Slow Cooker Lentil Sweet Potato Chili Recipe
This Slow Cooker Lentil Sweet Potato Chili is a hearty, nutritious, and flavorful vegetarian chili. Packed with protein-rich lentils, sweet potatoes, beans, and a medley of spices, it’s perfect for a comforting meal. Easy to prepare and slow-cooked to perfection, this chili is ideal for meal prep and can be garnished with fresh avocado and herbs for an extra touch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours (slow cooker low) or 4.5 hours (slow cooker high) or 10 minutes pressure cook + 30 minutes natural release (Instant Pot)
- Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes (slow cooker) or approximately 45 minutes (Instant Pot)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking or Pressure Cooking
- Cuisine: American Fusion / Vegetarian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sweet potatoes, chopped
- 1 ½ cups frozen corn
Canned Goods
- 2 x 796ml/28oz cans diced tomatoes
- 1 x 398ml/14oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Dry and Spices
- 1 ½ cups dried green lentils
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Liquids
- 3 ½ cups vegetable broth (slow cooker) or 3 cups vegetable broth (Instant Pot)
Optional Garnishes
- Diced avocado
- Fresh parsley or cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Chop the yellow onion, mince the garlic, and cut the sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Drain and rinse the red kidney beans.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, sweet potatoes, canned diced tomatoes, kidney beans, frozen corn, dried lentils, chili powder, cumin, and vegetable broth to the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Mix everything well to distribute the spices evenly.
- Cook (Slow Cooker): Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.5 hours until lentils and sweet potatoes are tender and flavors meld.
- Cook (Instant Pot): Using a 6-quart pressure cooker, add 3 cups vegetable broth instead of 3 ½ cups. Secure the lid, lock it, and close the pressure release valve. Set on high pressure for 10 minutes. Allow roughly 30 minutes to reach pressure.
- Natural Release (Instant Pot): After cooking, press cancel and let the pot natural release pressure for 15 minutes. Then carefully open the pressure release valve to quick-release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid once it is safe.
- Season to Taste: Season the chili with salt and pepper. Taste and add more chili powder a teaspoon at a time if a bolder chili flavor is desired.
- Serve and Garnish: Serve hot, garnished with diced avocado and fresh parsley or cilantro if desired.
Notes
- Use vegetable broth low in sodium to better control salt levels.
- Lentils do not require pre-soaking but rinsing is recommended.
- Adjust chili powder according to preferred spice level.
- Leftover chili stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and freezes nicely for up to 3 months.
- This recipe is naturally vegan and gluten free.
- For thicker chili, cook uncovered for the last 30 minutes in slow cooker.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approximately 250g)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 12g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: lentil chili, sweet potato chili, slow cooker chili, vegan chili, vegetarian chili, healthy chili recipe, pressure cooker chili
