Description
This Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili is a hearty, flavorful, and nutritious vegetarian dish perfect for a cozy meal. Featuring tender sweet potatoes, protein-rich black beans, and a blend of smoky spices, this chili is simmered to perfection in a Dutch oven. Served with a variety of toppings like sour cream, cheddar cheese, and avocado, it’s a satisfying meal that is great for make-ahead and leftovers.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large sweet potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
Spices and Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
Canned Goods
- 2 (about 15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can low-sodium vegetable broth (scant 2 cups)
Finishing Touch
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Thinly sliced scallions
- Diced avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Sliced jalapeño pepper
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the diced yellow onion and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add Sweet Potato and Spices: Stir in the peeled and diced sweet potato along with chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat the vegetables evenly with the spices and cook for an additional 1 minute to release the flavors.
- Add Beans, Tomatoes, and Broth: Stir in the drained and rinsed black beans, crushed tomatoes with their juices, and the low-sodium vegetable broth. Increase heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Simmer the Chili: Cook the chili, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are tender, the flavors meld well, and the chili thickens slightly, about 30 minutes.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the chili from heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional kosher salt and black pepper if needed. Serve hot with your choice of toppings such as sour cream, shredded cheddar, sliced scallions, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, jalapeño slices, and tortilla chips.
- Make Ahead and Storage: For best flavor, make the chili 1 day ahead to allow flavors to meld. Cool and refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months.
Notes
- Using fire-roasted crushed tomatoes adds a smoky depth to the chili.
- The apple cider vinegar at the end brightens and balances the flavors.
- Adjust chili powder and jalapeño peppers according to your preferred spice level.
- This recipe is naturally vegetarian and can be made vegan by using plant-based toppings.
- Simmering time can be extended for thicker chili and more developed flavors.
- Sweet potatoes should be diced uniformly for even cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
