Sweet Potato Chili is a hearty vegetarian chili made in one pot with sweet potatoes, black beans, kidney beans, and warm spices. It's healthy comfort food that is actually delicious.

Overhead view of a bowl of sweet potato chili topped with avocado and cilantro with avocado in background and recipe title at top.

Jump to:

❤️ Why this recipe works
🗒 Ingredients
🍠 Recipe tips
⏲️ How to store
🎉 Variations on recipe
🥣 More chili recipes
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

The first time I made this sweet potato chili, I happily told Chris it was a super healthy dinner. He gave me a look and said, "No, it's not. It can't be. It doesn't taste healthy!"

And that's exactly why I've been making it over and over again for years. It's a meatless chili that's filling, satisfying, and packed with flavor... And nobody at the table misses the meat.

It's loaded with sweet potatoes, black beans, kidney beans, red pepper, and a little jalapeño, all simmered in one pot with chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Most of the work is chopping vegetables.

It's also a big batch, so it's perfect for freezing. Future you will be very grateful on a cold night when you don't feel like cooking.

If you're craving a chili with meat, my buffalo chicken chili is right this way. But for a cozy vegetarian dinner that tastes like so much more than veggies, this one is it.

❤️ Why this recipe works

It doesn't taste healthy, but it is: sweet potatoes, two kinds of beans, and plenty of vegetables make this a hearty chili that's full of fiber and other good stuff. I love that it tastes like delicious comfort food first.

Easy one-pot recipe: you just need to chop and sauté the veggies, toast the spices, add the other ingredients, and let it simmer. It's not much work and doesn't leave you with dirty dishes.

Uses mostly pantry ingredients: the ingredient list looks long, but it's mostly spices and cans. You probably have lots of it already.

It's a vegan chili: as long as you skip the sour cream (or Greek yogurt on top) this chili is naturally meatless and vegan. If you use the sour cream, it's still a vegetarian chili.

It's great for freezing: this recipe makes 6 servings and freezes beautifully for up to 6 months.

🗒 Ingredients

Like I mentioned, the ingredient list looks quite long, but don't worry because it's mostly spices (and hopefully you have most of them in your kitchen already!).

Here's everything you need (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):

Olive oil
Onion
Garlic
Red bell pepper
Jalapeño
Chili powder
Ground cumin
Dried oregano
Salt
Pepper
Sweet potatoes
Water
Diced tomatoes in juice
Tomato paste
Black beans
Kidney beans
Cilantro: for garnish
Avocado: for garnish
Sour cream or Greek yogurt: for garnish

🍠 Recipe tips

Chop the sweet potatoes small. Cutting them into ½" cubes will help them cook through and get tender in about 25 minutes.

Overhead view of chopped and cubed sweet potatoes with bowl of chopped red peppers and jalapeños in the background.

Adjust the heat with the jalapeño. I use 2 tablespoons of diced jalapeño and don't find it too spicy. If you're sensitive to heat, use 1 tablespoon. You still want some jalapeño flavor!

Overhead view of red pepper, jalapeño, onion, and garlic cooking in olive oil in a dutch oven.

Be sure to rinse and drain the beans. This keeps the chili from getting starchy and lets the tomato and spices shine.

Toast the spices. Stirring the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper into the vegetables for a couple of minutes before adding the liquid brings out a lot more flavor.

📧 Email Me This Recipe

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

Once the chili is boiling, lower the heat, cover, and give it about 25 minutes to simmer to get the sweet potatoes tender. Test a piece of sweet potato with a fork before serving.

Overhead view of with sweet potatoes, black beans, kidney beans, and tomatoes cooking in dutch oven.

Serve and garnish using anything you like. Cilantro (or parsley if you can't do cilantro) and diced avocado work well, but so does sour cream or Greek yogurt if you want to add a little creaminess. Skip the sour cream to keep this chili vegan.

I don't want to say this chili tastes "meaty" because that might freak some people out, but it's totally hearty and tastes like so much more than just vegetables.

The sweet potatoes get soft and extra sweet, the beans make it filling, and the spices give it real chili flavor. Top it with avocado and cilantro and it's one of my favorite cold-weather dinners!

Overhead view of sweet potato chili with avocado and cilantro garnish with spoon and second bowl of chili in the background.

⏲️ How to store

You can store leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

It also freezes really well, so I recommend making the whole batch even if you're only cooking for one or two people. If you're feeding a bigger crowd and still want some for the freezer, double the recipe.

Let the chili cool completely, then portion it into freezer bags or airtight containers. I love freezing it in bags because they lie flat and don't take up much space. Lay the filled bags flat on a baking sheet and freeze until solid.

It should keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. Defrost it in the fridge overnight or use the microwave or a room temperature water bath.

🎉 Variations on recipe

There's also so much you can do to make this sweet potato chili your own! Here are some ideas:

Swap the kidney beans for pinto beans.
Add a can of corn, drained, (or frozen corn) for a little extra sweetness.
Stir in a chopped chipotle pepper in adobo for smoky heat.
Swap the jalapeño for a poblano pepper for a milder chili.
Use fire-roasted diced tomatoes for a smokier flavor.
Stir in a few handfuls of spinach or kale at the end, until wilted.
Add browned ground turkey if you want a chili with meat.
Squeeze fresh lime juice over each bowl before serving.
Top with shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese.
Add crushed tortilla chips for crunch.
Serve over rice or with cornbread on the side.
Set up a chili topping bar with all the toppings for a crowd.

Overhead landscape view of sweet potato chili with avocado and cilantro garnish and spoon and avocado half in the background.

You could even make this chili for the Super Bowl and have a whole lot of people oohing and ahhing over it before you tell them it's packed with antioxidants, fiber, and other good stuff.

I mean, it kinda balances out all the buffalo wings and nachos, right? I'm going with yes.

I've also made this chili alongside a traditional beef chili when I've had friends over so that there's something for everyone. It's perfect for anyone eating vegetarian or anyone who simply prefers a lighter, veggie-packed chili.

🥣 More chili recipes

If you enjoyed this chili (or are looking for a chili with meat!), check out some of my other chili recipes:

Buffalo Chicken Chili
Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili
Red Wine Pumpkin Chili
Chipotle Turkey Chili
White Chicken Chili
Slow Cooker Chili
Thai Green Curry Chicken Chili (from Crazy Inspired Life)

Overhead view of a bowl of sweet potato chili topped with avocado and cilantro with avocado in background.

This sweet potato chili has been in my rotation for years and it still gets the same reaction every time: there's no way this is healthy. But it is! It's easy, it makes plenty, and it's the kind of dinner I'm always happy to find in the freezer on a cold night.

If you make it, I'd love to hear what you think. Leave a comment and a star rating below!

📖 Recipe