This warm bowl of sweet potato lentil chili is a flavor burst and is loaded with all the goodness from fresh ingredients. Perfect comfort chili for whenever you crave one.
I guess I was unconsciously in the mood to eat lentils and sweet potatoes in different forms in the past few weeks. That is probably the reason I prepared sweet potato chickpea burger patties, Italian lentil salad, lentil brown rice, etc., along with this sweet potato chili to publish them here. And that’s how we started our new year, eating these protein-packed healthy meals.
If you are looking for a super easy and quick recipe for a protein-rich meal, then you will love this wholesome chili.
Let’s get started.
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Ingredients
- Sweet potato – peel and dice it into cubes
- Raw lentils – use whole lentils for more fibers
- Bell pepper – add your choice of color or a blend of different colors
- Beans – either cooked black beans or pinto beans will work
- Onion – peel, and dice it finely
- Tomato – I always prefer using freshly diced tomatoes. However, you can also use canned ones.
- Garlic – finely chopped garlic to add flavor to the dish
- Seasonings – use oregano, smoked paprika, ground cumin, chipotle chili in adobo sauce, and salt to bring out the flavor in the dish
- Oil – I always use cooking olive oil or avocado oil in my kitchen.
Cutting sweet potato
Peel and then rinse the sweet potato before cutting it. Using a sharp knife, dice it into roughly ½″ cubes. The reason for keeping them a little bigger in size is to keep their shape intact after cooking the raw whole lentils. Dicing sweet potatoes smaller can make them overcook and blend/disappear in the final chili.
How to make Sweet Potato Lentil Chili
- Heat some oil in a large pot. Cook some chopped garlic and diced onion for a couple of mins.
- Then add chopped tomato, diced sweet potato, red pepper, raw lentils, chipotle chili in adobo sauce, and the spice blend. Mix everything well and sauté the mixture for a few mins.
- Now add black beans and a blend of water and chicken stock (or vegetable stock). Mix well, and bring the mixture to boil.
- Cover and cook the chili on low heat until the lentils are nice and tender.
- While serving, garnish with fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and serve warm.
Serving suggestions
While serving, add toppings like fresh salsa, Mexican cheese blend, fresh cilantro, a lime wedge, etc. For a wholesome meal, serve this bowl of chili with some tortilla chips and fresh guacamole on the side.
For the Mexican banquet, add this lentil chili to the menu and Mexican tomato rice, cilantro lime chicken, delicious corn on the cob, and pineapple mojito or raspberry mojito.
Helpful Tips!
- Preferably use whole lentils in making this chili. Split lentils may become mushier and disappear in the final dish after cooking.
- Always peel the sweet potato before using it in the cooking if it is not organic. The concentration of pesticides is usually high in the fruits or veggies outer layers, and peeling the skin can reduce that amount.
FAQs
The next day you may find lentil chili will be thick and has lost its consistency. Therefore, before serving, add some veggie stock or water and heat the mixture in the microwave for 2-3 min or boil it on the cooktop to bring back its thick soup-like consistency.
More Mexican flavors you will love
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Sweet Potato Lentil Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw lentils
- 1 can of black/pinto beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 sweet potato peeled and diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 onion diced
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 5 cup vegetable or chicken stock (or water plus stock)
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium to large dutch oven or pot. Add chopped garlic, onion and saute them for a couple of mins.
- Then add chopped tomatoes, sweet potato, diced red pepper, whole lentils, chipotle chili, and spices like oregano, smoked paprika, and cumin powder. Mix everything well and saute the mixture for 2-3 mins.
- Add the black beans, all the liquid, mix well and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Season well with salt, cover, and cook the mixture on low heat for 15-18 min or until the lentils are nice and tender.
- Garnish the bowl of chili with some fresh cilantro, lime wedges, crushed tortilla chips and serve warm.
Notes
- Do not overcook the lentils otherwise, it will turn the lentil chili into a mushy mixture.
Nutrition
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