Sweet Potato and Black Bean Veggie Chili recipe

For the superbowl, I wanted to make a savory yet healthy meal. I stumbled upon a recipe from the Seattle Times for veggie chili that used sweet potatoes, which I thought was an interesting touch. It turned out great, and is a nice alternative to meaty chilis.

Sweet potato and black bean veggie chili
Serves 8

2 cans of black beans
1 can of kidney beans
1 lb of chopped mixed mushrooms (I used crimini and baby bellas)
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
2 cups vegetable stock
1 can whole tomatoes, chopped, with ½ can’s liquid
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾ inch pieces
Sour cream, for garnish
Chopped green onions, for garnish
Shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, until onions have softened slightly. Add jalapeno and red peppers, and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes.

2. Add mushrooms, and sauté until mushrooms have softened and released some of their juices, another 5 minutes.

3. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, salt and black pepper, and stir until the seasonings are incorporated into the mixture. Add the tomatoes and liquid, sweet potatoes, black beans, and vegetable broth. Stir well to combine and simmer over medium-low heat for about 1 ½ hours, until sweet potatoes have softened and the liquid has thickened.

4. Garnish with chopped green onions, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

To accompany the chili, I also made these cornbread muffins from hungrygirl.com. Click here for the recipe.