Dump Meals

Meatless

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

dumpmeals.com/recipes/black-bean-sweet-potato-chili/

Canned black beans, cubed sweet potatoes, peppers and tomatoes in a smoky chili.

Serves
6
Prep
20 minutes
Cook
Low 6 to 8 hours, or high 3 to 4 hours
Slow cooker
6-quart

This meatless chili gets its body from black beans and its sweetness from cubed sweet potatoes. Chili powder and cumin season the pot, and fire-roasted tomatoes add a smoky edge. The sweet potato softens until the pieces are tender but still hold their shape, and some break down and thicken the chili.

The beans are canned. Dried kidney beans are unsafe in a slow cooker, and canned beans are already cooked, so canned are the safe and easy choice here. Finish with lime juice and serve with sour cream, avocado and cilantro. Serve over rice for a heartier meal.

The sweet potato and the smoke from the tomatoes balance each other. Serve it over rice for a heartier meal, or with cornbread. Leftovers thicken overnight, so add a splash of broth when you reheat.

Ingredients

Into the slow cooker

  • 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 3/4-inch cubes
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1½ cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Near the end

  • 2 tablespoons lime juice

To serve

  • sour cream
  • fresh cilantro, for serving

Directions

  1. Put the sweet potatoes, onion, pepper and garlic in a 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. Add the beans, tomatoes, broth, chili powder, cumin and salt. Stir.
  3. Cover. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours.
  4. Check that the sweet potatoes are soft. Mash a few against the side of the pot to thicken the chili.
  5. Stir in the lime juice.
  6. Serve with sour cream and cilantro.

It's done when the sweet potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork, and the chili is bubbling and reads at least 165°F. Check with a food thermometer.

Leftovers go in the refrigerator within two hours. Reheat them on the stove or in the microwave until hot all the way through (165°F), not in the slow cooker. Slow cooker safety

Cooking for two

Use 1 lb sweet potatoes, 1 can of beans, half the tomatoes, half the vegetables and 3/4 cup broth. Use a 3-quart slow cooker, so the food still fills it about halfway. Check the potatoes at 5 hours on low.

More in Cooking for two in a slow cooker.

Tips

  • Cut the sweet potatoes the same size so they cook at the same rate.
  • Do not substitute dried beans for canned in this recipe.
  • Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow covered containers. Reheat them on the stove or in the microwave until they reach 165°F. Do not reheat them in the slow cooker.

Food-safety sources

More meatless

  • Minestrone Low 6 to 8 hours, or high 3 to 4 hours Beans, tomatoes, carrots, celery and zucchini in a vegetable broth, with small pasta and spinach added at the end.
  • Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup Low 4 to 6 hours, or high 2 to 3 hours Crushed tomato and vegetable broth soup, finished with cream, spinach and refrigerated cheese tortellini.