up on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through. You can also microwave it in 30-second intervals, stirring between each one. Add a splash of vegetable broth if it seems too thick after storing.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1100-1300
• Protein: 40-50 g
• Fat: 22-28 g
• Carbohydrates: 210-230 g

Ingredients

For the chili:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (28 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, including juices
• 1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles, including juices

For serving:

• Diced avocados
• Fresh cilantro leaves

Step 1: Sauté Vegetables

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced

In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil.

Add the chopped onion, sweet potatoes, diced green bell pepper, and minced garlic.

Stir to combine, and cook until the onions are translucent and the vegetables begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes.

Step 2: Add Spices

• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to the pot.

Stir well to coat the vegetables evenly with the spices.

This helps to toast the spices and bring out their full flavor before adding liquids.

I always find that giving the spices a quick toast like this gives the chili a deeper, richer taste.

Step 3: Add Liquids and Beans

• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (28 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, including juices
• 1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles, including juices

Pour in the low-sodium vegetable broth, then add the rinsed and drained black beans, fire-roasted diced tomatoes with their juices, and chopped green chiles with their juices.

Stir everything well to combine and bring the mixture to a boil.

Step 4: Simmer the Chili

Cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

Cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the chili thickens to your liking.

This slow simmer helps all the flavors meld together beautifully.

Step 5: Serve and Garnish

• diced avocados
• fresh cilantro leaves

Ladle the hot chili into bowls.

Top each serving with diced avocados and fresh cilantro leaves, if desired, for a refreshing and creamy finish.

For an extra burst of flavor, I sometimes add a squeeze of lime juice just before serving.

Cozy Sweet Potato Chili

Delicious Cozy Sweet Potato Chili recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 18 minutes mins

Cook Time 37 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 1200 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chili:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (28 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, including juices
• 1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles, including juices

For serving:

• diced avocados
• fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

 

• In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onion, sweet potatoes, diced green bell pepper, and minced garlic. Stir to combine, and cook until the onions are translucent and the vegetables begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes.
• Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Stir well to coat the vegetables evenly with the spices. This helps to toast the spices and bring out their full flavor before adding liquids. I always find that giving the spices a quick toast like this gives the chili a deeper, richer taste.
• Pour in the low-sodium vegetable broth, then add the rinsed and drained black beans, fire-roasted diced tomatoes with their juices, and chopped green chiles with their juices. Stir everything well to combine and bring the mixture to a boil.
• Cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the chili thickens to your liking. This slow simmer helps all the flavors meld together beautifully.
• Ladle the hot chili into bowls. Top each serving with diced avocados and fresh cilantro leaves, if desired, for a refreshing and creamy finish. For an extra burst of flavor, I sometimes add a squeeze of lime juice just before serving.