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Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili (Bean-Free!)

By Kelly · 28 Comments

This hearty crockpot sweet potato chili combines a spicy, meaty sauce with the subtle sweetness of creamy sweet potatoes and an assortment of veggies.

Whether you’re taking The Whole30 Challenge or not, this bean-free slow cooker sweet potato chili is certain to become a new family favorite. The combination of a spicy, meaty tomato sauce paired with the subtle sweetness of creamy sweet potatoes and an assortment of veggies creates an absolutely incredible chili. Talk about a bowl full of healthy flavor!

To create this classic wintertime comfort food in a bowl, I started with with my original Turkey-Veggie Chili and tweaked it to omit “the magical fruit” without changing its rich hearty flavor. In fact, we find this new new bean-free version to be even more flavorful!

This hearty crockpot sweet potato chili combines a spicy, meaty sauce with the subtle sweetness of creamy sweet potatoes and an assortment of veggies.

Of course, the best thing about this tasty recipe is that your slow cooker does most of the work. Just brown the meat and toss in the rest of the ingredients and go about your busy day knowing dinner will be ready without a lot of fuss. In fact, if you meal plan, you can schedule time to brown the meat ahead of time and then refrigerate or freeze it so it’s ready when you are – a definite time saver!

Oh, and one more bonus – this recipe makes a lot of chili! I always love it when I can get two meals from one cooking session. Simply store leftovers in the fridge for up to five days and reheat to enjoy.

This hearty crockpot sweet potato chili combines a spicy, meaty sauce with the subtle sweetness of creamy sweet potatoes and an assortment of veggies.

Print
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili (Bean-Free!)

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup diced yellow onion (about half a large onion)
  • 1.25 lbs ground grassfed beef (or ground turkey)
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 large red or yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 5 cups)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 28-oz organic diced tomatoes (include liquid)
  • 28-oz organic tomato sauce
  • 1 cup homemade chicken stock
  • 2-3 tbsp chili powder (depending on how spicy you like it)
  • 1 tbsp of all-purpose herb seasoning
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt
  • Optional: 2 small zucchini, cubed (about 2 cups)

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onion in one tablespoon of olive oil for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Then add the ground beef (or turkey) and sprinkle with one teaspoon sea salt. Continue to cook until meat is cooked through.
  2. Add the meat mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Then add all of the remaining ingredients, except the zucchini. Stir well to combine.
  3. Cover and cook on High for 5-6 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. Be sure to add the cubed zucchini during the last hour of cook time, if using.
  4. When ready, remove bay leaf and re-season to taste with additional chili powder and salt. Top with diced avocado and sliced green onions. (P.S. If you're not doing Whole30, I recommend a side of warm grain-free “corn”bread muffins. YUM!)

Notes

Time-Saving Tip: Sauteeing the onion and ground meat together prior to slow cooking increases the chili's depth of flavor. To make it quicker to put this recipe together, you can do this step ahead of time and keep the meat in the fridge (up to 3 days) or freezer (up to a month) until you're ready to make this recipe.

3.1
https://thenourishinghome.com/2015/02/bean-free-slow-cooker-sweet-potato-chili/

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Filed Under: Slow Cooker, Soups, Whole30 ·

Comments

  1. stacey says

    February 10, 2015 at 9:10 am

    I wish I had a warm bowl of this right now! Rainy day comfort food.

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      February 11, 2015 at 8:00 pm

      You are so sweet, Stacey! Thank you for stopping by and leaving a kind note, sweet friend! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Michele Spring says

    February 10, 2015 at 7:54 pm

    This looks so comforting and delicious! If it weren’t in the 60’s here this week I’d be making it, but I think I’ll wait until it turns into winter again (which it most certainly will) 🙂

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      February 11, 2015 at 8:02 pm

      Thanks so much, sweet friend! I am so bummed I missed talking to you today! I have NO voice due to this awful flu bug going around. I hope to chat with you soon! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Rhonda says

    February 13, 2015 at 5:03 pm

    This looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      February 13, 2015 at 5:15 pm

      Thanks, Rhonda! 🙂 Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Deb says

    February 17, 2015 at 10:35 am

    This might be a silly question, but I bought an eggplant that I don’t really know how to cook (all my previous attempts have been unsuccessful). Could it be added to this chili? If so, would you add it with/instead of the zucchini at the end or should it cook the whole time?

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      February 17, 2015 at 11:05 am

      Hi, Deb. Not a silly question. And I applaud you for wanting to use what you have on hand. I would recommend cooking the eggplant longer because it’s denser than zucchini. Since I haven’t tried it myself, you’ll be experimenting a bit, but I’d try at least 2-3 hours in the crockpot depending on how firm you want it to be. 🙂

      Reply
      • Deb says

        February 19, 2015 at 7:23 pm

        Thanks so much, Kelly. I chickened out on adding the eggplant because I was concerned about it adding too much of a bitter taste. I will still find a way to use it, though.

        But, I had to tell you, this got great reviews from my whole family, including my father-in-law who is generally a very tough critic when it comes to healthy food (Cheetos are a basic food group to him). So, hooray for that! Thank you for this and all your recipes. I love your site.

        Reply
        • Kelly says

          February 20, 2015 at 8:39 am

          You are so welcome, Deb. I am so glad to hear that you and your whole family (hubby included) enjoyed this chili. Appreciate your kind words. And a little tip with that eggplant. If you cut, then salt it and leave it for about 30 minutes, then rinse, it will help to remove the bitterness. Here’s more details: http://www.thekitchn.com/soggy-bitter-eggplant-just-add-salt-173792 Hope this helps! Blessings, Kelly 🙂

          Reply
  5. Julie Olson says

    March 25, 2015 at 12:05 pm

    On this rainy day in March, I am making this for the first time, but don’t have the all-purpose herb seasoning. Can you recommend what seasonings I should substitute??

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      March 25, 2015 at 12:55 pm

      Hi, Julie. Yes, here’s what typically in All-Purpose Seasoning blends: onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, thyme, celery seed, basil, oregano, sage and coriander.

      So if you combine whichever of these herbs you have on hand, I am sure it will be delicious! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Kate Lucius says

    April 20, 2015 at 12:52 pm

    Just wanted to let you know that I made this last week and it was awesome! Have never cooked chili with sweet potatoes before and it turned out so good! I also added a few extra chili spices and honey. My husband loved it. Thanks for posting!

    Reply
    • Kate Lucius says

      April 20, 2015 at 12:58 pm

      whopps! Just realized I commented under the wrong recipe… Meant to put my comment here:
      http://thenourishinghome.com/2014/03/roasted-chicken-chili-gf/

      Reply
      • Kelly says

        April 20, 2015 at 8:56 pm

        No worries! Thanks again for your kind words! 🙂

        Reply
    • Kelly says

      April 20, 2015 at 8:57 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kate! I appreciate you taking the time to leave a kind note! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Fran says

    November 3, 2015 at 10:16 am

    Do u have nutritional information for this ecipe?

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      November 3, 2015 at 7:06 pm

      Hi Fran. I don’t provide nutritional breakdowns, but you can easily calculate the nutritional information for any recipe using an online calculator like this one: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator Blessings, Kelly 🙂

      Reply
  8. Kari H. says

    February 18, 2016 at 5:13 pm

    Wow, this was so delicious! I did not have any bell peppers or zucchini on hand so left those out and did not have any chicken stock so substituted water and it was STILL amazing. Can’t wait to make it with all the ingredients 🙂
    Stirred in some mashed avocado to everyone’s bowl since we can’t have sour cream or cheese…yum!

    Has anyone tried freezing this? Would love to “cook once eat twice” but not sure how well sweet potatoes freeze?

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      February 22, 2016 at 5:29 pm

      Hi, Kari. So happy you enjoyed this and it worked out well with you substitutions. You can freeze this. The sweet potatoes may end up a little mushy, but it will still taste great! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a kind note! Blessings to you, Kelly

      Reply
  9. Dona LW says

    September 16, 2016 at 3:43 am

    Fantastic recipe. Easy to make and delicious. My husband loved it and he is a foodie so really pleasing him when it comes to meals isn’t always easy. He even served to one of his friends down at the fishing pier and told me to remember this recipe. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      September 17, 2016 at 11:08 am

      Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a kind note, Dona. I’m so happy your husband and his friend enjoyed this recipe! 🙂 Appreciate you!

      Reply
  10. Andi says

    November 2, 2016 at 12:46 pm

    How would I make this a non-slowcooker recipe? 🙂 I’m one of those people that doesn’t plan ahead enough to get it all in the pot when it’s the right time. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      November 4, 2016 at 9:19 am

      Hi, Andi. You could easily make this on stove top. Brown the meat in your stock pot and then add the ingredients, bring to a gently simmer and cook covered until sweet potatoes are softened to desired consistency. I haven’t done it this way myself, but mostly it would take about 30-45 minutes. I’d check it at the 30 minute mark and then continue to cook if the sweet potatoes aren’t soft enough. Enjoy! 🙂 Blessings, Kelly

      Reply
  11. Happy Home Fairy says

    March 11, 2017 at 10:44 am

    My family LOVES THIS CHiLi! Thank you for such a delicious and healthy recipe!!

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      March 16, 2017 at 2:14 pm

      thank YOU for your super kind note, sweet friend! appreciate you taking the time to leave an encouraging note! xoxo

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 50 Fabulous Grain-Free Slow Cooker Meals - Keeper of the Home says:
    March 13, 2015 at 1:02 am

    […] with kids) • Cauliflower Chicken Chili • Easy Beef Chili • Pork Tenderloin Chili Verde • Sweet Potato Turkey Chili (pictured above) • How to Make Beef Bone Broth • How to Make Chicken Bone Broth • […]

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  2. 25 Paleo Crockpot Soup Recipes | Plaid & Paleo says:
    December 18, 2015 at 6:04 am

    […] Bean-free Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili by The Nourishing Home Crockpot Tomato Basil Soup by Food Renegade Salmon Head Soup by Rubies and Radishes Slow Cooker […]

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