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!

Two bowls of Sweet Potato Black Bean and Quinoa Chili topped with avocado and sour cream

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.

Sweet potato quinoa black bean chili in bowls, ready to serve.

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

Onion and sweet potato cooking in a large soup pot

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

Quinoa being stirred into the pot with the onion and chopped sweet potatoes.

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.

Sweet potato quinoa chili with broth and seasonings added in, ready to stir.

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.ย 

Finished sweet potato chili in a large pot.

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.

Sweet Potato black bean quinoa chili in two bowls with topping. A spoon and napkin to the side, ready to serve.

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:

Best vegetarian chili, let’s go!

Sweet Potato black bean quinoa chili in two bowls with topping. A spoon and napkin to the side, ready to serve.

Sweet Potato, Black Bean, and Quinoa Chili

4.58 from 7 votes
Make a big batch of this Sweet Potato, Black Bean, and Quinoa Chili every week for a nourishing meal prep meal! Easy to customize and full of fiber, complex carbs and plant-based protein.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 medium-sized yellow onion chopped
  • 1 large sweet potato or yam chopped into ยฝโ€ cubes (about 4 cups worth)
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • ยฝ cup dry quinoa
  • 1 (15-oz) can black beans or 1 cup dry black beans, soaked
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce chopped, optional
  • 1.5 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp sea salt to taste

For Serving:

  • Sour Cream or plain yogurt
  • Cheese
  • Cilantro
  • Green onion
  • Avocado

Instructions

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add onion and sautรฉ, 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.
  • Serve with sour cream, cilantro, and your favorite chili toppings.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving (of 4) ยท Calories: 342kcal ยท Carbohydrates: 52g ยท Protein: 12g ยท Fat: 11g ยท Saturated Fat: 2g ยท Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g ยท Monounsaturated Fat: 6g ยท Cholesterol: 1mg ยท Sodium: 1019mg ยท Fiber: 13g ยท Sugar: 10g
Author: Julia
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dairy free recipes, easy healthy recipes, gluten free recipes, gut healthy recipes, healthy recipe
Did You Make This Recipe?I want to see it! Tag @the.roasted.root on social media!

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Julia Mueller
Meet the Author

Julia Mueller

Julia Mueller is a recipe developer, cookbook author, and founder of The Roasted Root. She has authored three bestselling cookbooks, – Paleo Power Powers, Delicious Probiotic Drinks, and The Quintessential Kale Cookbook. Her recipes have been featured in several national publications such as BuzzFeed, Self, Tasty, Country Living, Brit.co, etc.

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4.58 from 7 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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Questions and Reviews

  1. I needed to hear that 400F advice. You know, for the ninety-third time. ๐Ÿ˜›

    And I NEED THIS CHILI. It has all of my favorite things!!

    1. I tell ya…we food bloggers think we’re all high and mighty until we touch a 400-degree oven wrack. Puts ya in an insta ego check!

    1. I keep hearing you folks out in Ohio have it rough this winter! I’d gladly take some of the chilly weather, as we’ve had the most non-winter winter ever over hear on the west coast. So happy to hear you made and enjoyed the chili!

  2. It snowed in Florida today, and I wish I was joking. Which basically means I needs this cooking away keeping hte house warm and cozy! Gaw-geous photos lady!

    1. Holy crap! I didn’t know it was possible to snow in Florida! Even Florida is getting snow and we’ve got nothing! Sigh…at least we have chili and football… ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Haha, I completely agree with the spring roll thing. It’s their fatal flaw! I’m making some tonight actually! This soup looks so warm and hearty. Yuuuummy ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. I always debate with myself whether or not potatoes should go in chili. When you throw sweet potatoes in the mix though, that’s a completely different story. This chili sounds delicious and the perfect thing for this horrible cold spell we’ve been having.

  5. Ermmmm, black bean and sweet potato chili is my favorite! I love that you added quinoa. Also I love your words of wisdom: So. Much. Truth.

    Happy weekend, m’dear!

  6. This sounds delicious. I love the flavors of chili and I make a pretty good cooked (and raw!) chili, myself, but I’ve yet to add sweet potato or quinoa to it. That’s definitely a variation I think I’d love since I love it in almost everything else (especially salads!). Thanks for posting AND for your words of wisdom ๐Ÿ™‚

  7. It’s like you know we are freezing our butts off here in the midwest. Black turtle beans? Sounds like what turtles poop out. I don’t know about these. I just talked about turtle poop on your food blog. Sorry about that. Enjoy your weekend and bring me some chili!! {Please??}

  8. Sweet potatoes and quinoa in chili? You are speaking my love language girl! Especially when it comes together in 45 minutes and allows me to have leftovers so I can be lazy and not have to make my hubby his lunches (worst wife ever award right there!)
    Plus, I love your advice. That blowing out the candle while brushing my teeth thang could totally save my life one day!

  9. This is my kind of chili through and through and through!!! I don’t like to play favorite but the sweet potato addition is totally my jam!