Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

This easy chili is the perfect easy fall dinner or game day meal.

When you think of typical chili you think beans and meat. This is a twist on the typical beans and meat that will make your taste buds sing. So delicious you’ll have to stop yourself from eating it all in one sitting.

★★★★★ 5 Star Average Rating

True story: when I made this for the first time my husband looked at me and said he had to stop eating or he’d bust. It was so good that he craved each bite and couldn’t wait for more.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili is so versatile.

This chili can be made vegan or vegetarian so easily!!! Just omit the ground beef. Everything else is plant-based.

Chili is the perfect game-day or fall meal because of the hearty nature and warming spices. It’s also easy to make in advance and freezes wonderfully.

What separates this chili from a traditional chili is that it’s has a combination of the traditional tomato base AND a chili sauce that will knock your socks off.

I like to use my slow cooker to finish it off because it makes it easy for serving. I just leave it on the counter with a big serving spoon and bowls and let everyone dish it up themselves.

You can cook it in a dutch oven, too. The flavors still hold true if you cook it on the stovetop. The slow cooker just adds more depth.

🛒 Shopping List for Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili:

• 2 15 oz cans of black beans.
• 6 oz of corn — can be fresh, canned, or frozen. If canned, drain first.
• 1 4.5 oz can of diced green chilies, drained — they range from mild to spicy, use what you like.
• 1-2 large sweet potatoes — you’ll need about 2 cups diced.
• 1 8 oz can of tomato sauce — make sure it doesn’t have added Italian seasonings because it will throw off the flavor profile.
• 1 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes — crushed tomatoes make a better base than diced.
• Double Concentrated Tomato paste — I like the tube kind because it’s easier to store the leftovers.
• 6 oz of chili sauce — the kind you would use for enchiladas. If you have a little more time, make it from scratch. Here’s my recipe. It’s amazing, really and it’s soooo easy!
• Spices — I’ll add the measurements below, but check your pantry for these: chili powder, cumin, coriander, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1-2 jalapenos
• Bell pepper
• 1 lb. of 90/10 ground beef — you can omit it, use ground turkey or chicken, whatever fits your diet. The flavor comes from the chili sauce and seasonings so the meat is optional.
• 16 oz of broth — can be vegetable, chicken, or beef.

Tips for making in a slow cooker:

• Saute peppers, onions, jalapenos, and spices together in 2 tablespoons of oil, then add to slow cooker.
• Brown beef, chicken, or turkey and then add to slow cooker.
• Dice sweet potatoes in about 1-inch cubes and add RAW to the slow cooker. This size is important so the potatoes don’t get mushy. The smaller the dice, the faster the sweet potato will cook.
• Add all other ingredients to the slow cooker and set for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low.

Tips for making in a dutch oven on the stovetop:

• Saute peppers, onions, and spices together in 2 tablespoons of oil, then set aside.
• Brown beef, chicken, or turkey and then set aside.
• In your dutch oven, combine all other ingredients except the black beans and sweet potato and cook for 45 minutes on low.
• Then add all ingredients to the dutch oven including the sweet potatoes and black beans and cook for another 45 minutes on low.
• Every stove is different. Check the doneness of the sweet potato, they should be soft but still hold shape. If not there yet, cook for another 10 minutes and test again.

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