Hearty, healthy, and the kitchen sink of recipes, a bowl of steaming chili is the perfect cold weather entrée. While I was home for Christmas, I flipped through my mom’s copy of Real Simple magazine and came across a recipe for vegetarian chili with sweet potatoes. “Sweet potatoes and veggie chili?” I thought. “Two of my favorite foods, together?!” The recipe shot to the top of my mental to-cook list as I tore out the pages for safekeeping.
Usually when I make veggie chili, I’ll use all the vegetables I have on hand, and throw in whatever kind of beans and tomatoes that are in my pantry. This time around, I mostly followed the recipe, and it turned out fabulously.
Have you ever tried sweet potatoes in your chili before? You must, I insist!
Watch How to Make Sweet Potato Chili
Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Stew
Extraordinary vegetarian chili containing sweet potatoes, black and kidney beans, peppers and cocoa powder. A wonderfully delicious, hearty & healthy vegan meal. Recipe yields 6 bowls.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced, or 1 heaping tablespoon of minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less, depending on how spicy you like your chili)
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with their juices*
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
- 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked kidney beans
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- Suggested garnishes: sour cream, grated cheese, thinly sliced green onions and/or chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a 4-to-6 quart Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chopped vegetables (onion, peppers and sweet potatoes) and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start turning translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic and spices (chili powder, cumin, cayenne, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and another dash of salt and pepper) and liquid ingredients (tomatoes, beans and broth), and stir. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chili has reduced to a heartier consistency, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- If you would like an even thicker consistency, use a potato masher to mash the chili until the texture suits your preferences. Season chili with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the chili into individual bowls, garnish as desired and serve.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Real Simple.
*A note on canned tomatoes: I’m concerned about the BPA levels in canned tomato goods and avoid canned tomato products as best I can. I recommend using Muir Glen canned tomatoes because their cans are BPA-free.
Slow cooker/Crockpot option: This chili should turn out well after cooking on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
Heather
Le Creuset for 25 bucks? Score, indeed! It looks so good. You seem to have a lot of natural sunlight coming through in all of your photos. Is it generally sunny is Oklahoma?
kate
Yep, it is pretty sunny around here. I think that day was actually kind of overcast, but I adjusted my camera settings accordingly. I’m so pleased with the results!
Christine
Wow! I made this recipe yesterday afternoon for a backyard birthday party. I wound up doubling the recipe and adding an extra can of beans and some extra vegetable stock. It actually simmered for about 5 hours on the stove, and by the time we ate it, all my meat lover friends were raving about how good it was! The sweet potatoes were a great addition; I can’t believe I’ve never made chili with sweet potatoes! Thanks for sharing!
Deb
I am so making this chili tonight – have everything on hand (with a couple of substitutions).
Fits into my New Year detox menu perfectly !!
Happy New Year Kate.
the southern hostess
I’m a sucker for anything with sweet potatoes, but this looks amazing.
Kristen
Hey Kate! How you never fail to make my mouth water with your delicious creations! I would love to be a guest at your dinner table :) This sounds like the best combination EVER.
I can’t wait to see what you come up with when you learn to crochet! You seem so crafty so I don’t think you will have any trouble at all!
kate
Thanks! I haven’t had much time for crafty pursuits lately but I’d love to learn how to crochet someday soon!
Marisa
This sounds so hearty and delicious! And perfect to make next time I have dinner with my sister who is a vegetarian.
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I love the sound of these vintage postcards of Venice you mentioned. Did you post any pictures of them on your blog or anywhere else on the web? I’d love to see them!
alagraham
This looks so hearty for a cold winter’s day…delicious!
You have to try to coconut pancakes, they are so yummy. You should be able to find coconut milk in the Asian section of your market…it comes in a can.
taste area
mmm…it looks so yummy!! I love the photos too! Check out the praline and chocolate dessert I posted and tell me what you think!
xx
Kate
Sara
Lovely recipe and lovely blog! nice to meet you & thank you for vising my blog! come again! :)
Christopher Nowakowski
my girlfriend linked this recipe to me the other day. made it for dinner and it was truly AWESOME. a little cornbread rounded out the meal.
kate
SO glad to hear that you loved it! Thanks Chris!
Laurita P
yuuuum, that sounds delicious!
alagraham
Looks so good, I am buying ingredients today. Awesome photos as always. Glad you liked the the coconut pancakes, I love them…let me know when you post! Have a good weekend!
Diana
Good call on the Le Crueset!! I made this recipe using the crockpot when I saw it in Real Simple magazine and everything came out really mushy.
Katie
This looks fantastic, and so easy! I have some peppers left over and a few neglected sweet potatoes from the last time I made wedges as a side dish with dinner… might have to whip this up tomorrow night!
p.s. with your most recent post… I did the exact same thing last semester (getting put on the registry with the cheek swab) and I admire your decision so much, amazing!
Natalie
Thanks for dropping by my blog! I love that I stumbled upon this recipe… the other day I was thinking that I wanted to do a vegetarian chili with a few sweet potatoes I had on hand. Like you, I usually dump the contents of my veggie drawer and see what happens, but this recipe looks great!
P.S. Your blog and photos are gorgeous!
Natalie
So… I made this chili the day I saw it on here. LOVED it! Such a great vegetarian dish — I didn’t even miss the meat. Liked it so much I’m posting it on my blog next week (with credit to you, of course. :)) Thanks Kate!
kate
Yes! Can’t wait to read your post!
Denise
I really need that chilli to continue living my life!
Carolyn
I made this last night and it was an instant hit with my friends who were over to watch a film. I somehow had some leftover and I made your beer bread this morning to pair with it. I will definitely be making this again!
Heidi Leon Monges
it does looks so delicious and healthy, thank you for sharing this recipe, I´m quite positive I will make it soon; my hubs adores chili and we try to eat mostly vegetarian meals. Perfect!.
congratulations on that awesome 25th anniversary self gift.
ps. firs time on your bog. think I will be coming back ;)
amy
This is the perfect recipe for a wintery day!
amy
I made this last weekend, it was SO GOOD! My carnivore boyfriend said it was awesome and he didn’t miss the meat.
kate
Thanks so much for commenting! I’m glad your boyfriend liked it, too. I like to think it’s a chili that everyone will love!
ari
I cooked this Chili in our Restaurant this week and all our guests loved it. I’d definitely cook the beans on my own (together with some Kombu seaweed to make them more easier to digest).
The addition of cocoa powder makes it really delicious.
Thanks a lot!
kate
Hi Ari, I’m thrilled that your guests loved my chili! I would have never thought to add seaweed. Thanks for commenting!
ari
Well, the seaweed doesn’t change the taste of beans and you take it out before serving. It (=Kombu) just makes legumes much easier to digest.
Alexandra
I leave the kombu in, and hope I get it.
Maria
Another hit! I am loving your recipes! Thank you so much! This is the best Chili I have ever made!
Lauren
OMG. I just made this to serve to my friends for lunch tomorrow, and I cannot stop eating it! It is so good. I added an extra can of pinto beans, cuz I like my chili really beany. And next time I will decrease the cayenne a little (I added the whole teaspoon), although the heat is kinda nice and it doesn’t really burn, but I know some people get scared when that heat kicks in. Overall a WINNER. And I made it in my Le Creuset, too. I like sauteeing the veggies first.
Monique
Hi! Trying this one today… wondering what size can of vegetable broth to use? 14 oz, 24 oz? Thanks!!
kate
Hi Monique! Glad to hear that you’re cooking the chili today, I think you’ll love it! I used a 14 oz can of veggie broth.
Anna
How many does this serve? I have a dinner party of 6 coming over on Sunday, and while we’re making side dishes, I want to make sure and have enough chili for everyone.
Thanks!
kate
Hi Anna, the source of the recipe claims that it serves 4 but I think it would make enough to serve 6 with ample portions. If you want to be certain there’s enough, you could add an extra can of beans or more canned tomatoes.
alisa
I googled ‘vegan sweet potato recipes’ and this was one of my first hits. I made it today – in my crockpot, though. It’s very tasty! I used 2 sweet potatoes, dark chocolate cocoa, and also threw in a can of green chiles I had. Thanks for the idea!
kate
Happy to hear that you enjoyed the chili, Alisa! Thanks for commenting.
Sarah
I don’t often comment on blogs, but I have to for this recipe! It is so delicious and surprisingly easy to make. I brought it to work to share with co-workers, and everyone was singing its praises.
This is a keeper! Thank you!
kate
Thank you for commenting, Sarah! I’m delighted to hear that you and your coworkers enjoyed the chili!
Stefany
My sister and I both made this for dinner this week and it was incredible!! I even topped with almond cheese which tasted great! Thanks for a stellar recipe!!!
Whytney
Hi Kate, I just stumbled upon this recipe which was linked from another food blog that I love – howsweeteats.com. Anyway, I am a budding vegetarian (I still eat fish, though…) and I found this recipe and couldn’t stop thinking about it – probably because the only thing I had to go and buy for it was a sweet potato! (we call them “kumara” here in New Zealand). Chili is not typically something we eat here Down Under, but since it is an uncharacteristically cold rainy November day (it’s almost summer here!!) I decided this would be perfect. I currently have a big stock pot of it simmering on the stovetop and can’t wait to try it out with a big dollop of sour cream and chives on top! My boyfriend is excited, too, and actually bought me the stock pot as an early Xmas present solely so I could make this dish tonight! Ah, how does that old saying go – “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” – it’s so true!! Anyway, so glad I found your blog and I look forward to making many more of your delicious-looking dishes :} warm regards, Whytney.
Kate
Thank you for your sweet comment, Whytney. I hope this chili was worth your effort! I have a butternut squash chili you might like as well. Do you have butternut squash in New Zealand?
Sara
My boyfriend insists that he has to have meat with all his dinners or else he will go hungry. I’ve tricked him with spinach manicotti before and I’m hoping to trick him some more since meat can get so expensive. I really enjoy your recipes and can’t wait to try them out on him! He’s becoming more open minded since he realized food can be good and filling without meat.
Kate
My brother is just like your boyfriend. I’m glad you’re convincing him to try more meatless meals! Something tells me he would really like this chili.
Lisa
I made this chili yesterday, it was so good!! Thanks
Kate
Thank you for commenting to let me know, Lisa! I’m so glad you enjoyed the chili.
Alexandra
I made it today; sauteed the vegetables w/o any oil in my cast iron frying pan. Cooked the Kidney and black beans (separately ) in my new Instant Pot Pressure Cooker; then cooked the vegetables, beans and remaining ingredients in the Pressure cooker for 8 minutes. I also cooked the rice in the pressure cooker. It is a very good chili; I think it was the cinnamon and cocoa. I will make this again.
Ann Kelly
Loved it. Broke my diet :-( Shared it with my friends :-)
Kate
:-D
Ksenya
Kate!
I meant to write you for a while.
Your food blog is awesome and I have adopted a multitude of recipes from Cookie and Kate. In short, I cook a few C&K dishes every week. They are all delicious! Your ingredient lists and instructions are concise and easy to follow and photography .. ah! inspiring. When light permits I take photos too :).
Probably you wonder about my name? I am Russian from St. Petersburg, having lived 10 years in Belgium and now residing in Vienna, Austria.
But the world is small and You have introduced me to Kale and offered a handful of delightful quinoa recipes. Like you, I love sweet potato and this was my very first recipe and still one of the favorite ones.
Thank you for all the smiles you’ve put on my face and delicious treats shared with friends!
Ksenya
P.S. Please give an extra cookie from me tonight to the Cookie!
Kate
Ksenya, thank you so much for your sweet comment. I’m delighted to hear that you are enjoying my recipes! It’s neat to know that they are being cooked in Vienna. I will be sure to give Cookie an extra treat tonight. Please stay in touch!
Gemma
I just made this recipe and OH MY GOODNESS, it is fantastic! Thank you!!! :)
Kate
Thank you, Gemma!
Tracy
I subscribe to Real Simple and had the same reaction you had when I found the jewel. I think it the cocoa powder that gives it the richness of no other chili I have tried. Thanks for reminding me of how much I loved this!!
Hapa Latina
I just discovered your site and this is the first recipe I tried. My carnivorous husband and I both loved it! Thank you so much and I look forward to trying out many more recipes in the future.
Kate
Thank you very much, Hapa! Hope you both enjoy the other recipes just as much!
NeeC
Ok, I love this Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili! The leftovers freeze well and taste delicious when re-heated. Thank you Kate for all of your wonderful recipes.
Meridith
I made this yesterday and it was a hit! My 5 year took a few bites and then asked if I would please pack it for her school lunch the next day! :) (I did omit the cayenne for her sake but added plenty of jalapenos to my bowl(s) of chili). I have a feeling this will be our regular Sunday afternoon watching football chili. Thanks! :)
Kate
Thank you for commenting, Meridith! I’m so glad your family enjoyed the chili. :)
Sara
This is a keeper at our house. We usually make it for four people and even though it makes a lot, there is usually no leftovers!
Kate
I’m delighted to hear that. Thank you, Sara!
Patricia Butler
Hi! This sounds really delicious but, unfortunately, I can’t eat tomatoes. Is there something I could substitute for the tomatoes that would keep the integrity of the recipe?
Thanks!
Kate
Hi Patricia, I think the soup will be very good without the tomatoes. Just add a couple extra cups of broth to make up for the lost liquid. If you enjoy black beans, you might also like this black bean soup, which doesn’t call for tomatoes: https://cookieandkate.com/2013/spicy-vegan-black-bean-soup/
Alyce NZ
This is such a cool recipe because once you do the main spices/stock you can virtually add anything you’ve got I did kumara (the kiwi word for sweet potato), leek and corn. My dad was even impressed- he thought there was beef in it because it was so filling. YUM
Kate
Your version sounds great, Alyce. Kumara is such a fun word!
Julia
This chili is absolutely delicious! Warning to those who can’t handle the heat – I only added 1/2 a teaspoon of cayenne and it was almost too spicy for me! Eating it with balkan yogurt solved that problem and the combination was amazing. Thanks for the great recipe!
Kate
Julia, so glad you enjoyed the spicy chili!
Jen G
I was wondering how many calories are in a serving? & how much a serving would equate to? Thanks so much!
Kate
Hi Jen, I’m sorry, I don’t provide nutritional breakdowns because there are just so many variables when it comes to home cooking (serving sizes, actual ingredients used, etc.). Here’s a good nutrition calculator you can use: http://caloriecount.about.com/
Tova
This came out amazing!! I added several poblano peppers and butternut squash (I had them in the garden and didn’t know what to do with them). It is a very hearty and flavorful dish, thanks Kate!
Kate
Thank you, Tova! Glad you enjoyed the chili!
ash
Hi I was wondering if I did want to cook this in the crockpot how would I go about it?
Kate
Hey Ash! I actually adapted this recipe from a slow cooker recipe. Here it is: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/slow-cooker-vegetarian-chili-with-sweet-potatoes
Dee
Just made this tonight and it was fantastic for a cold, snowy night. Not a wanna-be chili but had flavors of it’s own. We cooled off the cayenne with a little Greek yogurt. Thank you for a new winter staple in our recipe file. Hope you are liking KC. I’m from there and think it’s a pretty special place.
Kate
Great! Thanks, Dee! I really enjoy living in KC. It is special. :)
Ess
I just made this for my Toastmasters meeting tonight, which is a health-related TM group, and everyone LOVED it! I’m a healthy vegan – I eat only whole foods, plant-based – no processed junk. And even the non-vegans raved about it!
Thanks so much for sharing this, it is definitely a keeper. And everyone was amazed that there was cocoa powder in it. Fantastic addition!
Cheers,
Ess
Kate
Awesome! Thanks, Ess! Glad everyone enjoyed the chili!
Mik & the fam
So good! The 2 year old loved it. We topped ours with a little shredded cheddar & sour cream, with tortilla chips on the side.
Kate
Awesome! Thanks, Mik and fam.
Marlene
I was looking for a recipe for sweet potato fries and stumbled upon your site. Your recipes look great and I want to try more of them but I’m wondering if I can print the recipes. I didn’t find a print button anywhere.
Kate
Hi Marlene! I’m sorry you had trouble finding the print button. You should see it at the top right of the recipe itself.
ellesse
YUM! made this this afternoon and boy was it good! the depth of flavor is outstanding! i didn’t even have cumin and chili powder. i will be keeping and making again and again!
thanks!
Kiirsti
Sweet potatoes in chili – who would’ve thought it would be so delicious! I was also really intrigued by the addition of cocoa powder and cinnamon.
I would give this chili four stars based on when I had it for dinner the day I made it, but five stars for the leftovers (it tasted even more delicious the day after!).
Kate
Awesome! Thanks, Kiirsti.
Ashlyn
Ive made this twice now and its very flavorful and tasty! Each time though the consistency seemed to be a little too liquidy. How runny/liquidy should this be?
Kate
Hmm, I don’t recall my chili being runny. You might try increasing the heat just a little while the chili is simmering, or just use a little less liquid!
Splashing in Puddles
We had this tonight with cornbread and it was really yummy. The seasons are perfect. I used dried beans & I cooked them first and drained them. Then I followed the rest of the your directions as written. I had a lot of extra liquid that just wouldn’t cook off and it wouldn’t thicken up for me so after about 3 hours I scooped off the extra liquid. Then I pureed about a cup of the chili and added that back to the pot to thicken it. Then it was perfect. I’ll definitely make this again but I’ll use less broth next time I guess?? Any ideas what happened? Could it be from using dried beans rather than canned?
Splashing in Puddles
Seasonings not seasons. :)
Kate
Hmmm, no, I’m not sure what happened there! Perhaps just use less broth next time? Sorry about that!
Splashing in Puddles
I bet it had something to do with using dried beans. The chili was a favorite of my husbands so I’ll definitely be trying again. After I make it a few times I should figure it out & I’ll let you know the proportions for dried beans in case anyone else wants to do it that way.
Splashing in Puddles
So I made it again tonight first cooking the dried black and pinto beans.It turned out perfectly for me this time using a cup of broth rather than two. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly. Delicious!!
Kate
Thank you for getting back to me! I’m glad to hear that solved the problem. I may need to revisit the amount of broth in my recipe.
lisa
We’re having a potluck at work tomorrow and our crew includes a vegan, someone with lactose intolerance, and another person following a gluten free diet – so my usual potluck go to dish -super cheesy lasagna with Italian sausage sauce is out of the question! The chili is on the stove now and smells wonderful. Thanks for providing just what I need to keep everyone happy.
Kate
Perfect! Glad you found this recipe, Lisa. I hope your crew enjoyed it!
Charlotte
I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect veggie chilli and I think I’ve found it! Made it in my slow cooker and it was gorgeous, and had leftovers as enchiladas. There’s loads left in my freezer too.
I’ll definitely be making this regularly – thank you!
Charlotte
Kate
Awesome!!! Thank you, Charlotte!
Issy
I was searching for a vegetarian chili recipe and it brought me to your site. I decided to check out your other posts and I am completely in love with all your creations! You are so inspiring, and you make veggie dishes look beautiful and enticing. Honestly, this has been such a joy to browse through and experience. Thank you.
Kate
Issy, thank you! Your comment made me smile. I’m so glad you found my blog! Hope you love my recipes!
ChrisD
This looks absolutely amazing! I have been looking at veggie chili recipes all day-and it’s been fantastic! I saw a different recipie that called for using beer to deglaze your pan just after sauteeing the onions, has anyone tried this yet and if so, does anyone have a recommendation on what type of beer to use?
Thanks!!
Kate
Hey Chris! I haven’t tried that, but it sounds like a great idea to me. Negra Modelo comes to mind since this recipe has some Mexican flavors in it.
Sara
This recipe has become a staple in my house over the last year. Making it again today for the umpteenth time!
Kate
Hooray! Thanks, Sara!
Jessica
This is my favorite vegetarian chili. I think it was the first recipe I ever made from your site. I love the combination of flavors with the heat from the cayenne and the sweetness from the sweet potatoes. And it’s super filling and satisfying for meat eaters too! I made it again today to serve at a community dinner I’m attending for my church. Can’t wait to share it!
Kate
Thank you, Jessica! I’m so glad you loved this one. Thank you for saying hello!
Ruth
Sweet potatoes were on sale $.48 a pound at Sprouts. I bought several pounds – because, hey, who doesn’t love them! I had all other ingredients on hand, so I decided to make this chili when the recipe popped up on a blog that I follow. Oh my gosh! It was so good!!! It is a keeper recipe and I will make it again for sure. Thanks!
Kate
Thank you, Ruth! So glad you enjoyed it!
Liesl
Dear Kate,
I want you to know that I made this tonight for my boyfriend and I wish you could have heard his reaction. He kept making “happy noises” as we say, i.e. non-verbal reactions of pleasure when one eats! And then he said, ” I feel like your dad at that restaurant when he said that he was experiencing the most wonderful flavors he had never had before.” And that from a foodie! So, as always, this recipe was a huge, huge win. I can always count on you to feed us in a delicious, healthy way.
Thank you!
Kate
Well, sounds like success to me! Thank you so much for letting me know, Liesl. :)
CJ
Wow! Absolutely delicious. I ended up having three bowls. Horrible I know, but I couldn’t resist! Can’t wait to have leftovers for lunch and dinner tomorrow. I’ll make another batch next weekend to share-well, maybe I’ll share:) So glad I came across your blog!
Kate
So glad you enjoyed the chili, CJ! You could do a lot worse than three bowls of veggie chili. ;)
Georgia
I found this recipe when I was looking for a vegetarian chili recipe to make for my daughter. My kids grew up eating Cincinnati style chili which is seasoned with cocoa, cinnamon, and cloves as well as plenty of chili powder. I was excited to try this recipe, since it sounded like the same “family”. We were over the moon with it! I’m making it again this week. Incidentally, I’m following the Weight Watchers Beyond the Scale program and was delighted to enter this recipe into the point calculator and find it came out to 2 points per serving. Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe!
Kate
Thank you, Georgia! I just heard about Cincinnati chili the other day. Glad you all enjoyed it!
Michelle Henderson
I made this tonight. The other half demolished it with no question about meat…. Fooled him! Great recipe. Yummy in a stand n stuff soft shell with salad, cheese, sour cream and nachos. Will definitely make it again :)
Kate
Success! Thanks, Michelle!
Susie
This is week #2 of trying one of your recipes & WOW!! Followed all the directions, doubled the recipe again (since our pals were joining us), & truth be told, I feared I had overdone it w/the spices…(Whoops, I was multitasking & didn’t pay close attention to my measurements)…
This was a big hit & the extra spiciness (due to my carelessness) got raves from the guests!
The sweet potatoes, the other veggies, the spices–it was all fantastic!
Thank you for creating such an awesome blog!
Kate
Thank you so much, Susie! Delighted to hear it!
Terri
Made this today and tossed in some zucchini I had in the fridge. Delicious- I would do a little less cayenne next time since it was very hot. I put avocado and crushed sea salt rice chips for some crunch . Another winner and my daighters love cookie ‘s name.
Terri
L.J.Taylor
I happened to run across your blog a couple of weeks ago while searching for interesting vegetarian recipes to fix for my roommate who is a new vegetarian. I have to say that I’ve been very impressed with your recipes. I made the sweet potato chili tonight and loved it. The seasoning is perfectly balanced and I didn’t miss the meat at all. My roommate, who used to love meat chili without beans loved this chili as well.
Deb
I made your delicious recipe but am so old that I only have a film camera(!), so no photo available, though it is a very pretty and colorful chili. I can cook though! Anyway I did lighten up the cayenne to only 1/16th tsp since I only like a tiny bit of heat, and it has a great, complex flavor profile. Enjoyed the addition of the cocoa and cinnamon. Thanks so much for sharing this great recipe!
Deanna
I love this recipe! It’s so tasty and the hint of cocoa powder and cinnamon..genius! I’m thinking of adding quinoa next time I make it but I wanted to ask – how much uncooked quinoa do you think can be added to the current recipe without overdoing it? 1 cup maybe? Thank you in advance!
Melodie
Its warmer weather here, but I HAD to make this chili last night, and it was awesome! I didn’t have enough canned tomatoes, so a subbed in a fresh one and more water. I then realized I had no kidney beans, so subbed in some cut fresh green beans. It was colorful and so delicious, made enough for my lunches this week as leftovers. Spice blend was really good, the cocoa was a new one for me. Thanks for sharing such a hearty, healthy recipe.
valori
I was surprised that sweet potatoes got the attention for being the weird ingredient. For me it is the cocoa powder. What does it add? It seems odd to me.
Kate
It lends a subtle layer of complexity. No one has complained that their chili tasted like chocolate!
Megan
Hi there,
I tend to avoid eating peppers as they upset my stomach. I really enjoy the taste and often miss out on chili because of it! Can you recommend anything to replace the bulk of peppers used in your recipe?
Rose
This chili is fantastic and quick and easy to throw together on a weeknight. I left out the cocoa powder because I didn’t have any on hand and it was still delicious.
Kate
Thank you, Rose! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed this one.
Alexandra Ledoux
My favorite vegetarian chili, by far!
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Alexandra.
Veronica
Making the chili today. It looks and smells wonderful. No doubt, it will taste just as good.
Kate
Thank you, Veronica! I hope it was a hit.
Dominique
I just made this recipe tonight and wow, I did not expect the cocoa powder to make it that much better compared to other chilies – I’m hooked on this secret ingredient!
I added fresh corn and it gives great texture and sweetness to the mix. I’ll be making this again for sure!
Meredith
Kate,
How do I attain a thicker consistency in this chili?
Allyse
I added quinoa and it was a perfect thickness.
Laura
I’ve made this recipe and other of Kate’s recipes and love them all! I also love the way you outline your recipes and provide alternatives. Please keep the great recipes coming!
Laura
Yummy! Both girls liked it and my hubby said that was a top chili recipe. Winner all around!!
Barbara
Can I make this ahead and freeze?
Lyn
This is a great recipe! WONDERFUL depth of flavor and so easy to throw together. TOPPED it with cheddar cheese and cilantro. Heavenly!
shira
i tried this recipe after looking through the web for good chili. This came out spectacular to say the least. My husband loves it! It is a nice spicy chili that really hits the spot on a cold day. Im so glad i found this site and i will be trying many more recipes in the future!
Scott
Kate, I made this for Thanksgiving. It was unusual to bring a dish like this. It went over so well, we ran out of chili. I’ve browsed your other recipes and I’m forever a fan. I’ve been bringing in your dishes to work and my coworkers are coming around to the vegetarian side. It’s become a challenge to see who can make the best vegetarian dish and I keep coming back to your site for inspiration. Thank you for sharing!
Bethany
Just made this for dinner tonight! It was extraordinarily good!! I used chicken broth but other than that, followed the recipe as written. Thanks for another great meal!
Nicole
Red Gold tomato products also come in BPA free cans! They are also non-gmo committed.
rhea
Can I subsitute cacao for cocoa?
Kate
Yes, that should work! I think you can pretty safely substitute one for the other in non-baking recipes.
Deanna
How many dishes does this yield? Trying to decide if I want to double it! :)
Kate
About 4 to 6 servings, depending on the size!
Callie Blount
This chili was SO good Kate!! I have been on a 21-day meal plan that doesn’t involve meat and this was the biggest blessing to eat! Thank you for a great recipe:)
Kate
You’re welcome! Good luck with your veg adventure :)
Cathy
Inhave made your recipe twice and love it. I did add organicground turkey (as i am not a vegetarian) which tasted wonderful as well.
Thank you
Kate
Great! Our meat-friendly readers will thank you :)
Leah Swanson
This is a fantastic Chili that I have made many times for home and potlucks. I always get compliments and my vegetarian daughter requests it often. It is pretty spicy will all of the chili powder and cayenne called for so I usually double it to please all. This is definitely going to be a recipe we make for a long time.
Kate
This is so great to hear, Leah! Tell your daughter thank you, too!
Katie
I just wanted to let you know that years after you posted this, it is still my go-to chili recipe—for myself (it freezes well), or to feed a crowd. It get rave reviews and I’ve shared the recipe more times than I can say. I’ve even chopped and measured everything beforehand and brought it up to a friend’s cabin for a quick, hearty meal that doesn’t require me to miss the fun while working in the kitchen.
Kate
Thanks a million, Katie. This was so nice to read -and such a great idea for a quick way to throw it all together!
Renee Justice
This recipe brought my meat lover husband around. After making it the first time I added a few ingredients…fresh jalapeños, butternut squash and sometimes carrots. It’s wonderful!
Laura
Made this for dinner tonight and it was absolutely delicious. Pretty much going to be my new go-to recipe for chili. I didn’t have cocoa powder and I switched out the cayenne pepper for paprika, but it still turned out great.
Allyse
So good! Making it again today!
Kate
Awesome!
Mary
This chili recipe is AMAZING!!! I made this recipe with my 2 girls in mind – they are both vegeterians. The absolutely loved it and the funny thing is my son and husband did too – they are meataterians :) My husband said it is the BEST chili he has ever had – couldn’t stop eating it!!! I will lower the cayenne next time as my daughter is very sensitive to heat, but will add to some for the rest of us. This is a definite keeper!
Kate
So happy this worked out for everyone, Mary, even the meataterians (ha!) :)
Kathryn
Made this tonight and was SO impressed and delighted. Such a rich flavor. Delicious! Even my super picky non-vegetable-friendly husband scarfed it down! Thank you!
PS – your banana bread is also my go to!
Kate
Awesome, on both fronts! Thanks, Kathryn!
Jeanne
Loved it. Used a can of chickpeas and a can of black beans, and had some frozen fire-roasted corn that I threw in. Garnished with avocado, a dollop of greek yogurt, a little cheddar, and some crushed up Fritos. Loved the body that the cocoa and cinnamon adds. Yes, it was 87 degrees here today, but every day is chili day in my book.
Kate
I agree! No day too warm for chili. Your version sounds delicious, Jeanne. I’m glad you liked the spices!
Cindy Groshko
Let me tell you, I have been making chilli for 40 years and this recipe is the bomb, I absolutely love love love it, thank you ever so much for posting this delicious recipe. I did double it and added a bit more of the spice and its fantastic. Keep showing us old birds your wonderful way of cooking.
Kate
This made me smile so much, Cindy! I’m so glad you loved this–it’s such a compliment hearing from such an experienced home cook. I don’t take that lightly. Thank you for reading!
Ruby Teo Glaser
It was delicious but I would cut the cayenne pepper to half a teaspoon instead of a teaspoon as the chilli turned out to be a little too spicy.
Kate
Yes, always feel free to adjust the spices to your preferences. Thanks, Ruby!
Eva
This is one of my all time favorites! I’ve made it several times for my family and friends and everybody loves it! :)
Since I am vegan, I substituted sour cream for homemade tofu cream cheese and it’s perfect!
Kate
Great! I’m glad you could fully veganize it.