Beef and Sweet Potato Chili
This Beef and Sweet Potato Chili is packed with incredible flavor, protein, and fiber for a delicious, healthy, hearty chili. Sweet potato beef chili is perfect for a slow cooker dinner or easy meal prep. Note that it can be made on the stove top, too – see instructions below!
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Beef and sweet potato chili is our new go-to chili recipe. It’s packed with nutrition, hearty, and SO good. Seriously awesome for a ready-to-go dinner in the slow cooker after a busy day, or meal prepped for filling, fueling lunches. It’s also our go-to chili for the Super Bowl this year!
Why You’ll Love Beef and Sweet Potato Chili
- It’s easy to make in the slow cooker for a delicious dinner that’s ready when you walk in the door.
- You can also make it on the stove top, if you prefer.
- This sweet potato chili is very high in fiber, due to the sweet potatoes, black beans, kidney beans, pepper, onion, and tomatoes.
- This is such a flavorful chili!
- Packed with protein, making it a filling meal!
- Great for meal prep, as I swear chili just keeps tasting better and better each day!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
For a full ingredient list with quantities, please check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Ground Beef – I prefer and recommend using a lean ground beef, such as a 93/7 ground beef. You can substitute any ground meat you prefer, like ground turkey, chicken, or venison.
- Sweet Potatoes – Peel and dice sweet potatoes, no bigger than one-inch cubes. If you’re time-sensitive, note that the smaller the cube, the faster they’ll cook.
- Onion – I use a diced yellow onion, but you can use white onion or even red onion or shallot. Use what you have or prefer!
- Bell Pepper – Any color bell pepper works here, just remove the stem and seeds before dicing.
- Jalapeno – If you’re not a fan of extra heat, I highly recommend removing the membranes and seeds inside the jalapeno before dicing.
- Oil – A little oil is needed to sauté the beef and onion. I use avocado oil, but you can use olive oil or any other oil you have or prefer.
- Beans – Again, use what you have or prefer. I personally like the combination of dark red kidney beans and black beans here, but you can also use pinto beans, light red kidney beans, etc. The canned beans will need to be drained and rinsed. I also prefer to use no added salt canned beans, too.
- Diced Tomatoes – HIGHLY recommend using fire roasted diced tomatoes, as it adds more flavor!
- Broth– I recommend beef or chicken stock or broth, but again, use what you have! I tend to use unsalted broth or stock, as I prefer to control the sodium I’m adding.
- Seasonings – Garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper all bring a delicious flavor to this chili.
How to Make Sweet Potato Chili
For complete instructions, please check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Begin by browning the beef in the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. After 4-5 minutes, add diced onion and sauté another 4-5 minutes, until the onions become tender and more translucent.
Add garlic and seasonings and sauté another 30 seconds. Transfer the beef mixture, along with all remaining ingredients into a slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 4-6 hours.
Tips and Variations
- Tip: the smaller you cut the sweet potatoes, the faster they will cook!
- On that note, please also cut all your sweet potato cubes into evenly-sized pieces for more even cooking.
- Yes you can make this on the stove top! (See next section.)
- Remove membranes and seeds from the jalapeno to take away the heat, if you’re not a fan.
- Swap ground beef for any other ground meat of your choice, like venison, ground turkey, etc.
- Try substituting diced butternut squash for the sweet potato, for a similar twist.
How to Make This Chili on the Stove Top
Instead of using a large skillet to sauté your beef and onions in, use a large pot or Dutch oven. Then, once you’ve sautéed your beef, onions, and seasonings, add all remaining ingredients to the pot. Stir, cover, and let simmer on medium-high heat for 30 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
This sounds a little crazy, but I swear that adding a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to quick stove top chilis can really help deepen the flavor, making it taste more closely like it’s been simmering on a stove or in a slow cooker all day. Give it a try if you’d like!
Chili Meal Prep: Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
Chili is PERFECT for meal prep or make ahead meals!
Make the recipe as is, then store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Chili can be frozen in airtight containers for up to 3 months, too.
To reheat, you can microwave for 1.5-2 minutes, or reheat in a small pot on the stove. Note that you may need to add a tablespoon or two of water as you’re reheating.
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More Chili & Soup Recipes to Love
- 5-Ingredient Taco Soup
- Bone Broth Chicken Soup
- Black Bean Salsa Soup
- Creamy Cashew Carrot Ginger Soup
- Gluten-Free Turkey Chili
- Chicken & Kale White Bean Chili
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Beef and Sweet Potato Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef 93/7
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups beef or chicken stock unsalted
- 2 cups diced sweet potatoes
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper diced, removing seeds and membranes for less heat
- 2 15 ounce cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 15 ounce can dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and break it up, sauteing for 4-5 minutes, until it releases fat.1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 pound lean ground beef
- Add onion to the skillet and sauté until it becomes tender and more translucent (about 4-5 minutes). Add garlic and seasonings and stir, sauteing another 30 seconds.1 small yellow onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1.5 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Transfer ground beef mixture into the slow cooker (6 quart minimum). Add diced sweet potatoes, diced bell and jalapeno peppers, rinsed and drained beans, diced tomatoes, and broth. Stir to combine, then cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 5-6 hours. Note that the sweet potatoes will cook faster when diced smaller and when fully submerged in the liquid.2 cups beef or chicken stock, 2 cups diced sweet potatoes, 1 bell pepper, 1 jalapeno pepper, 2 15 ounce cans fire roasted diced tomatoes, 1 15 ounce can dark red kidney beans, 1 15 ounce can black beans
- When sweet potatoes are tender, adjust seasoning if desired, then serve and enjoy!