Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

I love sweet potatoes and had to try this recipe. I'm glad to report that it did not disappoint! I made mine in my crockpot on low for 5-6 hours. I sauteed the onions and aromatics as directed in step 4 and added to the crockpot along with the ingredients in step 5, and the black beans in step 6. I roasted the sweet potatoes while the chili was cooking and added them to the crockpot at the end to heat through. I didn't reduce the water in the recipe, and the amount of liquid at the end of the cook time was just right. To add more body to the chili, I smashed some of the beans up right in the crockpot to fill it out some. Sometimes when making chili if I remember, I reserve a 1/2 cup or so of the rinsed beans to smash and add when the chili is about done. I usually forget though and just smash in the pot. I served this with a pan of cornbread and topped the chili with fresh cilantro and a little shredded cheddar.

I have used this recipe twice, and it comes out perfect every time. It is my all time favorite chili recipe now. It is spicy, but not too hot. It is also very rich with just a hint of sweetness. The second time I cooked it, the only thing I changed was that instead of putting a teaspoon of sugar in the chili, I put about a tablespoon of sugar on the sweet potatoes before I roasted them. This helped them brown and caramelize a little more. It came out great!

Yummy. Followed all directions with the exception of the jalapenos because I'm a wimp. It was really filling and tasted great. Love the chipotle flavor.

I made this for a Vegetarian/Vegan Potluck, and It was a great hit. Now I made this cause I wanted to make something different for the potluck. I generally don't like sweet potatoes, but I loved this and so did everyone else. It has a nice kick to it from the spices, and the sweet potatoes give the chili a really nice body. I will definately be making this again.

This turned out to be amazingly good. I used Trader Joe's low sodium Garden Patch vegetable juice in place of some of the water. I did not add any salt nor did I add any sugar and skipped the cornmeal. I used a dash of cayenne pepper instead of any ancho chili powder because I did not have any ancho chili powder. All of my dinner guests also loved this dish. Thank you Chef John for the recipe and the very helpful video.

I followed the recipe to a 't' and also made some rice to go along with it. While the dish tasted fine, and I had enough for leftovers I won't make again. The level of effort (chopping) and all of the ingredients I had to source left me wanting more. If you have all the ingredients on hand - try it, but I wouldn't make a special trip to the store just to pick up the ingredients for this dish. Sorry :(

I made this the other day and it was FANTASTIC!! I had to make it friendly for a 3 and 5 yr old so I omitted all of the pepper, except for the red one, added a cup of frozen corn and some Mrs. Dash and it was still great! Everyone liked it and said they'd eat it again. I made scratch cornbread with the cornmeal I used in it and that was a hit too!

I followed the recipe exactly, paying no attention to those who said it was too hot because I love hot and spicy food! I loved the layers of tastes and textures, but it IS too hot...a bit overpoweringly. I would make this again, but I would stipulate using a *small* jalapeno pepper, and perhaps taking out the seeds. Thanks for a vegetarian chili that really packs a punch!

What a difference roasting the sweet potatoes makes in the flavor of the chili. I have made sweet potato chili before but the flavor of the sweet potatoes can get lost in the simmering. I also roasted the red peppers along with the sweet potato, but still added them in with the tomatoes as suggested. We enjoyed this chili, but next time I think I'll reduce the chili powder and cumin a bit.

Loved, loved, loved this flavorful chili. Didn't add chipotle, discarded the jalepeno seeds and used regular chili powder - other than that, made as directed. Only gave 4 stars because too spicy if you don't tone it down.

So easy, and quick. I left out the sugar and cornmeal, and substituted tomato paste (sautéed with onions and peppers) and reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes for canned, since I didn't have them. Roasting the sweet potatoes in a cast iron skillet added even more flavor. The final result was saucy, spicy, smoky and delicious. I didn't miss the meat at all, and can't wait to make this many more times.

Simply the best vegan/ vegetarian chili I've ever tasted! I skipped the sugar (not necessary) and used one square of Lindt 90% cocoa bar instead of cocoa powder, because I had it on hand. I also omitted the corn meal, because I didn't have any. For vegans, skip the sour cream; this chili is fabulous without it.

The first time I made it I thought it was the jalopena that made it too hot, so am making a big pot for a dinner party without jalopena and it's so spicy it's not even edible. And I followed to a t as well. This is extremely disappointing and I have to order a pizza in for my party. How can I be the only person to think the spiciness is unedible? My 12 dinner guests will agree I'm sure and head right to the pizza box

I did make this recipe only used butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes because that was what I had. Fixed the squash like the potatoes only used smoked paprika. Didn't have jalapenos so used 1/2 can of chilpotle peppers in adobo sauce 7.5 oz chopped up. We loved it and our daughter loved it and I will definitely make it again.

Surprisingly delicious (especially for a big-time meat-eater). I cut back on the heat, and used 1 tbsp of mild chili powder. I also some corn in the mix near the end of cooking. This can totally be made a day ahead and actually tastes better after the flavours have all melded.

I only scrubbed the sweet potatoes then cubed them with the skins on..... And I tossed them with olive oil, cinnamon, garlic powder & salt before roasting. Oh my! The flavors really penetrated the whole dish (and the house!)This is one of the best chili renditions. For you meat lovers add sauteed mild Italian sausage....YUM! Jogee

This is a great recipe, easy to make and put together, also easy to put your own spin on it.I have made it twice in a month and plan on many more times, all so makes a great vegetarian taco stuffing, simple reduce the liquid.Yum and Thank You.

really tasty (had to make some modifications for what I had available) but over all had a good flavor and you dont' miss the meat

This was so, so good. I added some corn and celery when I put in the beans and sweet potato, and it all blended together wonderfully in my opinion. Will definitely make this again!

This recipe was quite time consuming, but well worth the effort in the end. Could not find the chipotle pepper spice, so I simple used 2 tablespoons of the sauce from a can of Chipotles in adobo sauce. Did mostly everything by the book except I use agave in place of sugar, so substituted that. I think this might be one of those things that is better the next day. It was delicious for dinner, but suspect after everything has time to marry it could be even better. I did forget the cilantro:( Oh! Well didn't miss it anyway. Thanks for the recipe this is a keeper!

Normally I gravitate towards recipes with fewer ingredients and less time preparation, however I am SOOOO glad I decided to give this recipe a try. It is incredibly delicious and the recipe makes enough for my husband and I to eat for dinner and 2 days worth of lunch! The sour cream dollop on top is perfect to cut the spiciness of the chili powder. I did make a few changes: I used regular chili powder, added a can containing a "5 bean blend", diced my own tomatoes to reduce the salt content and I did not include the cornmeal. It turned out amazing...5 stars!

I like the idea of the combo for sweet potato/black beans but it was too spicy hot for me. The other thing is I'm not fond of diced tomatoes as too chunky. I found a recipe here that combined black beans with corn but not all the tomatoes; just some salsa and when served, I used the mexican sour cream with the cilantro and a combo of a T. of brown sugar with the hot chilies that was just right; I also melted cheese on top. I would suggest modifying some of the highly spicy stuff more to your individual taste. One thing I did that I thought would be nice is when I chopped up the sweet potatoes, I tossed them in some melted butter and brown sugar and celtic salt and roasted them. That part turned out nice.

Having recently turned vegan due to a heart attack i was glad to find this recipe.The roasted sweet potatoes are awesome by themselves had to force myself to stop eating them after they came out of the oven.I followed the recipe pretty much as written but i didn't add any jalapenos instead i pureed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and add a little at a time till i think it's at the correct spiciness.Next time i may add some mushrooms or corn this is such a good base for endless modifications ; )

This recipe is excellent, and for the meat lovers (like myself) I added a cooked rotisserie chicken towrds the end and let it simmer. YUM!!! :) P.S. You might want to roast extra sweet potatoes, I couldn't stop eating them when they came out of the oven!!!

WOW! This came out really good! The grocery store was out of jalapenos, so I used a hot green pepper instead. I also put in only a teensy bit of cayenne pepper, so overall this came out very mild. I like a little spice, so will use a jalapeno and a little more cayenne next time. I have to say, this is restaurant quality soup - I would buy this out to eat, and yet it was relatively easy to make right at home. So happy with this and am sure will make this often!

I think I doubled the chili pepper by accident and it was awesome. Veggie broth also makes it supper yummy. Don't skip on the chocolate it makes the flavor really good.

This recipe is delicious!! I added 1 cup of red quinoa and sliced the jalopena and added whole for mild spicy flavour.

I just recently went vegan and this Chilli beats anything I ever made with meat. I'm a single person so I half the recipe and this gives me two hearty servings or 3 moderate ones. I wouldn't change a thing. The ancho chili powder can be found online at spice barn and I've noticed target has it in their market pantry brand. It's worth it to source both the ancho and chipotle. Makes all the difference. One of my absolute favorite recipes from this site. This is on my menu rotation at least twice a month

I used this recipe to cook chili for the first time and love it. I made it for a chili cook-off at my office and won first place!! (in the veggie chili contest) Highly recommend this recipe!

First off, the baked sweet potatoes are a treat on their own. That being said, based on other comments about this being too hot, I modified a few things. First, I removed the seeds from the jalapeño pepper and chopped it up a bit more. I also omitted the red pepper. Even though I like them, they don't like me. :-). I used regular chile powder and I didn't add the extra pinch of cayenne pepper. It was fabulous. Best part of it was that my husband loved it. I never thought I would ever get him to eat a meatless dish. He said he would like to make this at the Fire Station but that he would add ground turkey.

I have lost weight lately and am always looking for a good healthy recipe that includes vegetables and uses all whole foods. However this had way too many spices and hot peppers for me. I only used the cayenne but I added diced cooked Italian sausage to still give it a spicier kick. The whole family loved it!

I used the recommended amount of ancho chile powder and jalapeno (seeded). I love hot/spicy food but this was RIDICULOUSLY HOT! I can't even judge the taste because of the heat. I might try this again without so much spice. Good lord this is hot!

I have made this twice. Once for an office potluck and once for a dear friend who has turned vegan!!! It was a hit both times. Roasting the sweet potatoes not only helps keep their shape in the chili but also brings out their flavor. No, I did not follow the recipe exactly. Used a single ghost pepper the first time - SPICY!!! Added lime juice just before serving. Skipped the sour cream. For my friend, just used a smaller amount of chili powder. Used one red and one yellow bell pepper and skipped the sugar and cocoa powder. Terrific Recipe!!!

This is an awesome recipe! Since I didn't have chipotle or ancho chili powders, I just used my regular Kroger chili powder and a dash of red pepper. I also added a can of drained corn. Simply scrumptious!

I loved the flavor in this! Very tasty, but sooo spicy. I left out the jalapenos and still had to guzzle down milk with it.. and I generally like spicy foods.

lzj----eliminate the ancho chili powder to reduce that HEAT and only use the flesh of the jalapeno (not the seeds and ribs)

I tried this recipe!!! Awesome, awesome, awesome. Starting the beginning of this year, I became a Nutritarian and I was thinking about vegan/vegetarian recipes I could add to my diet, and I just happened to have this one in my email, I clicked on it and decided to try it, I am so glad I did it was totally awesome! I love it. I kept thinking it had meat in it. It was so good and flavorful with just the right amount of kick. It was even better the second day. I had some left over and I froze it, about a week later I came home and wanted something I could eat quickly and I warmed it up, my biggest regret is that there wasn't a bit more of it in the container to fully enjoy. This one is definitely a keeper.

This recipe is a keeper. I always caution restraint with ground cumin though. If you ever "OD" on cumin the aroma of "old gym locker" will never leave you. I used 1 tsp instead of 1 T and it was quite sufficient I thought. Also consider yourself fortunate if you get your sweet potatoes (yams) from California or Utah because they will be naturally sweet. Here on the E. coast our sweet potatoes are not really sweet. We usually help them out with copious brown sugar and cinnamon. So the recipe as I made it didn't have quite the impact it should have. Next time (and there will definitely be a next time)I think I will try some kind of glaze on the Sweet potatoes as they bake and see if it helps.

I love sweet potatoes every which way. Hubby dislikes sweet potatoes most ways but loves them here! The recipe is a definite keeper based on that alone! I added/omitted/substituted some items due to what I had in stock. I omitted the red bell pepper, substituted cayenne for the ancho chile on the sweet potatoes during roasting, did not peel the sweet potatoes for added nutrition, de-seeded the sliced jalapenos (Hubby doesn't handle spicy foods well) and added meat and juices of a 7-bone roast that I cooked in a slow cooker. The recipe made closer to 6 servings than the stated 4. We will be eating this for lunch throughout the week with some cornbread, of course!

This chili is amazing! Turned out perfectly. Love the combo of chipotle and cocoa.

Made this recipe for 30 people and it was a hit as many asked for seconds and for the recipe! Always looking for a good recipe to feed a crowd, and this is a great one!

I entered this chili in the vegetarian category at my company's annual chili cook-off and it won! It even came in second place overall, only losing to a more conventional meat chili. The only thing I added was a cup or so of frozen corn for a little more texture and color. I love this chili!

I loved this I did add a can of corn and chicken to make it more of a meal. But it was not too hot for me but hot enough that my heat seeking boyfriend loves it too.

Oh my gosh! This chili is the bomb! I made it for dinner tonight and my family was going nuts. They loved it! I adjusted only a couple of things; I added only one tablespoon of ancho chili powder instead of two and I minced my jalapeño rather than slicing it. Also, I did not add cayenne pepper. Even with these changes (or omissions) the chili still had a "kick" to it....it was the perfect spicy-ness. Even my 13- and 9-year-old boys loved it! Definitely a keeper.

I got compliments from everyone on this chili! I did add some shredded seasoned chicken that I had cooked in the crock pot. Also removed the seeds from the jalapeno pepper to make less hot but used spicy black beans from Whole Foods. Absolutely delicious and will make again!

It was so delicious and pretty easy to make. I've made it twice. First time I followed the recipe exactly, and it was good. But what made it better the second time around is cutting the sweet potatoes into bite-sized cubes and adding just a little bit of bbq sauce for added sweetness and smokiness. Can't recommend it enough. Even my meat-loving husband enjoys this chili!

great taste. easy to make.

Excellent recipe! I'm laughing at those who think 1 jalapeño and a pinch of cayenne is too spicey in like a gallon of two of chili.

Wow, this is a good 'un! I was looking for recipes that were lower GI & this fit the bill - you can even trade out that tiny teaspoon of sugar for agave. Not only is it healthy, but uber tasty, too. Nice & spicy!

The roasted sweet potatoes were amazing, both in this recipe, and cooked alone.

As a note of encouragement to those who don't have cumin or ancho chili powder on hand - you don't need it. I used red pepper flakes, chili powder, and a New Orleans Cajun seasoning in leu of those two items, and then used Cayenne as directed. I also did not have a jalapeno, cornmeal, or a red bell pepper. I exchanged half of the diced tomato amount with a can of rotel, exchanged the cornmeal for flour, and the red bell pepper for a green bell pepper. So the moral of the story is, this recipe is awesome even if you have to improvise half of the ingredients.

Followed the recipe exactly as written! Loved it and will make it again!

Okay, so I've had this recipe several times. A couple things to note--roasting the sweet potatoes is genius and really helps keep the texture. The recipe calls for ancho chile powder. You HAVE to use ancho chile (or some other really mild pepper). Generic chili powder is too hot. I made this mistake the first time around when serving this at a dinner party and no one finished their bowls. This last time I "Africanized" and it was out of this world. It was amazing. Seriously, I have made a lot of chilis in my day, but the way I modified it would have won an award. Chili is one of those things in which you can make a good recipe, but not great. This was great. I added ginger to the garlic mixture. I reduced the ancho chili to half, added some smoked paprika and a generous pinch of cardamom. I used hickory smoked salt on the sweet potatoes and at the end when seasoning. I reduced the oregano to a pinch (probably could have omitted it from the African version). I used chicken stock instead of water and added a generous dollop of peanut butter. I also used fresh heirloom tomatoes. I have nothing against canned, but I had them on hand and needed to use them. The flavor that the tomatoes added was amazing. It made a huge difference. I used black pepper instead of cayenne, and of course seasoned at the end to taste.

Made this (tripled)for a school potluck, without the cayenne, and with only 2 jalapeños, just in case it might be too hot for some. Added the tomatoes, water, beans, and roasted sweet potatoes all at once and finished it in the slow cooker for an hour. Came out great, and all got eaten!

The chili base is so amazing. Do not omit the cocoa as it is magic. Great dish all around. The sweet potatoes not only make an interesting addition, but they turn this into a complete protein meal. I will admit that they contrasted too much with the base, but it really works well. My mods... used Italian seasoning due to no oregano, added some paprika, used brown sugar instead of white. if it seems like too much heat reduce or omit the ancho chili, and you can remove jalapeno seeds. I would not limit Chipotle because it adds its own flavor and does not contribute much to the heat.

This was fantastic! The only changes I made were I used vegetable spray instead of olive oil in both instances and substituted Splenda for sugar. I ended up using about 2 1/2 cups water for my chili. I also roasted, then cooled my sweet potatoes while the rest was simmering on the stove. At the 30 minute mark all was ready to combine, heat through and eat!

Very, very good and different too. I followed the recipe but added two extra ingredients. A can of corn and some chicken. I roasted the sweet potatoes (and precooked the chicken) like in the recipe but did everything else in the crockpot. My husband loved it. I would definitely make this again.

Tastes great. Needs way more liquid than called for though. Will make it again and again. Just the thing needed when the weather is -30 with the wind chill!

I omitted some spiciness due to other comments, and it was AMAZING. A new staple in my house for sure.

Yet another great recipe from Chef John! I am a confirmed carnivore, but this vegetarian, vegan even, I think, recipe was fantastic. I didn't have a jalapeno, so added a bit more chipotle pepper. I had too much sweet potato, but cooked it all up as the recipe suggested and ate the extras straight up -- a great spicy sweet potato fry. Thanks Chef John

Really, really good. I love sweet potatoes and black beans, so I knew I was going to like this recipe from the start. But the flavor that it has adds a whole new element to this combination. And despite some of the reviews that it would be too spicy, I ended up adding more of everything to make up for the zucchini, mushrooms, and corn that I added. It was delicious and I will definitely make it again!

I made this using regular pepper instead of chipotle pepper, and a few dashes of cayenne instead of the ancho chili powder. I also left the jalapeño seeds outs, as I was trying to minimize spice. It was tasty!

This chili is awesome! My daughter prefers vegetarian meals, and she could eat this every day. My six year old son loves it, too, even though he claims to "hate" sweet potatoes.

I enjoy all your recipes Chef John. I put chocolate & a bottle of beer in all my chilis. I love the combination of sweet potatoes & the black beans. Thank you.

My wife and I have never had a meatless chilli and I was really worried about how it would turn out compared to the traditional way that everyone is used to. Well, let me tell you, worry no more. This was absolutely amazing in flavor, you didn't even miss the lack of meat. The potatoes took over the show as far as that was concerned and the heat from the peppers combined with the sour cream and cilantro topped it off and made all the I,ingredients come together. This was truly a spectacular show of a well blended recipe that was might tasty, long live Chef John!

I made this following the recipe to the letter and it came out absolutely perfectly. The sweet potatoes add such a richness, and it has perfect amount of kick from the jalapenos without the spiciness overwhelming the other flavors. It was also quite filling. Looking forward to making this one of our staple winter dishes!

My dad had shingles and eating sweet potatoes was supposed to help him so I made this wonderful dish. Very tasty and colorful.

Oh Vishnu! Oh Kali! Oh Klahoma! This recipe is really really good. I followed 87% of the recipe because I love to improvise. No need for the corn meal if you slow cooker it. I added 3 dashes of cinnamon and subtracted 1/3 of the fresh jalapeño. I would cut that down to 1/2 because it was borderline "Geez, this is frigging hot!" I also substituted canned chipotle for the fresh stuff, but it worked just as well. This is a keeper.

Delicious! Zesty! Love it! I couldn't find corn meal so I used a 1/4 cup of instant oats for the texture of "meat" even though this is a vegetarian recipe. Also, used my favorite tomato pasta sauce, one cup, and an extra half cup of water since I had no diced tomatoes. Will make again!

I loved this recipe! I made It today for a girls lunch and it was a hit. One of the girls doesn't care for sweet potatoes but loved them in this dish! I omitted the jalapeños but followed everything else as written. The flavor was complex and satisfying. Interesting choice of ingredients, but they all somehow worked so well together. Thank you for this delicious spin on chili and as other reviewers stated, you don't even miss the meat! I served it with sweet cornbread muffins. Perfect!

I loved it. I took the seeds out of the jalapeno pepper to ease it up a little bit other than that it was a delicious find, and not hard to make. I will be using this again. Thanks!

I LOVE this chili! I've made it at least once a month for the past couple years and everyone who tries it loves it, too, even people who religiously eat meat chili. My boyfriend was hesitant about it and didn't think it'd be filling. I usually increase all the seasonings a little bit and add some frozen corn at the same time as the beans and potatoes and serve it with a piece of cornbread in the bottom of the bowl, the sweetness of the cornbread compliments it soooo well. This is definitely a keeper, and it's pretty cheap to make as well!

Loved it! Deff worth a try if you like sweet potatoes! And it was pretty simple to make, a little time consuming, but simple!

Great vegetarian main dish that I'll definitely add into our rotation. I followed the recipe, then added one zucchini because I had it and served it with cornbread muffins. Yum!

I made this tonight and it was so scrumptious i cant wait for leftovers tomorrow. Now I did make some alterations because it would be entirely too spicy, add more nutrients and for time saving. I used frozen veggies and canned yams(reserve the juice) instead of fresh. I eliminated most of the peppers and just went with cayenne and chili pepper and a few "nacho" jalepeno I bought the cilantro but forgot to put it in used it for garnish with the sour cream, green onion and chives. I dont like using water for anything so I used veg broth and the reserved canned yam juice to nicely thin out the chili. veg broth kept it flavorful while the yam liquid kept it chili dense i did add a bag of vegetable stew veggies(okra, lima beans, corn, celery) I also used diced flavored tomatoes instead of whole peeled crushed. I served this with a chopped salad and salmon cornbread cakes

As usual, chef John's recipe is right on! I did make one change... Instead of water, I used tomato juice. Just my personal preference. Thanx Chef John

I am very calorie conscious so I took left out the sour cream and substituted Splenda for the sugar. Also left out the cornmeal and used fresh tomatos instead of canned. Thanks to the reviewers that reduced and or omitted the peppers. I decided to follow their advice and left out the spicy peppers. Excellent still with all the changes.

So Good. I used regular chili powder and it is amazing. Everyone wants the recipe that tastes it. The only thing is I found that roasting the sweet potatoes takes MUCH longer. Put aside an extra hour just to be sure. Simply Delicious.

I just made this over the weekend and had it for the first time last night for dinner. This is the BEST chili (without meat)!!! Of course, I had to make a couple of adjustments because I didn't have some ingredients - I didn't have any ground chipotle pepper, so I used one Knorr chipotle mini cube to season the sweet potato before roasting and I didn't have any ancho chili powder, so I used cayenne pepper, but cut the amount to only 2 teaspoons instead of tablespoons. It was AMAZING!!! It had just the right amount of heat for me. I like my chili thick, so I didn't bother adding more water at the end. Oh, since I am a fan of garlic, I used about 2 tablespoons of chopped garlic. I also used 2 jalapeno peppers for added heat. Absolutely, without a doubt, this is my favorite recipe to date!!!

We made this today and it turned out so good. Very good in fact. The favors of all the spices really added such a great taste. I was worried about the jalapenos, but they really added a great favor and was not very hot at all. I will make this again. Will not change a thing on it.

This is a wonderful fall dish. I did not cut the sweet potatoes small enough. Will do so the next time. Served with corn bread muffins. It made a great meal!

This was so good. I don't normally like sweet potatoes and was looking for a way to use some up; my boyfriend couldn't believe I served him a meal without meat but even he admitted it was "decent." I didn't have ancho chile powder so left it out, I added more cayenne because it did need a bit more spice.

I couldn't believe how delicious this was. I wish I could give it ten stars!

YUM! So healthy. Served it with corn muffins...perfect!

Only change I made was regular chili powder cuz I didn't have the ancho chili powder...........it is a good vegetarian chili on a cold winter night......very filling.

This was great, my husband say this is the only chili recipe from now on. I did not have jalapeno pepper and used the chili powder I had handy and still had lots of zip to it. Seems everything I have tried from Chef John is excellent.

This was outstanding! I halved the recipe in general but was heavy on the spices. I also added a touch of cinnamon. The sweet potatoes didn't come through as I expected but I'm sure it was bec I gave more bite on spices. My husband says it's a keeper!

This was very good tasting & healthy too, also economical. Even my vegetarian sister & brother in law could eat this. I made this exactly as written except I deliberately I cut down on the amount of heat by using the 1/2 t. ground dried chipotle pepper & only 1/2 of a fresh jalapeno pepper instead of a whole jalapeno. The heat from those two was plenty for us. I omitted the Ancho chili & cayenne. This had a really nice flavor especially when topped with the fresh cilantro & a dollop of sour cream.This also looks nice in the bowls with the black,red, orange, green and white colors. I'll be making this again from time to time. Thanks for a good recipe Chef John.

I've made this several times now, and it's become my go to vegetarian chili. My family prefers a smooth sauce, but I didn't want to lose the red peppers. My solution has been to roast a whole pepper while I'm roasting the sweet potatoes. I make the tomato base without bell pepper, puree it, and then add in the beans, roasted peppers, and sweet potatoes. Delicious!

This is really good chili. I added one link of chorizo and doubled the cocoa powder. It had plenty of flavor on its own and didn't need salt. Oh and the sweet potatoes were great on there own, they almost didn't make it into the chili.

This is an amazingly flavorful chili. I've made it 3 times since october and it's the best. I have reduced the jalapeno to 1/2 of the pepper since it is a bit too spicy for some. The sweet potatoes add a nice sweetness to the spiciness. And I've used dark chocolate baking square instead of powdered chocolate/

This was great!! The only thing I changed was to omit the sugar, and I seeded & chopped the jalapeno... it wasn't over spicy at all, and everyone (including my carnivore husband) loved it. Thanks for another great recipe!

Great recipe for three favorite foods--goes from 4 to 5 star with meat!

Yum.... I only had one small can of diced tomatoes so I added one can of tomato sauce with it. Everything else pretty much was the same as listed. Delicious and hearty. Trying to find recipes to get my husband to try vegetarian meals that will satisfy. Anyway it’s delicious!

Very good. Robust flavor. I modified the peppery spices a bit and used chili style diced tomatoes. i have never used cornmeal as a thickener before, but I like it and I would certainly try this recipe again.

Truly wonderful!!!Made without jalapenos and yogurt instead of sour cream. My 3 & 4 year old's loved it as well as my husband. Its a keeper!

I skipped the cornmeal, and made with red kidney beans and black beans. Also added red bell pepper at the end. The result was a very colorful dish (red, black and orange) with sprinkle of greet chopped cilantro. It is a perfect dish for a cold day, and looked beautiful when served.

I loved this recipe, however my husband didn't care for it. I'll make it again :)

I made this recipe with some minor changes (left out the jalapeno and used red pepper flakes instead of cayenne), and it was much better than I expected. I have never made a meatless chili before, but I found this vegetarian chili very satisfying. The cocoa powder makes the broth rich in flavor and dark in color. Also, roasting the sweet potatoes ahead of time is definitely worth the extra step. I can see this recipe making its way into my regular rotation!