Hearty, healthy, and the kitchen sink of recipes, a bowl of steaming chili is the perfect cold weather entrée. While I was home for Christmas, I flipped through my mom’s copy of Real Simple magazine and came across a recipe for vegetarian chili with sweet potatoes. “Sweet potatoes and veggie chili?” I thought. “Two of my favorite foods, together?!” The recipe shot to the top of my mental to-cook list as I tore out the pages for safekeeping.
Usually when I make veggie chili, I’ll use all the vegetables I have on hand, and throw in whatever kind of beans and tomatoes that are in my pantry. This time around, I mostly followed the recipe, and it turned out fabulously.
Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili
- Author:
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Stew
Extraordinary vegetarian chili containing sweet potatoes, black and pinto beans, peppers and cocoa powder. A wonderfully delicious, hearty & healthy vegan meal. Recipe yields 6 bowls.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced, or 1 heaping tablespoon of minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less, depending on how spicy you like your chili)
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with their juices*
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
- 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked kidney beans
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- Suggested garnishes: sour cream, grated cheese, thinly sliced green onions and/or chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a 4-to-6 quart Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chopped vegetables (onion, peppers and sweet potatoes) and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start turning translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic and spices (chili powder, cumin, cayenne, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and another dash of salt and pepper) and liquid ingredients (tomatoes, beans and broth), and stir. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chili has reduced to a heartier consistency, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- If you would like an even thicker consistency, use a potato masher to mash the chili until the texture suits your preferences. Season chili with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the chili into individual bowls, garnish as desired and serve.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Real Simple.
*A note on canned tomatoes: I’m concerned about the BPA levels in canned tomato goods and avoid canned tomato products as best I can. I recommend using Muir Glen canned tomatoes because their cans are BPA-free.
Slow cooker/Crockpot option: This chili should turn out well after cooking on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
▸ Nutrition Information
Have you ever tried sweet potatoes in your chili before? You must, I insist!
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Tee
This chili was fantastic and I even shared it with co-workers. They are now gonna cook it at home. Wonderful!
Kate
Thanks so much for sharing this, Tee! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it.
Elizabeth
Rather than commenting with a “looks good or sounds good” I have made this and often. No need to “alter” or “substitute”.
This is delicious comfort food! Easy to put together.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for commenting, Elizabeth! I’m glad it worked out well.
Carol Barnes
I’ve made this recipe several times and I love it. It is so good and so healthy. I don’t add the broth as I feel it has enough liquid when you cook it on low. The sweet potatoes are really what gives it that great flavor. Thank you for sharing this.
Kate
Awesome! Thanks, Carol. Good to know about the liquid.
Julie
Delicious, I use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream to garnish.
Kate
Yum. :)
Florian Senn
Dont cook olive oil, creates Trans-fats which will kill you slowy =)
Donna
Cooking with olive oil Does Not create Trans fats!!! lol
Allie
Oh my goodness, cooking with olive oil does not “create” trans fats. Olive oil is not the best cooking oil as it has a relatively low smoke point. It’s best used cold for dishes like salads. For cooking, I would recommend avocado oil.
sandrine
Mediterranean diet, which is one of the healthier, uses olive oil for cooking…
Erica
Hi Kate,
I am looking forward to making this recipe this weekend! I am wondering whether you used a sodium-free vegetable broth, or a vegetable broth with salt? Also sodium-free vs. diced tomatoes with salt?
Thanks so much! – E.
Kate
Hi Erica! I don’t usually grab the low-sodium options. But, you can certainly use low-sodium ingredients and just season to taste with salt at the end—you’ll need to add more than just a few dashes of salt to properly season recipes.
Renee
I made this in my instant pot this evening ….. it was FABULOUS!!!!!
★★★★★
Susie
My friend made this recipe the traditional way and it was AMAZING!! I am DYING to try out my new Instant Pot and would love to start with this recipe. As I am a total newbie to pressure cooking, would you mind letting me know how you adjusted the recipe to suit? Also, how long did you cook it? Thank you!
Julia
Hello- :)
I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious! It was the easiest sweet potato chili recipe I’ve tried thus far (I’ve tried 4 recipes). I pureed 1/3 of the mix with my immersion blender which thickened it like you noted. Will make this again. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Great! Thanks for trying it, Julia. I really appreciate your review!
Melissa
Just made this- amazing! Easy, healthy, and SO TASTY!!!!
★★★★★
Kate
Great! Thank you, Melissa for sharing and for your review.
Amanda
I am a Kansan who escaped to Texas as soon as I got out of college. I am a new Vegan and am looking for good recipes. Trying your chili!
Kate
Let me know what you think, Amanda! Happy cooking :)
Lisa Breining
This chili was amazing – I am making another huge batch for the day after Thanksgiving for the crowd I will have staying over. Do you think I can make this today and freeze it?
★★★★★
Kate
Happy you liked it, Lisa! I don’t freeze all of my recipes so I can’t specifically speak to how it would work. But, I have had other readers say they have froze it and it worked out well.
Ashley
Amazing!! My fiancé is not a big veggie person and while he does like all the veggies in this chili, he’s convinced himself he won’t feel full if he doesn’t have meat. This chili proved him wrong, it was very satisfying and filling! It was very inexpensive to make and we have plenty of left overs for lunch!!
Kate
Winning! That is great, Ashley. Thank you for sharing. :)
Tina Pruitt
I’ve made many vegetarian chilis over the years and this without a doubt is my favorite. I cook it in the crock pot and the flavor is just outstanding. Thanks for this one!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad this is a favorite, Tina!
Helen
This is a lovely recipe but I followed exactly and a tablespoon of chilli powder is way too much! It was practically inedible! Are you sure that is correct? I had to pour yoghurt over it to be able to even eat it!
Kate
I am sorry you felt that way, Helen! This chili is meant to have some heat. Maybe add the chili powder to taste next time. Possible add some in, let it simmer and see if you need to add some more. Hope this helps!
Stephanie
For folks who are reading this now, the heat level is dependent upon the type of chili powder you use. If you are using the standard type in grocery stores, it isn’t hot at all because it is cut with cumin and other spices (check the ingredients list) so it would be the cayenne making it hot so you would want to use less of it. If you don’t like heat but like spice, start with 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon. I usually use Ancho chile powder or Chipotle chile powder, both of which are hot and very flavorful so I eliminate cayenne from recipes.
Angela Flores
I have some Ancho chile powder that I just purchased, how much should I add?
Thank you,
Angela
Stephanie
I’d start with 1 1/2 teaspoons, stir well and taste to see if you would like more. For this recipe, I used 1 tablespoon and eliminated the cayenne. I believe 3 teaspoons equals 1 tablespoon.
Karen
It depends where you are located. Chilli powder in the States is a blend of spices and not overly spicy. However chilli powder in a (as an example) is pulverised chilli and an equivalent amount might blow your head off! Depends where you are!
Angela
Thank you for responding. I am eager to try this recipe.
Nita
Delicious! A delightful combination of spices. My favorite chili recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Nita!
Clare Atkins
I have made this a few times now and it is absolutely delicious.
I made it for my vegan daughter and her girlfriend but the whole family ate it and loved it.
I also made it in a slow cooker for a girls’ night and it went down a treat.
Thank you so much from Scotland :))
x
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Clare! Thanks so much for the review and trying the recipe.
olivia
Great chili which I try to make weekly in the winter. I sometimes roast the sweet potatoes (which I toss beforehand with some o.olive and chipotle chili powder) then add to the stew during the last half hour. Gives it a nice smokey kick. This time around I also subbed red wine for the tomato juice and tossed in a couple of handfuls of frozen corn niblets. We added most of the fixings at the end, including putting out a bowl of lime tortillas chips. Yum.
Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
Oh, that sounds delicious and wonderful! I’m going to need to try that, Olivia. Thank you for sharing your variation and for your review!
Catherine
Delicious!! Excellent flavor, rich texture and feels like a cozy fire on a cold night. Made this for New Years Day and making it again tonight.
★★★★★
Kate
Yes, I couldn’t agree more! Cozy. Thank you, Catherine for sharing and for your review.
Monica Rice Harlan
Hi Kate,
I’m really anxious to try your recipe with sweet potatoes. I’ve had a sweet potato chili before and it was delish: but it only contained black beans. Your’s seems much heartier. I’ll be back to tell you how it went!!!
Kate
Yes, please do Monica!
Jeanette
Love the addition of the coco! Ive made lots of chili with sweet potatoes thought Id try this recipe and wow! Great
★★★★★
Kate
Glad you liked it, Jeanette! Thanks for the review.
Kirsten
Hi!
We are so excited to make this tomorrow. It looks amazing. Quick question, can this be made in an Instant Pot, and if so how would you tweak the timing of it?
Thank you!
Kate
I don’t always make each dish in different cooking methods. I haven’t made this in an instapot myself so I’m unable to help you out there. Sorry!
Jennifer
Hi Kate! I love your blog and your cookbook!! I want to make this, but I have a HUGE sweet potato that I’ve already roasted. Think it would be ok to use it? When would you recommend adding it? I’m guessing later since its already cooked, but I wanted to hear if you had any additional thoughts on the timing. Thank you!
Kate
Since you already have it roasted, I’m assuming it is more of a mash consistency? If you are ok with that, I would add it enough to warm. It will likely not hold texture if roasted whole. If is is cubed already, that might be different. Hope this helps!
Mike
Oh my gosh is this good! Followed the recipe to the letter and am enjoying this at the moment paired with a skillet cornbread recipe I found, coriander uncle bens rice, and Evan Williams… couldn’t be happier! Thanks for this delicious sweet potato chili recipe, I know I will be making more!
★★★★★
Kate
Sounds like a delicious combination, Mike! Thank you for your review and for sharing.
Amy Clay-Moore
This is one of my toddler’s favorite meals!
★★★★★
Kate
Love that!
Donna
Loved the sweet potato veg chili, easy to make also. Best chili I have ever had !!!
★★★★★
Kate
Great! Thank you, Donna.
Meg McKenna
Tried to make this tonight, I only added half the amount of chilli and cayenne pepper and found it too spicy, so I’m relieved I didn’t put the full amount in but I thought it was lovely when I was making it, then when I ate it later with my boyfriend I wasn’t too sure on it, I’m going to try it again sometime without the spicyness as I think we would both really enjoy it then! I really wanted to absolutely love it so going to try again and make sure that I followed the recipe completely right!
★★★
Kate
Yes, if you are sensitive to heat please adjust.
Mike Brizzy
Cut back on the meat in my diet and was looking for a chili recipe when I cam across this one. I love sweet potatoes and beans so I had to try it. It was what I call “utter deliciousness”. Shared with a coworker and she asked me to bring her more.
Trying this time in the crockpot. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. What other sweet potato recipes do you have?
★★★★★
Caleigh
Did you make this with yams or sweet potatoes? I made it with sweet potatoes as the recipe stated but the pictures appear to show yams. The taste was a little strange as I made it so I am wondering if that’s why.
★★
Kate
I used sweet potatoes. I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the flavor!
Mark
I’m not vegetarian but this is my go to chili recipe. No tweeks , as is, great flavors and always receive compliments
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Mark! It’s a great go-to soup for sure.
Hayley Morrin
This chili was delicious. I’m transitioning to a vegan lifestyle & your blog’s making it easier for me; so many great recipes I’ve loved + added to my rotation. Froze the leftovers of this to have for many nights ahead :)
★★★★★
Kate
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing, Hayley.
Alicia
For people asking about the instant pot – i tried it out tonight! I’ve made this a bunch of times stove top and loved it but was craving it quick. I really have never converted something to pressure cook so I just figured I’d wing it. Kept everything basically the same but had lots of sweet potato (half gallon bag filled with it diced). Manual for 20 minutes – natural release for 5. Verdict? Delicious but no evaporation so it was soupy. I blended half to thicken and popped it on the sautee function for a bit. Added back in the non blended half and it was all the flavor in a thick chili like stew. I loved it.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I appreciate the review.
Laura
Hi! I make this recipe often. I want to make this for a large group and need at least triple the recipe. Do you think just tripling the recipe in a large crockpot would work or would it be better to do on the stove top? Or 3 batches would be better? Thanks for your help
Kate
I really like what stovetop brings with this soup! Maybe make some and then transfer to crock pot to keep warm. :)
K
This was fantastic! The cinnamon and cocoa gave it some real depth.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you!
Joanie
This chili has excellent flavor and great texture! Unfortunately, I didn’t realize until too late that the vegetable flavoring had a tiny bit of gluten in it … so after making, I could not serve to the dinner guest it was intended for! But the rest of us thought it was outstanding! I’m sure it will be even better as tomorrow’s leftovers!
★★★★★
Kate
Oh no! What did you use? This should be naturally gluten free as long as the broth you used was fine. I’m sorry to hear that, Joanie! But thanks for sharing.
Leona tooley
Wow! I have to say- I was skeptical about the cacao powder in chilli… but this is THE BEST chilli I have ever made. So delish! Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you really like this, Leona! :)
Suee33
I made this recipe for a family get away weekend to the mountains. It was easy to make and it was a big hit with everyone. I only used 1/4 teas. of cayenne as there were small ones with us. All the toppings made it your own dish, especially like the vegan sour cream and avocados.
Great healthy dish with lots of superfoods in it – will make again, thank you!!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Suee!
Suee33
Made this for a weekend trip with our grown kids and their families. It was fast and easy to do, I forgot the instant pot but was fast on the stove top.
Delicious flavors in this dish make it a stand out among 1000’s of vegan chili recipes. My grown daughter loved it and said she does not usually care for sweet potatoes, everyone had two helpings. Vegan sour cream,avocado, green onions, cilantro plus other toppings were a hit!! thanks for the recipe – Will make this one again – it is full of SUPER FOODS!!
★★★★★
Kate
This one has that magic for sure! Thanks for sharing, Suee!
Marnie
It was the best chili I have ever eaten. I would use less cayenne pepper next time as I not a fan of spicy.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you liked this recipe! For sure adjust to your taste. Thanks, Marine!
Amanda
This was delicious! I used butternut squash instead of sweet potato, and I used the crockpot on low for 8 hours. I also added a little lime to each bowl as I ate it. The combination of spices was really nice, loved the addition of cocoa.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad this worked well in a crock pot for you, Amanda! I appreciate the review.
Nancy
This is my all-time favorite chili recipe! The sweet potato and beans make it very hearty. I have made it for my work chili cook-off and my traditionally meat-loving co-workers love it! They even asked for the recipe!
At the end I use my immersion blender to thicken up the broth a bit!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! I love that! Thanks for sharing, Nancy.
Karen
Best vegetarian chili! The only change I made was 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne – otherwise I followed the recipe and it was perfect!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Karen!
Katie
Love this site! Looking to make a batch of this for the weekend but definitely want to use the crockpot. Since I’m a big dummy and don’t cook much, will I still need to cook my veggies before dumping them in the crockpot? Thanks!
Kate
Hi Katie! I don’t make this with a crockpot but I know it’s worked well for others. Please follow the prep steps of the vegetables as it helps all the flavors meld. I also recommend looking through the comments to see what’s worked for others.
Jill
This was a really good veggie chili! My husband who is not a veggie eater loved it. I used Pom strained tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes to avoid seeds, and some bone broth and beef broth instead of veg broth. Also immersion blended some of it for a thicker chili (it also hid some of those vegs by blending)
★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Jill!
Brad Newton
I used our own garden sweet potatoes and followed the recipe
exactly. Very good.
Brad
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Brad! I appreciate your feedback and review.
Danielle
Honestly, this works really well with chickpeas rather than beans. I’ve found that if I don’t add the liquid from the chickpeas, it comes out better, with a heartier texture.
Kate
Thanks for sharing! Yes, always drain and rinse your beans first.
Elizabeth
This was amazing! I love all the complex flavors of the spices. So good. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for your review, Elizabeth.
Kami Gallaher
I loved this so much. I finally found a vegan chili that I love. I only changed it slightly by adding a can of garbanzo beans which I love, only half the chili powder and half the cayenne powder because I like my chili sweeter than hot and I used crushed tomatoes because I’m not into big chunks)
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Kami! I appreciate you sharing your variation.
Amy
I made this tonight & it was delicious! What a fantastic quick & easy recipe that I will continue to make. Thanks for posting it!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Amy! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Laura
Thank you for creating such an *incredible* chili recipe. My family has a recipe I love, but I was looking for a meatless recipe and am so pleased I found this! I ended up using four small sweet potatoes and added some pasta, as well, so I increased the amount of chili powder and cumin. It was perfect, and I can’t wait to make more of your recipes :)
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you loved it so much! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Laura.
Tanya
Omg!!! This was seriously amazing and you wouldn’t have to change a thing for it to be super tasty. I did add a chipotle pepper in place of the cayenne and also added 1/4 cup of ketchup and 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire for richness. Thanks Kate!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy to hear you loved it, Tanya!
Darren G.
I’ve made this a few times, more recently in an Instant Pot. Nice, deep flavor profile! Love this one!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Darren!
Katie Anderson
This is a wonderful recipe. I used V8 Spicy juice because I didn’t have vegetable broth. Omitted the can of tomatoes and added one small can of beef broth. When the vegetables were soft enough, I used my blender to mash the vegetables. The consistency was like a beef chili. The cinnamon and cocoa make a lovely addition to the other spices. I make my own chili seasoning so I used that instead of the chili powder and cayenne. We topped ours off with a spoonful of guacamole and sprigs of cilantro. Thank you again. My husband and I are trying to loose weight and eat better. This will be my go to chili recipe from now on.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Katie!
Carley
Delicious!! I added some celery and a half a cup of quinoa and it thickened up nicely.
★★★★★
Tim
I’m a guy who’s mostly too lazy to cook but I got sick of the pre-packaged “chili mixes” that turn out gross so I tried your recipe. Oh my God, this is soooooo good.
Kate
I’m glad you tried it, Tim!
Kelly
Wow this recipe is AMAZING! I made it last night and it was delicious! My son in his 20’s “craves meat” after he eats vegetarian meals but not this time. Shockingly he loved it and was satisfied! The leftovers vanished and my family requested that I make it a 2nd night in a row. I made it EXACTLY as the recipe stated, no variations at all. Thank you for my new favourite! :)
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you think so, Kelly!
Tiffany
I made this recipe yesterday in my slow cooker. It was absolutely delicious! Although, I love cumin so I added more cumin! I also only added about 100ml water with 1/4 teaspoon of stock powder and the sauce turned out lovely! Thanks for the recipe :)
★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing! I’m happy it worked so well in the slow cooker.
Grace
I love this chili!! I make it often for my boyfriend and I because it lasts us a while, and is very satisfying! I really like the addition of sweet potatoes, and I find that the cocoa and cinnamon create a great flavour dynamic. I highly recommend this recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for your recommendation, Grace!
Sarah Liddell
I’ve never tried chili with cocoa powder, so I was hesitant to try; however, after I searched and found other recipes including it, I figured it would taste good. Unfortunately, the cinnamon and just strange sweetness was all I could taste, even though this dish is quite spicy.
I didn’t tell my family what was in it, but they almost immediately picked it out and said how strange it was. Probably not taking any more cooking risks for a while.
★★
Kate
I’m sorry you and your family didn’t love it! Thanks for the feedback, Sarah.
Nichelle
My 3 year olds, 11 year old and all my guest absolutely loved this recipe. Making it again for dinner so thought I better comment. I just cut back on the chili powder and cayenne to ensure it wasn’t to spicy for anyone. Loveeeeee your recipes, you truly have a gift, girl.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for coming back to comment, Nichelle! I appreciate the review.
Theresa
Delicious!! I added a little extra cinnamon because when it comes to cinnamon, that’s what I do. Also added a couple of carrots, just because. The flavor of this chili was spot on and I didn’t even miss the meat (I’m not vegetarian, just looking for a meatless, Lenten meal). Even the non-veggie loving person at the table enjoyed it.
★★★★★
Kate
Fantastic, Theresa! Thanks for the review.
Jillian
LOVE THIS RECIPE! A friend recommended the recipe to me, and I made it for a chili cook off we were having at work. Won first place! WEE! So easy to make, completely stress-free deliciousness. Also cocoa powder in chili?!?!?! Who knew that was the key? Adds so much depth to the flavor. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Kate
Surprising, but amazing!
kate Wheeler
I love this chili. I didn’t have regular chili powder so I used chipotle chili powder, which I reduced to a teaspoon or so since the one I have is really strong, but it added a nice smokiness. Would definitely make this again.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you love this! Chipotle would be a nice addition. Thank you for your review, Kate!
Patty
I served this at work and everyone raved. Best chili ever!! The flavors are awesome. Thank you for this recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! A great one to share for sure.
Olivia
Great recipe! Re: your canned tomatoes note- I did some research and it seems like the levels of BPA in canned foods isn’t high enough to cause any concern, which is a relief!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Olivia for your review and sharing!
Jenni
A new staple!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful, Jenni!
Karey Spirit
This recipe sounds wonderful. After listening to the Food Revolution Summit I decided I needed to give up the very last bit of beef that I was eating, ground beef, included in the gluten free chili recipe at Sweet Tomatoes. I noticed Tim P. posted a comment about his “wonderful chili” on the Whole Food Plant Based FB page. When I asked for the recipe he shared your link. I’ve read the recipe a few times and it sounds scrumptious and it is gluten free! Thank you. I do plan to make it. I’ve never had chili with “chocolate” in it. I am highly allergic to chocolate so I always substitute carob powder when a recipe calls for chocolate. I find carob powder in cooking brings about the exact same results chocolate would. So looking forward to trying the recipe. Thank you. Karey Spirit
Kate
Thank you for your comment, Karey!
Lisa
I plan on making this chili in a crock pot. Do I pre cook the onions, peppers and sweet potatoes or just put them in the crock pot raw? Thanks for the help.
Kate
Hi Lisa, I haven’t made this in a crock pot. But I would recommend saute all the vegetables if you do.
Oshuna Oma
Have you tried this using an electric pressure cooker, if so how long do you set it, and what type of release.
Thank you
Kate
HI! I haven’t with this one. You could try to see if other readers have and their recommendations by searching the comments.
Oshuna Oma
Thank you. I went ahead and made it. Sauted in water, then added everything. I didn’t have cocoa powder so used vegan chocolate chips.
20minutes high pressure. You can do natural or quick release.
Was wonderful!
Thank you
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m happy to hear that.
Janet M Ely
I tried to click on the nutrition information link, but it didn’t work. Do you have that? I’m using my fitness pal to track my food and really need it
Kate
Hi Janet! I’m sorry you are experiencing issues with my nutrition facts. I’m currently working with my development team to fix the issue. I appreciate your patience and apologize for any frustrations!
Emmeline
Made this for a family dinner this past weekend. Everyone loved it – it was a hit. I cut down on the cinnamon to about 1/8 of a teaspoon and that ended up being perfect for my palate. I served it with a salad and some pumpkin cornbread, which made it the perfect autumn meal.
★★★★★
Paul
Excellent recipe!
If you can find purple sweet potatoes (I got some at Whole Foods), you don’t need the cinnamon. The potatoes have a more smokey flavor and are less sweet. They give a nice twist to this recipe.
★★★★★
Marci
If anyone has tried this in a slow cooker, do you need to cook the veggies in a pan on the stove first or will the slow cooker take care of it all? Same amount of vegetable broth? Thanks!
Kate
I still recommend to saute the vegetables as this is where you get a lot of great flavor.
Kristi
We have made this chili a few times. I love that it uses basic ingredients that are on hand and is not too labor intensive to put together, but has a great warm flavor for cold days. The sweet potatoes add great flavor.
★★★★★
Meredith
I made this the lazy way, threw everything in the crockpot and cooked it on high for about 4 hours. I have been eating it for 3 days and I’m not sick of it yet!! I didn’t make any substitutions at all and it’s delicious the way it is :) Awesome recipe, for sure going into the rotation!
★★★★★
Roberta Ferrence
Thanks for all your wonderful vegan soups and chilis! All the best foods and combinations. Would it be possible to add serving size, perhaps ounces instead of bowl. I am a diabetic and have to keep track of carbs. Can you possibly include instructions for Instapot as well as Crockpot? Many recipes have a full day’s sodium, which I’m sure adds to the flavour but is not ideal for many of us. I can pretty well figure out how to reduce it myself by using sodium free tomatoes, beans, etc. (Ideal is 400mg per serving)
Look forward to trying many of your recipes!
Roberta
Lauren
My mom first shared this recipe with me years ago and I was sad to lose it. When she died I thought it was one of the dishes she made that I would never have again. I was so glad to find this. Hearty and reminds me of mom. =)
★★★★★
Elizabeth
This, sadly, was a miss for me. I made it exactly as written but thought it was pretty blah. I’ve made other recipes for your site that I loved, but I wouldn’t make this again. ☹️
★★
Melody
I made this tonight. Very tasty but a bit too hot. I Think next time I might cut back to 1/2 a tsp of the cayanne. It might be wise to let people know it has quite a bit of heat.
★★★★
Irma Vazquez
I followed your directions and WOW, it came out beautiful and delicious. Since I was cooking for company, I cut back a bit on the cayenne pepper, and it was still spicy, so I might suggest you say 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper. I added a bit more than a shake of salt, just enough to make the flavor pop. We are moving toward an increasingly vegetarian diet, and this recipe will become part of my regular repertoire. Thanks to you and Cookie too!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! I like this with the spice listed, but you can adjust to your tastes. Thanks for your feedback, Irma!
Nicole
I have made this several times and it is always a hit. I took it to a chili contest at a friend’s house and it won first place out of 11 entries! The greatest part about it was that only 2 of the chili entries and 1 of the guests (ME) were vegetarian. :D
★★★★★
Cathy
This is my favorite chili recipe! My family members who are not vegetarian’s love this recipe. Thank you for sharing it with us. Yummy!!!!
★★★★★
Brianna High
I have made this chili almost every week since I discovered it. It is seriously incredible, no adjustments made at all. And so filling!!
★★★★★
Cindy May
I subbed northern beans for kidney as I don’t care for kidney beans. I also didn’t add the cayenne as I don’t like much heat. For everything else, I followed the recipe. This was really outstanding and I loved the flavor we got from the cocoa and cinnamon. I finished the last of the chili at lunch today. Next time I will double the recipe. I frequent your site and have made several of your recipes. I cannot recall one recipe that I didn’t care for. I make the banana bread at least monthly. Thanks for the great recipes and keeping my meals interesting.
★★★★★
G.H.Bish
This vegetarian was absolutely delicious and super easy aside from the prep time.
My husband loved it and we decided to make it again with several variations. It was especially delightful with homemade
corn bread. Great recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, G.H.!
Lauren
Delicious Chilli! Made this twice now and we prefer it to the meat version. So much flavour in there you really don’t miss the meat. We added an extra chilli pepper and a teaspoon of smoked paprika and it’s great. Definitely one we will repeat :)
★★★★★
Madeline
This recipe is AMAZING!!! Hands down the most flavorful, delicious vegetarian chili I’ve ever had. I really love the addition of cocoa powder in particular. I’m on day four of eating it and not only am I not at all tired of it, but I swear it gets better every day! Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Rosemary A. A Larochelle
What are the sides shown in the photo of this recipe? Thanks.
Kate
Hi Rosemary, those are some sweet potato rounds that I roasted. I didn’t think they were good enough to post on the blog. :)
Maggie May
This sweet potato chili is insanely good. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever put in my belly! I leave it in the crock pot overnight so everything mingles. I also have added shredded carrots and celery and mushrooms to get even more nutrition out of it and it tastes great.
Freezes beautifully. I don’t cook very many things but this is always a home run. I gave a big bowl to a friend who said she wasn’t all that hungry. She cleaned the bowl and asked for more.
★★★★★
Jo
Wow – this was amazing :-) We aren’t vegetarian, but are trying to eat less meat, and this didn’t feel like it was a meat-free meal at all. The flavours were stunning, and it was just what we needed at the end of a long day. Will definitely make again.
★★★★★
Priscilla
Delicious! I only added 2 tsp of chili powder and didn’t use pepper flakes. I don’t like spicy. I didn’t have kidney beans so I used small white beans. absolutely delicious. I used an immersion blender, very briefly, to thicken and yet leave some chunks. The whole family loved it.
★★★★★
Kate
This is a great one to modify by taste! Thanks for commenting, Pricilla.
Shubha
Have made this chili many times and love it! Making it also now and just noticed the picture that has a side dish that looks interesting. Are those plantains? Grilled sweet potato? Thanks! Love the blog and have followed it for a while!
Kate
Sweet potatoes! :) I’m glad you love this recipe.
Alli
Great recipe with simple ingredients. Since it is getting more difficult to find meat at the grocery store, I was looking for a simple vegetarian chili recipe. This recipe was excellent and I did’t miss the meat! The spices were perfect and at the end of cooking as the recipe suggests I used a potato masher to mash things up and thicken it a bit. Was delicious and will definitely be repeating this recipe!
★★★★★
Jillian
Hello! This looks amazing and I’m loving the idea of the cocoa and cinnamon. Quick question – making this tonight and thought I had plenty of diced tomatoes – I don’t! Would you sub crushed tomatoes and maybe add more broth? I was thinking of doing that and maybe a little more sweet potato to fill in what would be missing from the chunks of tomato? It’s a shame I don’t have what I need, but I have plenty of other kinds of beans and lots of sweet potato so trying to get creative!
Kate
You could try it! I think your substitution idea. However, you may have a stronger tomato taste with the crushed vs died tomatoes. How did it turn out?
Kathryn
I had some sweet potatoes that I wanted to use up and kidney beans in the pantry. I was out of a few things this recipe called for, but I made it work and it was delicious! I didn’t have peppers, so I added extra potato. I didn’t have diced tomatoes, so I diluted a can of tomato paste and added that. I had to make my own chili powder once I realized I didn’t have any. And instead of broth I used beer – just because! I didn’t have anything to garnish it with, but I didn’t miss it. I usually don’t alter recipes, but I was forced to this time around and I’m so glad it came out as good as it did. This is definitely a keeper and I’m looking forward to making it again (using the recipe as written)!
★★★★★
Donna L Ayres
Delicious! This chili will be served many times in this house.
★★★★★
Julia
Love this. Made a big batch for lunch for the week and to use up some potatoes I had laying around. The blending bit at the end is key! Made it the perfect creamy yet chunky consistency I love. Thanks!!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Julia! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Granny
Made it with what I had in hand. I use no or low sodium canned goods. Added 1 can of corn and 2 cans of mushrooms. Also, 1 can of tomato paste because I had no veg broth. Omitted the cumin (don’t like) and cinnamon. Made in slow cooker because it’s too hot to cook! Used ancho chili powder. Yummy with a kick!
★★★★★
Danita Jaye
I made this last night, and it is SO GOOD. Thank you for the recipe. Normally I just throw a bunch of veggies together with spices and tomatoes, but this time I thought I would try a real recipe, and it is beyond anything that I have done with my casual non-recipes. THANK YOU. I’ve followed you for a while now, and I really enjoy your recipes. I’m about to go buy your book, if you have one. I’m a fan. :)
★★★★★
Danita Jaye
I just bought your book after making this recipe! I’m so excited. I’m going to read it cover to cover!!! Love your work. You’re the best of all the channels that I follow. The absolute best.
★★★★★
Justin
This is legit the best vegetarian chili I’ve ever had. All the spices were actually perfect, I only added a half teaspoon extra of salt. The cocoa was awesome. I also added roasted corn, some zucchini and carrots. Lights. Out!
★★★★★
stephanie
This is by far the best sweet potato chili Ive ever had!! Even my picky kids and husband love it! This is a staple meal in our house.
★★★★★
Dominic
Aye this was my first time trying vegan chili and this recipe was so bomb! I probably make this once a month. Comes together in about an hour and I actually prefer this over regular chili.
★★★★★