Are you surviving winter? Are your chilled to your bones?
Sometimes the only fix is some hot tea and a giant bowl of soup. Trust me, I know.
May I suggest warming up with this 5-ingredient sweet potato black bean chili?
I think it’s just what we all need.
For as much soup and chili as I eat, I have no idea why I don’t have more chili recipes on the blog! This had to change. Enter: Sweet potatoes and black beans married together in a hearty, savory-sweet chili.
The ingredients are things you likely have on hand right now.
Onion
Black Beans
Sweet Potato
Veggie Stock
Salsa
That’s it! Just 5.
I’ve also included a few optional spices to amp up the flavor, as well as a few topping ideas if you’re into that (hand raised, very high). In a pinch this is the perfect, healthy weeknight meal or make-ahead dish to take for lunches throughout the week. 
You all know I have a thing for sweet potatoes and black beans together, and this soup marries them perfectly. It’s:
Savory
Naturally sweet
Slightly smoky
Soul warming
Satisfying
Healthy
& Quick!
I made a batch and then froze several servings in mason jars to reheat throughout the week when I’m feeling particularly lazy (or cold). My favorite toppings include hot sauce, red onion, avocado and a few tortilla chips. Who am I kidding? All of the chips.
I hope you guys love this simple chili! If you try it, let us know in the comments or take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see. Cheers!
5-Ingredient Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
Ingredients
CHILI
- 1 medium yellow or white onion (diced // coconut or olive oil)
- 3 medium sweet potatoes (scrubbed clean + chopped into bite sized pieces // organic when possible // 3 potatoes yield ~4 cups)
- 1 16-ounce jar salsa (chunky is best)
- 1 15-ounce can black beans (with salt // if unsalted, add more salt // slightly drained)
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
OPTIONAL SPICES:
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
- 1-2 tsp hot sauce
FOR SERVING (optional)
- Fresh cilantro
- Chopped red onion
- Guac / Avocado
- Lime juice
Instructions
-
In a large pot over medium heat, sweat onions in 1 Tbsp oil and season with a healthy pinch each salt and pepper (amounts as original recipe is written // use more or less if altering batch size). Stir and continue cooking on medium heat until translucent and soft.
-
Add sweet potato and any desired spices at this time (I went for chili, cinnamon, cumin, and chipotle powder - all are optional). Cook for 3 minutes. Then add salsa, water, and vegetable stock.
-
Bring mixture to a low boil on medium high heat and then lower heat to medium-low and simmer. Add black beans, cover and cook for at least 20 minutes more, preferably 30 - or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender and the soup and thickened. This soup is at its best when prepared the night before or allowed to rest for a few hours so the flavor marries with the vegetables and beans.
-
Serve with fresh cilantro, onion, avocado, and/or lime juice. Chips make an excellent spoon.
Notes
*Inspired by GimmeSomeOven - queen of 5-ingredient soups!
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 6)
- Calories: 213
- Fat: 0.6g
- Sodium: 611mg
- Carbohydrates: 47g
- Fiber: 9.1g
- Sugar: 4.4g
- Protein: 6.8g
Love this recipe! Easy, healthy, vegan, and delicious!
I added a can or corn, used the suggested chili powder, cumin, and hot sauce. I added a touch of smoked paprika.
Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoy it! Thanks for sharing! xo
This sounds so simple and delish! Can I also make it in a slow cooker? What would the timing be?
Hi Lauren, We don’t use slow cookers, but we’d recommend high heat at first to get some color on the ingredients and flavor, and then cook it on low to develop the flavors. Good luck!
This has become my go-to chili recipe. It’s easy, delicious, and affordable. I always get compliments even from the meat-lovers.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Angie. We are so glad you enjoy it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Wow, very surprised at how delicious this was considering how few ingredients and how quickly it comes together. I had leftover salsa and a huge sweet potato that was on it’s last legs, so I was interested in this. I’m so glad I tried it! I added garlic and an extra can of beans and was so glad I did. Delicious!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Can you make this in a instant pot?
If the recipe does not include instructions for an instant pot, we haven’t tested it and can’t advise on how to do so. However, most soups and stews are very forgiving and should work well in an instant pot. If you do try this recipe with your instant pot, be sure to let us (and others) know how it went by leaving a comment with your experience. Thanks!
It was so good! Everyone loved it. I mistakenly used chicken broth since that is what I had. Very filling and tasted delicious.
Wonderful! Thanks, Beth!
This has become an almost weekly staple in our dinner circulation. I always add an extra can of black beans, all 4 optional spices and leave out the hot sauce because kids. We add non-dairy sour cream, cilantro and avocado on top. So easy, so delicious!
So glad to hear it, Danielle! Thanks for sharing! xo
Delicious, I followed the comments & left out the water, used a scant 1/2 tsp of chili powder & medium salsa, great addition to my Meatless Mondays recipes!
Thanks for sharing, Mina!
If you’re not vegan, I added a pound of ground turkey to this and it tasted *amazing.* I followed the other recommendations and added double black beans. Since I added turkey, I used the full broth amount and only one cup of water. The cinnamon really brings this recipe to life! I will definitely be making this again.
Thanks for sharing, Kylie!
Based on how few ingredients this recipe calls for, I did not expect it to be this delicious! My boyfriend and myself loved this chili, and we paired it with some vegan cornbread and they went together perfectly. Thanks for the recipe!
Whoop! Glad you enjoyed it!
I let it sit in a crockpot overnight, and the flavors melded wonderfully.
I’m over the moon!! I’m not a good cook but I live with a great cook and even my efforts blew him away.. Sooo delicious! I’m taking portions to my relatives who I know will love it. A keeper!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Cindy. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Very easy to follow, I made my own salsa and used cumin and cinnamon for seasoning. It was a big hit with the family, thank you very much ma’am.
Sorry i forgot the rating. DIVINE!
Thanks for the rating, Gina!
Dana: Your recipes are reliably fabulous every time!!
I’ve only had one bowl of this, but know it will get better and better! Like others, I did add an extra can of beans. I also added 1/3 cup of barley when it was boiling, to thicken and add protein.
My spices were lots of cinnamon (because sweet potatoes!), chili powder, ground coriander and a pinch of cumin.
Absolutely devine! My new go-to vegan chili recipe!
Thanks for all the work you do and for sharing your wealth of knowledge. You make being vegan fun!
I had some lingering sweet potatoes that were destined for this chili. The recipe is so simple and came together handily. I used Aldi’s hot organic vegan salsa and added all the spices minus chipotle powder (on the shopping list now because it sounds exciting). Twas so so good and there are no leftovers among the three of us that are it! Thank you so much for this recipe!
I’ve made this about three or four times now and freeze a bunch each time to eat when i don’t have time to cook! Love it. I usually add in a green bell pepper and some garlic. Today also added some ground chicken for the first time so we’ll see how that turns out. I don’t keep a lot of spices on hand so I just use medium salsa for a little kick and then add a bit of cinnamon, salt and pepper, & garlic powder. Love to top it with some guacamole or a little bit of shredded cheese! I only use one can of stock and don’t add any water because I prefer it thicker. Also use two cans of black beans instead of one because they’re my fav thing. I used vegetable stock the first time but didn’t have any on hand the past couple of times so I’ve used chicken stock, both work really well! Awesome recipe!
Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Alex! We’re glad you enjoyed it!
This chili was amazing I ended up blending half of it so it got really thick and creamy, roasting the sweet potatoes in the oven and I added 1 cup of bulgur to make it more filling and it turned out fantastic! Thank you so much for such a great recipe!
This is an awesome quick dinner, but my wife and I really aren’t fans of sweet potato, so is there anything we can substitute them with?
Regular potatoes, perhaps?
Oh my gosh, this was so delicious and easy! I added some of the optional spices- chili powder, cumin, and a dash of liquid smoke as I did not have chipotle powder. The day I made it it got great reviews from my guests, but the next day when I ate the leftovers- it was phenomenal!
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!
This was delicious!! Even my kiddos loved it. I cooked it in my crockpot and omitted the water. I love that you can vary the heat by the type of salsa and spices. The cinnamon cumin and chili powder are spot on! I added some smoked paprika and corn. My favorite chili!! Than you for sharing.
How long did you cook this in the crock pot for??
This has become a seasonal staple for me. Once the cold months hit I make it about once a month. It’s soooo good. I often times add chicken to get some extra protein in my diet but it’s just as good without!
Yum! I also used chicken stock, and made a smaller batch due to less sweet potatoes in the pantry. I don’t do a lot of spice, so I didn’t use chipotle powder or hot sauce. It turned out great, and I will be keeping this recipe on hand. Thank you!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Caroline!
I made this so delicious!!!!! How many cups would you say a serving was?
A serving should be ~1.5 cups each!
I just made this soup it is delicious but has way too much liquid in it. If I make it again I will just use the pint of stock and only add further water if necessary. Also it said 3 sweet potatoes is 4 cups but the ones I bought were quite large so that just 2 filled 4 cups maybe thats where I went wrong?
I’m leaving it to settle overnight and will eat some tomorrow. Looking forward to adding the lime, cilantro and avocado. Yummy!
Hi Karen! Depending on the size of your sweet potatoes, the number you’ll need will vary a bit. Other people reported back that they left some of the liquid out and had better success, so I’d recommend maybe trying that next time?
Have you tried this in a slow cooker?
We don’t use slow cookers, but I’d recommend high heat at first to get some color on the ingredients and flavor, and then cook it on low to develop the flavors. Good luck!
Excellent recipe! Improves with age. The more it sets, the better it gets!
This is honestly one of my favorite chili recipes. It’s so easy and I usually have the ingredients on hand. I’ve made this probably a dozen times (in the Philippines) and love it every time. Thanks for this one!
We’re glad you enjoy it, Kayla! :D
And yet again a great recipe! Loved the spiciness in combination with the fresh coriander, the sweet potatoe and avocado, such a good combo!
Thank you!
Am I leaving the skin on the potatos?
Yes!
YUM! This chili had me wanting 3rd and 4th helpings. I added lean ground turkey and it turned out just wonderful. Perfect for a snowy day. Thank you!!
Great recipe! Do you have any advice on how to make it with a crock pot instead of on the stove? thank you so much!
I’m making this now for my one year old nephews winter ONE derland birthday and we’re doing a chili cook off. There is a trophy involoved ?!! I used an organic spicy apple salsa and I’m going to also add corn! Super excited! Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is to die for! I normally make vegetarian sweet and spicy chili so this is a wonderful alternative. Perfect recipe to make a day or two ahead of time. I put mine in the crockpot on warm for 4 hours and then the fridge for an hour or two more. It yielded lots of leftovers. This chili is truly at it’s best after it’s marinated for 8+ hours.
OMG, this is sooo yummy! Wowza, my non-vegan boyfriend loved it too!!! Sooo good, Thanks Dana!
And btw, I’ve been loving your food blog, I know that I can come to this site and always find something SIMPLE to make with ingredients I typically already have around the house. You inspire me to cook more! Thanks!
Snowed in and have everything except salsa. Can I make the chili without it?
Hi Candace! Oh no, snowed in is not fun! You could try using canned tomatoes?
This was a perfect recipe for a -30 day and nearly no groceries in the house. The cinnamon was an absolute must (I kept adding a bit at a time because I wasn’t sure how it would taste, and then probably used more than suggested in the end). Also added fresh roasted cherry tomatoes and frozen corn. And all the chips!
A simple hearty dish to get me through this insanely cold Canadian winter. Loved this recipe. So so easy. I had some zucchini & mushrooms I needed to use up so I chopped them up and tossed it in with the sweet potato for extra nutrition. But I have no doubt the recipe would be amazing as is! I figured the sweet potato would add a lot of sweetness so I was happy to have a mild chunky salsa on hand, with no added sugar. I was happy with the flavour balance (a lot of store-bought salsa’s have too much sugar & sweetness for my liking). Lovely meal!
Thanks for this super easy recipe! I LOVED it and I have passed it (the link) onto my FB group ‘Super Quick Plant=-Based Recipes’ – they will love it AND your site!
I didn’t care for the sweet potatoes in the chili. They added too much sweet element to the recipe. I prefer more of a savory taste.
I made this a few weeks ago and it was an absolute hit! I didn’t add any of the extra spices as I thought the salsa would be enough (which it really was)! I am excited to make this for my friends this weekend as its just so simple and delicious.
My bunco group LOVED It! This is now in my go-to list. So easily put together and such a delicious result. Even I couldn’t mess it up. Thank you. I forgot to take a picture but next time I will!
This is SUCH a great recipe!! I’ve made variations on it weekly for the last month or two. I like to add some frozen fire-roasted corn after it’s nearly done cooking, and I like chili a little thicker, so I mash some of the sweet potatoes and beans and add them back in. What a great, easy starter for lots of different and delicious chilis.
Hey have you ever tried this recipe in a Crock-Pot?
Hi! We haven’t tried it, but many people have and had success with it!
Deeeelicious!!! That’s the consensus of vegans and carnivores alike. I’ve made this several times initially as written and subsequently with little tweaks depending on what I had on hand or who I was cooking for. I have doubled the recipe for potlucks, used canned or fresh tomatoes, played with spices and added corn.
This is a wonderful basic recipe because there are so try.
I made this last night. I only used 1/2 tsp of hot sauce and I found it incredibly spicy (and I love spicy!). It was fine for my husband and I, but I would definitely recommend less spicy ingredients if serving to kids.
This was delicious. I also used slightly less liquid and used an immersion blender on about half the soup to make it slightly thicker. I used all the recommended spices and just used a can of diced tomatoes since we didn’t have any salsa. Turned out so great and made a great lunch for the week.
I just made this with yukon potatoes instead of sweet potatoes and added some kale in during the last few minutes of cooking!! so delicious and perfect for fall weather
I added canned puréed sweet potato, a can of refried (TJ’s) black beans and an additional can of black beans to make a thick and big batch= so good! Kids gobbled, so did we! Thank you
Made this tonight, was awesome. Instead of cinnamon I used curry powder.
I made this tonight in a crockpot and I think it’s pretty delicious! I changed some of the recipe by adding in canned corn and a small red pepper, and I left out the 2 cups of water and chipotle powder. It’s definitely a more sweet tasting chili (adding the corn may have not helped lol). It is super delicious with tortilla chips; the sweet and salty combo is really nice.
If I make this again i’ll probably only put in one cup of soup stock because it is fairly soupy even though I didn’t add the 2 cups of water.
For leftovers I might try to add some hot sauce or more chili powder to try and make it more spicy.
Hi! Just wanted to let you know that I made this last night, and it turned out AMAZING!!!! I made some of the changes recommended by other reviewers i.e. I left out the water, so that it was thicker, I added a can of corn, and I added all of the suggested spices and garnishes. We ate it with blue corn tortilla chips, yum!!! It was SO good. My family loved it, and have requested that I make it again VERY soon! Thank you, Dana, for such amazing recipes!
I made this recipe and it is to die for!!! 5 star all the way!! I used chili powder, chipotle spice, and cumin powder. Then I went and lost the recipe!! I have been going crazy looking at all the websites I visit and finally found it again! I have emailed it to myself, bookmarked it, screen shot it and Pinned it! Now all I have to do is memorize the 5 ingredients. Lol! I will not lose it again! This is a must try! Thank you so much for such a great recipe!
Thinking of using this chili as the base for a work chili competition. Advice — do you think this chili would work well with your chipotle salsa as a base and maybe some fire roasted tomatoes to make it chunky? Also, does anyone have advice for making it less soupy?
I made this over the weekend and it was awesome! The rest of my family eats meat so my husband bought a rotisserie chicken and shredded it to go on top. Even my father who hates beans and subscribes to the school of thought that chili can only be made with beef and more beef loved it! We served it with avocado and lime. I had some extra plain quinoa from another meal and put the chili on top and it made a great addition because the first day it was a but more soupy. My husband and I both enjoyed the leftovers for lunch, it tastes even better and gets thicker the next day! Great recipe, thank you!
Do you have a crock pot recipe similar to this
No! But others tried this recipe out in the crockpot and had success. Check the other comments for tips!
I appreciate the simplicity and speed of this recipe and the others you publish.
I am sure you know that it is cheaper and healthier to have spent 30 minutes a previous day making vegie soup stock. Buying dry beans and cooking them is also a money-saver.
I realize that this would take longer than the limits you set, but if people are breaking into cooking using your guidance, it can’t hurt to clue them in about next steps they should take as a cook.
I have very basic skills in the kitchen. I just made this for the family and they all loved it and I looked like a Red Seal Chef in their eyes. :-)
Thank you!
Has anyone tried this with the green chile salsa? Also, you suggest using organic sweet potatoes. Are they better for you? I see them in the store and they are pretty expensive.
Delicious! I ate this with a big handful of chopped cilantro (love fresh herbs) and I added a healthy dose of garlic powder and cinnamon while it was cooking and it came out awesome. Will definitely make this again!
Anyway to add chicken to this? My husband wont consider it a meal without some meat but it looks amazing and I want to try it!
Go for it!
My husband bought a rotisserie chicken and shredded it to put on top and really enjoyed it.
I made this last night for dinner and it was delicious! I added a can of kidney beans, chopped garlic, chili powder, cumin and unfortunately I had to use chicken stock because I forgot to get veggie stock a the store. I will definitely be making this again!
I had this for dinner tonight and it was SO good! I cooked it in my crockpot on low for about ten hours. My crockpot is only 1.5 quarts, so I threw everything in and then just covered it with vegetable stock. I’m sure I ended up using a lot less liquid than this recipe calls for, but it came out fine. I also put a ton of hot sauce in right before eating :) will definitely be making this again!
I just made this this morning, it was so easy to make, and tastes so good! I didn’t have any chili powder, but that doesn’t seem to have made a difference with this tasty chili. Easy to make and super tasty. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I just made this for the first time and I am in LOVE! Absolutely delicious! I did make some changes using 2 cans of beans, added frozen corn, some garlic, cinnamon (a must, totally enhanced the flavor!!), chili pepper, cumin, and only used 1c of chicken stock to mine (I prefer a thicker chili). I actually didn’t have a can of salsa, so used two cans of drained fire roasted tomatoes instead. And also added 1/3 cup of craisins (which added a nice tangy flavor). So easy, healthy, and delicious. And I have plenty left for tomorrow. I am bookmarking you page to try more of your recipes.
I really was surprised by this one. Followed directions adding 4-5 teaspoons from a can of peppers in adobo sauce I had left over instead of hot sauce and chipotle. Amazing. Used toppings as described. My son commented “This ones a keeper !” Thank you for another amazing meal.
Hey! Got away from me before I could press the fifth star! Even BETTER after it sits for a bit..Amazing!
As my boyfriend says, “This is a do over!” Excellent, fast, and easy, just the way I like it. Next time we are going to add chicken and use shredded cheese for garnish. I’m not one who loves to be in the kitchen and I’m alway looking for something fast, healthy and delicious.
Sheri CW
Super easy recipe and really yummy. I added garam masala, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, and paprika to mine. Yum!
Came home on a snowy January night. Wanted something hot, satiating, and had all ingredients in stock including garnish of avocado, red onion, and fresh cilantro. Spiced used were salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder. Used rotel instead of salsa. Blue corn tortillas served with. Absolutely a new favorite. My wife and I enjoy healthy with lots of flavor. This is the capital of Flavor town, USA
So, so good!! Thank you!! ❤️
Hello! I am wondering if I can feature you 5 ingredient chili recipe in one of my client’s newsletters? We would, of course give you full credits and link backs.
thank you!
Hi Teresa! See instructions here.
LOVE IT!! I stumbled on this recipe and website via a basic search for “healthy recipes.” I am so hapy I came across Dana and Minimalist Baker!
I am enjoying this recipe as I type now! I pretty much followed the recipe as written with few changes. And because I don’t have a large pot I used a crock pot and left the ingredients in for 4 hours on high, stirring every hour or so. So amazing! A bit spicy but I like the heat (I did use cayenne and another Trader Joes chili spice). I’m also enjoying with Trader Joes blue corn tortilla chips. Although I am not vegan/vegetarian I do prefer to eat as much plant based as I can…my girlfriend is vegetarian and is gonna love it!
Thank you Dana!
Mark
Can this be made in a crock pot?
My husband and I come back to this time and time again. It was the first recipe of yours that we made and it majorly helped our transition to a vegan lifestyle! We use red onion in the chili and omit some of the vegetable stock and water so that it is more chili-like and less soupy. It is so delicious and we can’t get enough! Love to eat it with tortilla chips…instead of forks or spoons, of course :)
Hands down one of the most wonderfully delicious fall recipes! Even the omnivore husband went back for seconds…and thirds. I even added a little raw “sour cream”. This will be in the weekly rotation!!!
I loved this so much! It’s simple to make, filling, hearty, and flavorful. I added all the optional ingredients and toppings except for chipotle powder. I used organic spicy black beans from Kroger instead of the plain to spice it up since my husband loves anything spicy and added an additional can of mixed beans because I need more protein. I also added half of a chopped bell pepper. My husband wasn’t a fan of the sweet potato in the chili. I thought it was perfect. Having sliced avocado, cilantro, and diced red onions for toppings really made this taste fresh and enhanced the flavor greatly. We also had a side of tortilla chips.
I made this with very limited time between getting home from our homeschool co-op and leaving for baseball… I turned my oven on to the “keep warm” setting, made the chili in my Dutch oven on the stove in about twenty minutes, then covered it and moved it to my hot oven, turned the oven off, and left it while we went to my son’s baseball game. When we got home, I chopped up the red onion, cilantro, and avocado and had a wonderful meal ready within a couple of minutes.
Made it last night and enjoyed it today. Amazing! So simple. I didn´t use the two cups of water or the cinnamon but added sweet and smoked paprika, corn and kidney beans.
Thank you very much Dana and all the others, your comments were very useful :)
Thank you sooo much for this awesome recipe!! My family and I loved it so much!! Can’t wait to make it again tonight! Thanks again!??
Just made this for the first time. The spices make it taste so good! Especially the cinnamon! Such an easy week night meal. Thanks!
Another one of my favorites. This is super easy to make and comes together so nice and quickly. Definitely a staple in our house.
Hey Dana!
This looks amazing! Do you think it’s possible to make it in a slowcooker? Would you recommend on high or low heat? Thanks !
I don’t use slow cookers, but I’d recommend high heat at first to get some color on the ingredients and flavor, and then cook it on low to develop the flavors. Good luck!
Bumped on your website whilst searching dinner recipes, and had all the ingredients for this one so I went with this. LOVED IT. Was going to take a picture but I was too hungry :D.
Dana, I love your site and pre-ordered your book… twice! (original Amazon listing and current one ;)
I have a question regarding all your sweet potato recipes. How many ounces/grams do a medium or a large sweet potato weigh? I usually buy 1 pound bags of fresh, chopped sweet potatoes at Target.
Thanks!
Usually a medium sweet potato weighs 150 g.
You guys never disappoint! I used Publix supermarket brand chipotle salsa and it turned out really great. I could eat this all day. Thanks so much!
I used your recipe more as inspiration and validation for a lazy day “what do I have in my cupboard?” recipe! So here’s what I did: sautéed 1 small diced white onion in 1 TB vegan butter; added chopped tomato pieces when they became translucent. Cook until tomatoes are soft and onions aren’t browning. Add 1 can veggie stock, some water, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can drained and rinsed black beans, 1 can drained and rinsed kidney beans. Bring to boil while adding lots of chili powder, some salt, cumin, garlic powder, tobasco, jalapeno tobasco, black pepper, & cayenne pepper. I also took a cup out of the mixture and mixed 1 TB of flour as a thickener, transferred the mixture back to the pot. Cooked over 30 minutes and kept adjusting flavors. (Let me say I rarely follow recipes exactly. Hopefully what I’ve posted will provide inspiration incase anybody has these ingredients in their pantry :P)
So amazing. Did not think such a simple recipe could taste this astounding. Going to make this many more times! I used two cans of black beans for added protein and fiber, and it worked out perfectly. Thanks for this!
I wouldn’t call this chili….and Black Bean Chili at that is a stretch. My mother thought it was “Sweet Potato Soup.” There were barely any black beans compared to sweet potatoes and mine were definitely on the smaller side of medium. It was also very sweet for a chill. It was okay and definitely edible/good but yeah…1. The ratio–too many sweet potatoes. 2. Too sweet.
I made this in my slow cooker overnight and my house now smells awesome in the morning. I left out the two cups of water and it turned out perfect. Thanks formthe awesome recipe!
This was so simple and so delicious! I added all of the spices and some cilantro. Unfortunately the avocado I had was past it’s prime, but I opted for crispy tortilla strips. Like someone mentioned in the comments, I can’t wait to try it with different salsas!
Well I made this tonight, and I am terribly disappointed, which is surprising as I normally love all your recipes!
There was barely any flavor (even with the added spices) and it was so watery it really should be labeled as a soup instead of a chili. I was able to add a few things to it, which meant an additional grocery store visit, so the $15 or so weren’t thrown away. But yeah. Pretty disappointed.
*If anyone is wondering — I added a can of tomato sauce, 1 small can of paste, 2 cans of rotel w/ chilis and some ketchup. It thickened up quite a bit and has more flavor now. I also added more hot sauce and more chili powder — but I like my chili spicy :) With the additions, it’s closer to 4 stars.
Very good! I wasn’t sure this recipe existed, but I wanted something different. I did add the chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon. Also a tbsp. brown sugar and 3 tbsp. corn starch to thicken the broth. My vegetarian son will love it!
I made this today and it’s delicious! I used organic vegetable broth and Neal Brothers organic corn salsa. Serving it with homemade pita crisps and shredded aged cheddar…mm mm good!
It looks delicious ? is it possible to freeze it for later use i’m a Student and I don’t have a lot of time for cooking and I just started yo learn how to Cook and I ‘m not sure what I can freeze if you have a few advices that would be great
chili is great to freeze :) just not sure about cooked sweet potatoes…
This has to be the best chili I’ve ever tasted, meat or no meat. Even my meat loving husband agreed!
The Flavours! I love the blend of spices and the use of cinnamon! Also the texture and fullness of this is superb.
I did make some changes to the recipe as I made it. I doubled the recipe except for the water, added a 16 fl oz can of tomatoes and a can of tomato paste. It worked perfectly <3
Thanks again so much!
Just tried this, and it is AMAZING! I put in extra beans and salsa and am in love! Bravo!
My boyfriend and I love this so much we’ve made it 5 times in the past 4 weeks. We’re on a budget, and we needed something cheap but filling, and we will probably be surviving on this chili for the rest of winter.
This was super easy to make, but definitely more of a soup than a chili. I added more sweet potato and a double the black beans, but with 4 cups of liquid it was still on the soupy side. Flavor was excellent though!
This was a big hit! Thank you for the recipe. We will def make again.
This dish is delicious!!!! I used chicken broth instead of the veg, added corn, & leftover lentils which made it thicker. This is a keeper!!!! Thank you so much! Can’t wait to try other recipes on your site!
We’ve made this a few times and i wanted to say thanks for the recipe! It is more of a soup, but it’s still great. Plus it is a great base recipe to mix up based on what you have on hand. I especially like adding corn!
Hi there! Found your blog as I was googling what to do with my sweet potatoes and black beans and was glad to find a simple recipe that didn’t require going out in the cold! I didn’t have chipotle at home but threw in a dash of cayenne, paprika, and allspice in addition to the other spices you suggested. Made this in 20 minutes with dried black beans in my pressure cooker, and pureed a quarter of it in my immersion blender at the end. This took care of the extra liquid other commenters posted about but still left beautiful orange chunks of sweet potato and made for a hearty, thick (and very healthy!) stew. Loved the addition of lime too!
Fabulous idea – a quick, healthy chili is a must have recipe! However, as other readers commented, the recipe is waaay watery. I cut the fluid called for in half and it was still soupy. Added some cornstarch and it was delicious but will have to experiment more for a thicker consistency. I added some soy chorizo and threw it all in a Crock Pot for 3.5 hours on high and it was cooked to perfection!
hallo,
This is a wonderful recipe, I am just making it now for thw fourth or fifth time, who counts? Love it, love it, love it! So easy and quick to make and although I prefer to cook the benas from the scratch,mit does not take too long. I cook the dish in the evening so everything’s ready for lunch te next day. Don’t wait a sec guys, make it ASAP!
Great recipe! I feel like this should be called at least a 6 ingredient recipe… Under “optional” spices is chilli powder? Isn’t this a chili recipe?! I feel like that shouldn’t be optional just to keep it to 5 ingredients… What is chili without chili powder?
Love it with the sweet potato and avocado goes so well with it! Also, love the heartiness without the meat!
Such an awesome recipe! Thank you so much. My omnivore family even liked it!
Yummy yummy in my tummy.This was wonderful and super easy.Brave :)
Hi Dana! I made this Sunday for dinner tonight! It was delicious, perfect comfort food on a chilly night in the Carolinas. Soooo easy with just 5 ingredients! Took a picture but not sure how to post it here. Thanks for all of your yummy recipes!!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Debbie!
Wonderful! Can’t wait to have again tomorrow night—should be even better. It was soupier than I anticipated—but that was my fault—you did call it a soup.
My only subs were roasting the sweet potatoes…and a teaspoon or two of cocoa powder to deepen it and make it more mole-ish (plus, we know cocoa/chocolate is a health food, right)?
With all your great recipes, we seldom want to want go out to eat! The restaurant owners in Atlanta might hate you for this, but Andy and I love you!
Ha! Thanks for sharing, Ellen!
I made this chili and it turned out great!! I used a couple different kinds of salsa – one was pico de gallo and one was Trader Joe’s Harvest Salsa. I also used 2 different kinds of sweet potatoes because I accidentally bought white sweet potatoes at the store.
Yay! THanks for sharing, Mallory!
GUESS WHAT!!! WE WON!!!! We had a chili cook-off at work today, and i entered so i’d have something to eat at the party. Doubled the recipe – ultimately tripled it b/c it was so tasty… had to keep checking it lol. Added all the optional spices – people kept wondering about the cinnamon. CONGRATS, DANA!
Such great news! Congrats!
I made this for the first time and it was really good (I went with all the optional,spices as well). However, as previously mentioned, mine was a little soupy as well but tasted great nonetheless! So next time I’ll probably just add 1 cup of water instead of 2. Also, can I add ground beef to this recipe (in addition to the sweet potatoe)?
I have made this recipe multiple time and it is AMAZING ! Definitely a crowd pleasure.
This was SO good! I added 1 tsp of chili powder, cumin, and paprika each and it was perfectly spicy. Someone commented about it being soupy so I omitted one cup of water and scooped out about 1/3 of the sweet potatoes and a bit of liquid after cooking and gave them a few quick pulses in the blender. I dumped that back into the pot and the somewhat-pureed mixture distributed flecks of sweet potato that mimic the texture of meat. We served it with cornbread – so delicious! I’m already thinking up ways to use the leftovers. I’ll probably eat it paired with rice and maybe as chili over nachos.
Wonderful! thanks for sharing, Emm!
Can you used diced canned tomatoes instead of salsa?
Just made this, and I used cinnamon, chili powder, and cumin and it turned out fabulous! Best chili I’ve had yet! Thanks for the recipe!
I made this this weekend with the cumin and cinnamon added and a chunky salsa that had roasted garlic too, it was amazing!!! Definitely will make again and share with my friends :)
I’m just making the Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili. It looks & smells wonderful! I can’t wait to try it! I am wondering if it can be frozen? (I don’t know if this question has been asked, as I didn’t read all the comments.)
Absolutely! Place it in jars or whatever you prefer and it freezes for up to 1 month! Reheat however desired.
This is delicious! I was on the hunt for something easy, healthy & vegetarian-friendly for a small dinner party. I am enjoying some leftovers for lunch as I type:) I think you’re right, it just keeps getting better & better with time. I didn’t have one of the spices listed so I added some cayenne pepper – which gave it some nice heat:)
I also took your suggestion of cooking it as long as possible and actually threw everything into my crock pot on low all day [after cooking the onions & sweet potatoes & spices in a pan first].
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!! I can’t wait try more.
p.s. also made your granola bars to bring to my sister who just had a baby and she LOVED them [me too]. They were a perfect late night snack when she was up at all hours to feed the little one:)
So great! Thanks for sharing and for following along Maeve!
I made this for dinner tonight since it’s 20 out. I only added chili powder to it, and it’s so delicious. It’s perfect for this weather. My boyfriend was a huge fan of it too even though he’s always skeptical about vegan meals and hates sweet potatoes.
haha, you won over the skeptical BF! That’s the ultimate test. Thanks for sharing, Sarah!
Delicious! I just enjoyed a bowl of this and will definitely make it again. I added the optional spices and used chicken stock instead of vegetable broth and water. So very good!
Hello! I made this last night and love it! Just wondering how long can I keep it for? xx
Great! 3-4 days.
I made this yesterday and it tasted good, but it was even better today ;). I accidentally used hot salsa so it’s SUPER spicy, but delicious nonetheless. I love this website!
Thanks Krystal!!
I love chili! I’ll even cook this in the 75 degree California weather :)
JEALOUS.
This was delicious! I used kidney beans instead of black beans, and served it with quinoa and crisps. For spices I used 1 red chili pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika powder and cinnamon. I love how flavoursome this is – and yet, so easy to make!
Thanks for sharing!
We used Japanese sweet potatoes and it was fabulous! Thanks for such a great, easy recipe!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Leah!
this was flipping amazing! I wish that I could give it ten stars. LOL I used only one cup of water, because I don’t like my chili soupy and I added corn. I scooped it up with Blue Corn Tortilla chips. =)
Wonderful! thanks for sharing, Rebekah!
I need to make this chili before winter ends. Love black beans and sweet potatoes together!
DO IT. Hope you love it, Tracy!
This turned out fabulous! I added soy cheese, avocado and cilantro. Really filling and satisfying for these colder days!!!!
Made this chile this weekend & it was super yummy. Just what I needed to stay warm in this awful cold.
Incredible! My mouth was totally having a fiesta! I used all the spices except the hot sauce. Also, I added a second can of black beans to make it less soupy…but with or without the second can, the flavors still sent my mouth dancing! (Fyi- I used smoky paprika chipotle seasoning instead of straight chipotle powder.) Thanks for sharing. Your photos are always a feast for eyes, too! My only regret is that we don’t have company eating with us tonight. This is a winner!
Oops…that got sent before I’d clicked all five stars! Sorry!
Thanks Jeanie!!
Made this soup last night and it’s delicious! Will definitely be making it again. Thanks for the inspiration :)
Liked it, but didn’t love it … unlike almost everything else I have made from this site. More soupy than I prefer for chili, so if I was to make it again, I’d cut back on the water or broth to see what happens.
Thanks for the feedback! And definitely after you cook it and let it set, it thickens. Adding a ton of chili powder and cumin also helps thicken / kick up the chili flavor!
This looks so comforting and flavorful. I love any variation of chili, and I love that this one only has five ingredients!
Came out great! I added kidney beans and sweet corn to the recipe. Served with a side of jalepeño cornbread. FANTASTIC! Thanks for the awesomeness!
Yay! I have a new cornbread recipe up, too now so check that out! I think it’d be great with jalapenos!
Chili is one of my favorites, and you can’t go wrong with sweet potatoes!
I made this last night and it was sooooo good!
Yay!! Glad you liked it, Alanna!
This looks delicious! Will try this out.
That chilli looks delicious!!! Definitely a warmer for this cold London weather
Ooh, stay warm across the pond!
Yummyy!! Easy and delicious <3
I am so love with sweet potatoes at the moment & love a sweet potato chilli! This one looks great – quick, simply, delicious! Thanks guys :)
I’ve had a bit of a moment with sweet potatoes for the last year. I eat them practically every day! Glad you understand.
Simple, comforting, and delicious!! What a great combination of flavors!
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to make if for my family.
Ooooh! This looks so delicious!!!
Thanks for sharing!
This looks SO good, Dana! I love the simplicity… I mean, only 5 ingredients?! Totally going to try this.
wow, only 5 ingredients, that’s amazing! Usually chili has at least 10 plus ingredients! never tried making chili with salsa before, I will have to give it a go!
It’s definitely down to the basics! Hope you love this one, Heather!
Wow this is literally the easiest homemade chili recipe I’ve encountered! Yay, I just happen to like easy
You’re in the right place for easy. Hope you give this one a try, Nicole!
I love sweet potatoes and black beans!
This is brilliant!! Love the limited ingredients and how easy this is! I”m already thinking of how fun it would be to use different jars of salsa in this as well!! Chili is certainly my go to right now, it’s FREEEZING
Hope you love this one, Sam!
My car was nice enough to tell me it was -2 out this morning… yikes! Soups and chili are definitely needed! I’ve never tried sweet potato in chili – sounds delish!
GROSS. That’s way too cold! If you love sweet potatoes, you’l love this chili!
Perfect timing as I’m headed to the grocery store tonight! This looks INCREDIBLE and easy. I’ll report back after making. Thank you!!
Please do! Hope you love it, Sarah!
This looks like the perfect dish to make during a snow storm or crazy cold day (like they ones we’ve been having in NYC). Will earmark this recipe for the near future. Love the avocado on top! Who wouldn’t?! :)
I feel so bad for that part of the country! Stay warm with this soup!
Dont feel bad its the best city in the world :-) thanks for the recipe!
Husband loved it. I love that other than the pain of cutting raw sweet potatoes I had an easy make ahead meal for him since we work different shifts. I know he can heat this up and have something healthy and hearty. I did as suggested and added some heat – chili powder and red pepper flakes. I was out of cumin so I’ll have to try next time.
I definitely need to try out this recipe. It looks so yum!
Wow – so easy!! And definitely delicious looking. Avocado on chili just makes it soooo much better! Glad you agree :)
Can’t do chili without it!
Can’t wait to try this ~ just a couple of things to pick up (salsa and cilantro)