This Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili is full of satisfying protein and good-for-you fiber. The smokey-sweet flavor is complex yet welcoming. Even better? This meal is easy and affordable to throw together!
I love simple, tasty, and inexpensive recipes that can be made ahead of time and frozen for future meals. Actually, I think that might be the requirement for every recipe I make and post here.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I don’t enjoy fancy recipes – because I do – but I don’t have much time on my hands so I need recipes that can be prepared with ease. You can relate, right?
Easy Healthy Dinner Recipe
This new spicy sweet potato and black bean chili is everything I love in a recipe. I’ll tell you exactly why:
First of all, you only need one pot so it creates a minimal mess in the kitchen.
Second, I had all the ingredients on hand except for the sweet potatoes. So I would consider this a pantry meal also.
Third, it is absolutely packed with nutrition, tastes delicious, and freezes great!
See what I mean? This recipe is an all-around win!
Can I Make This a Vegetarian Recipe?
I also like to eat meatless meals somewhat frequently. This sweet potato black bean chili can easily be made into a vegetarian or even a vegan meal.
The only thing you need to change is the stock. I used chicken stock because that’s what I had in my pantry. However, if you prefer to make this recipe vegetarian then substitute vegetable stock.
To make this chili vegan, swap out the stock and omit the honey. You can add maple syrup or agave instead if you like. Trust me, either way, it will be good.
What Does Chili with Sweet Potatoes Taste Like?
The flavor of this chili is so good. It’s truly got the perfect balance of heat from the chili powders and sweetness from the sweet potatoes and honey.
When you add in the black beans, you get an even more complex and balanced flavor. The black beans give it that hearty chili texture with an earthy flavor.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili
Making this chili is so simple. First, you’ll mix together the spices, which include chili powder, chipotle powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic, and salt.
Next, take a dutch oven or a big soup pot and add some olive oil to the bottom. Carefully drop in your diced sweet potatoes and the spice mix. Cook for about 3-4 minutes—the spices should be smelling pretty amazing at this point!
Add in your chicken stock, black beans, honey, and tomatoes. Bring the chili to a boil and then let it simmer for about 40-5o minutes. That’s it!
How to Serve Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili
This chili is best served hot. I like it with a dollop of sour cream or, better yet, high-protein greek yogurt. I’ll even add a sprinkle of shredded cheese sometimes too.
How to Freeze the Chili
You can definitely freeze this chili too! I’m a big promoter of make-ahead dishes (hence the blog name), and this recipe fits the bill!
To freeze it, let the chili cool slightly in the pot, then dish it out into individual containers.
Each serving is about 1½ cups and that is plenty. The sweet potatoes and beans provide a lot of fiber and protein that will keep you filled up for a while, promise.
These make awesome lunches or quick dinners. Whatever time of day you choose to eat this sweet potato and black bean chili, it will provide you with a nutritious meal that keeps you satisfied all day.
This Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili is the perfect inexpensive pantry meal! Share a picture and tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you decide to make this!
Other healthy chili recipes:
Slow Cooker Turkey and Vegetables Chili
Slow Cooker Classic Turkey Chili
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¼ salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small to medium sized chunks
- 2 cups chicken stock or use vegetable stock if you like
- 2 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons honey
- In a small bowl mix together all the spices (first 6 ingredients). Set aside.
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot heat the olive oil on medium. Add sweet potatoes and spice mixture. Cook until spices are fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add chicken stock, black beans, diced tomatoes, and honey. Bring to a boil then simmer for 40 – 50 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft.
- Serve hot. This can be garnished with sour cream or plain yogurt and a little shredded cheese.
This recipe can be made completely ahead of time and frozen into portion for future meals. Use plastic freezer containers or bags.
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I’m not a fan of honey, can it be omitted?
This looks delicious. I made a pumpkin black bean chili in the slow cooker last year that was good. But I think the combination of sweet potatoes and black beans sounds even better. I think I’ll try to adapt this for the slow cooker 🙂
It says this is 60 WW points! Is that possible??
Oh silly me I just figured that was the carbs, it’s 7 WW points.