It’s that time of year for chili. Only in the past few years have I come to the chili game when my girlfriend made me an extra hearty version with sweet potatoes, quinoa and all of the toppings. After that, I welcomed chili. This chili is bursting with flavor. The quinoa makes it thicker and heartier and the diced sweet potatoes add the perfect sweetness. Although the chili can stand on it’s own, I believe the toppings make the chili. A good squeeze of lime, cubed avocado, cilantro, onions, and/or jalapeno. Add as little or as much as you want, but MUST. ADD. TOPPINGS. I hope you enjoy this southwest sweet potato quinoa chili! P.S. This is a very hands on recipe. It goes much quicker and easier if you have a helper.
Southwest Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili Recipe
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 quart vegetable broth
- 1 red onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 3 cups sweet potato, peeled and diced small
- 2.5 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 3 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 3/4 tsp sea salt, optional, more to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well
- 2 15oz cans black beans drained and rinsed OR 3 cups cooked black beans
- 1 cup of freshly crushed tomatoes with their juices OR 1 cup Jovial diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- toppings: cilantro, diced avocado, lime wedges, diced onion, jalapeno
Instructions
- Add 1/4 cup of vegetable broth to a large stock pot. Turn to medium-high heat. Sautee the onion and minced garlic for 2-3 minutes. If you need a little more at any point, just add a bit of water.
- Next add in the jalapeno pepper and red pepper for another 2-3 minutes. Onion should be translucent and the peppers starting to soften prior to adding in the sweet potatoes.
- Stir in the sweet potatoes, cover and cook for around 8 minutes until they are tender. Stir on and off so they don’t stick to the pot. Add in a little broth if needed to keep from sticking.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Add in the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, smoked paprika, sea salt, and ground pepper. Stir for a minute until fragrant.
- Add in the quinoa and stir until well combined. Pour in the remaining vegetable broth and return the pot to the hot burner on high heat.
- Add in the beans and tomatoes with their liquid and tomato paste. Stir well and bring to a boil. Once brought to a boil, reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for around 30 minutes while stirring often to keep the bottom from burning.
- Uncover, remove from the heat, and allow some liquid to absorb and the chili to cool slightly before serving it. Serve topped with cilantro, diced avocado, a good lime squeeze, diced onion, and/or jalapeno. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Riane’s Tidbits
Broth
I use Trader Joe’s organic hearty vegetable broth.
Beans
If you are using canned beans, try to get BPA-free cans as well as those free of artificial flavor, color, and preservatives. It should only have beans, water and maybe sea salt for ingredients.
Tomatoes
I use jovial organic diced tomatoes in this recipe more than fresh tomatoes since it’s easy to keep on hand.
Onion
You can use any kind of onion for this chili, but I usually go for red in this. If for some reason you don’t have garlic or onion on hand, you can substitute for 1/2 tsp onion powder and 1/2 tsp garlic powder each.
Toppings
My favorite toppings are a good squeeze of lime, diced avocado, diced onion, and cilantro. The lime helps cut down on more salt and enhances the flavor. The avocado takes the place of cheese and sour cream. And I like the fresh taste of the raw onion and cilantro mixed in. Sprinkle on some jalapenos for even more heat if you wish.
Quinoa
Quinoa absorbs liquid, so it will get thicker the longer it sits. I use the Costco Kirkland brand of quinoa for this chili. Although it says it’s pre-rinsed, I still rinse it well prior. I’ve found it makes a difference in taste and digestion. You can’t necessarily tell in this chili, but it’s a good habit to get into… soaking or at least rinsing your quinoa.
I hope you enjoy it! Grateful you are following along!!
xx Riane
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Southwest Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili
Ingredients
- 1 quart vegetable broth
- 1 red onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 jalapeno seeded and diced
- 3 cups sweet potato peeled and diced small
- 2.5 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 3 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 3/4 tsp sea salt optional, more to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 15 oz cans black beans drained and rinsed OR 3 cups cooked black beans
- 1 cup of freshly crushed tomatoes with their juices OR 1 cup Jovial diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- toppings: cilantro diced avocado, lime wedges, diced onion, jalapeno
Instructions
- Add 1/4 cup of vegetable broth to a large stock pot. Turn to medium-high heat. Sautee the onion and minced garlic for 2-3 minutes. If you need a little more at any point, just add a bit of water.
- Next add in the jalapeno pepper and red pepper for another 2-3 minutes. Onion should be translucent and the peppers starting to soften prior to adding in the sweet potatoes.
- Stir in the sweet potatoes, cover and cook for around 8 minutes until they are tender. Stir on and off so they don’t stick to the pot. Add in a little broth if needed to keep from sticking.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Add in the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, smoked paprika, sea salt, and ground pepper. Stir for a minute until fragrant.
- Add in the quinoa and stir until well combined. Pour in the remaining vegetable broth and return the pot to the hot burner on high heat.
- Add in the beans and tomatoes with their liquid and tomato paste. Stir well and bring to a boil. Once brought to a boil, reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for around 30 minutes while stirring often to keep the bottom from burning.
- Uncover, remove from the heat, and allow some liquid to absorb and the chili to cool slightly before serving it. Serve topped with cilantro, diced avocado, a good lime squeeze, diced onion, and/or jalapeno. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
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