Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

Sweet potatoes and black beans make a filling, meatless chili with a gentle smoky warmth. When sweet potatoes show up at the market in fall, this is an easy one to keep in rotation.

Serves 6 · 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the chili

• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons mild chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 28 ounces diced or fire-roasted tomatoes, with their juices
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups water

For topping (optional)

• 1 to 2 avocados, chopped
• Chopped cilantro
• Chopped green onions
• Vegan sour cream
• Cornbread, for serving

Instructions

1. Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for 3 to 4 minutes, until it turns translucent.
2. Add the garlic and sweet potato and cook for about 2 minutes more.
3. Sprinkle in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and salt, and stir until the vegetables are coated.
4. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the black beans and the water. Stir, then let the chili simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sweet potato is tender.
5. For a thicker chili, press some of the sweet potato against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon.
6. Ladle into bowls and finish with any of the toppings you like.

Tips

• Butternut squash can stand in for the sweet potato, and a couple of cups of baby spinach or chopped kale can go in near the end.
• For a slow cooker, put everything in the pot and cook 4 to 5 hours on high or 7 to 8 hours on low. In a pressure cooker, sauté as above, add the tomatoes, beans and water, and cook 8 minutes at high pressure with a manual release.
• The chili keeps 4 to 5 days in the fridge and freezes well. To skip the oil, sauté the vegetables in a splash of water.

Adapted from Nora Cooks.