This smoky Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili is going to rock your world! Honestly, it’s the best vegetarian chili to ever grace my kitchen. 100% a game changer.
I’m about to say something bold: this Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili will convert any meat lover. I know, it’s a bold statement. But after a few years of hearing from you guys about this recipe… I stand by my statement confidently. Chili is an ESSENTIAL recipe during the fall/winter. And you won’t miss the meat with all the black beans, sweet potatoes and spices in this one.
Loaded with chili powder, chipotle peppers, cumin, beans, tomatoes and quinoa, it’s basically a giant party in a pot and it’s addictive. Make it, enjoy it, and then take it for lunch the next day and make everyone jealous. I tend to make a double batch of this on the weekends and then freeze small portions to pull out when needed. It freezes like a charm. Just make it, let it cool, portion it into small containers and then freeze. When you’re ready to serve, take it out of the freezer, let it sit on the counter until it’s no longer totally frozen, and then re-heat either in a microwave or in a non-stick skillet with an extra splash of stock to loosen it up. Bingo.
As far as substitutions for this goes:
- Butternut Squash is a great substitute for sweet potatoes
- Farro or rice also works in place of quinoa. You might need a tiny bit extra time for farro, and a little extra liquid. But both are delish.
- Black beans can be substituted with any of your favorite canned bean. If you want to make your own beans, this is my favorite recipe
Stuck in a dinner rut? Looking for new delicious dinner ideas? Check out my roundup of 50+ easy dinner ideas here.
Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 2 extra teaspoons
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 large red onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 14.5-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dried quinoa
- 4 teaspoons lime juice
- serving suggestions: avocado, cilantro, crema, grated cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large heavy bottom pot with the oil over medium high heat.
- Add the sweet potato and onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion is softened. Add the garlic, chili powder, chipotle, cumin and salt and stir to combine.
- Add the stock, tomatoes, black beans and quinoa and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir to incorporate.
- Cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cook for 30-40 minutes until the quinoa is fully cooked and the sweet potatoes are soft and the entire mixture is thick like a chili.
- Add the lime juice and remove the pot from the heat. Season with salt as needed.
- Garnish with avocado, cilantro, crema or cheese before serving.
Hi there! Could you sub butternut squash for sweet potatoes?
yes!
When you decide to make a pot of chili to have for the week and then it’s so good you have to stop yourself from eating it all in one sitting! Do you know if it freezes well? Thinking of making another batch tomorrow!
it sure does!!! freezers wonderfully
It was delicious! Also an opportunity for using extra bits in the fridge like cauliflower and cremini mushrooms.
I’m at grocery and love this recipe.. is your cookbook version contain ground turkey? Or am I imagining things
yup!! different depending on your preference
Does it matter what type of quinoa? I usually use white when I make this and I ran out making this the other day. I have red quinoa. We have a storm coming and i dont want to go to the store lol
either works
Hi there! I found this recipe as I need a chili recipe for a games night last weekend. Ohmygosh, smashing success! I made a few modifications as I wanted to add some meat and keep it grain free, but the flavors were SPOT ON. Everyone loved it, and I will definitely be making again and sharing your recipe!
Well, just made this and it was so good!! Nice and homey for these damp, cold Seattle nights. Definitely am going to try with maybe chicken next time. Loved this recipe!
I made this (well, the meaty version from the cookbook) and it was so delicious! It’s going into the rotation, for sure!
Can it be made in a slow cooker?
I got everything ready in a pan and then put it over in a slow cooker on low and it worked great.
Looks delicious! If you’re lazy, can you make this in an instant pot? 😉
totally!
How many servings does this serve..Making this tonight!
updated!!
Took this to work for a chili cook off and WON! So surprised, not because I didn’t think it was good, but because it is VEGAN and so non-traditional. Very delicious.
Our go-to weeknight chili! Super filling and great for lunch the next day.
Love this chili and like all of Gaby’s recipes, it’s full of flavor and always a crowd pleaser!
Amazing! Everyone in my family loves it. It’s the perfect hardy soup for a cold night.
Super yummy and easy. I subbed the sweet potato for a large Idaho potato, and served served it with all the avocado and cheese. It came out perfect and reheats well! Adding this to my list of go-to chilis/soups!
Unbelievable!!
Made this tonight and it was fabulous. I didn’t want it spicy so only used 1 Tbsp chili powder and no chipotle pepper and it had just the slightest of kicks for my sensitive palate. The lime juice and cilantro take it to the next level. This is definitely a keeper!
Of all the meals I make- this is a consistent hit. It’s what led me to Gaby’s old Snapchat then Instagram and then meet and greet and cookbook purchase…and it’s my OG WGC recipe that my friends know I make for most Naval Academy football games. This year we resolved to eat less meat so it’s going to be a monthly staple for us! 5 starts highly recommend, would make again and again and again.
Wow what a dish! I watched Gaby’s Insta story of her making it. It looked easy and great so wanted to try it. I’ll tell you- it def lives up to it! Reasons why this may be my new go-to chili recipe-
1. Healthy. Hello 2020! What a great healthy meal with the quinoa and sweet potato. Vegetarian yumminess.
2. Easy. This was super easy to make. Chop it and throw it in Le Creuset.
3. Fast. At 30 min – as soon as I was done cleaning up the kitchen- meal was done.
4. Delicious. Most impt. This hearty dish was full of flavor and I felt I could eat the whole thing. Added guac on top. Also added the squeeze of lime at the end but am not really a lime person that don’t think I needed it. But it adds a nice citrus touch.
My one note is just watch the cooking of the dish. I had a chili consistency but I let it simmer 2 more min. It started to turn too mushy. Quinoa can easy go very mushy so just watch your pot. This recipe is a keeper and probably will be making it over and over again!! Thanks Gaby!
Turned out great. I followed what you did on the recent IGTV video and did not peel the potatoes and used red onion. I used a can of fire roasted tomatoes to add more kick as we like things spicy. Served with chunky avocado smash and cilantro. thanks for another great recipe
This was a big hit in our house! My husband accidentally squeezed a lemon in instead of a lime – still yummy. We served it with avocado slices and cheese. Next time I’m going to make a double batch so I can make one for the freezer.
I am NOT a sweet potato fan, but I watched Gaby’s Instagram live making this and still thought it sounded good – I loved it! The sweet potatoes provided nice texture and body to the chili.
I also subbed sweet paprika for the chipotle (1:1) because I don’t care for the smokiness of chipotle.
Topped with sliced avocado, cilantro, and crumbled cotija cheese – it was excellent!
Outstanding ! My go to recipe for my guests who are vegan and gluten free. So delicious !
So good!!! and so easy to make
Hi! This is my absolute favorite chili!! But I was wondering if you had the protein, carb, etc nutritional info for it?
Thanks, Gaby!!
So happy to hear it!! And I don’t, sorry!
So easy to put this together and the flavors of the smokiness and a tad pinch of spice are great.
My all time favorite chili recipe! So so delicious and simple to make. I tried making it in a crockpot too and it worked like a charm!
I’ve gone to multiple markets and all the black beans have been cleared off the shelves! Are there any other beans that may work in this chili?
literally any other bean would be delicious!
This is my second favorite chili (narrowly beaten out by another Gaby chili). The balance of sweet, spicy, and hearty is perfect. I often make it on Sunday afternoons to have for lunch throughout the week.
This chili is so hearty and tastes great! It was even a hit with our three young children.
favorite easy weeknight vegetarian meal! Nice n spicy!
Absolutely loved this receipt! Made it for the first time today and it was just so good. If you want something healthy but still super tasty this is the perfect option! Using this receipt for the my next chili cook-off.
Great recipe! I’ve made this for my husband and myself twice in a week now and we won’t be getting tired of it anytime soon!
Seriously, this recipe is the BEST!!!
Just popping in here to say that I’ve made this recipe So. Many. Times. For years. And I always share it with friends who are looking for a good veggie/vegan chili.
Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Delish and I love the quinoa in this recipe! Will be making this again very soon!
This recipe is what made me start doing meatless Mondays! It’s delicious, filling, easy to make, and always gets rave reviews!
My meat loving husband thinks it awesome! Great texture and flavor
Hearty, filling, flavorful, and healthy! This has become a go-to recipe!
Made this two time since she did it on her insta live and we LOVE IT! We usually add ground turkey, but def do not need to. Very easy and has so much flavor!
This is my go to chili recipe! So so so delish!
Can you cook this in the crockpot? If so how long and what setting?
I’m sure you can! I haven’t tested it that way though so I can’t say for sure
I haven’t tried this yet and it’s my pet peeve when people leave ratings before they try but I can tell already this will make my lunch rotation on the reg. So healthy and satisfying and my favorite flavors.
I loved this recipe! It’s so flavorful and hearty – I can’t wait to make this one again!
I loved this recipe! I’m not a big fan of chili but I had all the ingredients so it was the perfect reason to make it. It had so much more flavor with the spices and the heartiness of the sweet potatoes. I will absolutely be making this again. Thanks Gaby! I can always count on your recipes having so much flavor without a loss of fuss. Happy New Year! Sending positive vibes for you and Thomas and Baby!
DEEEElicious. We recently switched to a mostly plant based diet, and have been struggling to find recipes that we are really excited about. This hits all the marks and was so quick and easy. Thanks Gaby!