Sweet Potato Beef Chili (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
This recipe for Sweet Potato Beef Chili is a tasty and nourishing dinner that you can throw together in a short amount of time. You can serve it right out of the pot, and then use the leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day. This homemade chili can be made easily in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop.
Sweet potato beef chili combines the heartiness of ground beef with the natural sweetness and rich texture of sweet potatoes, creating a comfort dish that’s both nutritious and satisfying.
This delightful combination is simmered with a blend of spices and tomatoes, resulting in a harmonious mix of sweet and savory flavors that can appeal to a variety of taste preferences.
It’s a one-pot wonder that not only warms the body but also provides a balanced meal with a colorful array of nutrients.
Sweet Potato Beef Chili Benefits
- This Sweet Potato Chili recipe has it all: flavorful ground beef, hearty sweet potatoes, super rich tomato paste, and beans. The flavor of the chili is classic and satisfying, without being too spicy.
- The sweet potatoes add a unique twist to traditional chili, offering a boost of vitamins, particularly vitamin A, and dietary fiber, which complements the protein-rich beef.
- This recipe is also very versatile. If you don’t want to use ground beef, you can substitute with ground chicken, turkey, or pork. You can also use your choice of beans, such pinto beans, white beans, black beans, or whatever bean have on hand. See my related recipe for Instant Pot Sweet Potato Turkey Chili.
Ingredients
- You’ll need lean ground beef for your chili. I recommend using grass-fed, grass-finished beef when possible.
- Chopped sweet potatoes are also a key ingredient for this sweet potato chili. You can purchase whole sweet potatoes and chop them yourself or purchase diced sweet potatoes to shorten the prep time.
- Onions and spices help add texture and flavor.
- Broth helps make the base of this beef chili recipe. You can use chicken stock, beef broth, or whatever type of broth you have on hand.
- Tomato paste adds even more depth of flavor and helps make this tastes like a rich chili. Feel free to use tomato sauce if you don’t have tomato sauce on hand.
- Beans are the last key component to this tasty dish. I used pinto beans but you can use kidney beans or white beans.
See the recipe card at the end of this post for the full recipe.
Recipe Steps
You can make this delicious sweet potato chili recipe using the electric pressure cooker or on the stovetop. You could also use a slow cooker if you wish. I’ve included instructions for all methods of cooking.
Step One
Sauté the onion and garlic in a little bit of olive oil using the Sauté mode on your Instant Pot. Or, saute the ingredients in a large skillet or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.
Step Two
Add the ground beef and use a spatula to break up the pieces. Let the beef start to cook for about 3 minutes.
Step Three
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Lock on the lid and set the time to 8 minutes at high pressure.
If using the stove top, let the ingredients simmer for 25-30 minutes.
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.
Step Four
Once the cooking time is complete, let the pressure come down naturally for about 10 minutes. Then, use the quick release to get rid of any remaining pressure.
Carefully remove the lid, stir, and serve hot.
Feel free to serve with your favorite toppings such as sour cream, green onions, tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, red pepper flakes, or pickled jalapeños (my personal favorite).
I hope your family loves this Sweet Potato Chili as much as mine does! It’s perfect for cooler weather and the best part is that the whole family loves it. It’s also on my list of GLP-1 weight loss recipes.
This is an excellent meal prep recipe and you can definitely make a double batch. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer.
Recipe Tips
- Stovetop instructions: sauté the garlic and onion in the oil for a few minutes in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef and use a spatula to break it up as it start to cook. Then, add the broth, sweet potatoes, pinto beans, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cover the pot with a lid. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the sweet potato chunks are fork tender. Serve hot.
- Slow cooker instructions: combine all of the ingredients except the beef in a large slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours. Then, cook the beef in a skillet and pour into the slow cooker. Stir well and serve hot.
- Feel free to use your favorite protein in this recipe. I used ground beef, but you can use ground chicken, pork, or ground turkey.
- To make this recipe Whole30 or paleo friendly, just leave out the beans.
- To make this recipe vegetarian, use three cans of beans and leave out the meat.
- To freeze any leftovers, see my guide on how to freeze beef stew.
Recipe FAQs
I consider this a healthy recipe as it uses real, unprocessed ingredients and has a balanced mix of protein, complex carbs, and fat. It’s also homemade using real food ingredients which makes it much healthier than any canned or packaged chili you’ll find at the store.
No, this recipe is not considered keto or low-carb because the sweet potatoes and beans add carbs.
You can spice up your chili by using chipotle powder or any other type of group spicy chili powder.
More Easy Dinner Recipes You Might Like
- Instant Pot Chicken & Sweet Potato dinner
- Instant Pot Coconut Chicken
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup
- Instant Pot Turkey & Sweet Potato Chili
- Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Stew
Don’t Miss These Sweet Potato Recipes
Sweet Potato Beef Chili (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
This recipe for Sweet Potato Beef Chili is a tasty and nourishing dinner that you can throw together in a short amount of time. You can serve it right out of the pot, and then use the leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day. This homemade chili can be made easily in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop.
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 4 cups low-sodium beef or vegetable broth
- 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 15–ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Press the Sauté button on the Instant Pot and pour in the cooking oil. Let the oil heat up for a few minutes.
- Add the garlic and onion and let them cook for a couple of minutes so they start to soften.
- Add the ground beef and use a spatula or wooden spoon to break up the meat. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the broth, sweet potatoes, beans, tomato paste, chili powder, ground cumin, and salt.
- Lock on the lid and set the time to 8 minutes on high pressure.
- When the cooking time is complete, let the pressure come down naturally for about 5 minutes, and then use the quick-release to get rid of the remaining pressure.
- Carefully remove the lid, stir, and serve hot.
Notes
- Stovetop instructions: sauté the garlic and onion in the oil for a few minutes in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and use a spatula to break it up as it start to cook. Then, add the broth, sweet potatoes, pinto beans, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cover the pot with a lid. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the sweet potato chunks are fork tender. Serve hot.
- Feel free to use your favorite protein in this recipe. I used ground beef, but you can use ground chicken, pork, or turkey.
- To make this recipe Whole30 or paleo friendly, just leave out the beans.
- To make this recipe vegetarian, use three cans of beans and leave out the meat.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Instant Pot or Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 319
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 307.8 mg
- Fat: 16.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 3.7 g
- Protein: 25.2 g
- Cholesterol: 69.8 mg
Don’t forget to join my newsletter list to get exclusive clean eating recipes and tips. The newsletter is 100% free with no spam; unsubscribe anytime.
About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and is a certified holistic nutritionist. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send her a message through her contact form.
Made it today with butternut squash and green beans and came out delicious. Thank you for the recipe. Easy, fast and satisfying.
can you switch out the sweet potatoes to brown potatoes
Yes, you can!
Loved this recipe! I think I will cut back on the broth next time. Maybe 2 or 3 cups versus 4. Other than that I loved it!!!!
Great, so glad you liked it!!!
Beef chili looks amazing. I’ve been hooked to instant pot since I bought it and I love trying new variations of recipes. Addition of sweet potatoes is brilliant. It makes the chili nice and hearty.
I love love love chili with sweet potatoes, and even better when it’s in the Instant Pot. So easy and I love getting to just walk away while it cooks. Can’t wait to give this recipe a try!
The addition of sweet potatoes to this gives it such an interesting twist! And always great to be able to use the Instant Pot!!
It seems like a great, nourishing recipe. I am a vegetarian, so I cannot tell, but my husband would probably love it.