If you are looking for a cozy, satisfying bowl of something that requires zero meat and absolutely zero compromises on flavor, this Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili is exactly what you need in your life right now. The combination of hearty black beans, naturally sweet sweet potatoes, and a seriously bold spice blend creates a vegetarian chili that is deeply warming and totally craveable from the very first bite. It pairs beautifully with Fully Loaded Black Beans Nachos for a full spread, and if you want to round out your chili night even further, Pumpkin Chicken Chili and Chicken Chili Verde are both incredible options to serve alongside for a crowd that wants variety.
Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: 55 minutes
- 👪 Servings: 4
- 🍝 Cuisine Type: Tex-Mex / Vegetarian
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Smoky, hearty, and mildly spicy, with tender sweet potatoes, black beans, warming spices, and a bright finish of fresh lime.
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian and dairy-free without dairy toppings. Can be vegan and gluten-free when made with suitable stock, seasonings, and toppings.
- 📦 Storage Notes: Refrigerate promptly in airtight containers for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months for best quality. Reheat with a splash of stock or water as needed.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Black beans, sweet potatoes, and quinoa make this a satisfying meatless chili that's packed with flavor. It's easy to make ahead, perfect for leftovers, and freezes beautifully.
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Why I Love This Recipe
Loaded with Dalkin & Co Chile Lime, black beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and quinoa, this Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili is basically a giant party in a pot—and it's seriously addictive. It's hearty, smoky, packed with flavor, and proof that you don't need meat to make an incredible bowl of chili. Make it, load it up with all your favorite toppings, 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 individual portions for easy meals later in the week. Trust me, your future self will thank you!
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Ingredients
Substitutions & Swaps
🍠 Sweet Potato
- Butternut Squash - A slightly less sweet alternative. Cut into small, even cubes and simmer until tender.
- Russet Potato - A starchier option that makes the chili hearty and comforting. Dice into small pieces and cook until fork-tender.
- Cauliflower - Use small florets for a lighter vegetable option. Check for tenderness as the chili simmers.
🫘 Black Beans
- Pinto Beans - A creamy substitute that works beautifully with the chili spices.
- Kidney Beans - A firmer alternative that holds its shape in the finished chili.
- Chickpeas - Add a slightly nutty flavor and a firmer texture. Use cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed.
🌾 Quinoa
- Omit the Quinoa - The chili will be less thick but still hearty with black beans and sweet potatoes. Start with a little less stock and adjust the consistency as needed.
- Cooked Brown Rice - Stir cooked rice into the finished chili or serve the chili over rice rather than substituting uncooked rice directly for the quinoa.
🌶️ Spices and Seasonings
- Less Heat – Use a little less Dalkin & Co Chile Lime seasoning for a milder chili, adjusting to taste.
- No Dalkin & Co Chile Lime? – Combine 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, and a pinch of cayenne. Add a little extra fresh lime juice at the end to bring in that citrusy finish. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
🥑 Toppings
- Pickled Red Onions - Add a tangy, crunchy contrast to the rich chili.
- Toasted Pepitas - Sprinkle over individual bowls for a little crunch.
- Greek Yogurt - A tangy alternative to sour cream or crema. Use a dairy-free version for vegan bowls.
- Cotija Cheese - Adds a salty finish instead of shredded cheese.
- Hot Sauce - Serve on the side so everyone can adjust the heat.
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.
Step 2: Add the garlic, Dalkin & Co Chile Lime, 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, 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.
🍠🫘🌶️ Tips & Tricks for the Best Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili
A few simple tricks will help you get tender sweet potatoes, perfectly cooked quinoa, and a thick, flavorful chili.
- Dice the sweet potatoes evenly. Cut them into similarly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate. Smaller cubes will become tender more quickly.
- Start with the sweet potatoes and onion. Sauté them in oil for about 5 minutes, until the onion softens, before adding the garlic and seasonings.
- Stir in the seasoning before adding liquid. Add the Dalkin & Co Chile Lime seasoning and salt to the vegetables, stirring until everything is evenly coated before adding the stock and tomatoes.
- Cook the quinoa directly in the chili. Add it with the stock, tomatoes, and beans so it absorbs the seasoned liquid as it cooks.
- Keep the pot at a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally as needed to prevent sticking.
- Check the sweet potatoes and quinoa for doneness. The sweet potatoes should be fork-tender and the quinoa fully cooked. The chili should have a thick, hearty consistency.
- Finish with fresh lime juice. Stir it in after cooking, then taste and adjust the salt before serving.
- Adjust the consistency when reheating. The quinoa will continue to absorb moisture as the chili sits. Add a splash of stock or water to loosen leftovers if needed.
Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili FAQs
Is Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili vegetarian or vegan?
This chili is made without meat and can be vegetarian or vegan depending on the stock and toppings used. Choose vegetable stock and skip dairy toppings such as crema and cheese for a vegan version.
Why does this chili include quinoa?
Quinoa makes the chili heartier and helps thicken the mixture as it cooks in the seasoned stock. You can leave it out for a looser chili, adjusting the amount of stock as needed.
How do I know when Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili is done?
The chili is ready when the quinoa is fully cooked, the sweet potatoes are fork-tender, and the mixture has thickened. The recipe calls for a covered, gentle simmer of about 30–40 minutes.
Can I make Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili ahead of time?
Yes. Refrigerate the chili promptly in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Reheat thoroughly on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a little stock or water if it has thickened.
Can I freeze Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili?
Yes. Cool the chili promptly, portion it into freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly, adding stock or water as needed.
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
- 3 tablespoon Dalkin&Co Chile Lime
- 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-bottomed 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, Dalkin & Co. Chile Lime seasoning, 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, 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.
Notes
- Dice the sweet potatoes evenly. Cut them into similarly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate. Smaller cubes will become tender more quickly.
- Start with the sweet potatoes and onion. Sauté them in oil for about 5 minutes, until the onion softens, before adding the garlic and seasonings.
- Stir in the seasoning before adding liquid. Add the Dalkin & Co Chile Lime seasoning and salt to the vegetables, stirring until everything is evenly coated before adding the stock and tomatoes.
- Cook the quinoa directly in the chili. Add it with the stock, tomatoes, and beans so it absorbs the seasoned liquid as it cooks.
- Keep the pot at a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally as needed to prevent sticking.
- Check the sweet potatoes and quinoa for doneness. The sweet potatoes should be fork-tender and the quinoa fully cooked. The chili should have a thick, hearty consistency.
- Finish with fresh lime juice. Stir it in after cooking, then taste and adjust the salt before serving.
- Adjust the consistency when reheating. The quinoa will continue to absorb moisture as the chili sits. Add a splash of stock or water to loosen leftovers if needed.
i saw in the comments that this recipe can be made in the crock pot. Should i stilll cook sweet potato before putting in the crock pot? Any other changes I shoild make?
Hey Dawn! I haven't tested it in a crock pot so I'm unsure from personal experience - but my gut is telling me that you do not need to cook the sweetpotato prior to putting it into the crock pot and it will cook perfectly once in there 🙂
We're trying to eat healthier, so I've been scouring Pinterest. I came across this recipe. I made this for supper tonight. I doubled the recipe as there are 5 of us 🙂 I used brown rice instead of quinoa. It was delicious! This is definitely going to be one of my go-to recipes from now on! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Hey Gaby,
Can't wait to make this. I'd love to use what I already have in my kitchen and I have all the ingredients except the chipotle peppers. Is there an adequate substitute or should I really drop by the store for the chipotles?
Thanks,
Annie
you can skip it - it's just chipotle pepper seasoning - and you'll already be using cumin and chili powder so you could add in a bit of cayenne if you wanted spice! Either way, you're great!
I saw you make this on snapchat and decided to try it. I'm currently doing Weight Watchers so I had to add it to check the points. It came out to 9 smart points without the added toppings. Im SO excited to try this because 9 points for a meal is great! It's cooking right now and my husband is skeptical about the sweet potatoes, but I'm sure I'll be making it again for dinners and to take to work for my lunches! I LOVE to watch your snapchat recipes!! Thank you. 🙂
THANK YOU EMILY!!! so glad you enjoyed it! xx
My husband liked it. He said it needed a new name other than chili, but we live in Texas, so it's not the kind of chili he's used to lol. It's REALLY good. I'm looking forward to taking it for lunch the next couple of days. 🙂
yayyyyyyyyyy!
Looks yummy...how many do you think this would serve? We've got two adults, two 10 year old and a 4 year old.
It serves 4-6 for sure!! All my recipes are written for approx 4-6 servings 🙂
Great, thanks! Plan on trying it tonight.
Very tasty! Found this through Plan to Eat and we really enjoyed it. Mine didn't quite come out as thick as I'd like, but from reading other comments I will be a bit more patient next time and let it thicken up.
Thanks so much!
I made this last week and my roommate and I could NOT STOP EATING IT! I made it with with a little honey and cinnamon added in to add a bit more sweetness to the heat, and piled it on top of corn bread. I'm making it again tonight... it'll definitely will become a staple for us here in my house.
Just finished a dish of this excellent chilli. Added turkey mince to make it go further and some corn and chopped capsicum. Used kidney beans as black beans are not readily available here. Loved the texture with the quinoa. Will be enjoying this for lunch next week 🙂
Does this work well in the slow cooker?! Can't wait to make this tonight!
yes it does!! 6 hours should do the trick on low 🙂
Does this work well in the slow cooker?! Can't wait to make this tonight!
The quinoa do you cook it seperately before mixing it to bring to a boil or no?
you add the uncooked quinoa to the chili and then bring it to a boil and that thickens the chili and cooks the quinoa 🙂
Gaby, your chili rocks!! I loved everything about it! The heat was just right. The sweetness of the sweet potatoes were devine! I did let it cook down a bit longer than suggested by that's personal preference. Thank you for my first vegetarian chili recipe. As far as I'm concerned the search is over!
My husband made it a few days ago when I was on a girls day out. Unfortunately, he couldn't find the sweet potatoes, so he used regular ones and found a golden beetroot which he also put in. It worked really well.
This is such an amazing recipe, I have changed it up a little adding some diced pepper or some celery and mushrooms, but anytime I make it it is wonderful for my daughter the vegetarian and my honey the carnivore everybody lloves it, I've made it 3 times in 2 weeks doubled it tonight, to freeze some individual portions for my work lunches, Yummo, thanks so much for what has become a classic recipe in my house! P.s. It freezes well!
yayyayay love this! thank you!!
My husband who HATES sweet potatoes LOVED this chili. I am craving it right now. Everytime I passed the fridge, I would need to take a spoonful...cold. Being a spice wuss, I will cut the ground chipolte to 1/4 tsp. A dollop of sour cream on top...OMG....deeeeeelish!
omg your comment made my day!! so glad he enjoys them 🙂