Food and Travel & Food and Travel
Dark chili full of black beans and orange sweet potato cubes in a cream bowl, sliced avocado and cilantro on top, natural light from the side
main Mexican-inspiredSouthwestern vegetarianvegandairy-freegluten-free

Black bean and sweet potato chili

A hearty vegetarian chili built on black beans, tender sweet potato, peppers, tomatoes, cumin, and lime. Smoky and warming rather than aggressively hot, with simple ways to dial the chile up or down.

Prep20 min
Cook50 min
Servings6
Cook mode

Original recipe-book version, informed by Cookie and Kate's sweet potato chili

Ingredients

Written for a 5 L pot

Units
Servings
6

Chili

  • 30 ml olive oil
  • 200 g red or yellow onion, diced
  • 150 g red bell pepper, diced
  • 150 g green bell pepper, diced
  • 500 g sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 20 g mild chili powder blend
  • 4 g ground cumin
  • 5 g smoked paprika
  • 1 g dried oregano
  • 0.5 g ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 g cayenne pepper or chipotle powder, less for medium heat (optional)
  • 30 g tomato paste
  • 800 g diced or crushed tomatoes, two tins
  • 720 g black beans, three tins, drained and rinsed
  • 500 ml vegetable broth
  • 5 g unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
  • 6 g fine salt, plus more to taste
  • 30 ml lime juice

Optional toppings

  • to taste avocado, cilantro, scallions, sour cream, or grated cheese (optional)

Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, both peppers, sweet potato, and half the salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens.
  2. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cinnamon, optional cayenne or chipotle, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly.
  3. Add the tomatoes, black beans, broth, optional cocoa, and remaining salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
  4. Cook partly covered for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is tender and the chili has thickened. Remove the lid for the last 10 minutes if it is still soupy. Add a splash of broth if it becomes too thick before the potato is done.
  5. Mash one ladleful of beans and sweet potato against the side of the pot and stir it back in for extra body.
  6. Stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust salt, lime, and chile heat. Serve with any toppings you like.

Notes

  • Chili powder blends vary greatly. This recipe assumes a mild blend, not pure ground hot chile. Start with a tablespoon if your blend is unfamiliar and add more after simmering.
  • For mild chili, leave out the cayenne or chipotle. For medium heat use a quarter teaspoon, for hot use a half teaspoon and put hot sauce on the table.
  • Cut the sweet potato evenly so all of it becomes tender at the same time.
  • The optional cocoa should not make the chili taste like chocolate. It rounds out the tomato and chile.
  • Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. The flavour improves overnight.

Sources consulted

Sources consulted

From Christoph Mayer

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