30 Minute Vegan Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili

This 30-Minute Vegan Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili is a simple recipe making it an ideal weeknight dinner.

Jump To

• 30 Minute Vegan Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili
• Ingredients for Vegan Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili
• Home-cooked vs. Canned Black Beans
• Spices
• Sweet Potatoes
• Making 30-Minute Vegan Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili
• Tips and Substitutions 
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

When it comes to eating paleo, there are those who are convinced they cannot veer off the path and those who are a little more relaxed. I fall into the more relaxed category because it works for my life and because I feel good eating this way. At the end of the day, I would think those two things should play a key role in making a lifestyle change.

One of the great paleo debates has been whether or not to eat legumes and grains. I personally feel better when I don't have them on a regular basis but I don't think they should be completely ruled out of the diet.

Chris Kresser's most recent podcast goes into some detail as to why eating legumes and grains is not going to be detrimental to the paleo template. As long as they're not consumed on a regular basis and as long as they don't replace other nutrient-dense foods. I mean you can eat a strict paleo template and eat ¼ bag of paleo-approved chocolate chips. Not that I do that...

Here's the deal with legumes and grains. They contain lectins. These are proteins, which in high amounts can have some negative impacts on the body. However, what's important to consider is that the studies highlighting these findings have been performed on animals. Humans would have to consume a significant amount of lectins in order to feel a negative side effect.

Also, during the cooking process of grains and legumes, most lectins are destroyed after 15 minutes of cooking. And lastly, after cooking, carbohydrates present in these foods will bind to any remaining lectins, which diminishes their toxic effect.

The other issue to consider with grains and legumes is phytic acid. Phytic acid inhibits the absorption of certain minerals contained within the food you're consuming. So if you're eating a grain that's rich in magnesium, phytic acid will likely block the absorption of that nutrient. One can argue that our love affair with grains may in part be responsible for the magnesium deficiency we suffer as a population. But, something to consider is this: phytic acid is found in plenty of paleo foods, such as cacao beans, swiss chard, and spinach.

Additionally, properly soaking nuts, grains, and seeds and/or roasting them, will break down some of the phytic acids. If we look back on how our grandparents and great-grandparents ate grains and legumes, we probably recall a lot of soaking and proper preparation. And they did not have the internet at their disposal to justify the reasons for doing so. They just intuitively knew.

So with that said, I'm not proposing that everyone start gorging on legumes and grains but I do propose some flexibility. I'm less concerned about a certain template or diet, but rather listening to what my body needs. And if you're a food and nutrition nerd like me, this post may have helped clarify some of the sensitivity around legumes and grains, but if you're just here wanting to eat good food, let's make one of my favorite chili recipes! It's quick, simple, and oh so comforting for a chilly fall night.

30 Minute Vegan Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili

• Makes for a perfect weeknight dinner
• Is vegan, gluten, and dairy-free
• Requires only a few ingredients and spices
• Healthy and delicious

Ingredients for Vegan Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili

• extra virgin olive oil
• onion
• sweet potatoes
• garlic
• chili powder
• chipotle powder
• ground cumin
• ground paprika
• smoked paprika
• ground coriander
• vegetable broth
• salt
• ground pepper
• black beans
• fresh cilantro
• avocado and any other toppings of your choice
• optional: 1 cup cooked quinoa or rice

Home-cooked vs. Canned Black Beans

If you're someone who struggles with gut issues, and canned beans have an effect on you, soaked and properly cooked beans will usually minimize these unwanted side-effects. Soaking black beans overnight and giving them a good boil the next day in fresh water, can eliminate some of the issues mentioned above.

Spices

What makes this chili so special are the spices. Smoked paprika and chipotle powder give the chili intensity and a hint of heat. If you're cooking this with young kids in mind, forgo the chipotle powder entirely.

Sweet Potatoes

When you chop your potatoes, be sure to keep them fairly small as they will cook much faster this way. 

Making 30-Minute Vegan Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili

Step 1. Preheat pan on medium. Add avocado oil and onion and sauté for 8 minutes until translucent. Add sweet potatoes, garlic, and spices and cook for 2 minutes.

Step 2. Add broth and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes until sweet potatoes are soft.

Step 3. Mash most of them with the potato masher, add 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro and beans to heat through – about 5 minutes. 

Step 4. Serve with additional cilantro, avocado, and optional over quinoa or cooked rice.

Tips and Substitutions 

Black Beans 

If black beans are not for you, feel free to substitute them with light or dark kidney beans or adzuki red beans or any other bean you prefer. 

Increase Or Tone Down The Spice

I like adding just a little spice to the chili with the chipotle powder but feel free to double on the quantity or omit the chipotle powder entirely. It will still be flavorful. If you're all about heat, add some cayenne to the chili.