Sweet Potato Chili (One Pot)
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Quick and easy sweet potato chili recipe, homemade with simple ingredients over stovetop in 30 minutes. Loaded with vegetables, red beans, black beans and rice.
This is a classic Fall dish with a slight twist. I love the addition of sweet potatoes which adds a lovely sweet flavor. One of the best qualities of chili is that there are so many variations to meet the everyone’s taste. Here are a few of my favorites: Vegetarian Chili (One Pot), Chili Mac Recipe (One Pot), and the classic Easy Chili Recipe (One Pot).
How To Make Sweet Potato Chili Recipe From Scratch?
- Saute vegetables– This includes onion, garlic, sweet potatoes.
- Add other ingredients- This includes diced tomatoes, broth, water, chili powder, cumin powder, salt, pepper, red beans, black beans.
- Mix– Until combined.
- Simmer– Do this uncovered until all the veggies are tender.
- Add final ingredients- This includes frozen corn, cooked rice, lime juice.
- Enjoy– Garnish with fresh cilantro and lots of cheddar cheese and dig in.
Homemade Chili Seasoning
Make a homemade seasoning blend by mixing together the following ingredients:
- 2 tbsp Chili powder
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp Oregano (Dried)
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
- Salt, To taste
- Pepper, To taste
All the ingredient quantities can be adjusted, based on your preference.
Chili Toppings And Garnishes
Sour cream– Use full fat for maximum flavor. I also use plain Greek yogurt sometimes as a slightly healthier option.
Jalapeno slices– For a spicy kick.
Fresh herbs– Such as roughly chopped cilantro, parsley, green onions.
Avocado slices– You can also dice them into small pieces too. This can also be replaced with Guacamole (One Bowl).
Diced tomatoes– You can use sliced cherry tomatoes too.
Finely chopped onions- Red onions taste the best, and give a nice color.
Tortilla chips– To add a little crunch.
Lettuce- Thinly shredded is amazing.
What Sides to Serve with Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili Recipe?
Some classic options are bread for dipping such as cornbread, garlic bread, dinner rolls, breadsticks, or biscuits.
Try it alongside salads such as Pumpkin Salad (One Bowl), Creamy Pea Salad (One Bowl), Mexican Corn Salad Recipe (One Bowl).
Coleslaw is another great idea. Try any of these:Creamy Coleslaw (One Bowl), or Oil And Vinegar Coleslaw (One Bowl).
A simple sandwich would also pair nicely, such as the Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich (One Pan) or this Easy Tomato Sandwich (One Pan).
Variations
Sweet potato quinoa chili– Add 1 cup of cooked quinoa for added heartiness.
Turkey sweet potato chili– Add ground turkey for a more filling chili.
Add chicken– Shredded rotisserie chicken is super convenient.
Add ground beef– Use leftover ground beef from Mexican Ground Beef Taco Meat (One Pot).
Add sausage– Such as mild or spicy Italian, andouille, or even chicken sausage.
Add lentils– This creates a heartier chili.
Add other beans– Like white beans, cannellini or garbanzo beans.
Add other seasonings– Such as Mexican, Cajun, Italian, or even Curry seasoning.
Add vegetables– Such as bell peppers, zucchini, pumpkin, carrots, or even green beans. You can even add a bag of frozen mixed vegetables for ease.
Add pasta– Such as macaroni, elbow, ditalini, or any other small pasta you like.
Make it spicy– Add a pinch of cayenne, or jalapeno slices.
Make it vegan– Use vegan butter and vegetable broth.
Tips And Techniques
How to thicken chili? Use an immersion blender to blend a small portion of this chili to thicken it up. Don’t blend it fully! You can also remove about 1 cup of the chili and blend it separately and mix it back into the pot.You can also cook uncovered for a bit longer to reduce excess liquid. If you decide to add rice or quinoa, that would also absorb a lot of the extra liquid and make this dish thicker.
How to make chili thinner? To make it thinner simply add more broth or water.
Do I need to drain and rinse the canned beans? Yes, drain and rinse the beans to remove the liquid and preservatives from them.
Does the rice need to be cooked before being added? Yes, add 1/2-3/4 cup of cooked brown rice, or you can use leftover cooked quinoa or cooked white rice. This is an optional ingredient.
Why is my leftover chili so thick the next day? If you added rice, it will absorb a lot of the liquid overnight. To solve this problem, add more broth and reheat for a few minutes on the stove.
Adjust seasoning– Add more or less according to your personal preference.
Stir the chili while it simmers– This helps to prevent the dish from burning on the bottom of the pan and also allows the flavors to blend together nicely.
What kind of tomatoes to use? I prefer the 28 oz. can of fire roasted tomatoes, but you can use diced tomatoes or even fresh tomatoes.
Storage
Refrigerate– Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Freeze– Leftovers can be frozen in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 1 month.
Reheat– In the microwave or on the stovetop.
More One Pot Sweet Potato Recipes
- Sweet Potato Hash (One Pan)
- Baked Sweet Potato Wedges (One Pan)
- Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (One Pan)
- Hasselback Sweet Potatoes (One Pan)
- Sweet Potato Soup (One Pot)
- Candied Sweet Potatoes (One Pot)
- Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes (One Pan)
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries (One Pan)
- Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes (One Pan)
- Easy Sweet Potato Casserole (One Pan)
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes (One Pot)
- Scalloped Sweet Potatoes (One Pot)
One Pot Sweet Potato Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Butter, Unsalted
- 1 cup Onion, Finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, Finely minced
- 1 Sweet potato, Large, Peeled, Diced into 1 inch cubes
- 1 can Fire roasted tomatoes, 28 oz. can, Can be replaced with diced tomatoes
- 1 cup Broth, Chicken or vegetable broth, Low sodium
- 1 cup Water
- 2 tbsp Chili powder, Adjust quantity based to your preference
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 2 tsp Paprika
- Salt, To taste
- Pepper, To taste
- 1 can Red beans, Drained, Rinsed
- 1 can Black beans, Drained, Rinsed
- 1/4 cup Frozen corn
- 1/2-3/4 cup Brown rice, Optional, Cooked, Can be replaced with cooked quinoa or cooked white rice, Can use leftovers
- 1-2 tbsp Lime juice, Or lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick pot over medium-high heat.
- Add onion, galric and saute for 3-4 minutes, until onions translucent and garlic is fragrant.
- Add sweet potatoes and saute for another 2 minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes, broth, water, chili powder, cumin powder, salt, pepper, red beans, black beans and mix until combined.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes. Stir often.
- In the final 5 minutes of cooking, mix in frozen corn, cooked rice some lime juice.
- Optional: Use an immersion blender to blend a small portion of this chili to thicken it up. Don't blend it fully! You can also remove about 1 cup of the chili and blend it separately and mix it back into the pot. I didn't do it.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and lots of cheddar cheese and any other toppings you like. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- I added 1/4 cup frozen peas because my son likes them. You don’t need to add them.Â
- If you add rice, please note that it will absorb a lot of the liquid over time and chili will become thick. This is especially relevant with leftovers. To thin it out, simply mix in more broth or water and cook it for 5 minutes.Â
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.Â
Great recipe.  Easy to follow.  I used what I had in my kitchen. So substituted half can coconut milk for broth.  Used Chili beans and black bean soup (drained).   Loved it.  Making it for Children’s Convention this Sabbath. Â