Recipe: Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili

This hearty vegetarian sweet potato chili is packed with flavor, plant protein, and fiber—without too much sodium. One bowl is full of colorful vegetables and complementary spices. But the secret ingredient? Unsweetened cocoa powder. This adds extra richness, flavor complexity, and antioxidants to every bite. You can get creative with garnishes like sliced avocado, plain nonfat Greek yogurt, sliced jalapeño, and shredded cheddar. Scoop it over a serving of brown rice to make it an even more satisfying meal.

Prep time: approximately 10 minutes
Cook time: approximately 1 hour
Total time: approximately 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves: 8
Serving size: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• 2 medium sweet onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 medium carrots
• 1 large sweet potato
• 2 medium red bell peppers
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies, no salt added

• ¼ cup tomato paste

• 1 15-ounce can small white beans, unsalted
• 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, unsalted
• 8 ounces vegetable stock, fat free, reduced sodium
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1½ tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground oregano
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (100% cacao)

Topping options:

• Chopped cilantro
• Sliced jalapeño or serrano peppers
• Diced red onion
• Nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• Guacamole or sliced avocado
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Cooked brown rice
• Crushed tortilla chips
• Fresh lime wedges

Instructions

Start by prepping the vegetables. Chop the onions, mince the garlic, slice the carrots into ¼ inch rounds, peel and cube the sweet potato into ¼ inch pieces, and cube the peppers into ½ inch pieces. Drain and rinse the beans.

Add olive oil to a large Dutch oven or soup pot then put over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add carrots, sweet potato, and bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, vegetable stock, cocoa powder, and spices. Stir well to combine. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes until chili thickens.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Add desired toppings. Serve.

MOBE kitchen tips:

• Add 1 teaspoon of unsweetened cacao (cocoa) powder to this chili for a beautiful flavor, richness, and health promoting antioxidants.
• The two types of beans used (white beans and red kidney beans) give a nice variety of color and texture.

Recipe notes:

• Make this chili your own and play around with different beans and vegetables. For example, swap the red bell pepper for yellow or green, if that’s what you have on hand. Or use frozen bell peppers instead. Frozen corn is a wonderful addition, too.
• If you can’t find diced tomatoes with chilies, you can use plain diced tomatoes.
• If you prefer your chili with meat, lean ground turkey, chicken, or beef are nice additions.
• There are lots of ways to top this chili. Find your favorites.
• Serve this chili over a scoop of cooked brown rice (or other whole grain) and you’ll get an especially tasty meal.
• Want to cook this in the background? It’s simple. Add all of the ingredients in a slow cooker and let sit for 3­­­­­­–4 hours on high, or 6–8 hours on low.

Nutrition facts per serving

Calories: 240 / Total Fat: 4g (5% DV) / Saturated Fat: 0.5g (3% DV) / Trans Fat: 0g / Cholesterol: 0mg (0% DV) / Sodium: 190mg (8% DV) / Total Carbohydrate: 42g (15% DV) / Dietary Fiber: 14g (50% DV) / Total Sugars: 14g / Added Sugar: 0g (0% DV) / Protein: 11g / Vitamin D: 0mcg (0% DV) / Calcium: 134mg (10% DV) / Iron: 3mg (15% DV) / Potassium: 824mg (20% DV)

Allergen statement (for primary ingredients, not toppings): Check the labels on cocoa powder to avoid cross contamination with allergens.

Explore even more healthy eating ideas by talking with a MOBE Guide. Get started today.