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.
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Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili
There’s nothing that says “fall” like a bowl of chili. It hasn’t always been this way for me. When I was younger, I was never a chili lover. I remember my mom making a pot of chili and making a small pot of the same chili without beans for us kids. Chili was tolerable. Chili with beans was not tolerable.
Times have certainly changed. I’d make a big pot of chili to eat on every week if it were up to me. What made me fall in love? Our favorite sweet and spicy chili recipe that you can find here. It’s thick. It’s meaty. It’s full of beans and tomatoes. And it’s slightly sweet. I love my chili just a tad bit sweet.
OUR LATEST RECIPESPaleo Chili Recipe without Beans
Since we are trying the best we can to eat a paleo diet at meal times, my favorite, most-loved chili recipe was off-limits. One of my goals this fall was to take that recipe and make it fit into a paleo, clean-eating diet. With no beans and no sugar, how did we do it? We added in veggies! Carrots and sweet potatoes to be exact.
When I took the first bite of this paleo sweet potato chili after it had simmered in my slow cooker all day, I was so pleasantly surprised. It actually tasted sweet! You see, those wonderful little sweet potatoes baked right into this chili and gave it the perfect amount of sweetness. Learning how to cook without sugar, grains and dairy hasn’t been easy, so when I have a victory like this, it makes my week!
Homemade Chili Powder
Sometimes sugar can be hiding in store-bought spice mixes. We’re crazy for our homemade, sugar free chili powder that seasons this chili perfectly. Find our recipe here.
This paleo sweet potato chili recipe will make a decent sized batch of chili, so you’ll be sure to have leftovers for a busy night or for lunches. And it can easily be made in the slow cooker, making it easy for you to throw together in the morning and have it calling your name when you get home at night.
What to Serve with Chili
Do you need a grain free bread to go with this soup? Try it with these dinner rolls. If you’re not limiting grains, may I suggest this Asiago Cheese Bread? It’s simply amazing with a bowl of hearty soup.
A delicious Whole30 Sweet Potato Chili recipe!
Read our Ultimate Guide to the Whole30 Challenge here.
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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.
- 2 lbs hamburger
- 1 red onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 can tomato sauce 29.5 ounces
- 2 cups petite diced tomatoes with juice
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1 cup carrots sliced
- 5 cups sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1/2 cup chili powder
- dash of oregano
- dash of red pepper flakes
In a large saucepan, brown hamburger, onions and garlic. Drain off the fat.
Add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan. Mix well, bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for about 30-40 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and carrots are cooked through.
Remove and discard the bay leaves. Then serve!
Slow Cooker 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 all day (6-8 hours on high for 4-5 hours).
Lisa @ Cooking with Curls says
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. 🙂
Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes says
I am a huge fan of chili and will eat it most any way I can get it! I’ve never had it with sweet potatoes – I have to try this!
Betty says
Sounds like a very interesting recipe. Just the fact that it doesn’t have beans makes it sound good. The weather is finally getting cool enough, so I’ll be cooking it soon. I will add cumin to balance the flavors.
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
I am a massive fan of chili so this recipe is totally perfect for me. Love how it’s paleo and so good for you! Thanks for sharing the recipe, you can consider that I will be recreating it!
Cindy Eikenberg says
We love chili and I’ve never had it with sweet potatoes, but hubby loves those so will definitely have to try this! Thanks for sharing and pinned!
Linda Omura says
This chili looks so delicious! I’ll be trying it for my husband.
[email protected] says
Funny how tastes change as you get older…..moms always know what the good stuff is, don’t they? This chili looks delicious!
Joyce says
My cardio just told me that my heart condition means I have to change to much healthier eating; he recommends Paleo, and since I like chili a LOT, this looks like a recipe worth making.
Thank you for the post; not easy to stop things like sugar and dairy, but I’d rather be healthy–while eating delicious food, of course 🙂
Lizzy T says
You’re right, Joyce. It isn’t easy at all to cut things from your diet, although it does help a bit if it makes you feel good! I hope you can find some good recipes that will help you not to miss your old favorites!
Britney says
A half cup of chili powder?? Surely that is an error…
Lizzy T says
No, 1/2 a cup of chili powder is not an error. You can definitely add less spice if you’d like, but this is the amount that we thought was perfect!
Amy @ These Wild Acres says
Yes! I put in at least this much chili powder (if not more) 😀
Julie Clark says
We could be best friends!
John says
Had the same question 🙂 – cool I’ll try it like that. thanks!
Anonymous says
Seriously! I added 1/2 cup, and it ruined my whole pot of chili. I’m guessing it meant you have to click on that link for the chili powder and make it that way.
Julie Clark says
Nope…we use 1/2 a cup of chili powder and that is the way we like it. You can always add less if you’d like.
Kim says
I have found that non all chili powder is the same though. I use the salt free chili powder blend from The Spice Hunter and 1/2 cup is perfect.
Kristy says
I wondered about that too the first time I made it, but it really is correct. That 1/2 cup is what gives it great sweet flavor and surprisingly it’s not spicy. The second time I made it I didn’t have enough chili powder and it wasn’t nearly as good.
Julie Clark says
Thanks, Kristy! Yes, 1/2 a cup chili powder does not make it too spicy. 🙂
jan gunther says
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!
Lizzy T says
Great ideas, Jan! And yes, you can completely adapt the spice to your likings. Thanks for the feedback!
Cloey says
I plan to cook it in crock pot so wonder if I need to cook meat with other veggies first then add them into crockpot with other ingredient! Thanks!
Lizzy T says
Cloey, Yes, I’d brown the ground beef before adding it to the crockpot. That way you can drain off the fat. The rest of the veggies can just be added to the crockpot. Thanks!
Jill says
If I’m making this in the crock pot, do I need to need to first brown the ingredients in a pan or can they just go directly into the crock pot?
Lizzy T says
Jill, Yes, I’d brown the ground beef first, just so you can drain the fat off the meat. I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Kelly @ The Nourishing Home says
This recipe is so simple and delicious! My whole family loved it, so I’ve included in my Whole30 Meal Plan at The Better Mom and my site at The Nourishing Home. I hope it brings lots of new friends your way. Many blessings, Kelly
Lizzy T says
Thank you, Kelly!
Dayna says
Silly question…what do you mean by petite tomatoes with juice? Are these canned or fresh tomatoes. Sorry, just want to make sure I’ve got it right. Thanks!!
Lizzy T says
Yes, these are canned tmoatoes. We buy the kind that say “petite” so the kids don’t notice them as much in there. They’re just chopped really small. Enjoy!
Kaileen Elise says
This was a fast favorite in our house! I’m planning to cook up a big batch and freeze it for easy weeknight meals in the future. Thank you so much for sharing.
Kaileen Elise says
I tried this during my Whole30 and it quickly became a household favorite. I’m planning to cook up another big batch and freeze for a few quick weeknight meals. Thank you so much for sharing!
Lizzy T says
Thanks, Kaileen! I’m so glad this soup is helping you through your Whole30! Thanks for the feedback. 🙂
Alifaye says
This was amazing. I am on day 29 of my first Whole30 and so I decided to try this out. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Super easy to put together. I let mine cook on low for 2 hours. Great flavor.
Lizzy T says
I’m glad you loved it! And congrats on completing your first Whole30. I bet you feel amazing!
June says
I have made this twice, and it’s now my “go to” chili recipe. Being a newbie to Paleo, this recipe was a real find. I can’t imagine eating my old beans and meat chili. This recipe is the best! Thanks for sharing!
Lizzy T says
Thanks, June! I’m so glad you are loving it as much as we do!
Mandy says
I am a little confused. It says to boil and simmer for 30 minutes of cooking on the stove, but then in the next part it says something about simmering for 3 hours. How exactly do I cook this on the stove? Thanks!
Lizzy T says
I’ve clarified the directions, Mandy. Thanks! Basically you can cook it on the stove (simmering 30 minutes til veggies are soft) or let it cook in the slow cooker.
Jen says
I made this today for the first time and am in love. I was sick of chocolate chili after eating it SOOO much. I love sweet potatoes so this is a winner for me. I found that 1/4 cup of chili powder was perfect for my taste. I also added about a teaspoon of cumin. Delicious! Thank you for creating this recipe! My nine-year-old son is having it for his after school snack!
Lizzy T says
I’m glad you liked it, Jen! I had to smile because chocolate chili is on our menu for next week. I’ve never tried it and it sounds so good! We had this chili for lunch today..and for dinner. 🙂
Tess says
This was so good! I also added 1 tsp of cumin to the chili. Not sure if it made a difference, but it will definitely be in my rotation of recipes from now on!!
Lizzy T says
Cumin sounds like a great addition! 🙂
Mindy says
The first time I made this chili a while back, I came to realize that my crockpot was small for all the ingredients so I had to transfer about 1/4 to the pot to cook on the stove while the crockpot cooks. So, yesterday, I bought all ingredients in half and it fits perfectly. FYI for those who have small crockpot! It was really delicious. Thanks!
Lizzy T says
Yes, Mindy! Thanks for clarifying that. It does make a big pot!
Laura says
I made this for my in-laws last night and it was a hit! Definitely going to be a staple in our household from now on!
Lizzy T says
Yay! We had this last night, too! 🙂
Mark says
I was searching for a paleo chili recipe to make for the super bowl, looks like I found one. Thanks for sharing looks delicious.
Lizzy T says
I hope you love it as much as we do, Mark!
Megan B says
Found this recipe last fall when I was doing a Whole30 and it quickly became a family favorite. We’ve made it every other week since! It’s the only chili recipe that everyone in my household will eat!
Lizzy T says
I’m glad your family has enjoyed it. My kids love this more than my standard chili with sugar and beans. Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
Monica Birdsong says
Oh. My. Goodness! This was delicious! We made it tonight while it was snowing outside and it was perfect! Thanks for making this recipe and sharing it with us! I really loved the sweet potatoes in the chili… then again, I love sweet potatoes in anything! Maybe I can talk my man into these instead of beans for every chili. We shall see; he loves beans. 🙂 Thanks again!
Lizzy T says
Monica,
Thanks for sharing about the soup! I’m so glad your family loved it. It’s perfect snowy weather food!
Cindy says
Can I make this with chicken stock or vegetable stock instead of Beef?
Lizzy T says
It will change the tastes a bit, but yes, I think you could.
Stephanie says
I’ve made this three times with ground beef…so so yummy! but wanted to know if anyone has tried with ground turkey and had good results?
Lizzy T says
Yes! I’ve tried it with ground turkey and like it just as much. I’m making it this week, in fact! Thanks for the feedback!
kristina says
Thank you for sharing. This was SO good! My hubby likes chili but doesn’t love it. He said this was absolutely delicious! He doesn’t want regular chili with beans anymore. That’s fine with me because I love the sweet taters in it!!
Lizzy T says
Awesome, Kristina! My family prefers this chili now to our standard chili recipe, too! I love it when healthy recipes are so delicious. 🙂
Sarah @ POTG says
We found that if you add 1 more cup of beef stock, it comes out absolutely amazing.
We will take a look at our own recipe and see if we can add in some of your style!
Lizzy T says
Sarah,
I have added an extra cup of beef stock at times, too. It cools down the spice a bit and makes the chili go a bit farther, if needed. We’re having it tonight for dinner. Actually I couldn’t wait and had a bowl for lunch. 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Julie
Dawn says
I can already tell this is a keeper recipe, and can’t wait to try it on my first Whole30 (started it today!).
As far as the Whole30 goes, the only things to watch are to make sure the tomato sauce and beef broth are both ingredient-compliant — and hey, for the latter, that’s an awesome opportunity to make one’s own beef broth.
Thank you!
Lizzy T says
Good luck on your Whole30! It’s worth it!
Carlos A. Ilarraza says
how many carbs.per serving. I’m Diabetic and sweet potatoes has sugar.
Julie Clark says
Carlos, I’m not able at this time to calculate how many carbs are in a recipe. Sorry about that!
Katie says
Hello,
This was soo tasty and super good. I was just curious to know what you consider a serving size?
Julie Clark says
Probably a cup and a half or so? We have a family of five and this feeds us for 2 meals.
Julie Clark says
And thanks!! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Thanaa says
I made this tonight and it was delicious!! I did cheat and add some brown sugar since I’m not on a paleo diet but everything else stuck to the recipe. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Julie Clark says
You’re welcome! I love adding brown sugar to chili. I like it sweet!
Thanaa says
Hi! I made this last night for some friends and everyone loved it! Thanks so much for sharing. It was the perfect mix of sweet and spicy. My friends and I are from Jamaica and Trinidad so we love our spice lol
Julie Clark says
Great, Thanna! I’m glad you liked the spice. We find it perfect!
B.D. Matt says
The Sweet Potato Carrot Chili sounded enticing and I sought out most the ingredients but I question 1/2 Cup of Chili Powder. A little spice goes a long ways but I wonder if 4 oz. of spice will make it unpalatable.
Julie Clark says
We definitely like 1/2 a cup of chili powder, but some like to cut it back. If you like it spicy, keep it. If you’d like it more mild, cut it back a bit. Whichever you’d like!
Leslie says
½ cup chili powder weighs about 2.5 ounces. I believe 4 ounces would be too much chili powder in this recipe. Liquid and dry ingredients are measured differently. ½ cup liquid is 4 fluid ounces. Confusing right?
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Heather says
I just love paleo. It’s the best diet I have ever tried. I lost weight, and feel so much better and healthier. And the meals don’t suck,
like in most diets.
I’m using the paleo grub cookbook, you can check it out at http://lookingupstuff.com/weightloss/2015/04/23/paleo-grubs/
Julie Clark says
Agreed!
Katy says
This is such a great variation on chili! We have it quite often and I love how much it makes do we have lunch for the whole week. I just have to cut down the chili powder because it was too spicy the first time. Tonight I have some veggies I need to use up so I’m adding bell peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini. I just added extra stock since it made so much!
Julie Clark says
I’m glad you love this recipe! I love the idea of adding zucchini. I’ll try it!
Gina says
This was amazing! I made it this weekend in the crock pot and it turned out wonderful. Can’t wait for the left overs tonight.
Julie Clark says
I have some leftover chili sitting in my fridge. 🙂 Looking forward to lunch!
Shelley says
This was really good. I live in Jamaica where we never have snow days, but we do like our soups and stews. I added pumpkin, kidney beans (sorry) and extra seasoning the first time and it was seriously enjoyed. Doing it with chicken mince, pumpkin and cannelloni beans today and it smells so good.
Julie Clark says
I love the idea of adding pumpkin! Thanks, Shelley!
Julie Clark says
Oh, and I’d LOVE to live in Jamaica! 🙂
Anonymous says
Come visit sometime. Lots to see and do … And lots to eat!! We love our bellies here😎
Julie Clark says
It’s on my list!! 🙂
Nicole says
I make a lot of chili and have tried many recipes. This is now, by far, my favorite. So rich tasting, but super easy. Love the carrot and sweet potato in it. YUM!
Julie Clark says
Thanks so much, Nicole!
Christina says
Just started my 2nd Whole 30 and I LOVE this chili!! I make a big batch and keep it on hand during the week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Its great in the morning with a fried egg on it or for lunch with some sliced avocado. So versatile!
Julie Clark says
I eat this for all meals of the day, too! We started a Whole30 today and I have 3 ziploc bags of this in the freezer, ready to throw in the crock pot some morning. I love the idea of a fried egg on it! Yum!
Jane says
This was excellent and perfect for the Whole 30. I did make some tweaks… Sharing on my blog with a link back to you… but your picture is so much better!
Julie Clark says
Thanks! Looking forward to seeing it. 🙂
Leith says
This looks so good! I’m gonna try it but one question. Will the potatoes get to mushy if you slow cook all day
Julie Clark says
They do get very soft, but they don’t get fall apart mushy.
Reena says
I’m on a diet where I need to know the breakdown. Do you have the full breakdown on this chili?
Julie Clark says
I’m sorry, I don’t have the nutritional info.
Stephanie says
Just had to let you know that I have made this chili several times now with raving success each time. I have made it once with hamburger, once with ground turkey and once with ground pork – amazing each time. I also served this to about 60 people this winter after church and I have never had so many people come up and ask me for the recipe – to me that is the true sign of a mega hit – when the church ladies want to know your secret!! We are doing Whole30, er whole90 by now, and I keep repeating this recipe due to its flavor and how filling it is!! My hubster, who absolutely detests anything sweet potato and grudgingly agreed to try it, admitted it was good and proceeds to eat his fair share every time I make it. Well done and thanks for sharing 🙂
Julie Clark says
Wonderful!! You just made my day. 🙂 Thank you so much! We just had it this week, too!
ginandtonica says
This was delicious! I am legume and dairy free, and was hankering for a bowl of chili that did not have beans and that I would not want to add cheese and sour cream to. This hit the spot perfectly. I used some venison stew chunks rather than ground beef, because I am clearing out my freezer and a bit less chili powder because the 1/2 cup scared me! Everything else I did the same. I cooked the meat and spices and tomatoes for several hours in the crock pot and then transferred it to my dutch oven and finished making it on the stove. So, so good! It had some heat, so I diced up some avocado for mine and the creaminess was perfect! Made some cornbread with honey butter as a side. There is plenty left for a couple of lunches, and I might freeze a serving or two, for when hubs is at work and I don’t want to cook! Thank you for the great recipe!
Julie Clark says
You’re welcome! I bet it was great with venison!
Cindi says
It’s a cold, rainy Sunday and I just made this chili. It was simple, it was clean, it was awesome! I did add black beans, because I can’t have chili without beans. 🙂 I also added a little extra chili powder (we like spicy food!).
I can’t wait to make this again, I think I’ll add butternut squash next time.
Julie Clark says
I like the idea of butternut squash! I’ll have to try it, too. 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Jill says
I don’t often leave reviews but I wanted to say that this chili was outstanding. I brought it to a party last night and many of the guests told me they loved it. Being able to provide a healthy and tasty chili was rewarding.
Julie Clark says
This is one of my favorite healthy dinners to share with guests! I’m glad you loved it. Thank you!
Kristie says
Great chili! I just made it tonight. It’s delicious!! Definetly not too much chili powder like you would think. It’s a nice change from my normal chili.
Julie Clark says
Wonderful! I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
Lacey says
I love this recipe and have shared it with other friends and family. Would you say a serving out of 10 servings for the recipe above would be about a cup or would it be closer to 2 cups? The recipe is amazing! I found it while doing a whole30. I couldn’t find organic beef stock at Costco so I subbed organic chicken stock and it was still bomb!
Julie Clark says
I’d say one serving is closer to two cups. I’ll try to remember to measure it out exactly next time. Thank you!I’m glad you love this as much as we do!
Lacey Crow says
Thank you so much for replying Julie! This helps a lot with counting calories and macros. This is our go to chili recipe!
Julie Clark says
You’re so welcome!
Anne Daugherty says
This Sweet Potato Chili was delicious! I have been wanting to cook sweet potatoes in the crock pot but was uncertain how they would come out. When I saw this recipe, it looked so good that I just had to try it! OMG!! Yummy!!!! Will definitely make this one again. It is my chili recipe of choice. I even made the recipe for the chili powder. I will keep on making that one too! I was however out of onion powder so I used dried minced onions and it worked perfectly! Thank you so much for this recipe! Love, love, love it!!!!
Julie Clark says
Awesome! Thank you, Anne!
Peggy says
i love chilli but scents i’ve found out i have a gallstone i can’t have anything spicy so i was wanting to know can i make this without the spicy stuff?
Julie Clark says
You can try it. It will definitely taste different. But if you are used to no spice, it may work for you!
Tammi Allen says
Just to be clear, is it really 1/2 CUP chili powder? It looks delicious, but that looked like a lot of chili powder. Wanted to make sure😊
Julie Clark says
Yes, 1/2 a cup. 🙂 You can certainly add less if you’d like!
Erica says
This looks so delicious! I just started my first W30 and this is a great combo of some of my favorites. When you freeze it, would you brown the meat first or brown the meat on the day you plan on cooking?
Julie Clark says
I brown the meat, then freeze it. You could do it either way, though. I just find it easier and less messy to have the meat browned in advance.
Alma Vorrei says
YUM! Just made this for family (sooo glad it turned out yummy). Thanks for the great flavor filled recipe.
Priya Shiva says
Looks yummy and awesome photography!
Julie Clark says
Thank you!
Lisa Thompson says
Love this recipe. Great as is, and I love that I can modify with different meats (I’ve tried sausage and sliced brats). I’ve also used butternut squash, added red bell peppers, used lots of extra carrots, and experimented with different amounts of stock/tomato sauce/chili powder. I make a lot of soups and curries and I am so happy any time to find one that’s versatile and full of healthy ingredients! Thank you!!
Haley says
I was super skeptical about this recipe. I was kind of weirded out at the idea of sweet potatoes in chili and I was worried the amount of chili powder would be too much.
I added a can of black beans, omitted carrots but put in a chopped yellow pepper and half a chopped zucchini, otherwise followed the recipe. Put it in the crock pot and waited.
It was AWESOME! I made it for my crew at work (we’re firefighters) and they LOVED it. We topped it with cheese and sour cream, served with cornbread and salad. None of us are paleo but the recipe just sounded intriguing.
Thank you!
Julie Clark says
I’m so glad you love it! And yes, we make variations of this all the time with different veggies and beans. Thank you!
Lindsay says
This chili is amazing! You don’t even miss the beans (I know I don’t miss the affects of beans later in my house!)! My kids even love it and it is hearty and filling. I was wondering if I could use this for a freezer meal party. Like brown the meat/onions and then put the ingredients in a ziplock and then freeze for later use. Do you think that would work?
Elisa says
I’ve been making this chili for a long time and we love it. Everytime I make it I think there is orange juice in the recipe. Did it used to call for orange juice or am I just thinking of something else?
Julie Clark says
Nope! I never used orange juice. 🙂
TIM hightower says
great recipe. I made it for the family and everyone loved it. Will be making this again for thanksgiving.
James says
Just made this chilli as the recipe said and it came out damn good even with the half a cup of chili powder which seems excessive but it’s not at all it tastes awesome. We from the potatoes but spicy from the seasonings. A very nice balance the two.
Thank you for the recipe
Hi says
Would this recipe work well with ground turkey instead? If so would vegetable broth be adequate instead of beef broth? Do you think it would work? Thanks
Julie Clark says
It will change the flavor, but yes, it will work!