Best Sweet Potato Chili

Ingredients You’ll Need

Most of this comes from the pantry, but a few ingredients do the heavy lifting:

• Sweet potatoes: Clean them and then chop into a ½-inch dice. No need to peel them; the skins soften and add a little texture.
• Red onion and green bell peppers: Red onion cooks down a little mellower than yellow. Green peppers keep it savory.
• Garlic: There’s quite a bit of garlic, but it infuses a savory flavor needed for a plant-based chili.
• Diced tomatoes: Make sure to use this liquid: this will be part of the body of the chili.
• Beans: You can use pinto, black, or kidney beans: whatever is in your cupboard!
• Corn: Fresh, canned or frozen work (I most often use canned).
• Chili powder, cumin, and cayenne: The seasoning backbone.
• Cocoa powder and balsamic vinegar: These two secret ingredients add depth!
• Masa harina: Optional, but it thickens the chili and adds a subtle corn flavor.

Tips For Sweet Potato Chili

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when making it:

• It makes a huge pot. This one is perfect for feeding a crowd (we’re of the opinion that chili should only be made in massive quantities). It makes enough for 8 servings.
• It’s plant-based (vegan). If you keep the garnishes vegan like with Vegan Sour Cream, this is also a plant-based chili! But you can absolutely top with cheese and sour cream.
• Use canned or dried beans. For the beans in this sweet potato chili recipe, you can use any type you’d like: make it a sweet potato black bean chili, or use pinto and chili beans. You also can cook up a pot of your own beans: we cooked our own dried beans using our Dutch oven method. You can also try our Instant Pot black beans method.

Variations And Substitutions

• Make it a sweet potato chili with ground beef or ground chicken. Brown one pound of ground beef or turkey with the onions and peppers, drain the fat, then continue as written.
• Add smoked paprika. A teaspoon alongside the cumin gives it underlying smoky notes.
• Dial the heat down. If kids are eating, start with 2 tablespoons and skip the cayenne entirely.
• Use the slow cooker. Sauté the vegetables first, then transfer everything to a slow cooker on low for 6 to 7 hours. Stir in the masa slurry and vinegar during the last 30 minutes.

Chili Topping Ideas

As any chili lover knows, garnishes are key. Alex and I liked the taste right out of the pot, but we loved it with hot sauce, sour cream, shredded cheese, and green onions. Make sure not to skimp on the toppings! Here are my favorite chili toppings:

1. Sour cream or vegan sour cream
2. Shredded cheese
3. Sliced green onions or minced red onion
4. Roasted salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
5. Minced red onion
6. Vegan nacho cheese
7. Canned pickled jalapenos or Homemade Pickled Jalapeños
8. Pickled onions
9. Cilantro
10. Lime wedges