Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

This is hands-down the BEST slow cooker sweet potato chili recipe. You can keep it simple and vegetarian, with only the beans and sweet potatoes, or add ground beef for extra heartiness!

Everyone raves about this recipe and I’m so happy to make it often because it’s a snap to toss all the ingredients into my crock pot and let it cook away all day. Leftovers just get better and better!

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

This is hands-down the BEST slow cooker sweet potato chili recipe. Keep it simple and vegetarian, with only the beans and sweet potatoes, or add ground beef if you want a little extra heartiness!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, tex mex
Keyword: chili recipe, slow cooked sweet potato chili, slow cooked vegetarian chili
Servings: 5 Servings
Calories: 435kcal

Ingredients

  • 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and chopped into 1” pieces
  • 1 medium onion coarsely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 15 ounce can kidney beans
  • 15 ounce can black beans
  • 1 lb ground 90% lean ground beef sirloin optional

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in the base of your slow cooker (including raw ground beef, if using) and stir to mix well. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Notes

Nutrition Information for 1 Serving (1/5th of recipe NOT including beef): Calories 280, Total Fat 1.2 g, Total Carbohydrate 58.5 g, Dietary Fiber 15.4 g, Sugars 5.2 g, Protein 13.1 g

Nutrition

Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 58.5g | Protein: 31.5g | Fat: 9.2g | Fiber: 15.4g | Sugar: 5.2g
Share:

Subscribe!

143 thoughts on “Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

      1. Andie

        Hey Joelle!
        Yes, you can make it in a large stock pot. Just brown the ground beef and then toss in all other ingredients, stir, and cook over low for about 2 hours (3 hours even better)

        Reply
  1. Katie G

    YES!!! I have been waiting oh-so-patiently for this post. I’m going to hold a pumpkin carving party in my driveway the weekend of Halloween for all of my neighbors and wanted to serve a “fall” chili. This will do the job…

    Reply
  2. Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat

    Yum! I made chili this weekend too (2 batches!) but sadly I don’t have a slow cooker – yet – so mine were on the stove. However… I’m making a trip to my favourite kitchen supply outlet this weekend so I might just have to christen a new slow cooker with this recipe!

    Reply
      1. Andie

        Hey ladies!
        Nope, no need to brown the ground beef. Just crumble and toss it in your slow cooker, give the whole mixture of ingredients a stir, and set it to low for 10 hours. No fuss necessary :)

        Reply
  3. Alisha @ Wee Foodie Fashionista

    Oooh, sweet potatoes! That sounds nice. I confess, I greatly dislike chili but I’ve been trying to find a way to make it myself so I enjoy it. I think it goes back to my mom’s chili being flavorless but full of kidney beans and celery. Yikes.

    Side note – Oct. 8 is National Fluffernutter Day! Just in case you don’t have it in your date book. :)

    Reply
  4. Meg

    I can’t wait to try this over the weekend. Philadelphia is nice and crisp right now, so it should be a perfect fall meal. I wonder if substituting the optional ground beef sirloin with ground turkey would taste as good?

    Reply
  5. Paolina

    Andie, I’ve been quietly stalking your blog for some time, but this time I can’t resist posting. This stew looks uh-may-zing and I can’t wait to try it in the near future. The fact that it’s a crock pot recipe is just a bonus!
    Thanks for posting!

    Reply
  6. Christine F.

    This looks delicious – I want to give it a try. Question though – what does the sweet potato add to the chili? Meaning, an intense flavor, texture, etc.? I am curious b/c I’ve never seen a chili recipe with sweet potato! :)

    Reply
    1. Andie

      Hey Christine,
      The sweet potato just adds a hearty thickness to the chili and also a mild sweetness, but otherwise, it’s not essential. Carrots could do the same thing

      Reply
  7. Alison (Fueling for Fitness)

    Perfect timing – I’ve been on such a chili kick lately! One question.. what size crock pot did you use? I often find that I have to give up halfway through on certain recipes because my crock pot is too small which then makes me sad…

    Reply
  8. Pingback: Tried and True Tender Cornbread | Can You Stay For Dinner?

  9. Andrea

    Mmmmm. I’ve been using and abusing pumpkin for the last month and a half… I think this resipe may be my graduating dish to my new ingredient obsession: sweet potato? Loveeee.

    Reply
  10. Beth

    Mmmm…made this yesterday. I wanted to serve this over mac noodles, but didn’t want the extra empty calories, so after it finished cooking, I threw in a handful of barley, went on a run, and when I came back, it was perfect! I topped it with (vegan) chorizo…soooo good. Thanks for the great recipe.

    Reply
  11. Pingback: Meal Plan Monday | Running Foodie

  12. shauna

    Giddyup! Finally an excuse to dust off that slow cooker. Love the dainty crumbs on your cornbread too! Hope you’re having fun with your mum. My Mothership touches down today from Australia, first time I’ve seen her in 2 and a bit years, woohoo! :)

    Reply
  13. Kathleen

    I have to commend you: I made this Monday and have eaten it for lunch every day since. It’s the most delicious chili recipe I’ve ever made! Thank you so much for sharing! (Like seriously, I love chili. This is THE chili.)

    Reply
  14. Pingback: Morning has broken … and a delicious crock pot recipe | A moment of my time

  15. Pingback: Fall Break | Misti Ridiculous

  16. Jackie

    So question, is this spicy? I want to make it so bad but I am a bit of a spice baby, meaning a little tiny bit of spicy-ness is great, but too much and I die. Anyone, is this chili pretty spicy?
    Thanks!!

    Reply
  17. Naomi Wolinsky

    First snow day today, in Denver, Colorado. Just came home to your sweet potato chili, smelling up my house so wonderfully!! I am going to make some corn bread now and hope I can control myself until it is down. Wonderful recipe. Thanks!!

    Reply
  18. Danielle

    I didn’t know how I would feel about this chili since I decided to not put meat in it (I am an avid carnivore). I’ve had this in my crockpot for 4.5 hours. . .I couldn’t resist trying a bite. It reminds me of a “light and fluffy” version of chili; love the smokey paprika flavor too. I used 1.5 tablespoons of chili powder and 1/2 tablespoon of Mexican hot chili powder to give it a little of a kick. Can’t wait until it’s done!! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  19. Savina

    I just made this for my work chili cook-off and it was a hit! I combined the sweet potato idea with my usual recipe and got lots of positive feedback. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  20. Pingback: Great Expectations « Responsible Chocolate

  21. Leah

    Hi Andrea!

    Quick q: do you have any nutritional info for the chili? I made it on Sunday and it is soo good, just want to know how much to eat at a time. :) thanks!

    Leah

    Reply
  22. Pingback: Cookin’ for the weekend. | realfunfood

  23. Pingback: The Bright Side | Life and Rhythm

  24. Valerie

    Hello!
    My friend just turned me on this this website and I love it. I never cooked before until 5 days ago and I already made 3 recipes from your site and they are all delicious and fun to make!

    I wanted to make the sweet potato chili tonight but have everything except cumin. How will the chili come out with out it? Should I add more of something else?

    Thank you for your time! Happy Holidays :D

    Reply
  25. Rebekah

    Does anyone know the serving size for this recipe?? I am on WW and plugged it into the recipe builder on etools to find out the pointsplus value and would like to know the serving size. Any help would be great!!

    Thanks :)

    Reply
  26. Pingback: Just the Weekend I Needed! (photo-dump) | Fit and Free Emily

  27. san

    Hi there. Just wondering, do you rinse the beans first?

    This looks sooo good. For those that have tried it, did you end up browning the meet or not?

    Reply
    1. admin

      Hi Sandy,

      Thanks! I do not rinse the beef first. In fact, I never rinse any of my meats. And I do not brown the meat first.
      :) Andie

      Reply
    2. san

      Hi Andie sorry I mean the beans? Do you rinse them?

      I know I also misspelled meat, how sad…LOL!

      Thanks for replying :)

      Reply
      1. admin

        Haha, this is almost too good. My fault- I misread your original question :)
        Yes, I rinse the beans and drain them before adding to the pot.

        Reply
  28. Pingback: Mmmmm….Sweet Potatoes « Ginger Adventures

  29. Elizabeth

    Made your chili today. Amazing will be eating leftovers for lunch this week. Topped with a little goat cheese and served with corn bread. Wouldn’t change a thing. So simple to make. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  30. Pingback: Catching Up with the Web « throughthelookingglass00

  31. Pingback: Chilly=Chili « Freshly Forward

  32. Pingback: What’s in the Crockpot? 8th Edition. « Will Run For Beer

  33. Pingback: The Bex Factor » Chili & Granola

  34. Maranda

    I have never liked chili before but the rest of the family does so I make it occasionally for them. This smelled so good I had to try it and LOVED it! I think it’s the combination of the sweet potatoes and the cumin. It’s delicious. I did the nutritional info for it and was very pleased with the calorie/fibre/protein numbers too.

    Thanks!!

    Reply
  35. Pingback: Pinspiration: Week of March 11th 2010 | PATHways

  36. Corinne

    A friend made this without meat and it was SO good! I’m planning to make it next week – if I sub ground turkey meat for the sirloin, do you know how many WW points that will end up being for a serving?

    Reply
  37. Pingback: Easy Monday Night « Brittney Breathing

  38. Pingback: Sweet Potato Chili « Brittney Breathing

  39. Angela

    Hi! I’m making this right now and realized it needs to cook on low for 10 hours…I don’t have that much time. Can I cook it on high? How many hours?

    Reply
  40. Stacey Oden

    I made this using ground turkey. Thanks for the yummy recipe. My husband, who always complains he does not like sweet potatoes, loved it!

    Reply
  41. Pingback: Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili « Come Sit in My Kitchen

  42. Heather Kraus

    I’m going to make this during my lunch hour so I will not be able to do the low setting for 10 hours. Do you think 5 hours on HIGH in the crockpot would alternatively work just fine?

    Reply
  43. Krista

    Do you think I can get away with cooking it for only 6 hours? That’s all the time I’ve got left. :) Also, do you think it would ruin it if I don’t add the brown sugar?

    Reply
    1. admin

      Yes, I think 6 hours is fine! The brown sugar does add a nice sweetness, but if you feel like omitting it, I’m sure it will still taste great!
      Andie

      Reply
  44. Pingback: Fall Favorite Recipes | Can You Stay For Dinner?

  45. Pamela

    What is the difference flavor wise between smoked paprika and regular paprika? I looked for the smoked version at the grocery store, but couldn’t find any…

    Reply
  46. Pingback: 34 Slow Cooker Soups, Stews, and Chilis - Mommy's Sweet Confessions

  47. Pingback: Friday Fun Day – 12/28/12 « ohdizzle

    1. Andie

      Oh no! I haven’t had that problem, but I’m really sorry to hear that you had poor experience, Brenda! To tone down the acidity: increase the amount of brown sugar. Add 3 additional tablespoons, stir well, and then taste and adjust as needed.

      Andie

      Reply
  48. Amberly

    Has anyone made a double batch and frozen half? I was wondering how it would taste after thawed and reheated.

    Reply
  49. Becky

    Hi! I have made this recipe several times and I absolutely LOVE IT! I do modify the spices a bit based on what I have on hand. I have also added green bell pepper and turkey farm sausage and most recently cilantro! Definitely an easy go to recipe for me! Thank you :)
    -Becky

    Reply
  50. Pingback: Putting My Mom on a Diet: Week 18 Meal Plan and Weigh-In | Can You Stay For Dinner?

  51. Sara

    Hey there! Quick question about te recipe. The serving says 1/5 but do you know that in cups or oz’s? Just want to be able to measure out a serving without having to devide it 5 ways lol

    Reply
      1. Sara

        thanks andie! i’m going to try this recipe this weekend. my parents are coming over to help my husband and i take down 3 layers of wall paper in our new home (the previous owners clearly didn’t take anything down before putting up a new layer) and we’re going to need a hearty home cooked meal after a hard days work!!

        Reply
  52. KT Boom

    I like chili with a little spice, could I add some heat with chipotle peppers or something, do you think that would work with the sweet tater? Thanks.

    Reply
  53. Pingback: Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

  54. Pingback: Slow Cooked Sweet Potato Chili - The Pescetonian

  55. Lori

    Mad e this chili tonight and my husband declared it to be a “hit out of the park”! Did make one slight error….didn’t have regular chili powder so used a new Chipotle Chili Powder I recently picked up. Whew..that stuff is HOT:( Not a fan of HOT. So back to the web to find a way to tone down the spice. Believe it or not, the hands down winner was a 2 Tablespoon add-in of creamy peanut butter. Took the heat down to a very manageable level and didn’t adversely effect the taste at all. This will definitely be my new go-to chili recipe when the temperatures drop. Thanks so much for sharing-L

    Reply
  56. Carol

    To quote my hubby, “This may be the best chili you have ever made!” I made just a few modifications: I used almost 2 lbs of ground beef and so I added more sweet potato, doubled the amount of chili powder and cumin, added a bit more smoked paprika, but kept everything else the same. SO YUM!!! When I served it, I stirred into the PIPING HOT chili some shredded jack cheese. Wow, with an ice cold beer – perfection!

    Reply
  57. Mikhale

    This chili is fantastic. I fixed it during a snowy day in the mountains. It was a hit! I followed the recipe as is (without the ground beef)

    Reply
  58. Pingback: Spring in my kitchen: Spring greens risotto | The Copenhagen Tales

  59. Amberly

    I’ve made this about five times on the stove and I love it. I have frozen it and it thaws out just fine. It still tastes fresh. I want to make a freezer meal for a friend who just had a baby and I get out of work at 10:30 tonight and I go back in tomorrow from 8-4:30. I’m already on the schedule to bring something tomorrow night. Can I cook the sweet potatoes tonight in the microwave and add them to the rest of the room temperature ingredients? I could dish it out in individual servings and put it in freezer bags. Then I could freeze it tonight and put it in the freezer at work tomorrow until I deliver it. Would that work? Or should i put it in the crockpot overnight?

    Reply
  60. Pingback: # cinnamon roll apple pie with oatmeal cookie crumble | hashtag marci

  61. Pingback: Slow Cooker Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili | Enjoy Every Bite

  62. Pingback: The Pescetonian » Slow Cooked Sweet Potato Chili

  63. Pingback: Shelf Life: Spring 2015 | hashtag marci

  64. Carol Hansen

    Hey Andie!

    I made this recipe this weekend and I loved it! The sweet potatoes added so much flavor..I would have never thought about that! My husband loved it so much..I am making lunch packs for him and freezing half so he can have this ready to go for lunch or dinner when I’m out with the girls;) I made the corn bread as well!! Super delish..will be a regular..I have corn bread lovers at my house! Making your stuffed peppers next..I have made these for years and have always roasted them..can’t wait to try and just blanch them! Thanks so much! x0x0x0x

    Reply
    1. Andie Mitchell Post author

      Thanks Carol! I love this recipe, too! It’s definitely a favorite around my house, and one I hear that my friends make all the time, too :) I’m so happy you’re cooking through all of these recipes!!! xo

      Reply
  65. Pingback: Tried and True Tender Cornbread - Andie Mitchell

  66. Pingback: Putting My Mom on a Diet: Week 18 Meal Plan and Weigh-In - Andie Mitchell

  67. Pingback: Three Delicious Dinner Ideas! – Mittens with Buttons

  68. Pingback: Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili - techandburgers

  69. Pingback: Sunday Afternoon 09/04/2016 – My Unwritten Life

  70. Amberly

    Hi Andie, can this be made with already cooked plain chopped sweet potatoes? I have leftovers from a work potluck. How long would you cook this in the crockpot then since you are just heating everything? Would you add the potatoes in at the beginning or towards the end?

    Reply
    1. Andie Mitchell Post author

      Hi Amberly! Yes, you can use already cooked ones but they’ll turn really, really soft–and maybe a little mushy, maybe if you put them in at the beginning so I’d put them in toward the end—-for the last hour of cooking. I’d say cook the chili for a total of 4 hours on low!

      Reply
  71. Pingback: 10 MEATLESS CROCKPOT MEALS

  72. Pingback: Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 1/28/16 |

Leave a Reply to Rebekah Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.