Black bean and sweet potato chili
Units
Servings
Ingredients
Chili
- 30 ml olive oil rounded
- 200 g red or yellow onion, diced rounded
- 150 g red bell pepper, diced rounded
- 150 g green bell pepper, diced rounded
- 500 g sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes rounded
- 4 garlic, minced rounded
- 20 g mild chili powder blend rounded
- 4 g ground cumin rounded
- 5 g smoked paprika rounded
- 1 g dried oregano rounded
- 0.5 g ground cinnamon rounded
- 0.5 g cayenne pepper or chipotle powder, less for medium heat (optional) rounded
- 30 g tomato paste rounded
- 800 g diced or crushed tomatoes, two tins rounded
- 720 g black beans, three tins, drained and rinsed rounded
- 500 ml vegetable broth rounded
- 5 g unsweetened cocoa powder (optional) rounded
- 6 g fine salt, plus more to taste rounded
- 30 ml lime juice rounded
Optional toppings
- to taste avocado, cilantro, scallions, sour cream, or grated cheese (optional) rounded
Method
Method
- 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.
- 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.
- Add the tomatoes, black beans, broth, optional cocoa, and remaining salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- 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.
- Mash one ladleful of beans and sweet potato against the side of the pot and stir it back in for extra body.
- 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.