Sweet potato, black bean and quinoa chili is my take on Trader Joe’s delightful Harvest Chili. This healthy, protein-rich recipe is super easy and ready in under an hour!
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My family says I’m cheap
But I kinda prefer to think of myself as “careful-with-my-money”!
So you might think it’s odd that I travel so much. Because traveling is expensive, right?
Well, it doesn’t have to be. It just depends on what’s important to you. Are you longing for plush lodging and 4 star restaurant meals? Great! Go for it, but know that your trip is probably going to be amazing but very short. As for me, I’d much rather book a quaint room and eat bread and cheese for lunch — the money I save allows me to stay on holiday for m u c h longer!
Because of this, I tend to look for rooms or apartments on Airbnb or in small inns that have kitchen access so that I can prepare meals on my own. A trip to the local grocery store or, even better, local farmer’s market yields everything I need to save money while eating well. When traveling I tend to buy a combination of staples and ready-to-eat items. Here are a few things I tend to pick up no matter where I am:
- bread (preferably a baguette as it’s easy to tear and looks really cool sticking out of your shopping bag)
- cheese
- red wine
- sparkling water
- chocolate
- fruit (local if possible)
- plain yogurt
- nuts
- ready made soups and/or salads
On a recent trip to Boston I was delighted to find a Trader Joe’s just 2 blocks from my hotel. Now y’all know that I love hippie food, and Trader Joe’s has the awesomest hippie food! So into the shopping cart went a baguette, soft cheese, ridiculously cheap red wine and chocolate with yogurt parfait ingredients for breakfast the next morning. Since it was Boston in March and therefore freezing, I decided soup would be just the thing for dinner. And woah! was I excited to see a container of Harvest Chili in the deli section. Vegan and made with sweet potatoes, black beans and quinoa, it was a whole food, hippie eater’s dream. And as it turned out, very very delicious.
Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Quinoa Chili ingredients
So when I got home of course I wanted to recreate it for y’all. The recipe is super easy — you don’t even have to drain the beans! The key players:
Sweet Potatoes. Peeled and cut into 1/2″ pieces. Make sure they’re no larger as they will take forever to cook. I used a combination of orange and white sweet potatoes because that’s what I had — any color is fine. HINT: buy several smaller potatoes and not one giant one, as they tend to be hard and pithy (and who wants that?)
Black Beans. Black beans provide protein. I use the store brand canned beans (another way to save money for longer trips!)
Quinoa. Fun fact: quinoa is not a grain but a protein and vitamin packed South African seed. To avoid any bitterness, be sure to rinse before cooking.
Spice Mixture. A combination of chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic granules and smoked paprika provide a nice base to the chili. If you don’t have smoked paprika just substitute regular or leave it out. Also, feel free to use fresh garlic instead of the garlic granules — start with a couple cloves, finely chopped.
Tomatoes + Tomato Paste. The tomatoes intensify the flavor and add just a little tartness to the chili. Plus the diced tomato adds texture and color.
And the process is super simple
- Cook quinoa according to package directions and set aside.
- Saute onion and sweet potatoes in oil until they just begin to brown/caramelize.
- Add spices and toss about to toast and intensify their flavors.
- Mix tomato paste into the water then add to chili along with tomatoes and black beans.
- Simmer until sweet potatoes are tender.
- Stir in cooked quinoa and reheat as necessary. Taste for seasonings and serve!
Looking for more warming soup recipes?
One Pot White Bean Chicken Chili
Can I make Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Quinoa Chili ahead of time?
Definitely. In fact, think it’s even better the next day! If you have leftovers, this vegan chili will keep for 4-5 days in a covered container in the fridge. If you’re doing meal prep, store in smaller, single portion-size containers.
Can I freeze it?
Absolutely! For easy meals just divide into individual containers, and store in the freezer for up to several weeks. Let thaw in the fridge, and warm up in a saucepan or in the microwave.
Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Quinoa Chili
Equipment
- 4 quart stainless steel soup pot
- Vegetable peeler
- Chef's knife
- Metal spatula or spoon
- Glass measuring cup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped about 1 ½ cups
- 12 ozs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½" pieces about 2 ½ cups
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- ½ tsp garlic granules
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 4 cups water
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 15.25 oz can black beans, undrained
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
TOPPINGS
- cilantro, green onions, crumbled corn chips, hot sauce optional
Instructions
- Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Set aside.
- Heat oil in the soup pot. Saute onion and sweet potatoes over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until they just begin to brown/caramelize. Stir with a spoon or metal spatula as they cook to keep from sticking.
- Add spices and continue to stir for a minute or two to toast and intensify their flavors.
- Mix tomato paste into water, then add to chili along with tomatoes and black beans.
- Simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. (This will take longer is your sweet potatoes chunks are larger than ½".)
- Stir in cooked quinoa and salt, and reheat if necessary.
- Taste for seasonings and serve with desired toppings!