This Sweet Potato & Quinoa Chili recipe with kidney & black beans is hearty and full of flavor, and makes a great vegan lunch, dinner or meal prep idea! Includes stovetop and slow cooker options.
Meals that can easily fit into your meal rotation, like this vegan Sweet Potato & Quinoa Chili, are what I really love to share. As we can get a bit bored with the usual meals, it’s nice to have more easy options that come together in a cinch.
Why is this chili recipe so great?
- There’s nothing complicated in this recipe, everything is probably in your kitchen right now, or you can find right away at your favorite grocery store.
- This thick and hearty sweet potato & quinoa chili has plenty of protein, essential fiber, vitamins and minerals while being flavorful and satisfying.
- It’s gluten free, well balanced, low fat and includes an option to be oil free!
I love finding these simple dishes that truly work and can be made over and over again. I know you’re going to love this chili and find yourself making it often during the chili weather season!
Easy and delicious, bring on the chili!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here is everything you’ll need, plus ideas for ingredient substitutions.
- The Beans. We’ll be using protein rich black beans and kidney beans. Feel free to use your favorite in any combo you like. Pinto beans would be great here too!
- Sweet Potato. One large sweet potato is all you need. I peeled mine, but you can leave the skin on for even more fiber (just be sure to scrub the sweet potato beforehand.
- Quinoa. Use your favorite quinoa, mine happens to be tri-color.
- Tomato. I’ve used a canned of diced tomatoes, with juices, for ease, but you can use 2 – 3 fresh roma tomatoes if you prefer.
- Tomato Paste. Tomato paste adds a wonderful umami flavor and helps thicken the chili nicely.
- Onion. Any color will do, use your favorite.
- Garlic. If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand add an extra 1 – 2 teaspoons of garlic powder.
- Spices. You’ll find a tasty mix of chili powder, cumin and oregano. Plus, I usually add a dash or two of garlic and onion powder for good measure.
- Garnish. This sweet potato & quinoa chili is great with diced avocado, cilantro and homemade vegan cornbread. If you like heat, a few slices of jalapeno are perfect!
How To Make Sweet Potato & Quinoa Chili
This Sweet Potato & Quinoa Chili is so easy to make on the stovetop and will be ready in under 1 hour!
- Stovetop: In large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, cook until soft and edges browned, about 5 – 6 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute more. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic & onion powder, quinoa, beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, sweet potato, and broth/water, stir until combined. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover slightly ajar and cook for 30 – 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chili is ready when sweet potatoes are tender. Add additional water as needed.
Here is also a method for making this chili using a crock-pot, because sometimes you just want to set it and forget it!
- Slow-Cooker: Add all the onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, beans, sweet potatoes, quinoa, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion & garlic powder and broth/water to the bottom of the crockpot insert, stir until combined. Turn on high and cook for 4 – 6 hours, or turn on low and cook for 6 – 8 hours.
It’s a one-pot meal that’s perfect for lunch, dinner or make ahead meal planning!
Eating vegan meals everyday that are healthy and tasty is really easy once you get the hang of it!
How Long Will Leftovers Keep?
Leftovers will keep for 5 – 6 days in the refrigerator, stored in a covered container. Re-warm on the stovetop or the microwave. It makes a great meal prep for the week with vegan cornbread on the side.
Can You Freeze Quinoa Chili?
Yes, it freezes wonderfully for up to 2 – 3 months! My favorite ways to freeze this sweet potato & quinoa chili is in individual portion sizes using freezer safe containers. Then when I want to cozy up with a bowl of warm soup I can just pull it from the freezer and warm it up. You can also freeze larger portions in large ziplock bags or containers.
Serving Suggestions
- Top with diced avocado and fresh chopped cilantro
- Top with a dollop of Vegan Cashew Sour Cream
- Add a sprinkle of vegan shredded cheese and/or green onions
- Serve with homemade Vegan Cornbread or Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins
- Try topping it on a baked sweet potato!
More Chili Inspiration
- Quinoa Chili Verde
- Easy Vegetable Chili
- The Ultimate Tempeh Chili
- Vegan Three Bean Chili
- See all vegan chili recipes on TSV!
If you try this easy vegan chili recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintSWEET POTATO & QUINOA CHILI
Full of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, this easy Sweet Potato & Quinoa Chili is thick, hearty and always a good thing!
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 - 6 1x
- Category: Entree, Chili
- Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water (for water saute)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 5 – 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- a few dashes of garlic powder
- a few dashes of onion powder
- himalayan salt, to taste
- 1 cup dried quinoa
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes (with juices) or 1 1/2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 1 large sweet potato (about 1 lb.), diced (with or without skin)
- 5 – 6 cups water or vegetable broth (or combo)
Optional garnish for serving
- diced avocado
- cilantro
- diced onion and/or jalapeno
Instructions
Stovetop: In large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, cook until soft and edges browned, about 5 – 6 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute more. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic & onion powder, quinoa, beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, sweet potato, and broth/water, stir until combined. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover slightly ajar and cook for 30 – 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chili is ready when sweet potatoes are tender. Add additional water if chili is too thick for your liking.
Slow-Cooker: Add all the onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, beans, sweet potatoes, quinoa, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion & garlic powder and broth/water to the bottom of the crockpot insert, stir until combined. Turn on high and cook for 4 – 6 hours, or turn on low and cook for 6 – 8 hours.
Serve with optional garnishes. You may also like to top it with this easy Cilantro Lime Cashew ‘Sour Cream’.
Serves 4 generously.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 – 6 days. To keep longer, store in the freezer, in freezer safe containers, for up to 2 – 3 months.
Notes
As with all recipes, adjust seasoning to taste. Add a 1/2 teaspoon or so chipotle powder for some added heat. Also, use whatever beans you prefer. You may even like to use one two different kinds.
Use your favorite beans, in any combination.
Updated: Sweet Potato & Quinoa Chili recipe originally published March 2013 and has been updated October 2019 with new photos and helpful tips. No change to recipe – I wouldn’t dare!
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Bennett says
This is my favorite chili! Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Jo says
Hi, just going to make this but would prefer to use instant pot.
Any chance you have made this in an instant pot?
Thanks
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Yes, just add everything to the insert of the Instant Pot, using 5 cups of water, and cook on High Pressure for 3 minutes. Let natural release for 5 minutes. It will thicken upon standing, add more water as needed. Enjoy!
Lara says
Hello, I just discovered your blog and this recipe looks perfect! I have a question, though. I have a much neglected bag of frozen sweet potatoes in my freezer and was wondering if you could suggest when I would add them in the crock pot; at the beginning or when almost done? Thank you!
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Great question, Lara! If they are prepared and just need to be heated, I’d let them thaw in the fridge and add them in the last 30 minutes or so of cooking. You may even be able to do 15 minutes before. If they are frozen from raw, add them at the beginning. Hope that helps, and enjoy! :)
Amy Homer says
Tried this recipe for teacher appreciation lunch since our teacher is vegan and wanted her to have an option. So glad I made a test batch first because it is DELICIOUS and now I have some for me! I eat low GI, so this was great for me too. Thanks so much!
★★★★★
M says
Super tasty! Made it in the slow cooker and served with tortilla chips and avocado. This is definitely a make again recipe.
Terry says
Easy and tasty- use instant pot on soup setting for 7 minutes
★★★★★
Sarah says
Do you drain any liquid from the canned beans or tomatoes? This sounds delicious and I can’t wait to try it!
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Yes, the beans should be drained and rinsed. The tomatoes on the other hand, use all the tomato juices. Enjoy, it’s a great chili!
Lauren says
Do you still include the oil in the slow cooker version?
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Nope, no need to add any oil. The oil is just fo sauteing on the stovetop. Enjoy the chili! Cheers :)
Jim says
I’ve got a ticket to Himalaya to get some Himalayam Salt. In the meantime, can I use Morton’s?
★★★★★
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Yes, lol… enjoy! :)
Anita says
I have made this twice and it’s great. I question the nutrition information. This makes a large amount so I question that it makes only 4 servings. There is no notation on how much for each serving.
Thanks!
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Thanks for bringing that up! This recipe feeds 4 generously or 6 conservatively. I tend to eat at least a 1/4 of the chili in 1 servings. I feel most people are the same, or I just eat a lot. But if you find your portions are less per serving, you can guesstimate your numbers. Glad you like this recipe. It’s getting chilly here and time to make a batch for myself. :)
Deanna says
When I first became vegan 5+ years ago, after previously being of the opinion that vegetarians (let alone vegans) might as well have been aliens, your website was a godsend for me! I still refer back to it now and have made this recipe more than any other. It is so delicious, easy, inexpensive and great for leftovers/lunches for the week. Thank you for sharing! xx
AndreaI says
I made this delish chilli and oh so many other recipes of yours.
This will be a new go to recipie this fall and winter. I love your recipes
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Awe, thank you! This is definitely a great one and will keep you warm and in good spirits in the cooler months! Cheers :)
Angela A says
We loved it. My bf is a vegetarian so I was looking for something hardy we would both like. This recipe is fantastic and we will be adding it to our list of favorite recipes.
Nicole says
Oh MY!! This was my first crock pot experience and SO Delish! I put all of the ingredients as listed in on high for 5 hours and added the Quinoa for the last 30min. My meat loving boyfriend loved it, and the Cilantro Lime Cashew Cream Sauce was a must!
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Yay, I’m so happy you both loved it and it worked so well for you in the crock pot! Cheers :)
Lorraine says
My niece made this recipe for dinner as we arrived at her home thanksgiving eve. She served it with a topping of sour cream and mozzarella cheese. Ten of us chowed down and enjoyed it, each having a second serving! I can’t wait to prepare this for my vegan friends.
Alison says
I just made this this evening and it was as amazing as your pictures made it look! It was pretty quick to make and easy enough that a crying baby didn’t make me mess it up. :)
Kati says
How would you modify this for the slow cooker?
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Just throw everything in and set on low for 6 – 8 hours or high for 4 – 6. Check your slow cooker manual for soups, stews or chilis to be sure, the times I’ve given you are guesstimations.
Melanie says
Great recipe! I made this for dinner last night, and my boyfriend and kids loved it. It was flavorful and satisfying. We're not vegans or vegetarians but are just trying to eat healthier in general. The recipe was simple and easy to follow. The avocado was a nice added garnish. Yum!
Anonymous says
Very yummy! added about a 1/4 can more of the tomatoes and juice. i used the amount of chili powder called for thinking i would start there and add…but i stopped there! amount of heat was perfect. did add about 1/2 tsp more of cumin.
very simple to prepare and yummy!
Anonymous says
We made this a couple weeks ago and the whole family loved it. My 12yo son asked for seconds!!
Anonymous says
Delicious! My boyfriend and roommate loved it too! So beautiful and great for the winter :)
Dani says
This was incredible. Unfortunately I couldn't get my meat loving boyfriend to even try it. Oh well, more for me!
Anonymous says
My son served leftovers of this from the freezer last night. It was delicious and I'm gong to make it here this weekend. Yum!!!
Anonymous says
This has become a staple for me. I make it once every 10 days or so … it's absolutely delicious! I went WFPB at the beginning of this year and this chili has made it so much easier. What a tasty and easy recipe! So glad I discovered your site!
Kim P. says
I made this tonight and we absolutely loved it, thank you for sharing!
Meghan Tizzano says
I made this on Sunday for my weekly lunches and it is amazing!!!! It was so easy to make. Just tossed everything except the quinoa into the crock pot on low for 4.5 hours. Then tossed in the quinoa and cooked for another 30 minutes or so. Absolutely great!!!
Linda at Veganosity says
Hi Julie! I just discovered your blog and really like it. I've never put sweet potatoes in chili before (quinoa yes), I love that idea. The texture must be a great compliment to the beans. Thanks for the great idea!
julie@thesimpleveganista says
Thank you Linda! Enjoy :)
Anonymous says
I found this on a list of crock pot recipes, and I wondered if you had suggestion on how to adapt it for the crock pot? (novice slow-cooker user here)
smidgies_mom says
Me too. I am going to play with it today. I will post later… like in 8 to 10 hours lol!
smidgies_mom says
Update: AMAZING in the slow cooker. Just watch you liquid since the thing that takes the longest to cook is the potato. This is a seriously hearty meal. I also used red quinoa and it took a while for my son to realize there was no ground beef in there.
julie@thesimpleveganista says
Thank you so much for the update and letting us all know! I haven't tried it yet but will def give it a try myself. So glad it worked and you loved it! Cheers :)
Madeline says
After adding quinoa and beans, I cooked in crockpot for 3-31/2 hrs on hi. Turned out great.
sonworshiper says
just made this! another hit! my dad is so enjoying the vegan food i've been making and i'm so grateful for this blog! thanks for yet another easy and yummy meal!!
Anonymous says
I just made this and it tastes great! Can you freeze this recipe?
julie@thesimpleveganista says
I've never tried to freeze this but would venture to say it will probably do just fine in the freezer. If you try it, I'd love to know how it goes. Others would appreciate the feedback as well.
Anonymous says
I made this recipe also and we loved it! Very tasty!! We're fairly new to eating meals without meat in them and we all thought this was better than regular chili! We loved the cilantro and avocado on top!
Laura says
It's great! I cooked it on low for 6 1/2 hours then added the quinoa and cooked another 1/2 hour. Yummy!! Thanks!
Laura says
This looks yummy!! Do you think it could go in a crockpot? Thanks!
julie@thesimpleveganista says
I'm honestly not sure. I've never cooked quinoa in the crockpot but I almost feel that it will work fine. Set on low and let it cook a few hours. Would love to know how is goes if you give a try! :)
Madeline says
After adding quinoa and beans, I cooked in crockpot for 3-31/2 hrs on hi. Turned out great.
Anonymous says
I'll be making this for my Halloween meal. Can't wait, looks delicious! :)
amy says
Just recently found your blog and made this recipe for a friend last night. SO delicious. Thank you!
Jen says
I've just started to follow your blog and this is the first recipe I've made. It was so fantastic, thank you! I'm trying to transition into a mostly vegetarian home and recipes like this make it so doable. Thank you again!
julie@thesimpleveganista says
Your so welcome! I'm glad this was a hit and I hope you find many more here to suit your taste. :)
julie@thesimpleveganista says
Hi Nyssa, I'm so glad you loved this! It will be perfect for the cooler days ahead. I just checked out your recipe and it looks delish…I love that you added some zucchini as well. Thank you so much for the link back! Cheers to good healthy eating. :)
julie@thesimpleveganista says
I'm so glad this popped up for you! You bet this would make for a great sloppy joe sandwich…try using 1/2 cup less water, that should thicken it up a bit. I've been meaning to put together a sloppy joe recipe so stay tuned!
Erin Greener says
So I'm not a vegan, but I cook vegan meals and snacks quite often I made this recipe tonight. After dabbling a bit and making a few creative adjustments I made it so spicy that it burned my face off and I'm pretty sure that I'll be giving birth to some red crayons in the morning so best of luck to the poor sap who uses the bathroom after me tomorrow. So while I was in the process of making a second batch without the spices to mix into the first to dilute it down, My arson-scathed noggin had an idea. My nonvegan self took over and spread a pile of the 5 alarm vegan chili on a bed of tortilla chips and then melted a layer of mexican cheese shreds on top. Before: Digestive tract = blown. Right now: Mind =blown. Thank you for sharing your recipes! ^^
julie@thesimpleveganista says
Lol, you are so funny Erin! It sounds like you must love spice but creatively added a bit too much. ;) So glad you tried it again with great success. It sounds like you made a great meal out of this with some chips and cheese. Your so welcome….thank you for sharing your story and giving others inspiration of what to do and not to do! Cheers :)
Anonymous says
I just made it – delicious! Will be my go-to chili
julie@thesimpleveganista says
Yah, a match is made! :)
Anonymous says
I made this tonight and it is delicious!
Veronica Lee says
This is my winter staple! and also my go to for 'wowing' non-vegans! It is so delicious and filling, no one even notices there is no meat!
julie@thesimpleveganista says
I agree, it is that good! :)
janet @ the taste space says
This looks great! I hope the warm weather persists so I won't be hunting down a chili recipe, though. :)
julie@thesimpleveganista says
Thank you! The warmer weather is nice isn't it. :)
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says
Quinoa is chili has become a recent favorite of mine, this looks so so good!
julie@thesimpleveganista says
I agree, love it! <3
Malcolmina says
Made this tonight and it is delicious!
julie@thesimpleveganista says
Great!! Thank you for stopping by and sharing. :)
The Vegan Cookie Fairy says
YUM!
Silly says
Thank you! I actually did add it last before you replied….let me just say I LOVE THIS DISH!!! Super yummy and easy to make! My boyfriend was delighted too :)
julie@thesimpleveganista says
Perfect, your intuition was right! So glad you both loved it. :)
Em Kathryn says
I made chili this week too, but I like your recipe way more!!! Looks fantastic! :)
julie@thesimpleveganista says
Thank you Em! :)
Silly says
So you add the dry quinoa with the remaining ingredients and then boil.
julie@thesimpleveganista says
Yes, I just adjusted the recipe directions to be more specific. When I made mine I cooked the onion and garlic, and then added all the ingredients with the quinoa being added lastly. I think you'll find the directions a bit more clear. :)
The Yogi Vegetarian says
Lovely recipe; just the will try it out non my teens ext week in the school holidays; thanks :)
julie@thesimpleveganista says
Thank you! Hope they love it. Cheers!
Anonymous says
Sounds like something my husband would love to eat and he'd make it, too! You have lots of recipes on this site, please let me subscribe to it.
julie@thesimpleveganista says
I know you will love it! Please follow along, I have a lot more recipes in mind to come. :)
Krissanntha M. says
I am making this Chili for the 4th time, It's so tasty and a great staple food. Keep 'em com in'