Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

This slow cooker sweet potato chili is hearty, flavor-packed, and the best comfort meal to come home to at the end of the day. Made with sweet potatoes, beans, and smoky spices, it’s an easy way to get a home cooked meal on the dinner table any night of the week!

Crockpot sweet potato chili is made with loads of black beans, chunks of sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and bell peppers that simmer low and slow in a beautifully seasoned vegetable broth with smoked paprika and optional jalapenos.

Chili, whether it’s a classic slow cooker chili, a white chicken chili, or Buffalo chicken chili, has always been about comfort, coziness, and heartiness in a bowl! This slow cooker sweet potato chili is the perfect cold-weather meal with a bit of extra fall flair, thanks to the rustic sweet potatoes. You won’t even miss the meat!

It’s a simple set-it-and-forget-it chili recipe with minimal prep, cleanup, or effort! It’s easy, flavorful, and the perfect crockpot meal that will warm you from the inside out. Enjoy a bowl for Meatless Monday, game day, or anytime there’s a chill in the air.

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes: Scrub them, peel them, and cut them to 1-inch pieces. Try to keep them even sized so they cook evenly.
• Black beans, crushed tomatoes, and Rotel: Drain and rinse the beans. I use fire roasted tomatoes and Rotel for extra flavor. You can use plain crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes, if you prefer.
• Vegetable broth: You can use homemade or store bought broth. You can also use water if you don’t have any broth, or chicken broth if you’re not vegetarian.
• Red bell pepper: Diced. I love to use red because it’s the sweetest bell pepper, but you can also use orange or yellow. Green is fine, just know it’s going to give a more savory flavor.
• Onion, garlic, jalapeno: Aromatics and a bit of spice! The jalapeno is completely optional, but if using it, don’t forget to remove the seeds. And don’t touch your face! (lesson learned 😅)
• Seasoning: Chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
• Fresh lime juice: Squeezed from a small lime, lime juice adds a pop of freshness and livens up the chili.
• Optional garnishes: Fresh cilantro, avocado slices, shredded cheese, sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt.

How to make Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

1. Step One: Add the diced sweet potatoes, black beans, tomatoes, broth, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and jalapeno to the slow cooker. Stir in all the seasoning.
2. Step Two: Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. Once the sweet potatoes are fork tender, it’s done.

3. Step Three: Stir in the lime juice just before serving, then ladle the slow cooker chili with sweet potatoes into serving bowls and top with all your favorite toppings.

How to serve it

Serve it with a slice of homemade honey cornbread or, for something with a kick, a side of green chile corn casserole.

You can also serve it with a side salad, like an easy chopped veggie salad. Or, perhaps no side at all, but load it up with extra toppings!

Storage & Reheating

How to store leftovers

Store leftover slow cooker sweet potato chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezing Instructions

Transfer the chili to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container to keep it frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating it.

Reheating Instructions

Use the stove or the microwave to heat the chili until warmed to your liking.

5 from 2 votes

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili Recipe

Created by Melissa Williams

Servings: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 6 hours hrs

Total Time: 6 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

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This slow cooker chili with sweet potatoes is hearty, flavorful, and packed with protein and fiber. It’s the perfect cozy dinner that practically cooks itself!

Equipment

• Slow Cooker

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
• ▢ 30 ounces black beans drained and rinsed (two 15 oz cans)
• ▢ 28 ounces crushed tomatoes I use fire roasted
• ▢ 14.5 ounces Rotel undrained
• ▢ 1 cup vegetable broth or water
• ▢ 1 medium red bell pepper diced
• ▢ 1 medium onion diced
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 medium jalapeño seeded and minced (optional, for heat)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons chili powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon oregano
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt to taste
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 small lime juiced

Optional Garnishes

• ▢ fresh cilantro
• ▢ avocado slices
• ▢ shredded cheese
• ▢ sour cream or plain greek yogurt

Instructions

• To a 6 quart slow cooker, add the diced sweet potatoes, black beans, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with the liquid, broth, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and jalapeno (if using).
  2 large sweet potatoes, 30 ounces black beans, 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 14.5 ounces Rotel, 1 cup vegetable broth, 1 medium red bell pepper, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 medium jalapeño
• Stir in the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
  2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.
• Stir in the lime juice just before serving to brighten the flavor.
  1 small lime
• Ladle into bowls and top with cilantro, avocado, cheese, or your favorite chili toppings.
  fresh cilantro, avocado slices, shredded cheese, sour cream or plain greek yogurt

Notes

• Scrub, peel, and dice the sweet potatoes into approximately 1″ pieces. Keep them uniform so they cook evenly. 
• I use fire roasted tomatoes and Rotel for flavor. You can use plain crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes, if you prefer.
• For added heat, add more jalapeno, cayenne pepper, or chipotle peppers.
• If using dried beans, allow them to soak overnight to soften OR boil them for 1-2 minutes and then let them sit for an hour. Rinse and then use.
• Vegetable broth or water can be used (or chicken broth if not vegetarian). 
• If not vegetarian, add browned ground turkey, beef, or chicken for added protein. 
• Stir in corn or diced zucchini in the last hour for extra veggies. 
• Add a dash of cinnamon or cocoa powder for subtle richness.
• Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
• Freeze in freezer safe containers for up to 3 months.

Every slow cooker runs differently. Times given are a general recommendation and should be tested in your own slow cooker and adjusted as needed.

 

⭐️ Final Step! Please let me know how you liked this recipe by leaving a review and rating below. Your feedback supports my small business and allows me to continue providing free, high quality recipes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 457mg | Potassium: 1145mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 13170IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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