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. Scoop it up with Homemade Tortilla Chips, pile on some Loaded Guacamole, and if you're feeding a crowd, set it out alongside a pot of Chicken Tortilla Soup for the ultimate cozy night spread.
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. And you might not believe me. But after years of hearing from you guys about this recipe, I stand by it confidently. Chili is an ESSENTIAL fall/winter recipe, and with all the black beans, sweet potatoes and spices in this black bean sweet potato chili, you won’t miss the meat one bit. If you do prefer meat in your chili, I have a smoky beef and black bean chili that is delicious and an easy white chicken chili or a turkey chili based on your preference!
Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: 55 minutes (10 min prep + 45 min cook)
- 👪 Servings: 4 people
- 🍝 Cuisine Type: Tex-Mex / Vegetarian Chili
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Smoky, hearty, mildly spicy with sweet-potato warmth, black-bean richness and fresh lime brightness
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegan/vegetarian (if toppings are dairy-free), gluten-free, meat-free
- 📦 Storage Notes: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days; freezes very well for up to 3 months when portioned.
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: A game-changing vegetarian chili that even meat-lovers will crave—loaded with sweet potatoes, black beans, quinoa and bold spices for serious comfort and freezer-friendly ease.
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Why I Love This Recipe
Loaded with chili powder, chipotle peppers, cumin, beans, tomatoes, and quinoa, this black bean sweet potato chili is basically a giant party in a pot—and it’s seriously addictive. Make it, enjoy it, and then pack up the leftovers for lunch the next day to make everyone jealous. I love making a double batch on the weekend and freezing small portions for easy meals later in the week.
It freezes beautifully! Once it’s cooled completely, portion the chili into airtight containers or freezer-safe bags and label them. When you’re ready to enjoy, transfer a portion to the fridge and let it thaw overnight. To reheat, warm it on the stovetop over medium heat with a splash of broth or water until it’s hot and bubbly, or heat it gently in the microwave, stirring every minute or so. Either way, it tastes just as incredible as the day you made it.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Substitutions
- 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 Super Simple Stovetop Beans.
Toppings
- Serving suggestions: avocado, cilantro, crema, grated cheese
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
How to Make Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili
Step 1: 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.
Step 2: 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.
Step 3: 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.
How to Store Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili
You can store this for 4 days in an airtight container and re-heat on the stove or microwave when its time to eat.
How to Freeze Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili
This is a great recipe for freezing. I recommend portioning out when freezing so you only have to thaw as much as you need. This can be frozen for 3 months. Recommend thawing in the fridge overnight to make re-heating easier.
Tips & Tricks
This is a vegan/vegetarian chili so keep that in mind when choosing your toppings! Just make sure everyone knows what is dairy and what isn't.
FAQs
Can I use different beans in chili if I do not have black beans?
You can use kidney or pinto beans if you do not have black beans. Some people also like doing a mix of the different beans. However, make sure you are doing canned beans in that case since different beans can have slightly different cook times. If you want to make your own beans, this is my favorite recipe.
Is black bean sweet potato chili gluten-free?
Yes!! Chili is a great crowd-pleaser, and easy to make in a larger quantity. This recipe makes it even more fit for a gathering, since its gluten free and vegan (omit the crema and grated cheese or just keep them on the side as a topping station).
Stuck in a dinner rut? Looking for new delicious dinner ideas? Check out my roundup of 50+ easy dinner ideas here.
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
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
- ½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 ½ cups vegetable stock
- 1 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 14.5-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- ½ 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.
Making this tonight and I had a brainwave to use any leftovers as a filling for wraps! Yum!
smart!!!!
This was absolutely delicious! It's going on the permanent rotation.
Gaby, I made this last night to bring for lunch the rest of the week, I could NOT stop "sampling" it. I eventually had to put it into containers to stop myself from eating it. This is DELICIOUS! Sweet and smoky, so good!!
I was wondering if I could substitute the Quinoa with Pearly Barley?
absolutely!! you will just need to let it simmer until the barley is tender 🙂
I made this tonight and it was amazing! The sweet potato made it very filling and satisfying. We put a little guacamole and corn chips on top. Yum! Thanks for sharing!
I made this over the weekend and used frozen, already cut sweet potatoes- saved time! And I added a pound of grass-fed ground beef and cooked it with the onions. Delicious! It was a huge hit while watching the Broncos.
What! How does Thomas not like chili -- how very dare he!
I will have to add this to my meal plan this week. Looks perfect!!
Love sweet potatoes in chili!!
Made this last night!
Followed the recipe to a T and it was the easiest chilli iv ever made. So delicious, I will definitely make again. I was worried It was going to be too liquidly at first and had more of a soup-like texture. But I let it simmer for a little longer and it tightened up. A good alternative for people who aren't bean obsessed. The quinoa is definitely the highlight.
Thanks Gaby
Perfect looking chili! Mmmm!
I made something similar to this for New Year's Eve and it was a big hit all around. I didn't add quinoa though.....I like the thought of that!
People can always suprise you, no matter how well you know them. What a pretty bowl of chile!
Yup, this is definitely on my list to make this "winter" in Cali!
Made this tonight as is other then I cut down on the broth(I added maybe 1cup the tomatoes were pretty juicy)Delicious and a keeper!