Easy Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili {Instant Pot Recipe}

Sweet and Spicy this Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili is quickly made in the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker.

I usually think of chili as a weekend endevour. A big pot, simmering for an hour or so, cooking down, to a rich and thick pot of goodness.

A big pot of chili is like a little insurance for the busy week ahead. It’s like saving for a rainy day. Often it is my only plan to get through a work week. Leftover chili guarentees that the kids can grab something to eat when they get home from school or we have something warm to pack in a thermos for lunch.

But when you use an Instant Pot to make Chili…

Chili can be a weeknight meal.

This dish takes about 40 minutes start to finish. It’s quick but still tastes like it has been cooking all day. I told you how much I love my instant pot. An Instant Pot is made to make chili. You can get similar results on the stove top, but the Instant Pot is just more hands free. I feel like I can walk away and get other stuff done, because there is always other stuff to do. By the time dinner is ready, I’ve cleaned the kitchen and folded some laundry.

A few notes about Sweat Potato and Black Bean Chili

• This Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili recipe is sweet and spicy. I like to add a little maple syrup to the finished dish to highlight the natural sweetness of the sweet potato. Frozen sweet corn adds a bit more natural sweetness.
• The spice comes from jalapeno pepper. I like to use a whole pepper, but use less if you don’t like spicy or are cooking for little ones.
• I used canned beans in this chili. Do not substitute dried beans in this recipe.
• You can make this recipe on the stove top, follow directions as noted below in a large stock pot over medium heat. Browning the onions and veggies for a few minutes before adding the remaining ingredients. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then reduce and simmer until sweet potatoes are soft and chili has thickened, about 30 minutes.

How to make instant pot Black Bean Chili

• Using the saute function of the Instant Pot (Brown on the Crockpot Express), heat olive oil. Add onions and saute for 3-5 minutes, until onions begin to soften. 
• Add jalapeno, red peppers, garlic, and chilli powder. Saute for another few minutes, then press Cancel on the Instant Pot to stop the saute function.
• Add sweet potato, black beans, canned tomato and their juices. Break tomatoes up with the back of your spoon. Set Instant Pot to manual (use Beans function on the Crockpot Express), set pressure to high and adjust time to 15 minutes. Place lid, secure to lock and steam valve to sealing. Press start. 
• Once high pressure cooking cycle is complete, allow steam to release naturally for at least 10 mins before manually releasing remaining steam and removing the lid. 
• Stir in maple syrup and frozen corn. Let sit until corn is warmed through. Serve with toppings of your choice.

Perfect toppings

• avocado
• shredded cheese (your favourite vegan cheese to keep this recipe vegan)
• green onions
• jalepeno peppers
• crispy, baked strips of corn torillas

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