Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chilli

A Sweet potato Chili is my favourite way to enjoy a vegetarian chilli. I've tried various recipes and come back to this one. The sweet potatoes are roasted with sweet smoked paprika and cumin and are deliciously sweet and spicy all at the same time. Add in onions, peppers, beans and a thick tomato sauce and you have the perfect vegan chilli. For a more traditional chilli vegetarian chilli recipe, try my Easy Quorn Chilli.

A Fairtrade Chilli

Nearly half the ingredients in this sweet potato and mixed bean chilli can be bought Fairtrade. You can now buy Fairtrade olive oil, sweet smoked paprika, ground cumin, chilli powder as well as oregano and black pepper. Mixed beans such as kidney, borlotti and black beans are now also available as Fairtrade. Fairtrade is a global movement. It works to make a difference in the lives of the farmers who produce our food and ensures they are paid a fair price. As well as this, the Fairtrade movement works hard to tackle climate change and promote sustainable farming practices. Check out my most popular Fairtrade Recipes

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Recipe Tips

I try to make all my recipes as simple and easy as possible. The sweet potatoes need to be roasted for about 25 minutes but there is minimal prep time. For the mixed beans, you should choose 'ready to use beans' which are tinned or canned rather than dried as dried beans have a much longer cooking time. Mixed beans that work well are kidney beans, cannellini, borlotti or black beans, or any combination of these. When it comes to the spices, be aware that smoked paprika and sweet smoked paprika are different. I use sweet smoked paprika as the sweetness of the paprika goes well with the sweet potatoes and gives a lovely contrast to the 'spicyness' of the chili.

Vegan alternative to soured cream

A Sweet Potato Chilli is a delicious vegan dish, but obviously soured cream is not vegan. Neither is it suitable for those who are dairy intolerant. As I think the toppings are so important, I want to offer an alternative for vegans. A vegan creme fraiche, organic oat cream or even plain soy yoghurt are good alternatives. I would stir in a dash of lemon juice and maybe even a little mustard to make it taste more sour. If you need to thicken it up, mix some cornflour into a paste and stir it in.

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How to make Chilli

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Pour half the oil in a large roasting dish and add the diced sweet potato. Sprinkle with half the sweet smoked paprika and cumin and turn over a few times to make sure the potato is coated. Roast for about 25 minutes until cooked through and soft.
2. Whilst the Sweet Potato is cooking, add the rest of the olive oil to a frying pan and fry the onions, peppers and garlic over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
3. Add the chilli powder, remaining ground cumin and sweet smoked paprika, Stir and fry for a further 1 minute. Frying helps to release all the flavours.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, drained and rinsed beans, oregano and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat and simmer for 25 - 30 minutes.
5. When the sweet potatoes are soft, stir them in to the chilli. Serve with the soured cream, sliced avocado and a few coriander leaves sprinkled over the top.

What to serve with Chilli

This veggie chilli is already quite filling as it's made with sweet potato, which is a carbohydrate. It goes well with Fairtrade rice or you might like to try a Homemade Flatbread which is very quick and easy. Tortilla chips are also a great traditional side dish. I think the toppings are a really important part of a good chilli. A spoonful of soured cream over the top is delicious. In the photo I've added a dash of smoked paprika as I'm much more aware nowadays that we 'eat with our eyes' first. Avocado cut into slices goes very well and adds lovely colour as well as extra nutrition. Sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves.

How to store

Store in the fridge for 3 - 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months. You can of course reheat it. Leftover chilli makes for an amazing lunch the next day and can be eaten hot or cold. Cooked rice can also be frozen which is handy if you cook too much. Pack the rice into a container and leave it to cool, then freeze straight away for up to 1 month. Don't leave cooked rice at room temperature for longer than one hour as this is when bacteria can start to grow. To re-heat rice, pop it in the microwave, or cook from frozen in boiling water. Don't re-heat it more than once and make sure it is piping hot before eating.

If you're looking for a meat version of Chilli, cheak out my easy Chilli con Carne

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