Beef and Sweet Potato Chili

- 2 mins read

A hearty, deeply flavored chili built on a bloomed spice base and finished with sweet potato, bell peppers, and fire-roasted tomatoes for balance. The two-stage pressure cook keeps the beans tender while the vegetables retain their shape.

A closeup of the chili, chunks of bell pepper, sweet potato, and beans float in a deep red broth.

Ingredients

  • 1/3C Dark Kidney Beans (soaked)
  • 1/3C Light Kidney Beans (soaked)
  • 1/3C Navy Beans (soaked)
  • 1/3C Black Beans (soaked)
  • 1/3C Pinto Beans (soaked)
  • 2C Minced Onions
  • 1 lb Ground Beef
  • 14 oz Tomato Paste
  • 2T Cumin
  • 1T Dark Chili Powder
  • 1/2T Smoked Paprika
  • 1t Dry Mustard
  • 4C Beef Stock
  • 1T Soy Sauce
  • 3–4 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 1 Jalapeño, large, chopped
  • 4C Sweet Potato, peeled and diced
  • 2 Bell Peppers, large, seeded and diced
  • 2 14oz cans Fire Roasted Tomatoes

Steps

  1. Soak all beans in a 3% salt water brine for a few hours, then rinse thoroughly. (This is roughly 30g of salt per liter of water)
  2. Sauté 2C minced onions and 1 lb ground beef in a pressure cooker on sauté mode until browned. Remove and set aside.
  3. Reduce heat. Add the tomato paste directly to the remaining fat and pan liquid. Fry the paste, stirring, until it darkens slightly.
  4. Add 2T cumin, 1T dark chili powder, 1/2T smoked paprika, and 1t dry mustard. Stir into the paste for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Pour in 2C beef stock and 1T soy sauce to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Add the remaining 2C beef stock.
  6. Return the beef and onions to the pot. Add the minced garlic, chopped jalapeño, and all rinsed beans. Stir to combine.
  7. Seal the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
  8. Perform a quick release. Check beans for done-ness, if close, continue. Otherwise, return to a high pressure for 10 minutes.
  9. Stir in the 4C diced sweet potato, 2 diced bell peppers, and 2 14oz cans fire roasted tomatoes.
  10. Reseal and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
  11. Remove from heat and let sit undisturbed for 10 minutes before opening.
  12. Perform a quick release and check sweet potatoes for done-ness.
  13. Serve with a chili and cilantro lime yogurt [recipe below], sharp cheddar, or your favorite chili toppings.

Chili Cilantro Lime Yogurt

  1. In a blender cup, combine the stems and leaves of one cilantro bunch, the juice of one lime, seeds and flesh of a hot pepper (Serano, Birds Eye, and Jalapeno all work fine) with 2C of yogurt.
  2. Blend for 1 minute and salt as necessary.

A green bowl full of beef and sweet potato chili. Topped with shredded cheese, chili lime cilantro yogurt sauce, and cornbread.

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