Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa Chili

Sweet Potato Black Bean and Quinoa Chili is a hearty vegan dinner recipe that is so satisfying and cozy for cold evenings. Serve it up with your favorite toppings any time of year, particularly during the cold fall and winter months!

If this is your first time making black bean sweet potato chili, you’re in for a real treat! The combination of flavors and the fact that it is such a satisfying meal will instantly make this one of your favorite vegetarian recipes. It is the kind of meal I love to enjoy on a daily basis. 

The combination of plant-based protein, dietary fiber and plenty of nutrients makes for a balanced meal containing everything you need and nothing that you don’t!

Potatoes and beans are two of the most satiating foods on the planet, so combining them in a hearty vegan chili makes for a filling and delicious healthy dinner. Not to mention, quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids for complete protein. 

One of my favorite parts about this recipe, in addition to its nutrient profile, is the fact that it is so easy to meal prep. Simply store individual portions in meal prep containers or jars for healthy work lunches or weeknight dinners.

Let’s discuss the basic ingredients for this healthy chili recipe. You can find the full list of ingredients at all major supermarkets. 

Ingredients For Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa Chili:

Avocado Oil or Olive Oil: Used to sauté the vegetables, we need a quality cooking oil like olive oil or avocado oil.

Onion and Garlic: Bringing big flavor to the chili, fresh onion and garlic cloves are paramount to boosting the flavor of this healthy meal.

Sweet Potato or Yam: One of the main ingredients in this sweet potato black bean chili are sweet potatoes. You can use jewel yams, garnet yams, or any kind of sweet potatoes you like. This ingredient adds heartiness for a very filling vegetarian chili recipe.

Quinoa: We add dry (uncooked) quinoa into the chili to add plant-based protein and hearty texture to the meal.

Black Beans: The combination of sweet potatoes and earthy black beans works seamlessly in so many recipes! In fact, you can enjoy it in my Sweet Potato and Black Bean Vegetarian Tacos. Nevertheless, you can use any type of beans here.

Vegetable Broth: Used as the soup broth, we need some vegetable stock or vegetable broth. 

Diced Tomatoes: For more tomato flavor, you can add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.

Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce (optional): Chipotle peppers bring spice and smokiness to the chili to add more flavor. This secret ingredient brings unique flavor that rivals traditional chili recipes.

If you prefer mild food over spicy food, omit the chipotle peppers because they are very spicy. 

Seasonings: Chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper. These simple seasonings are all we need to make that iconic chili flavor.

I like using sweet paprika, but you can use smoked paprika if you love smoky flavor.

For Serving:

Choose your favorite chili toppings! We all know chili toppings are sometimes the best part about enjoying our favorite chili recipes. I like topping chili with sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt), avocado, grated cheese, fresh cilantro, tortilla chips, and chopped green onion.

Looking for ways you can change up this quinoa chili recipe? Here are some ideas.

Recipe Customizations:

• Swap out the black beans for garbanzo beans, pinto beans, red beans, or kidney beans. Any can of beans works. 
• If you aren’t vegan, you can use chicken broth instead of vegetables broth.
• Add one pound of ground turkey, ground beef, or a chopped chicken breast to increase the protein in the meal.
• Chop up one red bell pepper or green bell pepper and add it in.

Now that we’ve covered the simple ingredients for sweet potato quinoa chili, let’s make a pot! 

How to Make Sweet Potato Black Bean and Quinoa Chili:

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat on the stove top.

Add onion and sauté, stirring frequently until onion begins to sweat, 5 minutes. Stir in the sweet potato and cook another 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and quinoa and continue cooking another 2 minutes, stirring everything together.

Pour in the remaining ingredients and stir well. Bring chili to a full boil, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to medium-low or low. Allow chili to gently boil for 15 to 20 minutes, until quinoa and sweet potato are cooked.

Remove pot from heat and allow it to sit covered for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. The longer the chili sits, the thicker it will be. Taste the chili for flavor and add more sea salt or a squeeze of lime juice to your personal taste. 

Serve a bowl of black bean sweet potato chili with sour cream, cilantro, and your favorite chili toppings.

This vegan quinoa chili recipe tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have had time to develop. 

Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze chili in a large zip lock bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

Prefer cooking in the slow cooker? You can prepare this recipe in your crock pot by cooking on high heat for 3 to 4 hours or low heat for 5 to 6 hours.

The next time you’re in the mood for an easy chili recipe that will make you feel full and energized, whip up this black bean sweet potato chili recipe!

If you love healthy soup recipes, also try out these vegetarian soups!

More Vegetarian Soup Recipes:

• Minestrone Soup with Rice and Kale  
• Slow Cooker Lentil Soup  
• Vegan Corn Chowder  
• Coconut Curry Vegetable Soup  
• Crock Pot Vegan Pumpkin Chili  

Best vegetarian chili, let’s go!

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