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Here’s Why My Sweet Potato Chili Earned Its Meatless Monday Spot
Ingredients & Substitutions
How To Make Sweet Potato Chili
My Tips For Flavor & Texture
Sweet Potato Chili Recipe card
Serving Ideas
Recipe Reviews

Here’s Why My Sweet Potato Chili Earned Its Meatless Monday Spot

Maya with a comforting bowl of sweet potato chili.

Let me be honest: I don’t make meatless dinner recipes very often, so when I do, they really have to earn their spot! And this sweet potato chili did. Here’s why:

Hearty enough without the meat – I based this sweet potato chili recipe on my classic beef chili and my older whole30 version (which now lives in the Wholesome Yum App!), except I swapped the meat for tender chunks of sweet potato and adjusted a few ingredients to match. Thanks to the spuds, black beans, tomatoes, and bold spices, it’s just as satisfying as my original. And I promise you won’t miss the meat — even my meat-loving husband didn’t!
Sweet and savory flavor combo – The smoky chili powder, cumin, and garlic balance the sweetness of the sweet potatoes in the best way. It’s a little like my pumpkin chili, but with more texture.
Feel good dinner – This sweet potato chili is packed with fiber and veggies, and has a decent amount of protein for a vegetarian dish.
Simple everyday ingredients – In fact, almost all of them are pantry staples! Plus, this dish only takes about 10 minutes to prep and 30 to cook, which makes it perfect for busy nights.

If you’re looking for an easy idea for Meatless Mondays or just want a lighter meal, this sweet potato black bean chili is it. Make it with me and curl up with a bowl tonight!

Thick, hearty sweet potato chili in a Dutch oven with a ladle.

“This chili was delicious! Thanks for the recipe!”

-Gina

More Reviews

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my vegetarian sweet potato chili recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

Sweet Potatoes – I usually use orange sweet potatoes. Feel free to use white or purple sweet potatoes (which are firmer and less sweet), or yams (which are similar but not the same).
Beans – I prefer black beans in my sweet potato chili, but kidney beans or pinto beans would work great, too.
Canned Tomatoes – You’ll need both petite diced tomatoes and diced tomatoes with green chiles, liquid included. I used petite diced because the regular ones felt too big when I tried those, but you can use regular if that’s all you’ve got. For a deeper tomato flavor, also stir in a spoonful of tomato paste.
Aromatics – Including onion, plenty of garlic, and bell peppers (I used red and yellow). For a shortcut, you can swap in 4 teaspoons of jarred garlic.
Olive Oil – Just a bit for sautéing the veggies. Avocado oil works, too.
Herbs & Spices – My go-to combo of chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, and sea salt give it that bold, cozy chili flavor. Note that American “chili powder” is really a blend of spices, so if you’re outside the U.S. and yours is purely chilies, you probably want to start with less.
Vegetable Broth – I chose this mainly to keep this sweet potato chili vegetarian, but I’ve also made it with chicken broth and actually liked the flavor a little more.

Labeled recipe ingredients: Sweet potatoes, diced tomatoes, green chilis, bell peppers, onion, black beans, vegetable broth, olive oil, chili powder, garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt.

How To Make Sweet Potato Chili

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a large pot (I use a Dutch oven) and cook the onions and bell peppers until they start to soften and brown.
Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook until fragrant.

Sauteed onions and bell peppers in a Dutch oven.

Garlic and spices added to the pot and cooked until fragrant.

Add the sweet potatoes, black beans, tomatoes, broth, and salt. Bring the sweet potato chili to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender and the stew thickens. Adjust to your taste — you can add extra salt if needed, or even some black pepper.

Sweet potatoes black beans, canned tomatoes, and salt added to the pot, and getting ready to pour in the broth.

Simmered sweet potato chili until thick.

Scooping the thick, hearty sweet potato chili recipe from the Dutch oven with a ladle.

My Tips For Flavor & Texture

Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes, not larger. This helps them cook quickly, but more importantly, you get a little in every bite without being overpowering. When I tried larger chunks, they felt too sparse.
Because I used diced tomatoes with green chilies, I added less chili powder compared to my other chili recipes. It’s moderately spicy that way. If you like your sweet potato chili very spicy, add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of chili powder.
The longer the sweet potato and black bean chili simmers, the thicker and more flavorful it gets. If it’s still looking too brothy at the end, just leave the lid off for the last few minutes.
Every brand of broth and canned tomatoes has a different salt level, so taste before serving. Sometimes all it needs is a little extra salt or a splash of lime juice to brighten it up.
Want extra protein? I think this sweet potato chili recipe has a decent amount for a vegetarian meal, but if you want more, add a pound of ground turkey or ground beef. Just add it to the Dutch oven after browning the aromatics, before adding the spices.