Paleo Sweet Potato Chili

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Indulge yourself in a bowl of Paleo Sweet Potato Chili that is spicy and full of beef. It’s thick, rich and slightly sweet while being grain free, sugar free and dairy free.

There’s nothing that says comfort food during the winter months like a bowl of spicy chili. We made a sweet potato version of our traditional chili recipe (which by the way won best chili recipe in several chili cook-offs!). No beans. No sugar. Just thick, meaty and heart warming chili with sweet potatoes and lots of flavor.

This Sweet Potato Chili Recipe switches out beans for sweet potatoes and carrots, both of which add a natural sweetness to the chili. It’s a no bean chili recipe that your family will love. And the best part, it can be made both in the slow cooker and on the stove top.

a wooden ladle full of sweet potato chili

What readers are saying:

Jacqui says, “This chili is AMAZING!!! A friend made it for our family after I had surgery. Even my non adventurous husband and daughter thought this recipe was awesome. It was the fastest a pot of chili has ever been consumed.” ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Deborah says, “I just wanted to share that I just won a chili cook-off with this recipe! There were 16 total entries, and I didn’t even tell anyone that it was a Whole30 recipe. My entire family loves this chili. It is so easy to cook. I NEVER leave comments on pages, but this time I had to!” ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Ingredients

ingredients in sweet potato chili

A note about key ingredients:

  • Ground beef. Or you can use ground turkey or even Italian sausage for more flavor.
  • Petite diced tomatoes. This is helpful for picky eaters who don’t love chunky tomatoes.
  • Chili Powder. Yes, this recipe calls for ½ cup chili powder. It’s not a mistake. Add less if you’d like, but it’s the flavor that many have come to know and love. We’re crazy for our homemade, sugar free chili powder.
  • Beef stock. In a pinch, substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth.

✨ See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients. ✨

How to Make Sweet Potato Chili

Make this easy chili in 4 steps.

collage of how to make sweet potato chili
  • In a large dutch oven, brown the ground beef, onions and garlic. Cook until the ground beef is no longer pink. Drain off any fat. 
  • Add the tomatoes and sauce, beef stock, carrots and sweet potatoes.
  • Then add all of the remaining seasonings. Mix well, bring to a boil over medium heat. 
  • Then lower the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 30-40 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and carrots are tender.

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

This soup recipe can easily be made in the slow cooker, making it an easy meal for you to throw together in the morning and have it calling your name when you get home at night.

Instead of simmering the chili on the stove, you can brown the ground beef on the stovetop, drain off the fat and place it into the slow cooker. Add the other ingredients and let it simmer on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

about tastes of lizzy t

Make it a meal.

Top the chili with your favorite toppings such as slices of avocado, fresh cilantro, sliced green onion or parsley. Serve a simple salad on the side.

If you’re not following the paleo diet, it’s excellent with sour cream or cheddar cheese. 

 If you’re not limiting grains, may I suggest this Asiago Cheese Bread? It’s simply amazing with a bowl of hearty soup.

Storage Instructions

Like with many soup recipes, a bowl of chili is often better than next day. Allow any leftovers to cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Can you freeze this sweet potato paleo chili? Yes! Make a big batch of this chili in advance and place separate into individual portions. Store in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 2 months. It’s easy to pull out individual portions on busy nights!

Frequently Asked Questions

What other vegetables can you add to chili?

Zucchini, cauliflower, and butternut squash are all great options. We love all of these ideas to use in place of sweet potatoes to help make it a little more low carb.

Can I use ground turkey in chili?

Yes! We’ve used both ground beef and ground turkey in this Whole30 chili. You can even use ground chicken if you’d like. Each ground meat will change the flavor of the soup so pick whichever you like best.

overhead view of sweet potato chili in a square pot
overhead view of sweet potato chili in a square pot

Paleo Sweet Potato Chili

4.73 from 109 votes
Indulge yourself in a bowl of Paleo Sweet Potato Chili that is spicy and full of beef. It’s thick, rich and slightly sweet while being grain free, sugar free and dairy free.
Servings 10 servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

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Ingredients
 

  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 medium red onion diced
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 can tomato sauce 29.5 ounces
  • 2 cups petite diced tomatoes with juice
  • 3 cups beef stock
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 5 cups sweet potatoes peeled and cubed into 1" pieces
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1/2 cup chili powder
  • dash of oregano
  • dash of red pepper flakes

Instructions
 

  • In a large dutch oven or large pot, brown the ground beef, onions and garlic. Cook until the ground beef is no longer pink. Drain off any fat.
  • Add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan. Mix well, bring to a boil over medium heat. Then lower the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 30-40 minutes or until the sweet potato cubes and carrots are tender.
  • Remove and discard the bay leaves. Then serve with your favorite chili topping.
  • Crock Pot Option: Instead of simmering the chili on the stove, you can brown the ground beef, drain off the fat and place it into the slow cooker. Add the other ingredients and let it simmer on low for 6-8 hours on high for 4-5 hours.

Video

Notes

  • Yellow onions will work as well. Don’t have minced garlic?
  • Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
  • Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
  • The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 10, with one small serving being 1/10th of the recipe. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
 

Nutrition

Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 1294mg | Potassium: 1308mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 15482IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 6mg
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Calories 267
Keyword chili recipe, comfort food, easy soup, healthy soup recipe, paleo recipe

About Julie Clark

I'm Julie Clark, CEO and recipe developer of Tastes of Lizzy T. With my B.A. in Education and over 30 years of cooking and baking, I want to teach YOU the best of our family recipes.

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Jacqui Shoemaker
2 years ago

5 stars
This chili is AMAZING!!! A friend made it for our family after I had surgery. Even my non adventurous husband and daughter thought this recipe was awesome. It was the fastest a pot of chili has ever been consumed.

jan gunther
9 years ago

5 stars
This is an awesome recipe, the chili powder was a bit much for our tastebuds. Next time I will use a little less. I also make this without the meat first and put some in a pan and added kidney beans for my vegan granddaughter and them added the meat last. We loved this!

Lisa @ Cooking with Curls
9 years ago

This is awesome Julie!! I am trying to eliminate sugar from my diet, which is terrifying for a sugar addict like me. I could live on this chili and be a happy camper. 🙂

Natalia
2 years ago

Great recipe but the portions don’t seem realistic. No way that would feed 10 people. In my house that would feed our family of 4, maybe leaving room for one guest.

Jamie
3 years ago

5 stars
This is a family favorite. Been making it for years and it is always a hit!
Tasty and easy to make!

Susan Gregory
3 years ago

5 stars
Thank you so much! I love this recipe. It has become a household staple at our place. Love making it both on the stove top and in the slow cooker. It freezes well too.

Carolyn
3 years ago

5 stars
So tasty even if you aren’t looking for Paleo! I used venison since we had some and it tasted so good ☺️ Will make a bigger batch next time to freeze. Thanks!

Last edited 3 years ago by Carolyn
Beth
3 years ago

2 stars
I made this in my instant pot and 1/2 a cup of chili powder is WAY too much! I cut it In Half because I figured the instant pot often brings out more flavor and 1/4 of a cup still made it too hot. I don’t mind spicy foods, either. I would probably use 2 tables spoons if I make this again.

Last edited 3 years ago by Beth
Deborah I.
4 years ago

5 stars
I just wanted to share that I just won a chili cook-off with this recipe! There were 16 total entries, and I didn’t even tell anyone that it was a whole30 recipe. My entire family loves this chili. It is so easy to cook. I NEVER leave comments on pages, but this time I had to!

Jennifer
4 years ago

5 stars
I made this recipe, and used fresh venison chili meat, from a deer my brother harvested. This was my first time making chili and it came out AMAZING!!!! I shared it with a few friends (who are used to eating chili with beans) and they went crazy over it!!

Thank you sooo much for this recipe!! I can’t wait to make it again!

Linsey
4 years ago

5 stars
We LOVE this recipe in our house! I have high blood pressure so I use low sodium/reduced salt ingredients. It’s still so delicious. Idk if I’m not seeing it but curious what the size is for a serving?! Thanks!

Jane
4 years ago

5 stars
Tried it last night. My husband wasn’t enthused about sweet potatoes instead of beans. But, he changed his mind. We both loved it!! I used ancho chili powder from New Mexico—delicious. Will make again.

Mo Willis
4 years ago

How do you think this would freeze for ahead of time prep?

Teresa Medeiros
4 years ago

5 stars
This recipe is so yummy! I modified it slightly by using lean ground chicken instead of beef and I used only 1/4 cup of chili powder. The first time I tried this recipe I used the 1/2 cup that the recipe calls for but found it a bit spicy. So good!!

Sally
4 years ago

5 stars
I had this at a community event the other night. It was so fabulous I begged the organizer of the event to send me the recipe. Just got it and will be making it tonight for my family. It’s delicious!