This slow cooker sweet potato chili makes a particularly great meal on a cool day, although it is delicious all year round. It has all of the usual chili staples like ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, and spices, but with the addition of brilliant orange sweet potatoes.
First published October 2013.
I love making this sweet potato chili recipe year round, but it is especially delicious and comforting in the cold weather months of fall and winter. There is nothing quite like a bowl of hearty chili to warm you from the inside out.
I've been making this recipe for over 10 years and have also developed it to make in the Instant Pot as well as a vegan version with lentils.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- corn - fresh, canned, or frozen and thawed; optionally charred
- ground meat - I like to use lean ground beef but ground turkey or ground chicken work too
- chili seasoning - store bought or a homemade mix of chili powder, cayenne, cumin, paprika, salt
- brown sugar
- onion - chopped
- garlic - minced
- kidney beans - black beans or pinto beans are good too. Use canned, drained beans, or soak and cook your own dry beans beforehand
- sweet potatoes - peeled and cut into 1” pieces
- diced tomatoes - canned or cut up fresh tomatoes
- crushed tomatoes
- broth - chicken or beef broth
See recipe box for details.
Instructions
Roast the corn using a dry pot or pan on the stove directly in your slow cooker if it has a browning/sauté setting.
Brown the ground beef in the same way - either with the browning setting of your slow cooker or on the stovetop.
Now add and stir together all of the remaining ingredients: chili seasoning, brown sugar, onion, garlic, beans, sweet potatoes, crushed + diced tomatoes, and broth.
Now close the slow cooker lid and cook on low heat for 8 hours or high heat for 4 hours.
Once the chili finishes cooking, remove the lid and stir up everything. The solid parts will have settled towards the bottom.
Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with desired toppings like sour cream, avocado, cilantro, shredded cheese, etc.
Top Tip
A side of cornbread is always great with chili.
Storage
You can store your leftover chili refrigerated for 4-5 days. It will be delicious reheated on the stove or in the microwave for lunches or dinner during the week.
If you won't be able to consume it all in a few days, you could also freeze it. To freeze your chili leftovers, divide it between airtight containers that are safe for the freezer or sealable freezer bags. The chili should keep at its best for up to six months. Any longer and the textures of the ingredients may start to deteriorate.
You can also repurpose chili leftovers if you want to transform your chili into something different.
Frequently Asked Questions
A touch of sugar can enhance the overall flavor of chili by balancing acidity and reducing bitterness.
Opt for chili with lean meat, plenty of vegetables, and beans for a balanced and nutritious option.
Slow cookers enhance chili by allowing flavors to meld slowly, resulting in a rich and delicious dish.
Browning meat before slow cooking adds depth to the flavor, but skipping this step is possible for a quicker preparation.
This choice is up to you as both have their benefits. Canned beans are quick and convenient, but can be expensive at $2 to $3 a can.
Dried beans are more work. They require soaking before cooking, however they are cheaper than cans at only a $3 or $4 a bag. A bag can also serve you for multiple meals while a can or two will only serve you for one recipe.
To make this chili recipe on the stove, simply start by preparing the beans, corn and ground beef as the recipe states. Next, you can combine everything in the pot and bring it to a simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender. You should definitely aim to simmer the chili for a total time of at least 30 minutes, but it could go slightly longer. Just don't bring it to a boil as you don't want ingredients like sweet potatoes to break down into the sauce too much.
Related
More recipes like this one, that you will love:
Recipe
Sweet Potato Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon chili powder instead of the next 5 individual spices use about 2-2.5 tablespoons of my homemade chili seasoning mix
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika smoked paprika is great here
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1” pieces (about 3 cups)
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 30 ounces kidney beans 2 cans drained; or 3 cups cooked kidney beans (start with 1.5 c dry beans, soak overnight)
- 1 cup corn fresh, frozen, or canned
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- If using dry beans, soak 1.5 cups kidney beans overnight. Then rinse and cook covered in water until softened (about 45 minutes).
- Roast the corn until most pieces have a dark/charred corner, either in your slow cooker on the browning function or on the stove top. A dry pan or pot works best. Set aside the corn and brown the meat (in slow cooker or on stove stop).1 cup corn, 1 pound ground beef
- Combine all ingredients in the base of your slow cooker and stir to mix well. Cook on low for 8 hours (or high for 4 hours).28 ounces diced tomatoes, 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 medium sweet potatoes, 1 medium onion, 2 cloves garlic, 30 ounces kidney beans, 1 cup chicken broth
- Stir well after cooking. Serve with your preferred chili toppings like sour cream, avocado, cilantro, green onion, shredded cheese, etc.
Nutrition
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Jacquee
I am sooooo ready to curl up with a bowl of this stuff!! Oh, and that cornbread looks delish - I made a batch the other day.
Regina
It's so perfect for the cold weather we are having.
Olena@iFOODreal
This looks delicious! I agree with you on the Fall subject, especially in Calgary it doesn't last long. I lived there for 7 years. I'm so glad you stopped by my blog last night and we should keep in touch.:)
Regina
So glad you found your way here Olena 🙂 I absolutely agree, let's keep in touch!