Sweet Potato Chili

By Becky Hardin

Published Jan 27, 2021

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This delicious and warming sweet potato chili is an easy meal that the whole family will love. Made with Italian sausage, it’s perfectly hearty and ready to serve in 45 minutes.

Sweet Potato Chili Recipe

It’s that time of the year when I just want something easy to make for dinner , but is hearty, nutritious and warm you from the inside out.

If you are looking for the same, then I have you covered with my delicious sweet potato chili!

Made with a mix of Italian sausage, fresh veggies, tomatoes, herbs and spices, it packs a punch in the flavor department!

For more chili recipes, be sure to try my Instant Pot Chili and Spicy Chicken Chili .

Why you’ll love this Sweet Potato Chili Recipe:

One Pot : I love to make chili as everything all comes together in one pot on the stovetop, making clean up a breeze.
Make ahead: This chili is perfect for weekly meal prep and it’s a freezer friendly recipe .
Healthy : High in protein, low in saturated fat and made with fresh veggies, you can feel good about tucking into a bowl of this chili!

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How to make sweet potato chili

You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!

Brown the sausage with the onion.
Add in the sweet potatoes and cook so they start to soften.
Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
Bring to a boil and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender.

How do you serve it?

This sweet potato chili can easily be served by itself in a bowl with a spoon, for a lighter dinner or lunch option. You can also serve it with rice, baked potatoes, cornbread muffins or mashed potato for a fuller meal.

I kept my toppings for this chili simple, with just some fresh parsley, but you can easily add more traditional toppings like sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced avocado and diced jalapeños.

Can you make it ahead of time?

Chili is such a great make ahead dinner. I often make a big batch at the start of the week and have the leftovers a few days later.

Make up the chili, as per the recipe, then let it cool completely to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. It will keep well for up to 4 days.

Reheat the chili on the stovetop on a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, until it is heated through.

Can you freeze it?

This sweet potato chili makes for a good freezer meal . Freeze the cooled recipe in airtight containers for up to 6 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating and serving.

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Tips!

Make the chili in a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan. This will distribute the heat more evenly, so you won’t get hotspots that can scorch the bottom.
Add more spice if you like! This is a pretty mild spiced chili, if you prefer things on the spicier side, add in a little cayenne and use a spicy Italian sausage.
Add in other veggies. Mushrooms and bell peppers both work great, just add them in at the same time as the sweet potato.

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Sweet potato chili (with a side of cornbread ) will be the most comforting meal you make all winter!

More Chili Recipes

Slow Cooker Chili
Instant Pot Chili
Cincinnati Chili
Creamy White Chicken Chili
Chili Verde
Healthy Turkey Chili
Crockpot Chili

If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!

Ingredients1x2x3x

▢ 1 pound mild Italian sausage
▢ 1 yellow onion diced
▢ 2-3 cups sweet potatoes diced into 1” cubes
▢ 3 cups chicken broth
▢ 29 ounces (2 cans) diced tomatoes, undrained
▢ 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
▢ 2 teaspoons chili powder
▢ ½ Tablespoon brown sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme
▢ 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
▢ 2 bay leaves
▢ Chopped parsley optional garnish

Instructions

In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, cook Italian sausage and onion until the meat has no more pink and the onion is translucent.
Add in sweet potatoes and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes or until almost fork tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, turn down heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are fork tender.
Take off heat and garnish with chopped parsley, optional.

Becky’s Tips

Make the chili in a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan. This will distribute the heat more evenly, so you won’t get hotspots that can scorch the bottom.
Add more spice if you like! This is a pretty mild spiced chili, if you prefer things on the spicier side, add in a little cayenne and use a spicy Italian sausage.
Add in other veggies. Mushrooms and bell peppers both work great, just add them in at the same time as the sweet potato.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Sweet Potato Chili Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound mild Italian sausage
1 yellow onion diced
2-3 cups sweet potatoes diced into 1” cubes
3 cups chicken broth
29 ounces (2 cans) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
Chopped parsley optional garnish

Instructions

In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, cook Italian sausage and onion until the meat has no more pink and the onion is translucent.
Add in sweet potatoes and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes or until almost fork tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, turn down heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are fork tender.
Take off heat and garnish with chopped parsley, optional.

Notes

Make the chili in a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan. This will distribute the heat more evenly, so you won’t get hotspots that can scorch the bottom.
Add more spice if you like! This is a pretty mild spiced chili, if you prefer things on the spicier side, add in a little cayenne and use a spicy Italian sausage.
Add in other veggies. Mushrooms and bell peppers both work great, just add them in at the same time as the sweet potato.

Nutrition

By Becky Hardin

Published Jul 12, 2017

This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.

Essential Grocery List

It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!

It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.

However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.

In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.

I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.

Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List

What to Buy at the Grocery Store

This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.

When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.

So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!