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Sweet Potato Chili

4.95 from 35 votes

A super easy sweet potato chili recipe, with everything you could ever want in a quick and healthy weeknight meal!

Sweet Potato Vegan Chili Recipe

The best sweet potato chili

This classic homemade vegetarian chili recipe has been a favorite in my family for over ten years.

Packed with delicious and wholesome ingredients like sweet potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and black beans, what’s not to love?

Leftovers freeze well too, so it’s a really great healthy recipe for meal prep!

Along with my Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies, this chili is one of the first recipes I ever made without following instructions in a cookbook.

The chili can be vegan, gluten free, Whole 30, paleo, high in protein, and oil free.

Also try these Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

The Best Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili Recipe

Chili serving suggestions

Sliced Avocado

Vegan Cornbread

One of these Cauliflower Recipes

Serve over rice or quinoa

Serve over spaghetti squash

Sweet Potato Chili Ingredients

Or make up a batch of Applesauce Muffins or these Oatmeal Muffins to go along with your chili.

To make the sweet potato vegetarian chili, start by peeling your sweet potatoes and chopping the onions.

(I love roasting the sweet potato before beginning, but it’s not required.)

In a large pot, bring all ingredients except the zucchini to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low, and cook uncovered (adding zucchini about halfway through) until the sweet potato is soft.

Depending on the size of the potato, it should take around 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

I haven’t tried the recipe in an instant pot, so be sure to report back if you try. There is a slow cooker chili version here: Crock Pot Sweet Potato Chili.

Add a shake of hot sauce for smoky or spicy chili, and feel free to use whatever beans you have on hand. I especially like it as black bean sweet potato chili.

Leftover Sweet Potato? Make this Sweet Potato Salad or these Sweet Potato Brownies.

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili With Black Beans

Above, watch the video of how to make sweet potato chili

Healthy Meal Prep Sweet Potato Chili Dinner

The recipe was adapted from my Vegetarian Chili Recipe.

Pin it now to save for laterPin Recipe

Sweet Potato Chili

This easy sweet potato chili recipe is a quick and healthy weeknight meal.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Yield 6 cups
5 from 35 votes

Ingredients

  • 1 large sweet potato (10 oz)
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 can black beans, or beans of choice
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup water
  • 3/4 cup chopped zucchini, optional
  • 2 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 1/2 tsp each: cumin and salt

Instructions

  • Peel sweet potato, and chop or dice, depending on desired size. (If you have time, I love roasting the sweet potato now, but it's not required.) Bring all ingredients except zucchini to a boil. Then turn to medium-low and cook uncovered (add zucchini about halfway through) until sweet potato is soft. It depends on the size of the potato but should take around 15 minutes. Taste, and add salt and pepper as desired. I add an additional 1/2 tsp salt. Serve with sliced avocado, tortilla chips, or whatever you wish.
    View Nutrition Facts

Notes

A slow cooker option is linked above in the post. Do include the orange zest if you can. It adds so much flavor!
For dessert, try these Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies.
 

Have you made this recipe?

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Published on October 14, 2020

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285 Comments

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  1. Amelia says

    I like to make sweet potato fries or hashbrowns… I’m not a huge sweet-with-sweet-potato person. I kind of like the savory with the sweet.

    How many sweet potatoes (medium sized) would you say is 20oz about?

  2. Sarah the offical CCK drooler says

    Actually, i have never had sweet potatoes in a savory dish! Guess i’m sort of chicken when it comes traveling uncharted territory in terms of food. In fact we just had a sweet potato dessert yesterday night! This chilli IS calling out to me though….

    • FaeMao76 says

      I am so going to try your recipe! It looks delicious! I make curried roasted veggies which usually consist of sweet potatoes and/or butternut squash, brussels, red potatoes, onion, garlic cloves, carrot and parsnip. I just blend curry powder that I get from Sprouts with salt, pepper, garlic powder and cinnamon. Toss the veggies with some olive oil & the seasonings & roast in the oven. They are so tasty & the leftovers are delicious in chicken barley/rice/couscous/quinoa soup! 😀

  3. Amanda says

    Sweet potato chili sounds so good right now! I love to roast sweet potatoes. I cut them into thick slices, and then coat them with a little olive oil and sea salt. Perfect!

  4. Trieste says

    This chili looks amazing!! Over the Christmas holiday my sister and I invented a cornbread recipe using canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice – something our diabetic dad could enjoy. I wonder how it would taste along this lovely chili. As for sweet potatoes, I like to crinkle cut them like fries and bake them. I haven’t discovered the best dip with them, although I really like them with maple flavor. Maybe I’ll add maple to your dipping suggestion.

    • Mariea says

      My husband and I love pumpkin!! But I don’t know how to make cornbread, do you have that recipe written down? Would love to try it, please…… I am diabetic also.

      Mariea

      • Ciera says

        Simply type in “totally addictive cornbread” into the search bar and you will get the “chocolate covered katie” cornbread recipe. There are 2 versions (see nutrition facts). Hope this helps!

  5. Anna Lynn says

    Oh, dear! This chili looks fantastic. Perfect for all this cold weather we’ve had (and by cold I mean the lowest it’s been is like 30? But don’t hate, I was born and raised in south west Florida!) I Definitely want to make this!

    I love sweet potatoes! Homemade sp fries, sprinkled with a little brown sugar, sp hash, or just plain! I’m not a fan of regular potatoes and much prefer these little orange guys.

  6. Christina Holzberger says

    Oh. My. God. This is awesome! I LOVEEEEE sweet potatoes, and I love chili so this is perfect. I bake often, but I don’t normally cook unless its a single serving dish just for me. This recipe is definitely going to change that!

  7. auntiecarole says

    This recipe sounds yummy and easy! I’m not a vegan, but I try to do a meatless day at least once a week. I would love more savory recipes like this. Of course, you can never have too many chocolate dessert recipes!

  8. Kelly J. R. says

    I don’t eat sweet potatoes very often but I’m making a casserole later this week (which I’ve made before so I know it’s good) that has sweet potatoes, mole, chorizo, salsa and lots of other yummy mexican-y flavors.

  9. Crystal says

    I love them baked until they caramelize (about 90 min to 2 hours at 350) simply topped with butter, pumpkin pie spice, and pecans. It’s like eating pie without the need for sugar. I probably have this a couple times a week, now that I’ve almost completely given up refined

    By the way, this chili looks great. I may have to make that later this week

  10. Emily says

    Wow, Katie. It is too late to vote on the last post and say, if this is any sampling of what those savory recipes will be like, then please, please, please give us more savory recipes! You’re a culinary genius (you always were, so I don’t know why I didn’t suspect)! I mean, I love your desserts, but you can only eat so many desserts in a day. Haha—scratch that—I mean that I can only eat so many desserts in a day!
    But this?!? If it wasn’t almost 11 pm here and I don’t have half the ingredients, I’d be making this right now! Literally, it’s taking a good measure of willpower to keep me in my seat right now.

  11. Khadijah says

    I was seriously planning on making sweet potato/black bean chili this afternoon! Amazing! I don’t think I add in the zucchini though…personal preference. Thanks!

  12. Kristy says

    I’m allergic to white ones, so I only eat sweet potatoes. I love them roasted with vegan butter and cinnamon or I will bake them, cube them and add to salads for a sweet hearty twist. I also love them mashed with brown sugar and nutmeg for a sweet treat or cut up like fries and baked with some chili pepper and salt on top and to dip in black pepper homemade ketchup…I’m getting hungry thinking about it!

    Thanks for the savory chili idea…I will give it a whirl soon.

  13. Jennifer JCD says

    Mmm.. sweet potatoes… and your recipe is similar to one we use all the time! (Ours has celery and slightly different seasoning.) Love those sweet potatoes… mashed, roasted, stews, pies, maple glazed… every way!

  14. Heather says

    My two favorite ways to use sweet potatoes are both with black beans as chili or fajitas/tacos. I put my chili over quinoa to make it stretch farther and add more protein.

  15. kathy says

    I like sweet potatoes any old way. Hey next time you make your chili, throw in a big handful of raw cashews and cook them with the veggies. I make vegan chili and started adding those recently and now I don’t eat it without them. So delic and lots of added protein and flavor.

  16. Stephanie says

    This looks like a great recipe! As a matter of fact, I like to bake a sweet potato and top it with some spicy homemade chili. Another way I like to make them, which sounds weird, but in a parfait where I use a cubed, cooked sweet potato and top it with nonfat vanilla greek yogurt, cinnamon, and chopped pecans.

  17. Erik says

    I’m not a big fan of sweet potatoes, though I do like simple baked sweet potato fries – tossed with a little olive oil and sea salt then baked. Good stuff. I agree with your readers, bring on the savory recipes too! I’m always on the lookout for healthier desserts and savory recipes. I’m new to your blog, so I’m excited to see what comes.

  18. chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says

    Chili is such a comforting meal! I wasn’t able to comment yesterday because I was traveling, but I would love to see more recipes like this AND see some personal posts. I’m just a nosy person.

  19. Becca says

    So far, the only way I can say I really enjoy sweet potatoes is in the form of a french fry or puff (like a tater tot). I have really tried to like them, I just can’t get over the mushy texture. Maybe this chili would be the way to go. We are avid chili makers…

      • Sarah the offical CCK drooler says

        Actually mi madre was pretty intimidated by the Crockpot my dad got her. Well. brave woman she is, she dunked in the ingredients turned it on, and TADA- chilli! Even my 10 year old sister uses the slow cooker. Super easy 🙂

  20. Justine Duppong @ Life With Cheeseburgers says

    Katie,

    I think it’s amazing and wonderful that you’re following your heart about the changes you’re going to make with your blog. That’s something that’s really been in my heart the past few days, too–posting things that are not only helpful and interesting to readers, but also meaningful to me. I don’t think we ever can go astray as long as we are listening to what’s in our hearts.

    Thank you for what you do!

  21. Kaitlyn@TheTieDyeFIles says

    Love seeing the savory recipe! And I love sweet potatoes. I like to stuff them with quinoa, dried cranberries, cinnamon, pecans, and maple syrup.

  22. vogelstar says

    I think my favourite way to eat sweet potatoes is mixed with regular spuds in a gratin. Mmmm. Let me know when you concoct a healthy bechamel recipe

  23. Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says

    This looks AWESOME! And the photography is just beautiful! The green with the orange, the overhead shot..it makes me want to make a batch today! Except we are having a hot snap and it was 81 here yesterday but next week…perfect!

  24. Lou says

    Sweet potato drizzled with tahini and maple syrup – I think the skin is the best bit. Your chilli sounds awesome… love black beans 🙂

  25. Kristen-vanillabeanvegan says

    wow it looks amazing!! I was going to make yam and blackbean tacos this week but i may change my mind after seeing that. your recipes alway look amazing!! Have a great day!!

  26. Lindsey @ Why Just Eat says

    I LOVE sweet potato chili! It’s a great way to sneak something healthy into my 6 year old. And my husband. LOL 🙂 My favorite way to eat sweet potatoes is NEW. I just came across a recipe the other day and will be posting it on my blog soon – basically you cook and mash a sweet potato. Mix in some coconut and brown sugar – I added about half a cup of coconut and 3T brown sugar to two large sweet potatoes. Form little sweet potato balls, roll them in a little more coconut, and refrigerate for an hour or so. THEY ARE SO UNBELIEVABLY GOOD!! Even the 6 year old ate a few 🙂

  27. Sadie says

    I looooove sweet potatoes; they’re my favorite food! I bake my until they get super tender and then puree the flesh in a food processor with almond milk until they’re smooth, creamy, and delicious. I would love to see more sweet potato recipes (mayber sweet potato oatmeal?).

  28. Jess says

    Mm… This sounds awesome. I’m not usually a big person for sweet potato but this sounds awesome. That and I’m trying to get my family to eat more healthy/low GI foods, i.e. more legumes.

  29. Andrea says

    I literally JUST finished eating a baked sweet potato! 🙂 Love em! My fave way to eat them is fry style with sea salt and ketchup. I like my sweet potatoes savory style, not sweet. 🙂

  30. Karen says

    I saw this post this morning… and just HAD to make it for dinner! It’s delicious! I added a little hot sauce to mine to make it a little spicier. Paired it with a cornbread recipe from The Happy Herbivore. Best. Dinner. Thanks! 🙂

  31. Tara says

    I love sweet potato chili!! But I actually like mine chocolate covered 🙂 I add cocoa powder and cinnamon and cayenne pepper. It’s like mexican hot chocolate chili – it’s so good!! One time I even added chocolate chips. It was awesome.

  32. Chelsea @whatyoucouldhavebeen says

    I feel like you posted this recipe just for me. I wanted a savory post and you gave me sweet potato. I am in heaven. I WILL be making a massive pot of this and freezing it for super cold day comfort food. Sweet potato is best with peanut butter melted into it.

  33. Kelly says

    Only in the last year or so did I figure out that I actually like sweet potatoes… as long as they’re not cooked like a dessert. The mushy Thanksgiving casseroles always grossed me out, but then I tried them as fries- delicious! I like to chop ’em up and roast them with olive oil and seasoned salt as fries, or with regular potatoes and onions for a more formal side dish. I did a spicy version with chili powder and red pepper a few weeks ago- based on that, I bet they’d be delicious in chili!

  34. BroccoliHut says

    I personally think that sweet potatoes and black beans were made for each other–definitely one of my favorite flavor combos! I also really like sweet potatoes topped with cashew butter 🙂

  35. joy says

    Hi this is my first time commenting – sweet potatoes or kumura (I’m from new Zealand) are my absolute favourite food and I love them in any shape or form. In nz you can get kumura chips instead of normal potato (hot) chips! I’ve never tried them in baking though, and I once tried a sweet potato green smoothie which was disgusting, but that was due to the greens. I’m loving the sound of this chilli!

  36. Maddy says

    This sounds delicious! I’m in love with anything sweet potato…but oh no you said “cornbread.” That will be on the brain all day! I have yet to find a yummy tasting and healthy vegan cornbread. Please bring one in to my life soon! 🙂

  37. Anna@ActiveFingers says

    I love making sweet potato fries. At school, I often bake one in the microwave and peal it and eat it (kind of like a banana)

  38. Lexi @ Cura Personalis Foodie says

    I LOVE (like seriously l-o-v-e) sweet potatoes. I like to slow roast them in the oven until they’re sweet, soft, and syrupy and then drizzle with some homemade nut butter. Walnut butter is my favorite; the combination is mind blowing!

  39. Val says

    That’s a beautiful looking chili! As for sweet potatoes, I actually don’t care for them all too much; well, not plain anyway. Though I wouldn’t mind trying them out as fries ( or in a chili. 😉 ).

    Cornbread, you say? I will defiantly be keeping my eyes open for that one! I love cornbread, but can never seem to find a good, healthy recipe for it. The ones I seem to come across would have to have too much tweaking to the large amounts of butter, buttermilk, sugar, white flour etc. Ooh, but speaking of flour, I bet they would taste great with a mix of cornmeal and spelt!

    On the topic of cornbread, just wondering; how do you like yours? For me, it’s just not cornbread if it doesn’t crumble everywhere, lol.

  40. sarah marie says

    Just made this for lunch today (with plenty of leftovers for future meals, yay!) and it’s delicious! I added more chili powder than called for because I like things spicy. It turned out fantastic. Thanks for the recipe!

  41. Rebecca says

    TOTALLY making this tonight!

    I love sweet potatoes any and EVERY way. When I run into someone who DOESN’T like sweet potatoes I end up looking at them like they’re from another planet!

  42. Kendra says

    Wow! Made it for dinner tonight, it was fabulous. I did only put 2 tsp of Chili powder in tho cause I’m a big time wus when it comes to spicy foods. I would love to see more savory recipes as well! Ive made your mushroom stroganoff a few times too 🙂

  43. Nicole says

    I think I eat about 5 or 6 sweet potatoes a week. Everything from cutting into wedges, baking (and broiling for a black crisp) and drizzling with apple cider vinegar, to using as a base to pile chili, cooked veggies, etc. on top of. Yum!

  44. Natalie Kaczmarczyk says

    baked with greek yogurt, SP fries with a little olive oil salt pepper chili powder and goat cheese fondue, sweet potato polenta, doused in whipped cream and cinnamon… as you can tell I eat sweet potatoes almost everyday! This chili-lovin’ girl Can’t wait to try this recipe 🙂

  45. Jen E says

    As my friend would say that isn’t real texan chili lol. She teases me and calls me a yankee for putting beans in chili. I’m sorry, but I love it and when I lived in Texas I still put beans in it lol. Never thought of sweet potatoes though it looks so good!

  46. Ilana says

    Made this for dinner. It was AMAZING! Boyfriend gave it RAVE reviews. He wants me to make it for his chili cookoff at work this year. 🙂

    I only made a couple of tiny changes. I added a little more chili powder, and since my store was out of zucchini (how does that happen??) I used yellow squash. YUMMERS!

    Will be making this again for sure! Thanks for the savory recipe Katie!

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      I was actually at Whole Foods once when they were out of zucchini! Can you believe it?! I mean, it’s Whole Foods!
      And the guy said they’d been out all day! (No worries… it’s not like they don’t have a million other veggies to choose from! ;))

  47. Wendy says

    I just made this for dinner tonight and it was SOOO delicious! Even my husband (who thinks he needs meat at every meal lol) loved it. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe 🙂

  48. Sandi says

    I made this for dinner and it was delicious!! I added mushrooms and raisins. The raisins put it over the top. My husband loved it too. Thanks very much for this recipe, Katie.

  49. Lori J. Delgado says

    Hi Katie, I made this tonight and it was SO yummy! I doubled the recipe and have lots of leftovers 🙂 I look forward to making other recipes of yours 🙂

  50. Kim says

    Just came across your blog and HAD to make this. It was awesome! Even my meat-eating husband loved it. Thank you for a yummy, healthy dinner idea!

  51. Barbara says

    Made this chili last night and absolutely love it. Looking forward to leftovers today. Thanks so much for this recipe.

  52. Rhi says

    Katie, thank you SO much for this recipe! My husband and I love sweet potatoes and this chili was AMAZING!! I would love more savory posts! I’m obsessed with your website! Thank you for all the great recipes!!
    ~Rhianna

  53. megan says

    Katie, do you drain the black beans first, or just dump in the whole can? I’m so excited to finally try this recipe!

  54. Erica Eubanks says

    I am making this right now. And sneaking bites as it cooks. Anyone know about how long it should take? I simply cannot wait and need to set a time and walk away…

  55. Chantelle says

    Ok, so I have a question (I hope you didn’t already answer this somewhere…I didn’t go through all the comments to check:-D) but are the potatoes “sweet potatoes” or ” yams”? Hope that’s not a dumb question. Lol. I only ask because I know people who didn’t know there was a difference:-D.

  56. Kara says

    This looks AMAZING. I think I’m going to try making it in the crock pot, though — I’ve got a long day ahead of me, and would love to come home to an already-made dinner. 🙂

    My favorite way to eat sweet potatoes? Roasted! I cut up sweet potatoes, parsnips, and carrots, toss them with a canola/honey/lemon juice mixture, then sprinkle with garam masala seasoning, and roast. I call it “chai-roasted veggies.” DELICIOUS. 😀

  57. Cynthia says

    I tossed a banana into this chili and really liked what it did for the recipe … the chili thickened right up and it gave it an even sweeter flavor. Great recipe!

  58. CarrRe07 says

    Cheap! Easy! Yummy! I can’t wait for leftovers tonight! This was my 1st recipe I tried from this site – in less than 24 hours, I’ve brought in some leftovers for a taste-test at work, and have shared this site with many gals at the office! Next time I make it, I’m going to add more zucchini b/c every time I got a bite of it with a sweet potato cube, it was delicious! Also, I now know they sell orange zest at the store (like chili powder or cumin), but I used an actual orange…putting more in next time, too! It was a nice treat to taste when I caught some on my spoon!

  59. Chantelle says

    Katie! Made this tonight! It is such a winner! Even with the sweet potatoes instead of yams:-D! I might have to try it one day with yams just to see the difference in taste:-D. I’m so stoked to share this with my mom & sister! 😀 Thanks so much!:-D
    P.S. That’s so great that you were on the news! Well done sister!:-D

  60. ProfessorSnape says

    I just made this tonight and it is delicious! My 9 year old is even devouring it. Thank you so much! What a fun recipe, and it was so easy to make. 🙂

  61. stephanie says

    Do you rinse and drain the beans or just dump the whole thing (well, not the actual CAN) in the pot?
    I really love this blog. Not a day goes by that I don’t check in since I found you 🙂
    Thanks for always answering readers questions and for everything else! Have a great day.

  62. stephanie says

    Never mind my last question…lol. sorry about that, but I found the answer way down in the comments: “yes, rinse and drain the beans.” 🙂

  63. Marissa says

    Just made it today and it was delish!! I ran out of cumin and used smoked paprika instead, also very yummy. Two thumbs up!!

  64. Kelly says

    I made this as my “Meatless Monday” dinner tonight! Different from any other chili I’ve ever had, but in a so-delicious way! I subbed green bell pepper for the zucchini and sauteed the onion, garlic, and pepper in a smidge of olive oil before I added the rest of the stuff. Left out the orange zest because my zester is a piece of junk! I’m not going for vegan, so I added a sprinkle of cheese on top- yummy!

    For other calorie counters, this makes about 6 1.5 cup servings that I estimated to be 235 cal, 1.5g fat, 47g carbs, 11g fiber, and 10g protein. And that one serving was enough to fill me up! Thanks for the delicious meal idea!

  65. Amy says

    This was AMAZING. I was shocked at how sweet it came out. I’m really hoping my girls like it because this will definitely go into rotation!

  66. janine tacey says

    I made this soup and it was outstanding! The flavors played off of each other so well. The orange zest adds so much to it surprisingly. I served it to friends and will make it again next week end for more friends. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I served simply with cornbread and an optional side salad.

  67. Christine says

    I love your blog and i’ve made maybe half a dozen recipes so far, but I wanted to tell you that I made this recipe a couple weeks ago and froze the leftovers. My fiance and I just had some of the leftovers for lunch and he says, I quote:
    “You need to make another 3 gallons of this stuff.”

    So, I just wanted to share his highest praise with you! Thanks for writing!

  68. BM says

    I made this for dinner tonight. I cook all my soups in my pressure cooker so I dumped in all the ingredients, cooked for 8 minutes and it was done! It was great! A new favorite chili for our vegetarian family! I also don’t buy canned beans, I ended up putting about 4 cups cooked black beans in there.

  69. Linda Theodorou Vitale says

    Katie, I just started reading blogs about a month ago found yours and saved this chili recipe. I just made it, WOW, it is absolutely delicious! My husband even liked it. Thanks so much. I will be trying more of your recipes soon!!!

  70. Gayle says

    Thank you Katie – for a fabulous recipe. We just loved it. That hint of
    orange in the chili was genius!

  71. Naomi says

    Hi, do you think this would work with pumpkin instead of sweet potato? this would make it a 0 weightwatchers poingt dish! thanks

  72. Dianna says

    WOW!! This was good!!! Even the 16 year old teenager ate a whole bowl, and claimed it delicious! Thanks for the great recipe, its a keeper!

  73. Gayle Girl says

    This is a fabulous recipe. I have made it 4 times, and shared it with many friends! Thank you – thank you!! Healthy – simple – memorable – a great combination!!

  74. Tamara says

    Hello Katie! I was so excited when I read that you lived in China. I am actually two weeks away from departing for Beijing! I understand China is not as vegan-friendly as the US is becoming, but do you have any tips for me? I am kind of just planning to not eat out for a while until I get the hang of conversing in Mandarin and can confidently order vegan dishes. I am hoping it won’t be too difficult for me since I don’t eat out much anyway.

    Thanks! And this recipe looks wonderful, I plan on making it for dinner tonight 🙂

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      Hi Tamara. It will actually be easier than you think, because they eat a lot of different vegetables, use tofu all the time, and soy milk is readily available. There are many vegetarian restaurants too. I enjoyed visiting Beijing and I hope you do, too. 🙂

  75. Daisy says

    I just found this website yesterday and I made this chili today. WOW!!!! I am soooo happy!! This recipe was so easy and SOOOO yummy!! My Mom loved it too. I also made the chocolate chip blondies. ALSO YUMMY!! Katie, you are my hero!!

  76. Caitlin says

    OMG! I just made this and it was fantastic. I actually boiled it on the stove and then left it in the oven on 300 degrees for about an hour…it was perfect! I added a little bit of pesto to my bowl when it was done 🙂

  77. genny says

    This sweet potato black bean chili is so good. I will be making it again for sure. I added cilantra and used yams instead of sweet potatoes as that is what I had on hand. Very good recipe

  78. Maq says

    Oh man, this was FANTASTIC. I made it yesterday for me and my roommate and her fiance, but neither of them showed up so a lot of it was actually put away for the next day. And you were completely right–the first day it was good, today while I’m eating it for lunch it’s FANTASTIC!

    I think next time I make it I might halve the orange zest, and throw in some corn just because that sounds really tasty to me right now, and I know when my roommate and her fiance can’t eat many things for their orthodox lent, I’m going to make it. Thank you so much for the recipe!

  79. Michelle says

    Loved this recipe. I love sweet potatoes in things that aren’t sweet. I didn’t have a regular can of diced tomatoes, so I used a can of rotel (tomatoes and green chilis). It was spicy, but super yummy! Thanks for the great recipe!

  80. Crystal says

    This sweet potato chili looks so good! I next to never ate sweet potatoes before moving to Korea, but here it seems they put sweet potatoes in everything. Even desserts! I used to grate them up and cook them like hash browns, but I’d use a lot of oil, so I’m steering clear of that now. I think the orange zest and cumin with the sweet potatoes sounds amazing. Since these are ingredients I can actually find here, I’m definitely going to try it.

  81. mel says

    This looks so good and I just cooked black beans and sweet potatoes and even have a zucchini in the fridge. We’re out of chili powder though 🙁

  82. Jennifer Rhodes says

    Absolutely delicious! Just need to find a vegan cornbread or just get some corn chips… or wait till my vegan trial period is over so that I can use an egg.

  83. Heather the Non-Vegan CCK Lover says

    Dear Miss Genius Katie,

    In a search for healthy tasty recipes, I came across your blog via Pinterest and it was love at first sight! I have a big sweet tooth and can’t live my desserts and snacks. I eat fairly healthy but I’m certainly not a vegan. Lol I’ve so far made several of your recipes and I love every one. More-so that they’re actually very good for me and have me eating less meat and processed food. I just made this chilli tonight! I replaced the zucchini and tomato with chopped red bell pepper and omitted the orange zest. It was AMAZING and very filling! 😀
    You are the bomb!!

  84. Shari says

    All layered in the crockpot and ready for tomorrow after church to enjoy with friends. I love your site and share it all the time. Thank you so much for sharing your gift with us!,

  85. Natalie says

    I made a huge pot of this on Sunday and have been eating it all week. It is absolutely wonderful! For lunch I have it over brown rice, very tasty! Thansk for the great recipe!

  86. mel says

    I made this a few times finally and am about to make it again…well, w/o the orange zest. My little ones and I like it a lot! Going to try it with butternut squash cubes today, maybe.

  87. Megan says

    Put this in the crock pot this morning and it sat on low for about 14 hours and was SO good. (I’m sure it was done long before then, but it was a long day!) Anyway, it was delicious!! And for anyone else with long work days ahead, just a little prep work the night before, throw it in the crock pot in the morning and dinner is ready when you get home. So nice!

  88. Jasmine says

    I fooled my whole family with this recipe! And a few friends too! No one missed the meat, and my kids ate zucchini for the first time and liked it! This is one of my new weekly staple recipes. And soooo super easy too! Thanks Katie! Keep the non-dessert recipes coming.

  89. Tonia says

    This is going to sound really strange, but adding a tablespoon of honey is really good too! This is terrific chili and I make it regularly.

  90. Molly says

    LOVE this recipe! I have made it twice so far, the first time I made it for an annual Halloween party where everyone brings a different soup, many people in my family are becoming more health conscious and everyone loved it! My aunts have been making it and raving about it! I also just made a big pot for my roommates and substituted roasted corn for the zucchini and served it over quinoa. It was a perfect fall meal and got the approval of all three of my carnivorous roommates! Thanks Katie!

  91. shani says

    made this today and it was delicious!!! a few additions, though 🙂

    i cooked the onion ( and added some garlic) in some olive oil for a couple of minutes, before adding the other vegies
    i also added a chopped carrot and a handful of baby spinach (as i had these lying around in the fridge)
    i didn;t have orange zest, but added some tumeric and corriander powder for extra flavour
    and the only canned beans i had were chickpeas so i used those instead of black beans

    thanks for a greast recipe!!! it was DELICIOUS!!!!

  92. chissiej says

    Wow Katie….looks like this chili was a big hit…it is thanksgiving time and I was looking for sweet potato recipes for a change…I really like sweet potatoes in any form….I’m also vegan and gluten and dairy sensitive so I’m looking to find some great recipes because I really enjoy being in the kitchen….I also see you have a corn bread recipe which looks yummy….think i’llmake these for christmas to bring and share with family who are not vegan…thanks for sharing your recipes…and all the great comments give lots of ideas for experimenting. HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Thank YOU!

  93. Shawna says

    I just started being a vegetarian about a month ago and this recipe looks right up my alley!
    I love sweet potatoes so much, I could probably eat them every day! I like to microwave them and top them with almond butter and cinnamon (So delicious- I can eat that for breakfast, lunch, or dinner)

  94. Jennie Adams says

    I made this for a group of friends the other night, and it was a big hit! This chili is absolutely delicious. The only thing I changed was that I made it in the crock pot overnight, refrigerated it during the day so that it could absorb the flavors, and then reheated it for my guests. Incredible. Thank you for the recipe.

  95. Stephanie says

    I made this for dinner tonight. I’m not a huge sweet potato fan, but I loved this! Everyone in my family loved it, and it’s going into the regular dinner rotation. The whole house smelled yummy and amazing when this was cooking. Next time I might add some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (we like things spicy around here! :D), but wow, this was good. Thank you for such a great recipe. Your whole blog has made my transitioning to kicking the animals out of my diet much easier and delicious to boot! 🙂

  96. Cara says

    Oh My!! I just made your chili. Divine. The orange zest compliments it. Looking forward to more tomorrow when it sits overnight. Thank you. Just ran across your blog this week and am so very happy!

  97. Sara says

    This is honestly one of my favorite recipes ever. I love adding a bag of kale at the end, it adds a nutrient punch and it is just SO GOOD. I usually add a bit of cayenne, a dash of cinnamon, a buttload of pepper, and cumin seeds, and I never have oranges so I usually omit that (though I’m sure it’s delicious!! One day I will have an orange on hand!) Wonderful over quinoa.

  98. Kitty Bea says

    This is my favorite chili recipe. ever. The lemon zest adds such a tang, and with the abundance of sweet potatoes from our garden, this recipe is wonderful.
    I’ve made it 3 times already, but each time it was a double recipe.
    Thanks!

  99. Laura Taylor says

    This is FANTASTIC! Love it. I made it tonight for dinner and my kids gobbled it up! I added some chick peas and some celery. So delicious!

  100. Janelle O'Neill says

    Is there nutritional info for this recipe anywhere? I might be just not seeing it, but usually your recipes have the info with them. Thanks, it sounds delish!

  101. Melody says

    Made this tonight and couldn’t wait until tomorrow for the flavors to blend…..it was awesome!! Thanks for the recipe. I was looking for the nutritional value too…..= (

  102. Jessica says

    This stuff is soo so delicious, I love all of your recipes! My freezer is packed full of leftovers from all of your recipes! lol
    Random question; I saw some posts from you a while back about coming out with a cookbook…when and where will I be able to buy one??

  103. Jessica says

    I’m actually making it right now, for the second time. I didn’t change the recipe one bit (except to add some collared greens, I had so many). The first time it was so incredibly savory (I served it over quinoa), and I’ve been looking forward to making this again for ages. I think the orange zest makes this chili. Thanks so much for this recipe!

  104. Christina! says

    Currently making this chili right now, added lots of garlic and plan on serving it with garlic na’an. I’m excited!

  105. Jordan says

    Made this tonight… literally the best chili ever. The orange zest goes perfectly with the sweet potatoes.

  106. Kassidy says

    I made this chilli in my slow cooker. Let it cook on low for 10 hours – it was amazing!! Such a comforting meal to come home to on a cold winter evening 🙂

  107. Hilary says

    I tried this recipe by making it the night before and eating it for supper the next day and it is fantastic! It’s so good its addictive! This will definitely be a new staple for me! Thanks Katie!

  108. Kim says

    Made this last night–it was GREAT! Thanks so much for the recipe! I love it when vegan recipes turn out delicious 😉

  109. Katie Hayes says

    I wasn’t kidding when I said I am cooking my way through your blog…earlier today. Does that make me a chocolate-covered stalker? 😉

    Anyway, after making and devouring your delicious polka dot banana bread, I wandered around your blog and found this recipe. I am at the point in my fridge/pantry that it is almost inexcusable to not go to the store, but alas, sometimes I am just lazy and wait until the absolute last minute.

    I was THRILLED when I saw this recipe fit exactly what I had left in my fridge! Hallelujah! It was fate. I had made a sweet potato chili in the past from a different recipe that just wasn’t for me, and I had been dying since then to try a different one, because the idea is so brilliant. When I found one on your blog, I KNEW that this was the one. Let me just say, this was DIVINE! So simple and so freshly flavored.

    The only things I changed to fit my scantily stocked kitchen was use 2 cups of chicken broth instead of 1 cup of water, swapped 1 of the 2 cans of black beans for a can of chili beans, and I used lemon zest instead of orange. I also topped it with a dollop of greek yogurt. I will be making this over and over!

  110. Amber says

    Hi Katie!
    Just saw this yummy recipe, but I can’t have beans for health reasons, do you think this could work with chicken or ground turkey? Have you or anyone you know tried it with those ingredients? Thank you!
    Stay Happy and Healthy
    Amber

  111. Steph says

    I’m honestly not a huge sweet potato person- but when I first tried this chili it was all I wanted to eat for a while! LOL

    My family and I have made this ahead of time and taken it camping and taken it for vacations and picnics- just heat it back up on a gas camp stove if you’ve got one. I’m sure over a fire would be nice too. This chili is going to be the star of my thanksgiving meal!

  112. Barbara Gabbe-Harris says

    Hi Katie …I have a problem ..I want to save your recipes and I usually print them..but when I go to print the recipe I end up getting everything ..including all the comments people write. Is there any way to just get a printable recipe? Or do you know a way I can save your recipes on my computer ..I have an iPad. It is new & I am just learning all it can do. Do you know of an app I could save them to? Thank you for your help….can’t wait to make this sweet potato chilli recipe. Barbara

    • Unofficial CCK Helper says

      You can save just the recipe and print it this way: hi-light just the recipe itself, then right click and hit copy; then open a new Word document, right click and hit paste. Then you can give a title to the document and save it in a separate folder of CCK recipes.

  113. Barbara Gabbe-Harris says

    Hi Katie…just ate a yummy bowl of your sweet potato chilli….fun & easy to make too. I love the grated orange rind in it ..I added some garlic and a touch of brown sugar..love all the flavors..and colors !
    Question …I usually print your recipes but since they are not “printer friendly” I end up getting pages of everything…all the comments, etc. any ideas as to how I can “save” your recipes …maybe to an “app” so I don ‘t have to print them. I just got a new iPad but still learning all that it does. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks. Barbara

  114. Lee says

    Sounds delicious, but how can it be chili without any chilies? No peppers of any sort (chili powder doesn’t count). I’m going to try it, but with a couple roasted sweet red chili peppers and maybe a scotch bonnet to liven it up… stay tuned.

  115. lacey says

    made this for dinner tonight… LOVED IT! I added a can of diced tomatoes with jalapeños and i think it complimented the sweetness. Also served it with cornbread. This is definitely going to be a regular meal!

  116. Lindy says

    Katie, I saw this post last year and have been wanting to try it ever since! I threw it together yesterday and let it cook in the crockpot all day. Served it to my roommates last night and it was a hit! Thanks for the wonderful recipe.

  117. Johanne says

    I made it for supper for my family and they’ve enjoyed it :-). I’ve actually boiled my black beans for over two hours and used the juice as the broth. Thanks!

  118. Melissa says

    I love this recipe so much! Thank you for sharing! I’ve made it quite a few times and it’s always a hit. I serve it with quinoa and jalapeño-cornbread. Instead of chili powder I’ve been using taco seasoning 🙂

  119. lauren schillings says

    This is Delish! I did not use the orange zest. I subsituted Chili Seasoning from a pre-portioned packet packet for the chili powder. I added a lot of Cajun spices and more water. This was good with rice, too. Thanks for the recipe!!

  120. Casey says

    I made this for dinner tonight using some of my Bountiful Basket haul and holey moley, this is absolutely delicious! I changed it just a bit by adding some fresh corn and substituted beef broth for the water and summer squash for zucchini, since I that’s what I had on hand. I’m definitely making this again, thanks for an awesome and easy recipe:)

  121. Sydney says

    I can’t wait to try this recipe! It sounds so yummy! How long do you typically cook the sweet potatoes to get them soft?

  122. Dawn says

    Made this Chili last night , it was delicious! My husband heated some up today for lunch and just text me to tell me how great it taste. So I had to write a comment to share how easy it was to make, I will be making this again!

  123. Melissa says

    I’ve made this chili over 10 times now and get so many compliments on it! Thank you for posting this. Please post more of your savory creations 🙂
    I like to add quinoa to this chili, and also replacing the water with 1 cup lager/beer. And instead of chili powder I substituted taco seasoning. So delicious!

    • Unofficial CCK Helper says

      It depends on how big your appetites are, but I would recommend doing 1.5 times the recipe. After all, you can always freeze leftovers!

  124. Abby says

    I made this tonight and it was delicious!! I was so excited I burnt my lip, and then my tounge! Apparently the wait until it cools rule needed to be applied… Also, I tried to make the healthy gluten free cornbread recipe you suggested and…well in all the excitement..I forgot to add the sugar…which wouldn’t have been bad if I hadn’t taken a huge bite expecting sweet goodness and the fact that I used unsweetebed apple sauce, thinking i would make it even healthier…Alas my cornbread was ruined..until I put peanut butter on it, which makes everything better, losing the nutritional value..

    One of my favourite ways to eat yams (I am more fond of them than sweet potatoes, and they have less sugar!) is to thinly slice them up and bake them in the oven on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Man are they scrumptious! Their taste, if crispy, resembles that of roasted marshmallows..This little treat is healthy, and an amazing substitute for chips, popcorn, and it also makes a great side dish.

    Thanks for another great recipe,
    Abby

  125. Abby says

    Hey,
    Sorry to bug you again, I might be completely blind, but did you post the nutrition info for this recipe? I thought that you did but I could be thinking of the cornbread and now I can’t seem to find it. If you could please point me in the right direction, that would be great.

    Thanks,
    Abby

  126. Meredith says

    I just made this for the first time for dinner last night and felt compelled to tell you how delicious it was. The orange zest really makes this dish. I almost left it out, but I wouldn’t recommend it! I made it with your addictive corn bread which was also amazing. I even ate your pumpkin pie oatmeal for breakfast yesterday, too. It was a day full of CCK and it was super yummy. Thanks!!

  127. Karen M says

    Where can I find the nutritional info on your sweet potato chili? Also, would please add either the serving size and/or how many servings each recipe is for? There are many of your faithful readers that count carbs and protein. Thanks!

  128. Rosie says

    I made this last night and it turned out so delicious!!! I substituted a few items to use what I had in my cabinets. I didn’t have chili powder so I just added more cumin. I used northern and kidney beans. I also used crushed tomatoes instead of chunky tomato as my daughters like it more soupy. Lastly I used 5 sweet potatoes just to make a bigger batch:) this one is a keeper! Thanks!

  129. Jake says

    While I’m not vegan or vegetarian, this is probably the best chili I’ve ever had. Thanks for the recipe.

  130. Victoria Van Vlear says

    5 stars
    This turned out SO delicious, Katie! It’s become my absolute favorite chili (though I tweaked it a little and added ground beef).

  131. Kathleen Acosta says

    I make this recipe all the time, it’s so good! I prefer making it in the crockpot, it seems to taste even better for some reason.

  132. Melanie says

    I was looking for something to do with my sweet potatoes and this recipe looks perfectly yummy and healthy! About how many servings would you say this pot of chili makes?

  133. Tessa says

    Very easy recipe and tasty too! It would be handy to have an indication of the cooking time, though. Mine was on the burner on low heat for about an hour.
    Since I didn’t have any beans, I used corn, which turned out great.
    I also added more spices than the ones in the ingredients list: turmeric (I know, does not normally go in chili) and black pepper. I think this made it taste more like a tagine than a chili.
    For us, this recipe consisted of 3 portions.

  134. Gayle says

    I just wanted you to know I still love this recipe! I’ve been making it exactly as is since you posted it, and it’s still one of my favorite recipes!! Thanks for all the great recipes and inspiration throughout the years.

    Happy Holidays 2016, and a Healthy and Happy 2017 to you and yours.?? Gayle

  135. Jody Green says

    I tried this recipe it was great made a couple changes I put black beans and chickpeas and used diced tomatoes with green chilies and my husband loved it….he didnt miss the meat

  136. Minnie says

    Thank you for this recipe! I added carrot, a couple different kinds of beans, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. I will be making this regularly, thank you again! Might add butternut squash and cinnamon next time!

  137. Jenny Butler says

    The recipe looks absolutely beautiful hope it tastes as good as it looks. Will make this at the weekends. I will surely let you know how this goes. Thank you for this. I would like to use a bit less spice, kids do not like spicy foods that much though.

  138. Dhianna says

    I made this for supper tonight. It was great. Everyone raved about it. The non-Vegans added a little cheese. It served 4 nicely. Added a crusty bread and it was a great meal!!!

  139. Bekah says

    I’ve been making this recipe for about 5 years since Katie originally posted it! Every fall/winter I make it at least 3 times and sometimes I switch it up by using mushrooms instead of zucchini. Both ways are too good! I feel like this is a recipe I’ll be making my whole life.

  140. Jeannie says

    Made this in my Instapot with high pressure to cook the sweet potatoes then added the zucchini for a few more minutes. Delicious.

  141. Avra says

    Might be a good idea to put whether to drain and rinse the beans in the instructions so that we all don’t have to hunt for it in the comments!

    Looks good, can’t wait to make this. 🙂

  142. Tiffany says

    I am a huge fan of chili and will eat it most any way I can get it! I’ve never had it with sweet potatoes – I have to try this!

    Tiffany

  143. Sabrina S. says

    I made this wonderful chili tonight, and it was delish!!! I tripled the recipe, and I’m so glad I did, because my family and I couldn’t get enough of this chili. I roasted the sweet potatoes in a couple tablespoons of melted coconut oil, and the last few minutes I put under the broiler to give it a quick crisp. Thank you Katie for an awesome recipe!

  144. Susan Kimzey says

    This chili is SO delicious and simple! Thank you so much for the recipe! You are so adorable no wonder you are so popular:)

  145. Laura says

    Just made for the first time and my 2 1/2 year old and I loved it! I did brown a pound of beef, drain, then started the direction in the recipe. I pretty much followed everything else as instructed. I wasn’t sure if the zucchini should be peeled so I didn’t peel it and it was fine (did half a medium one). I also wasn’t sure about draining the beans so opted not to and the liquid proportions were still fine. We did top ours with sour cream. yum yum.

  146. Marie says

    This was so delicious & we’re not even vegan. Just a tasty, nutritious & satisfying meal! Better than regular chili ❤

  147. Deb says

    5 stars
    Young lady, this recipe is out of this world! Absolutely delicious and I give it 10 stars. I prepared it sans the zucchini. It’s so authentic and delicious. The zucchini, in my opinion, would have taken away from that. I did use the Avocado you mentioned on top. It was so good I’m having it again tomorrow!! I will most definitely make more of this in the future. People you must make this recipe! Oh, I actually used fire roasted diced tomatoes also.

  148. Pam says

    I have a similar chili recipe. I substituted butternut squash for the sweet potatoes and cut my carb consumption almost in half.

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