How can you make a hearty bowl of chili even better?
Make it with the Instant Pot and vegan with this mouthwatering recipe for Instant Pot Sweet Potato chili!
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With the right amount of spices and wonderful flavors of chili powder and ground cumin, this is the perfect recipe for a winter meal or a game-time meal!
Unlike the traditional way of using a slow cooker or a stovetop version, this vegetarian chili recipe is a quick one that will wow your family!
Add this seasonal recipe to your instant pot recipes list!
With sweet potatoes, black beans, and tomatoes, it's both delicious and healthy. This chili is perfect for a winter meal - it will warm you up from the inside out!
I love to make sweet potato curry and sweet potato wedges, but after eating this chili recipe now, this has become my favorite!
Why this recipe works
Using sweet potatoes as the main ingredient adds flavor and nutrients to this chili.
The kidney beans provide protein and fiber, making this dish a filling and satisfying meal.
With under 20 minutes of cooking time, this sweet potato chili instant pot recipe is great for any day of the week.
This chili has the right amount of protein and carbs, making it a meal replacement option.
You can customize the bean mix to bring extra health benefits from other beans.
This sweet potato chili recipe is a one-pot meal, making it extra convenient with fewer dishes to wash.
Give this sweet potato chili instant pot recipe a try today and enjoy a comforting, hearty bowl of vegan goodness!
Ingredients note
- Sweet potatoes: They are the main ingredient bringing in the flavor and nutrients in this sweet potato chili. Look for rounded ones with no discoloration.
- Canned mixed chili beans: This had kidney beans and pinto beans with mild chili sauce. You could skip the can and add your own mix of canned beans like white beans and kidney beans.
- Tomato paste: I used organic tomato paste. You can also substitute it with tomato sauce or tomato puree too.
- Onion and garlic: Onion and garlic are essential seasonings in any chili recipe, adding lots of savory flavor to the sweet potato chili. Fresh garlic and garlic powder work equally well.
- Spices: To get the best results, you will need the following: Paprika, cayenne, cinnamon powder, turmeric powder, and roasted cumin powder.
See the recipe card for a list of ingredients and quantities, plus recipe instructions. You can find the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Instructions
Peel and chop sweet potatoes into bite-size cubes.
Press the saute button and add 2-3 teaspoon olive oil to the instant pot.
Add chopped garlic, grated ginger, and chopped onions to the pot. Cook until the onions start to soften.
Add all the dry spices and sweet potatoes and mix well.
Add canned beans, tomato paste, salt, and vegetable broth.
Close the lid of the instant pot and press the manual or pressure cook button. Set the timer to 6 minutes on high pressure.
Use the natural pressure release option to open the lid. Mash a few sweet potatoes for a thicker consistency.
Serve sweet potato chili hot topped with avocado, green onions, cilantro, or tortilla chips.
Stovetop method
If you don't have an instant pot, you can still easily make sweet potato chili on the stovetop. Simply sauté garlic, ginger, and onion in a large pot over medium heat. Add sweet potatoes and cook until they start to soften, stirring occasionally.
To the sweet potato mixture, add canned beans, tomato paste, and spices. Stir to combine everything well.
Add vegetable broth, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes until the sweet potatoes are fully cooked. If you like a thicker consistency, you can mash some sweet potatoes. Serve sweet potato chili hot with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
Chili powder typically consists of cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin, and other spices. It is a popular ingredient in many chili recipes and provides a spicy flavor to dishes. I did not use store-bought chili powder. Instead, I used that list of spices.(mentioned in the recipe card)
Yes, sweet potato chili can be easily prepared by refrigerating in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop, in a microwave, or in an instant pot.
To keep sweet potato chili from drying out as it cools down, add some extra liquid like broth, tomato sauce, or water before storing it in the fridge or freezer.
There are many different types of beans that can be used in sweet potato chili, such as kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, chickpeas, and lentils.
I recommend experimenting with different combinations to find your personal favorite.
Tips
- I like a spicy version of chili. But if you prefer a mild version, adjust the quantity of pepper.
- You could add carrots, sweet corn, and other vegetables to this sweet potato chili for extra fiber and nutrients.
- You can use different beans, like black beans or northern beans, along with kidney beans. Adjusting the cooking time is not necessary if you use canned beans.
- Other options to spice up the chili would be to use poblano peppers or chipotle peppers instead of powders. Be sure to use the saute function to cook the fresh pepper before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Add brown sugar if your chili turns out too spicy.
- Double-check your broth to make sure it's vegan. I used a low-sodium vegan version for this recipe.
- Optionally, you could use 1 tablespoon chili powder instead of the listed spice powders.
- Be sure not to use the quick-release option to ensure that the sweet potatoes are fully cooked.
- Serve sweet potato chili with vegan sour cream or cheese for extra flavor.
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📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Chili Instant Pot
Equipment
Process Shot
Check above for step-by-step pictures (most of my recipes include pictures)
Ingredients
- 3 sweet potatoes - or 5 cups cubed
- 1 onion - chopped
- 2 garlic cloves - chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger - grated
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 cans mixed chili beans - 15.5 oz
- 3 teaspoon cilantro - chopped
- salt to taste
Spice powders
- ½ teaspoon paprika - or cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
Instructions
- Peel and chop sweet potatoes into bite-size cubes.
- Press the saute button and add olive oil to the instant pot.2 teaspoon olive oil
- Add chopped garlic, grated ginger, and chopped onions to the pot. Cook until the onions start to soften.2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 onion
- Add all the dry spices and sweet potatoes and mix well.3 sweet potatoes, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper powder, ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- Add canned beans, tomato paste, salt, and vegetable broth.2 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 cups vegetable broth, 2 cans mixed chili beans, salt to taste
- Close the lid of the instant pot and press the manual or pressure cook button. Set the timer to 6 minutes on high pressure.
- Use the natural pressure release option to open the lid. Mash a few sweet potatoes for a thicker consistency.
- Serve sweet potato chili hot topped with avocado, green onions, cilantro, or tortilla chips.3 teaspoon cilantro
Notes
- I like a spicy version of chili. But if you prefer a mild version, adjust the quantity of pepper.
- You could add carrots, sweet corn, and other vegetables to this sweet potato chili for extra fiber and nutrients.
- You can use different beans, like black beans or northern beans, along with kidney beans. Adjusting the cooking time is not necessary if you use canned beans.
- Other options to spice up the chili would be to use poblano peppers or chipotle peppers instead of powders. Be sure to use the saute function to cook the fresh pepper before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Add brown sugar if your chili turns out too spicy.
- Double-check your broth to make sure it's vegan. I used a low-sodium vegan version for this recipe.
- Optionally, you could use 1 tablespoon chili powder instead of the listed spice powders.
- Be sure not to use the quick-release option to ensure that the sweet potatoes are fully cooked.
- Serve sweet potato chili with vegan sour cream or cheese for extra flavor.
YOUR OWN NOTES
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Ken says
This recipe was definitely delicious. The splendid sweetnes of the sweet potatoes added that mouth watering flavour that had me coming back for second helping. it's now become my favorite chili pot go to recipe. Oh so yummy.
Uma Raghupathi says
Thank you Ken for trying my recipes and for the feedback.