Sweet Potato Chili

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Dave and I love almost any type of chili — and I love how quick and easy it is to make {and freeze for later}. So I’m always on the look-out for new and different chili recipes to try.

This sweet potato chili is one of our all-time favorites and I actually stumbled upon it by accident a few years ago when I was making a bunch of chili for some friends. About an hour before they were supposed to arrive, I was informed that a few more people were coming so I quickly looked through my pantry to see what I might be able to add to the chili to increase the volume.

I had a couple sweet potatoes left over from Thanksgiving so without much thought, I pealed them, chopped them up, and quickly threw them in the simmering pot of chili.

By the time we ate almost an hour later, the sweet potatoes had sweetened the chili and were soft and delicious. Ever since then, I almost always put sweet potatoes in my chili!

As with most of my soup recipes, you can feel free to throw in whatever vegetables you have on hand. However, these are the ingredients I normally use.

The only thing not pictured here is a pound of ground beef {or ground turkey}.

And I should mention that it IS important to use “chili beans” {you don’t have to use Brooks} because they have the chili sauce and seasonings mixed in already.

Not only is this chili SUPER colorful, it’s also relatively healthy as well… and it freezes wonderfully! 

Recipe for a Large Batch of Chili:

{print this recipe}

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef or turkey
• 2 small onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, pealed and chopped
• 2 c. chopped celery
• 2 15. oz cans of corn {or frozen corn}
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
• 30 oz. can chili beans with sauce {do NOT drain and rinse}
• 1 – 2 c. water or broth {depending on how thick you like your chili}
• 2 T. chili powder
• 2 T. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 T. red pepper flakes {optional — but it does add a little kick!}
• 1 T. salt

Directions:

• Brown meat, onions, and garlic in a large stock pot or dutch oven until meat is fully cooked
• Drain and return to stock pot
• Add all the rest of the ingredients and stir well — adding more water or broth as necessary
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 40 minutes or until veggies are cooked — stirring occasionally
• Serve with fresh bread, sour cream, shredded cheese, or any of your other favorite chili toppings.

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Sweet potato chili is SO easy to make and you can honestly let it simmer on the stove for a couple hours if you want to {on very low heat}.  You could also make this a vegetarian meal by eliminating the ground beef and adding more beans.

This recipe almost fills my 8qt. stock pot which means there is usually enough left over for two large freezer containers — and there’s just one pot to wash!

So as the weather gets cooler and the leave continue to fall, make a batch {or two} of this delicious sweet potato chili to feed your family and fill your freezer!

What is your favorite type of Chili?

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Make sure to visit the Simple Organized Living Recipe Box for lots more simple, delicious, family friendly, budget conscious recipe ideas!