Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili (2024)

Created On: October 19, 2016&nbsp| Modified Jan 4, 2023 by Nancylynn &nbsp| This post may contain affiliate links. &nbsp| 73 Comments&nbsp| Jump to Recipe &nbsp

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This Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili is has the most amazing flavor and texture…even my sweet potato hating husband loves it! And it’s so easy to make in your Instant Pot or on the stove!

Confession #99 – There are a million other things I should be doing right now.But OMG, you guys.

This chili.

I have kept it from you long enough.

My house is going to have to stay a mess for another day, email will remain unanswered, and dinner prep ain’t happening.

Because you need to know about THIS. CHILI.

If you have been reading my blog long enough, especially if you have cooked mySloppy Joes Stuffed Sweet Potatoes {21 Day Fix}, you know how much I love sweet potatoes. And you also know how much my husband hates them.

Even my Aunt’s Thanksgiving sweet potatoes that are smothered in marshmallows get no love from him.

And so I expected this dinner to be a total flop, but I tried it anyway.

Total success. Like I thought I would have leftovers for days. I thought maybe I would actually be able to freeze some freaking food for once.

But no. My husband devoured two huge helpings, and even my two year old kept asking for more.

Because the sweet potatoes are blended with some broth and some fire roasted tomatoes, the texture of this chili is heavenly…like nothing I have ever had before. In fact, my husband had no idea it even had sweet potatoes in it at all, but loved the spicy sweet flavor and creamy texture.

I owe it to the folks at Pinch of Yum, whose recipe inspired this dish. I, of course, put my own spin on it with the tomatoes and kale, and I made it FIX approved, but the idea of blending the sweet potatoes and using taco seasoning were genius in my book and I am just so grateful for amazing bloggers like Lindsay who teach me to be better in the kitchen every day.

And not only was this a hit in my house, it was a HUGE winner with my Fall in Love with Superfoods group. As one member said, “the flavors go so well together!! It’s sweet and savory goodness!”

For those of you who have an Instant Pot, I recently updated this recipe to include Instant Pot Instructions…it totally saves on time and really infuses the flavor of the fire roasted tomatoes. YUM!

Give it a try and see what you think!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

Author: Nancylynn

This Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili is has the most amazing flavor and texture...even my sweet potato hating husband loves it! And it's so easy to make in your Instant Pot or on the stove!

4.93 from 28 votes

Servings : 6 servings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

▢ 4 teaspoons olive oil
▢ 1 ½ pounds ground turkey
▢ 1 small or ½ large onion diced
▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
▢ 15 oz black beans 1 can
▢ 14.5 oz fire roasted tomatoes 1 can
▢ 2 cups kale chopped into small pieces
▢ 2 med/large sweet potatoes diced (measure about 4 cups)
▢ 2 cups chicken stock
▢ 3 tablespoons salt free taco seasoning
▢ 1 tsp chili powder use less to taste
▢ 1/4 tsp cayenne optional
▢ Salt and pepper
▢ 1 tsp Maple syrup optional add-in
▢ Optional toppings: cheddar cheese, cilantro, chives, avocado

Instructions

Stovetop:

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat 2 tsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add turkey to pan, along with 1½ tablespoons of the Salt Free Taco Seasoning and cook through; then add onions and kale and cook until soft.
Season turkey and veggies with salt and pepper, then remove from pot. Add the remaining 2 tsp of olive oil to pan and saute sweet potatoes just until they start to brown.
Add the garlic, 1½ tablespoons of the Salt Free Taco Seasoning, a sprinkle of salt, a can of fire roasted tomatoes, and 2 cups of chicken stock to the pot. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 10 minutes or so, until the sweet potatoes are very soft.
You can leave the potatoes as is, but I **highly recommend** the following step to get an amazing texture to your chili. This is also the way to go if you have picky eaters in your house who “don’t like sweet potatoes” **Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until it reaches your desired consistency (you can also transfer to a regular blender and puree that way, which is what I did! I just pulsed a few times).
Add turkey mixture back to pot and stir in black beans. Add additional stock to reach desired thickness, as the chili will continue to thicken up as it cooks. Season with chili powder to taste, starting 1 teaspoon at a time so you don’t overdo it. And, if you want to bring out the flavor of the sweet potato a little more, you can add a teaspoon of maple syrup. If you want a little more spice, add the cayenne!
Simmer for a few more minutes before devouring! Top with fresh chives, cilantro, shredded cheddar and avocado. YUM!

Instant Pot:

Set IP to sauté and heat 2 tsp of olive oil. Add turkey to pot along with 1 ½ tablespoons of the Salt Free Taco Seasoning and cook through; then add onions and cook until soft. Season turkey with salt and pepper, then remove from pot.
Add the remaining 2 tsp of olive oil to pan and saute sweet potatoes just until they start to brown. Add the garlic, 1 ½ tablespoons of the Salt Free Taco Seasoning, a sprinkle of salt, a can of fire roasted tomatoes, and 2 cups of chicken stock to the pot. Place cover on IP and lock. Set to 4 minutes of cooktime on manual.
After cook time is through, do a quick release. You can leave the potatoes mixture as is, but I **highly recommend** the following step to get an amazing texture to your chili. This is also the way to go if you have picky eaters in your house who “don’t like sweet potatoes” **Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until it reaches your desired consistency (you can also transfer to a regular blender and puree that way, which is what I did! I just pulsed a few times).
Add turkey mixture back to pot and stir in black beans and kale. Add additional stock as necessary. Season with chili powder to taste, starting 1 teaspoon at a time so you don’t overdo it. And, if you want to bring out the flavor of the sweet potato a little more, you can add a teaspoon of maple syrup. If you want a little more spice, add the cayenne! Simmer for a few more minutes before devouring! Top with fresh chives, cilantro, shredded cheddar and avocado. YUM!

Notes

21 Day Fix: 1 RED, 1 GREEN, 1 YELLOW, 1/2 TSP, optional ½ BLUE plus toppings (per serving)

WW: 3 points plus toppings (per serving) [Calculated using 99% fat free ground turkey and optional 1 tsp maple syrup]

Nutrition

Serving: 1.25cupsCalories: 504kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 40gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 437mgPotassium: 1515mgFiber: 13gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 3197IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 202mgIron: 6mg

Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Tag @confessionsofafitfoodie on Instagram and hashtag it #confessionsofafitfoodie!

Reader Interactions

Comments

Sarah says
June 10, 2023 at 10:22 pm

This recipe was delicious! I was surprised that both of my daughters (16 & 21) both liked it as well… my 16yo, especially, is quite a picky eater!
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  June 14, 2023 at 1:27 am
  Sarah, this is amazing! Thank you for sharing!
  Reply
Heather says
February 11, 2022 at 9:07 pm
If I’m trying to use this as a freezer meal would you suggest this as a make ahead and freeze? If so would you recommend IP or crock pot to reheat? or is it a prep,freeze, IP, eat?
Thank you,
Heather
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  March 8, 2022 at 7:45 pm
  YUM! I would make it ahead and freeze it. Then reheat in the IP or just straight on the stovetop! Let us know how it goes!
  Reply
Dawn says
May 22, 2021 at 4:52 am

Loved this recipe! Making it again next week. I buy the bag of kale and still have to cut large stems off ugh! Would it be ok to use frozen kale so there is no prep work for the kale?? Thank you!
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  August 9, 2021 at 7:39 pm
  Frozen kale will add a bit of liquid to the dish but would probably be fine if you just simmer a little extra to eliminate it. It’s worth a shot! Let us know if you try it!
  Reply
Andrea says
January 5, 2021 at 1:10 am

I was very skeptical of this recipe, but I promised myself I would follow your Vol. 1 21 day fix meal plan to the T this week. Boy, I’m so glad I did. This is delicious! It may become my go to Chili recipe since I don’t like things super spicy. I can’t wait to try all of your other recipes! I’m so excited now.
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  January 5, 2021 at 6:33 pm
  This is the best compliment! Thank you so much for trusting me and the recipes!!
  Reply
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Carrie Dunnning says
October 14, 2020 at 1:21 pm

I made this over the weekend and I’m so happy I decided to double the recipe! Everyone loves it… even my 66 year old dad who is a stinker about admitting that anything healthy tastes good! He texted me right away to let me know it was “delicious!!! Recipe is a keeper!!! I loved the seasonings!” My only regret is that I didn’t TRIPLE the recipe to stock my freezer! Nancylynn, thanks for being my “recipe girl”! After trying and loving so many of your recipes, I never go anywhere else for my weekly meal planning. You rock!
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  October 15, 2020 at 12:30 pm
  This made my whole day, Carrie! I love being your “recipe girl” and I am so happy this recipe worked for you guys!!! ❤️❤️❤️
  Reply
Jessica Tomberlin says
October 13, 2020 at 12:30 am

This is amazing!!!! My family strongly dislikes sweet potatoes and they are raving about this!! It is the best chili I have ever eaten! Thank you for always making such easy and tasty recipes!
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  October 17, 2020 at 3:38 am
  Thank YOU for trusting these recipes!
  Reply
Leigh Myers says
September 5, 2020 at 8:32 am
I have tried a few of your recipes and so far I have like them. I do have to change a some since my husband does not like ground turkey so I just use ground beef. For the most part I use the 21 day fix as a way for my husband and I to eat better. I know when I use it a few years back I felt a lot better so here I am once again. going to give this one a try soon.
Reply
Sarah Segovis says
May 30, 2020 at 5:17 pm

This is amazing! I’ve only been making these meals for my husband and me with the intention of taking on my kids’ eating habits another day. My 3-year-old just snuck in and devoured my husband’s bowl of chili. 🤣
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  June 11, 2020 at 12:23 am
  Winning!!! Love it!
  Reply
Erica says
March 22, 2020 at 2:01 am

My family loved this!! So hearty & filling. I used deer burger, because we hunt & have a freezer full of venison.
Reply
Dawn says
January 23, 2020 at 8:55 am

This is absolutely delicious 😋
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  January 25, 2020 at 1:32 pm
  Thank you so much, Dawn!❤️
  Reply
Lindsey says
January 21, 2020 at 12:35 am

This recipe was so soo delicious! A big hit with my husband and I! Thanks for sharing these delicious recipes
Reply
Patricia L Alexander says
January 19, 2020 at 11:40 pm

My family loved this recipe. My teenage daughter, who recently cut back on sugar in a significant way, thought it was a little too sweet so she used saltine crackers to cut the sweetness. My newly adult son loved it! It’s our go-to chili recipe now.
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  January 20, 2020 at 12:10 am
  That is SO great! Thanks so much for the rating and the kind words!
  Reply
Melissa says
January 18, 2020 at 12:04 pm
This sounds so good! I want to make it as is for myself, but my husband is newly vegetarian and I’m still figuring that out! Any chance you have this recipe in a vegetarian version? Not sure what to sub in for the turkey.
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  January 20, 2020 at 12:21 am
  I would add extra beans and maybe not blend the sweet potatoes?
  Reply
  - Melissa says
    January 20, 2020 at 2:19 am
    I’ll give that a try. Thanks!
    Reply
Daleen says
October 22, 2019 at 12:35 am

What a fantastic spin on chili! I will definitely make this one again. Thanks for the great recipe !
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  October 26, 2019 at 8:15 pm
  That’s so great to hear! Thank you for taking the time to write and review, Daleen – means everything to me!
  Reply
cindy witkow says
October 15, 2019 at 10:23 pm

Run, don’t walk, to make this! My son “doesn’t like sweet potatoes” in any form. Loved this! Even when he knew what it was, he loved it. Not the onion pieces so much, but that’s ok. Oh what a hit! Delicious day 2 if you are lucky enough to have leftover. Followed exactly as written. Amazing!
Reply
Staci says
July 28, 2019 at 4:40 pm

I was looking for chili that did not upset my stomach as much and wasn’t sure that was possible due to the seasonings and tomatoes. I substituted grass fed ground beef and beef bone broth for the turkey and chick stock and everyone in my family loves this. It is so nice to eat chili again without the massive heartburn! Thank you for this great recipe!
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  July 29, 2019 at 11:22 am
  That’s so great, Staci! And yes – I can see how this would be much easier to digest. Thanks for sharing that!
  Reply
Cheryl says
May 26, 2019 at 9:16 pm
See Also
49er Pancake … Sort of
Making this tonight! Just curious what size of can do you use for your black beans? Thanks!!
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  May 27, 2019 at 1:12 pm
  Hi! I use 14oz cans!
  Reply
  - Cheryl says
    May 28, 2019 at 11:53 am
    
    Thanks! It was delicious, my son loved it also. Will be making more for freezing.
    Reply
    - Nancylynn says
      June 1, 2019 at 4:50 pm
      Oh awesome! I want to make this soon, too! Thank you for taking the time to rate and review, Cheryl – means so much!!
      Reply
Nicole says
March 16, 2019 at 8:49 pm

I am making this one again tonight. Our go-to chili recipe! We loooove the sweet potatoes with the fire roasted tomatoes. So good!
Reply
Nicole says
March 11, 2019 at 4:03 am
This was so good!! My husband also doesn’t like sweet potatoes and he said it was really good. I didn’t tell him what was in it either.
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  March 14, 2019 at 3:20 pm
  Your secret is safe with me!!!!
  Reply
Abbigail says
January 8, 2019 at 4:55 pm
Oh my lanta! So so good!
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  January 8, 2019 at 5:07 pm
  This made me giggle, Abbigail!!!
  Reply
Anna says
October 15, 2018 at 6:27 pm
Why do you add the kale at the end in the IP version but with the turkey in the stovetop version??
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  October 16, 2018 at 12:08 am
  I feel like when you pressure cook kale, it tends to take over the flavor of the food more than if you are simmering stovetop. And it cooks down so quick in the hot IP at the end.
  Reply
  - Anna says
    October 16, 2018 at 12:23 am
    Thank you! I love this recipe and make it often but haven’t gotten brave enough to try the IP yet!
    Reply
    - Nancylynn says
      October 16, 2018 at 1:34 am
      It’s so easy – you have to try!!!
      Reply
Debrah says
August 5, 2018 at 2:00 pm
Can I use sundried tomatoes?
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  August 5, 2018 at 4:43 pm
  You can, but this recipe needs the liquid from the canned tomatoes.
  Reply
Rachel says
March 4, 2018 at 9:38 pm
This recipe does not work well for instant pot and the format is so hard to follow it was infuriating.
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  March 4, 2018 at 11:30 pm
  Hi Rachel – besides the format, what didn’t work for you? Thanks!
  Reply
- Tanya says
  March 5, 2018 at 1:33 am
  It’s not a recipe for an instapot so maybe that’s why it didn’t work? I don’t understand how anyone could find this difficult or infuriating to follow. There’s only a handful of steps! But if u do somehow manage to make this more difficult than it is, its worth it as the end product is delish! This is on our weekly meal schedule.
  Reply
- CARLA KLINE says
  September 19, 2019 at 7:43 pm
  
  I made this in the Instant Pot and it was amazing!!! Thanks SO much for this recipe, even my picky husband loved it!!!!
  Reply
Christine says
February 7, 2018 at 6:25 pm
Do you have the macros on this recipe it looks amazing
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  February 11, 2018 at 6:22 pm
  I do not…can you get that on my fitness pal?
  Reply
Jessica S says
January 31, 2018 at 6:13 pm
I’m currently obsessed with your recipes. Just made this one today and it is a complete hit. I love the recommendations to blend the sweet potatoes a bit for picky eaters. It did the trick! Keep the yumminess coming!
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  January 31, 2018 at 7:50 pm
  Yay, Jessica! I am so happy that worked! <3
  Reply
Allison says
January 29, 2018 at 11:45 pm
This recipe is AMAZING!!!! My family loves it. The format of the recipe is hard to follow though. Would you consider reformatting it so it is not a paragraph? Thank you!!
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  January 30, 2018 at 12:48 am
  Hi! I am SO glad! And sure, I get you…I will rework it :).
  Reply
Kara Soghigian says
January 1, 2018 at 5:21 pm
Hey there! I just made a batch of this today to freeze, and I’m so excited to try it! Do you have recommendations for using the Instant Pot for this vs stove top? Thank you!
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  January 1, 2018 at 6:00 pm
  Yes!!! I NEED to update directions to this – thank you for reminding me!! And I would totally reheat it in the Instant Pot! Perfect!
  Reply
Billie says
November 14, 2017 at 12:51 am
How does your broth look so red? Mine is kind of an orangeish-brown color?
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  November 14, 2017 at 1:04 am
  I’m not the greatest food photographer, in case you haven’t noticed! I used fire roasted tomatoes..that did give it a little bit of a red color. Does it taste ok? I wouldn’t worry about the color if it tastes good!
  Reply
Carrie Auvenshin says
September 5, 2017 at 12:56 pm
Could you use spinach instead of kale? I haven’t been able to jump on the kale band-wagon yet :/
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  September 5, 2017 at 2:47 pm
  Sure can!
  Reply
Kim says
September 2, 2017 at 3:49 pm
This sounds so good, can’t wait to try it this week!!! Are the roasted tomatoes crushed or diced and do you use the large or small can? Thanks!
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  September 2, 2017 at 4:17 pm
  They are usually diced and they are they 14.5 ounce can! Hope you enjoy!
  Reply
Aimee says
July 27, 2017 at 11:04 pm
I just found you as I was looking for 21 day fix meal ideas, I have to say some of your dishes sound great, so I am anxious to try them. However two of them call for salt free taco seasoning which isn’t described but it seems there is a link that is not working. Would you be so kind as to share the recipe for the seasoning please?
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  July 28, 2017 at 1:53 pm
  Hi!! Yay – I am so happy you found me! And,yes, there have been issues with my links lately. I think I fixed this one, but here is the link in case! If you have any other questions, just give me a shout! https://confessionsofafitfoodie.com/2015/03/salt-free-taco-seasoning/
  Reply
Nicole says
March 27, 2017 at 12:21 am
Do you have the calorie count?
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  March 27, 2017 at 10:15 pm
  I love myfitnesspal.com for calorie info!
  Reply
- Tatyana Musial says
  February 9, 2021 at 3:22 am
  Do you ever do calorie counts? My husbands diet requires calories?
  I love your recipes but need calorie conversations. Please help. When I plugged this into fitness pal it said it was 850 plus calories per serving and that seems pretty high.
  Reply
  - Nancylynn says
    February 9, 2021 at 1:22 pm
    That is really high and can’t be accurate! This is one of the reasons I don’t include this info, but perhaps I will in the future. When I calculate at My Fitness Pal, I get 326 calories per serving. https://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/view/265272085638653
    Reply
Tanya says
January 10, 2017 at 5:51 pm
Hey! I’m gonna give this recipe a shot today, very excited! How long does it take to make? Do I keep it in slow cooker for a few hours?
Reply
- Nancylynn says
  January 10, 2017 at 6:32 pm
  It’s one of my favorites! You could leave it in a crock pot for a few hours, but it comes together so quickly on the stove top – in like thirty minutes or so!
  Reply
  - Christine says
    December 6, 2021 at 10:59 pm
    
    I’ve made this more times than i can count and honestly like this chili almost better than traditional chili! Blending those ingredients is KEY. I top mine with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
    Reply
    - Nancylynn says
      December 7, 2021 at 3:06 pm
      AHH! Thank you! The blending is key, I agree!
      Reply

4.93 from 28 votes (10 ratings without comment)