Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili
Keep dinner simple with this slow cooker sweet potato chili. The cooked sweet potatoes add a touch of sweetness and flavor, especially when combined with fresh chili spices. This slow cooker recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free.
Add a serving of vegan cornbread on the side for the best meal ever!
I decided to make this vegan sweet potato chili using black beans because I had a hunch that the flavors would go well together. I was right. Making it in a slow cooker to let the flavors simmer together all day was another idea that worked like a charm, too.
But before I go off sounding like the chili whisperer, there’s another reason I used a slow cooker with this recipe: time. Sweet potatoes cook up so easily (thanks to their natural sugars) and so I threw everything into the slow cooker and let it cook all day.
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Sweet potatoes add flavor and texture throughout this chili
- Using a slow cooker means that dinner is cooking while you’re doing other things
- Adding veggie crumbles contributes delicious plant-based protein to every bite!
What You Need
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:
- Aromatics — We’ll be cooking chopped onion with garlic cloves in olive oil
- Sweet potatoes — You’ll need two medium sweet potatoes
- Black Beans — I prefer black beans, but you can substitute dark or light kidney beans
- Tomatoes — You’ll need two 15-ounce cans of diced tomatoes
- Tomato Sauce
- Vegetable Broth
- Veggie Crumbles — I suggest using veggie crumbles, but you can make it with or without veggie crumbles
- Seasonings — You’ll be adding Chili seasoning or substitute homemade taco seasoning. You can also add salt and pepper based on your taste preferences.
How to Make Sweet Potato Chili
It’s so easy to make this black bean sweet potato chili because it’s all done in the crockpot. That means you won’t need additional pans to make this recipe work.
- Cook onions and garlic in a slow cooker on high for about 10 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients except for the veggie crumbles, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Stir in the veggie crumbles and nutritional yeast flakes prior to serving.
Here are more detailed step-by-step instructions.
Step One: Cook Onions and Garlic
- Place the chopped onions and minced garlic in a slow cooker and drizzle with olive oil.
- Set the temperature to high and stir these ingredients so they’re coated with the oil.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, until the onions are starting to get tender.
Step Two: Add Veggies
- Turn the heat to low and stir in the chopped sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, and chili seasoning.
- Cook this for 6 to 8 hours.
Step Three: Add Veggie Crumbles
- About 30 minutes before serving, add the veggie crumbles and nutritional yeast flakes. Stir to combine.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Marly’s Tips
- Try adding some chopped red bell peppers when sautéing the onions
- Garnish individual servings with chopped cilantro
- If you like it spicy (like me), add additional heat with a teaspoon (or two) of sriracha or crushed red peppers
- You could add a cup of frozen corn kernels.
Storage Tips
To store chili, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it by storing it in freezer-safe containers where it will keep up to 1 to 2 months. To thaw it, leave the container in the fridge or overnight, or leave it out at room temperature for a few hours. Heat up individual servings in a microwave or in a saucepan on the stove.
More Vegan Chili
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Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion , peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium sweet potatoes , washed and chopped (see note)
- 30 oz canned black beans
- 30 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 1 cups vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons chili seasoning (see note)
- 1 cup veggie crumbles
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes , optional
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the chopped onions and minced garlic in a slow cooker and drizzle with olive oil. Stir to combine. Set temperature to high and cook for about 10 minutes. See note for stovetop instructions.
- Turn heat to low and add the chopped sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, and chili seasoning. Cook for 6 to 8 hours.
- About 30 minutes before serving, add the veggie crumbles and nutritional yeast flakes. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve warm with vegan cornbread.
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Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2018 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.
Marly…thanks so much for including my chili in your roundup! Somehow I missed National Chili Day, but actually, I didn’t…thanks to you 🙂 PS, you’re giving me sweet potato chili photog goals…yours is gorgeous! 🙂
Thanks, Traci! I’m happy to have you as part of my National Chili Day Celebration!
I bet the sweet potato is a perfect balance to the spice. Looks so delicious!
I can finally get sweet potatoes in Italy, so I can’t wait to try this. Sounds and looks delicious.
Sweet Potatoes are such a great idea. I NEED to make this! That looks like an awfully good line-up of chili recipes too!
Thanks, Ginny! It’s better thanks to your recipe!
YUM! Marly, this looks fantastic. I love sweet potatoes 🙂
I love sweet potatoes! This looks amaaaazing!
You are totally right – chili doesn’t need any meat to be fantastic! I love sweet potatoes, so I’m excited to try this one!
Thanks Alicia! So excited to celebrate National Chili Day with you!
I’ve never tried sweet potatoes in my chili! It looks delicious. I bet i wouldn’t even miss the meat!
Sweet potatoes add such a nice pop of sweetness to the chili. I almost always put ketchup in my chili, but not when I have sweet potatoes in it! ❤️
Sweet potato chili is the best kind of chili! Thanks for including my Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili 🙂
Ah, you’re so welcome Jennifer!
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Hi! I just made this and it’s still cooking. Can’t wait to try it! The title says Quinoa but the directions don’t include it. Am I missing something? Perhaps you exchanged that ingredient with the veggie crumbles, but forgot to update the title?
Hi Christy! Thanks for your comment and I’m glad you’re trying this recipe. It’s one of our favorites! Also, thanks for your note about the quinoa. It was a “description” field that needed to be updated. It’s fixed now! Hugs to you!
Oh my gosh- this chili recipe us amazing! Loved it! And the cornbread was done if the best I’ve ever had…. and I love cornbread, so that’s saying a lot! Thanks so much- your recipes are great.
Tina! You just made my day! I’m so glad you made both and loved them! Oh, that cornbread. I SO love it. We are kindred spirits!
i love a good slow cooker chili recipe! nothing better than coming home and having dinner waiting for you!
I noticed it doesn’t say to peel the sweet potatoes ( or does that go without saying ) and I could not find “note“ that it refers to seeing.
Hi Jo. Thanks for your comment. I do not peel the sweet potatoes in this recipe. I will add a note in the recipe for that. Thanks!
Where are the “notes?” You refer to them several times but there aren’t any on this page….?
Hi Lisa. I searched this page but didn’t see where I referenced notes. Are you possibly referring to a different page?
Hi Marly, the recipe calls for “3 tbsp chili seasoning (see note)” but I cannot find any notes. Can you clarify what chili seasoning is used? Thanks!
Hi Emily. The note is fixed now. It’s linking to my taco seasoning as a way to make it at home I feel like I’m constantly running out so having a way to make it at home is so nice! You can use any chili seasoning you like. I think they all have different variations based on the spices. Taco seasoning has a bit more cumin in the mix, but I really like that flavor so it works for me.
Sounds and looks delicious.