Smoky Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili
By Cook EZ editorial · Published: 2026-08-30 · Updated: 2026-08-30 · 3 min read
This chili makes four generous bowls from ingredients that are easy to keep in the pantry. Sweet potato softens into the tomato base, while black beans give the pot enough body to stand on its own. The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030, include vegetables and beans among the minimally processed foods that can form everyday meals. Here, every main ingredient is weighed so the nutrition estimate has a clear starting point.
Ingredients for four servings
Weigh the sweet potato after peeling and the beans after draining. Use individual ground spices rather than a salted seasoning packet. The 3 grams of salt below is included in the nutrition estimate.
- 500 g peeled sweet potato, cut into 2 cm cubes
- 480 g no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed
- 800 g no-salt-added canned tomatoes with their juice
- 200 g yellow onion, diced
- 150 g red bell pepper, diced
- 14 g olive oil (1 tablespoon)
- 12 g garlic, minced
- 4 g ground cumin (about 2 teaspoons)
- 4 g smoked paprika (about 2 teaspoons)
- 3 g fine salt (about 1/2 teaspoon), or less to taste
- 240 ml water
Cook the chili
A wide, heavy pot helps the onion and pepper cook evenly. Keep the chili at a steady simmer once the tomatoes go in, and stir along the bottom as it thickens.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, then cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
- Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt. Stir for 30 seconds, just until the spices smell fragrant.
- Add the sweet potato, tomatoes with their juice, and water. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer.
- Cover partly and simmer for 18 to 22 minutes, stirring a few times, until the sweet potato is tender when pierced with a fork.
- Stir in the drained beans and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes. Mash a few beans against the side of the pot if you want a thicker chili, then divide the full batch into four equal servings.
Estimated nutrition per serving
Estimated per serving, one quarter of the pot: 370 calories, 16 g protein, 69 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat, 20 g fiber, and 390 mg sodium.
The calculation uses USDA FoodData Central values for each listed ingredient, including a generic cooked-without-salt black bean entry as the closest match for drained no-salt-added beans. It counts all 14 g of oil and 3 g of salt, then divides the batch by four. Canned-product brands, how thoroughly the beans are drained, substitutions, and the final cooked yield can change the result. Treat these numbers as a practical estimate rather than exact Nutrition Facts.
Diet and allergen notes
The ingredients as written are vegan and contain no gluten-containing grain. For a gluten-free meal, still check the cumin and paprika labels for blends or cross-contact. If you replace the water with packaged broth, check that label too.
This ingredient list does not include any of the nine major U.S. food allergens. A garnish can change that quickly, so read the label before adding cheese, yogurt, or a packaged topping.
Cool and store it safely
Refrigerate the chili within 2 hours of cooking. Divide a large batch among shallow containers so it cools quickly, and keep the refrigerator at 40 °F or below. USDA FSIS guidance says to use cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days.
Reheat the portion you plan to eat to 165 °F, stirring so the center gets hot. Freeze extra servings promptly if you will not use them during the refrigerator window.
Set out four bowls or four containers before you serve. Equal portions keep the estimate useful, and shallow containers make the extra servings easier to cool. Add any garnish after you have counted what it contributes.
Questions
Can I use regular canned beans?
Yes, but the sodium estimate will change. Check whether the package lists nutrients for the beans as packed or after draining. If it only gives packed values, draining and rinsing remove an uncertain amount of sodium, so your recalculation is still an estimate. Use drained values when the label provides them.
Do I have to peel the sweet potato?
No. Scrub it well and keep the same 500 g edible weight. The texture and fiber estimate may change slightly because the FoodData Central calculation uses raw sweet potato as a general reference.
How can I make the chili less smoky?
Use 2 g smoked paprika instead of 4 g. Keep the cumin the same so the tomato and beans still have a warm spice base.
Can I freeze individual servings?
Yes. Cool the chili promptly, portion it into freezer-safe containers, and label the date. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat to 165 °F.
Sources
Open this in Cook Mode
Photograph the dish or type the title. Cook EZ writes the steps for your kitchen, then you can log the plate.