Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili

A hearty, warming, and inexpensive vegetarian chili packed with flavor.

By Cressio Rinaldi

Chili does not need meat to be satisfying. Sweet potatoes give it body and a gentle sweetness, black beans give it protein and a dense, earthy flavor, and chili powder and cumin give it the smoky warmth you expect. Together they make a pot that is filling, cheap and good for several days.

The method is as simple as it gets. You soften an onion, bloom the spices in the oil, add everything else and simmer. The sweet potatoes partly break down as they cook, which thickens the chili naturally.

It makes six servings and takes about 45 minutes, most of it hands-off. It also freezes well, so it is a good recipe to make in bulk.

Read this first

1. Cook the spices in the oil for a minute before adding liquid. It deepens the flavor.
2. Cut the sweet potatoes into even cubes, so they cook at the same speed.
3. Season at the end. The broth and tomatoes already contain salt.

Prep time: 15 mins · Cook time: 30 mins · Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 medium Sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 cans (15 oz each) Black beans, rinsed
• 1 can (28 oz) Diced tomatoes
• 2 cups Vegetable broth
• 1 medium Onion, diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tbsp Chili powder
• 1 tbsp Cumin

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Look for: Even cubes of sweet potato and a prepared pot of ingredients ready to go.
2. Add chili powder and cumin, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant. Look for: The onion is soft and translucent and the garlic smells sweet.
3. Add sweet potatoes, black beans, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Look for: The spices smell toasty and fragrant, and they have turned the oil a deep red.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender. Look for: A gentle simmer, and the sweet potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm with optional toppings like avocado, cilantro, or sour cream. Look for: A thick, rich chili. It coats a spoon and tastes deep and smoky.

Nutrition

Amount per serving. Nutritional values are estimates calculated from the ingredients above and can vary.

• Calories: 140
• Fat: 4g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Carbohydrates: 23g
• Fiber: 6g
• Sugar: 4g
• Protein: 5g
• Sodium: 340mg
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Notes

• Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days — like most chilis, the flavor improves after a day in the fridge.
• Freezing: Freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Toppings: Avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime brighten this up nicely at serving time.

Cook It With Me

Chop and prep

Peel the 2 sweet potatoes and cut them into cubes about 3/4 inch wide. Dice the onion and mince the 3 garlic cloves. Rinse the black beans well and open the can of tomatoes.

Soften the onion

Heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook it for about 4 minutes, until it is soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Bloom the spices

Stir in the 2 tablespoons of chili powder and 1 tablespoon of cumin and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant. The heat wakes up the oils in the spices.

Add everything and simmer

Add the sweet potatoes, 2 cans of black beans, the 28 oz can of diced tomatoes and the 2 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender. Stir now and then.

Season and serve

Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm with toppings such as avocado, cilantro or sour cream. If you want it thicker, mash a few of the sweet potatoes against the side of the pot.

The Ingredients, One by One

Sweet potatoes

Two medium ones add sweetness, body and color. Cubes about 3/4 inch wide hold their shape and soften nicely. Smaller cubes break down more and thicken the chili.

Black beans

Two cans, rinsed. Rinsing removes the thick liquid and some salt. They add protein and a creamy texture.

Diced tomatoes

One 28 oz can gives acidity and the base of the sauce. Fire-roasted tomatoes add smokiness.

Vegetable broth

Two cups. A low-sodium one lets you control the salt at the end.

Chili powder and cumin

The main spices. Chili powder is a blend, and brands vary in heat. Start with the amounts given and add more at the end.

Onion and garlic

They are the base of the flavor. Take your time softening the onion.

The Technique Behind It

Why you bloom the spices

Many of the flavors in spices dissolve in fat. Cooking them in oil for a minute spreads those flavors through the whole pot.

Why sweet potatoes thicken it

As they simmer, the starch in the sweet potatoes releases into the liquid, which thickens the chili without flour or cornstarch.

Why you season at the end

Canned tomatoes and broth contain salt, and the liquid reduces as it simmers. Tasting at the end avoids over-salting.

Mistakes That Cost You the Dish

• Skipping the spice bloom The chili tastes flat.
• Cubes of different sizes Some turn to mush while others stay hard.
• Salting too early The final dish can be too salty.
• Boiling hard The beans and potatoes break down too much.
• Not stirring The bottom can stick and scorch.

Fix It: If This Happens, Do This

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Chili is too thin	Too much liquid	Simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, or mash some sweet potato.
Chili is too thick	It reduced too far	Add a splash of broth or water.
Chili is bland	Not enough salt or acid	Add salt and a squeeze of lime.
Too sweet	Large amount of sweet potato	Add a splash of vinegar or lime and more chili powder.
Sweet potatoes are hard	Not simmered long enough	Keep simmering, covered, until tender.

What Each Ingredient Does (and What You Can Swap)

Ingredient	Its job	Swap, and what changes
Sweet potatoes	Sweetness and body	Butternut squash works.
Black beans	Protein	Pinto or kidney beans work.
Diced tomatoes	Acidity	Crushed tomatoes give a smoother chili.
Vegetable broth	Liquid and flavor	Water with a bouillon cube works.
Chili powder	Heat and smokiness	Add smoked paprika or chipotle for more smoke.
Cumin	Earthy warmth	Ground coriander works.

Plan Ahead

• Make ahead: It tastes better the next day.
• Fridge: Up to 5 days in an airtight container.
• Reheat: On the stove with a splash of water.
• Freezer: Freezes well for up to 3 months.

What to Serve With It

Top it with avocado, cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese or a squeeze of lime. Serve it with rice, cornbread or tortilla chips.

Questions People Ask

About the Author

Cressio Rinaldi

Cressio Rinaldi is the recipe developer behind Cressio Recipes. He cooks, tests, and writes every recipe on the site himself — refining each one until it's simple enough for a weeknight and good enough to make again. He's not a trained chef, just someone who cooks constantly and pays close attention to what actually makes a recipe work.