Sweet Potato Chili

This easy-to-make Sweet Potato Chili is the perfect option for meatless Monday or a family-friendly weeknight dinner win. With sweet potatoes, beans and tomatoes, it is hearty vegetarian comfort food. It’s made easily in the slow cooker or Instant Pot and easily customizable by adding on all your favorite toppings.

Sweet Potato Chili Recipe

This is my classic go-to vegetarian chili recipe to make all fall and winter long. I call it healthy comfort food in a bowl because it’s hearty and satisfying for all of those chilly days. It is perfect for a big gathering, football Sunday festivities, or for a good weekly meal prep option since there are tons of leftovers! Make it in your slow cooker or your Instant Pot pressure cooker for easy hands-off cooking! And don’t forget about the best part about chili: all the toppings! I’ve got a list of my favorites below.

Vegetarian Chili Ingredients

• Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Onion
• Garlic
• Sweet Potatoes
• Beans
• Veggie Broth
• Spices
• Tomato Sauce
• Diced Tomatoes

How to Make It

We’ve got options for making this in both the slow cooker and the pressure cooker. The slow cooker is a great option for making this if you want to prepare it in the morning before leaving for work and have it ready in the evening when you return home.

Making it in the Instant Pot is great because it builds flavor quickly without much hands on time. The vegetarian chili is under pressure for 5 minutes, with a 10 minute pressure release. However, don’t forget to account for the prep time (gathering up your ingredients and dicing some up), the saute of the veggies and the time it takes to come up to pressure. It will take at most about an hour to cook this in the Instant Pot. But it’s mostly hands-off cooking time and it adds a ton of flavor.

To Make on the Stove Top

We didn’t include instructions for cooking this on the stove top in the recipe, but you could. To make on the stove top:

1. Heat the oil in a dutch oven. Once hot add peppers, celery, onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until very softened, about 10 minutes. 
2. Add the sweet potatoes, beans, broth, all spices, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and stir together. Bring up to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer.
3. Cook until the sauce has thickened and the sweet potatoes are cooked through.
4. Serve with desired garnishes.

Chili Toppings

• Scallions
• Avocado Slices
• Cheese
• Cilantro
• Diced or Marinated Onions
• Cilantro
• Diced Tomatoes
• Guacamole
• Tortilla Chips
• Shredded Lettuce
• Sour Cream

If you like this chili recipe, check out these others:

• Turkey Chili (Stove-Top or Instant Pot)
• Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
• Instant Pot Southwest Chicken Soup
• 30-Minute Taco Soup

SWEET POTATO CHILI

5 from 1 vote

This easy-to-make Sweet Potato Chili is the perfect option for meatless Monday or a family-friendly weeknight dinner win. It's made easily in the slow cooker or Instant Pot and so hearty and comforting. Customize your chili by adding on all your favorite toppings and dinner is served!

Servings 6

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

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Ingredients

  

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• 2 teaspoons avocado oil see note
• 1 red pepper seeded and diced
• 1 green pepper seeded and diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 1 onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
• 1-15 oz. can kidney beans rinsed and drained
• 1-15 oz. can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 cup vegetable broth or water
• 1 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt more to taste
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

Instructions

To Make in Instant Pot:

• Heat the oil using the saute function in a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot. Add peppers, celery, onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until very softened, about 10 minutes.
• Add the sweet potatoes, beans, broth, all spices and stir together to combine. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes on top. Do not stir them in.
• Cover and set the steam valve to sealing. Cook on manual high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow the pressure to release for 10 minutes, and then release any remaining pressure.
• Open lid, stir together chili and adjust seasoning.
• Serve with desired garnishes.

To Make in Slow Cooker:

• Place all of the ingredients in a large slow cooker. Cook on high for 4-6 hours, or low for 8 hours.
• Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with desired garnishes.

Notes

1. Omit the avocado oil for slow cooker.
2. See body of the post for stove top instructions.
3. This recipe was originally published in 2014, and updated with new photographs in 2020.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 recipeCalories: 220kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 6gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 432mgFiber: 9gSugar: 13g

Course: Dinner

Author: Lexi

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