Sweet Potato Chili
Updated Mar 07, 2026
Sweet Potato Chili combines sweet potatoes, black beans, tomatoes, green chiles, onion, and bell pepper, simmered with chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika.
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sweet potato chili is so filling and soo good!
I make chili a lot during the colder months, but I don’t always want something heavy with meat. This vegetarian sweet potato chili is one of my favorites for fall, right up there with my Vegan Lentil Chili.
The sweet potatoes cook down and thicken the pot as they soften, and the black beans make it hearty enough to stand on its own. I like that this sweet potato chili uses pantry spices and canned tomatoes, so it’s easy to pull together without planning much ahead. It’s also freezer-friendly, so I can have it on hand for those nights when I don’t want to cook. And this chili recipe with sweet potatoes is a fun twist on the classic that doesn’t stray too far from the original.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Sweet Potato Chili Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes. These are the base of the chili and help naturally thicken the pot as they cook down. Cut them into small ½-inch pieces so they soften evenly while the chili simmers. Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (often labeled garnet or jewel) work best here.
- Vegetables. Onion, green bell pepper, and garlic. A yellow onion works best for chili, but white onion is fine too. If you don’t have a green bell pepper, red or yellow peppers can be used instead.
- Spices. Chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Chili powder carries most of the flavor, so use one you like. Smoked paprika adds a subtle smokiness without needing chipotle peppers.
- Beans and tomatoes. Black beans, fire roasted diced tomatoes, and chopped green chiles. Rinse and drain the black beans to remove excess sodium and starch. Fire roasted tomatoes add more depth than regular diced tomatoes.
- Liquid. Low-sodium vegetable broth. Using low-sodium broth lets you control the salt level as the chili simmers.
- For serving. Avocado and fresh cilantro. These are optional but add freshness when serving.
How to Make Sweet Potato Chili
Recipe Video Tutorial
The recipe has been slightly updated and is now made with black beans instead of kidney beans, but either bean will work!
Sweet Potato Chili Recipe
Sweet Potato Chili made with sweet potatoes, black beans, fire roasted tomatoes, green chiles, and spices simmered in vegetable broth and topped with avocado and cilantro.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and chopped into ½ inch pieces
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 28 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes with its juices
- 1 4.5 oz can chopped green chilis with its juices
- Avocados diced, for serving
- Fresh cilantro for serving
Instructions
- In a large heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, sweet potatoes, bell pepper and garlic. Stir to combine, and cook until the onions are translucent and the vegetables soften, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, and stir to coat the vegetables.
- Pour the vegetable broth, black beans, diced tomatoes with their juices and chopped green chilis with their juices. Stir to combine and bring mixture to a boil.
- Cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 30-35 more minutes, stirring a couple times until the vegetables continue to soften and the mixture thickens.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with diced avocados and fresh cilantro, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
Recipe makes about 8 cups
My Top Tip: Make it thicker. If you like a thicker chili, you can use a wooden spoon to mash some of the potatoes and beans against the side of the pot. This releases the starches and will thicken the liquid as the chili cooks.
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3-4 days in the fridge. You can either reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Freezing: Transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then heat in a pan on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through. (You may need to add a bit of broth or water to loosen up the chili as it can thicken while frozen.)
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 472kcal, Carbohydrates: 90g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 1994mg, Potassium: 1497mg, Fiber: 26g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 26772IU, Vitamin C: 51mg, Calcium: 245mg, Iron: 9mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Variations
- Add corn. For a little extra sweetness and color, add frozen corn when you add the beans and tomatoes to the pot.
- Up the smoky flavor. This has nice flavor from fire-roasted tomatoes and smoked paprika, but to spice it up even more, add 1 tablespoon of chopped chipotle peppers in adobo.
Recipe Tips
- Evenly chop the vegetables. Each vegetable should be evenly chopped to make sure that they all cook efficiently and equally. This helps to make sure that each bite is consistent and no vegetables are undercooked.
- Bloom the spices. Allowing the spices to toast for a bit before you introduce the liquid will really amplify the flavor. You want to toast, stirring often, for about 1 minute.
- Don’t skip the toppings. The toppings for serving this sweet potato chili are just as important as the ingredients you used to make it. Add some acidity with a squeeze of lime juice. Add a hint of freshness with cilantro leaves. Or make it creamy (and still vegan) with slices of avocados.
- Use orange or red sweet potatoes. Japanese sweet potatoes and other white or purple fleshed sweet potatoes are delicious, but they have a higher starch content than orange and red varieties. In a chili recipe with sweet potatoes, the smoother, creamier texture of orange and red sweet potatoes is best.
Serving Ideas
- Cornbread: A classic pairing with chili! I love to serve this vegetarian sweet potato chili with a side of my vegan cornbread.
- Dinner rolls: Both my homemade dinner rolls and garlic and herb skillet dinner rolls do an excellent job soaking up the flavorful tomato sauce left at the bottom of a bowl of chili.
- Crispy tortilla strips: Cut a few tortillas homemade flour tortillas if you’re feeling ambitious! Into strips. Coat a baking sheet with oil or cooking spray, place the tortilla strips on the sheet in an even layer, and spray the tops with additional oil. Bake in a 400ºF oven for about 10 minutes, or until they’re crispy and lightly browned.
Comments
I made this, but I replaced all the seasoning for 1 packet of McCormick Chili Seasoning Mix. Otherwise you can spend a fortune on individual bottles of seasoning. It turned out great!
I’m so happy it turned out great for you, Jim!
Hi, would chorizo be good in this? I have some I need to use. Looks so good! Thanks!
Hi there! I don’t eat pork so I’m not sure if chorizo would be good in this chili. So sorry!
This looks amazing. I’m very excited to try it out. If I wanted to add protein such as ground beef, do I cook that first then add all the other ingredients?
Yes, that’s when I would add the ground beef. Depending on how lean your beef is, you may want to drain the fat before adding the vegetables. Hope that helps! Enjoy!
My family loved the chili. It was so delicious and easy to make. Definitely repeating this recipe. ๐ฅฐ๐
Aww, that makes me so happy to hear!! Thank you, Julia!
Loved it! My husband was skeptical but went back for seconds! It’s a winner.
Love that! So glad it was a hit at your house. Thank you, Janis!
Can you make this in a crock pot? And if so would you change anything? Or just put everything in and turn on low?
Yes, but it would work best in one that has a sautรฉ function so you can follow the recipe as written, then set it to slow cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.
I’m going to make this recipe soon..I like your videos and photos. Your recipes allow for modification which is great if a person has to add or remove certain ingredients for various reasons. I find your recipes help me with meal planning. Thanks ๐
Aww, that makes me so happy to hear! Thanks so much!! I hope you enjoy my Sweet Potato Chili recipe!
I love this soup. I have made it several times and it is always a crowd pleaser. I love a recipe that is delicious, healthy and easy to make. I plan on making it again tomorrow night for a friend get together. I make the recipe as written and the only change is that I sometimes swap out black beans for other types of beans.
Aww, love that!! So happy it’s a hit at your house!! Thank you, Penny!
What is the weight of sweet potatoes in this recipe? We grow our own and our large sweet potatoes far exceed anything offered in grocery stores. Thank you!
Good question! The large potatoes I use are typically over 12 ounces. I hope that helps! Enjoy your homegrown sweet potatoes!!
Thanks so much for the prompt response; itโs much appreciated!
You’re welcome, Pamela!
I love sweet potato chili. I use twice the sweet potatoes and omit the beans. I have found that putting the diced sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet/pizza pan in the oven on 400 degrees makes for a less mushy end product. I let them bake to create a bean-like shell and firmer texture. Also, a little flavor boosting jalapeno juice (doesn’t make it spicier, just intensifies the flavor) and a tsp of Dutch chocolate to add a little richness. My family really prefers this to the traditional chili with beans recipe!
Wow, love those tweaks! Baking the sweet potatoes before to keep them firm is a great tip. Thanks for sharing, Jim!! So happy you love it!
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