This sweet potato and ground beef chili breaks all the rules

As I watched fat, fluffy flakes dance outside my window last week during one of the first snowfalls of the year in Washington, I longed to be wrapped in a blanket on my couch, bingeing my latest television obsession and cradling a bowl of something warm to eat. Instead, I was prone in bed, down bad with some sort of cold (strep throat, I later discovered), watching shows only between the rounds of sleep my body forced upon me to try to recover.

Now that I’m finally on the mend — and with antibiotics in tow — I look forward to our next snow day, when I’ll have this hearty ground beef, kidney bean, and sweet potato chili at the ready.

I can hear them now: the purists rushing to the comments section to tell me that this, in fact, is not real chili. To them, the dish — more accurately referred to as chili con carne — should contain only chunks of beef that have been simmered low and slow until they fall apart into a sauce consisting primarily of chile peppers. These diehards believe ground beef is out of the question, would never in their wildest dreams dare to include beans, and might try to get me committed at the mere mention of sweet potatoes.

But words and their meanings evolve. Colloquially, chili can refer to just about any stew with meat and/or beans as long as it is predominantly flavored with chiles. (Note the difference in spelling when referring to peppers vs. the dish.) Don’t let stubbornness make you miss out on making this delicious version with sweet potatoes, ground beef, and beans for dinner.

Like many good dishes, this one starts by sautéing an onion in oil. Then goes in the ground beef — which is great for weeknight-friendly versions, though any ground meat or plant-based alternative would work — along with chili powder, cumin, and a pinch of cayenne. This trio of seasonings offers the signature flavor profile of my ideal chili: warmth, depth, and a touch of heat. Tomato paste (another ingredient not included in a strictly traditional version) does a lot of heavy lifting in quick-cooking chilies by giving a boost of umami and overall flavor.

Next, a can of beans, diced sweet potatoes, and liquid join in on the fun to simmer until the potatoes are tender. I love the earthy flavor that the beans contribute, plus they’re an economical way to stretch the meal into more servings. For the liquid, I like a dark beer, such as a dunkel, porter, or stout, which brings a lot of complexity and depth with just popping open a bottle. (Those looking to avoid alcohol should select a nonalcoholic beer or use beef broth or stock instead.)

Sweet potatoes, while unconventional, bring an unexpected flavor component to make the whole pot more exciting, with their natural sugars harmonizing with the umami of the beef and beans, the touch of acidity and bitterness from the tomato paste and beer, the whisper of spice from the seasonings, and, of course, salt, which amplifies the pot’s collective flavor.

Salt is often paramount in one’s enjoyment of a recipe, but with a dish such as this chili, the other seasonings are critical, too. What we know as “chili powder” is a blend of various chile peppers along with other seasonings, such as cumin, oregano, and garlic powder. As such, a jar of chili powder can vary greatly in flavor from brand to brand, which is why this recipe’s season-to-taste directive mentions all of the seasonings included in the ingredient list. In addition, ground spices lose potency over time, so the cumin I have in my kitchen might be stronger than the jar hiding in the back of your cabinet, meaning you’ll need to add more of it to achieve the same flavor. Or you might just enjoy cumin in your chili and simply want more of it.

As I’ve mentioned before, the recipes I develop and share here are a reflection of my own palate and what I think tastes good. If you make my dishes exactly as written and love them, great! If you make your own tweaks so the final result is something you can’t wait to eat again, that’s excellent, too! My main goal is to help you eat deliciously. Full stop. I encourage you to explore the offered substitutions and make as many adjustments to a recipe as you need to do just that, lest I become a recipe purist myself.

Let this chili guide the way.

This sweet potato chili with ground beef and kidney beans is sweet, spicy, and comforting. A bottle of dark beer adds extra complexity and depth. Chili powder blends can vary greatly in flavor, so taste and adjust the seasonings as you see fit before serving.

Servings: 3-4 (makes about 6 cups)

Total time: 40 minutes

Substitutions: Yellow onion >> any color onion. Ground beef >> ground turkey or chicken, or a plant-based ground meat alternative. Sweet potatoes >> butternut squash. Canned kidney beans >> any canned beans or 1 1/2 cups home-cooked beans. Alcohol-free? >> Use a nonalcoholic beer or 1 1/2 cups beef, chicken, or vegetable broth or stock.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable

1 medium yellow onion (9 ounces), diced

1 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1 pound ground beef, preferably 90% lean

4 teaspoons chili powder, plus more to taste

2 teaspoons ground cumin, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 medium sweet potatoes (1 to 1 1/4 pounds total), peeled and cut into roughly 1/2-inch dice

One (15-ounce) can no-salt-added kidney beans, with their liquid

One (12-ounce) bottle dark beer, such as Modelo Negra

1/2 cup water

Sour cream, shredded cheese and sliced scallions, for serving

Directions

In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, salt, and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes.

Add the beef, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring and breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until incorporated, about 1 minute.

Add the sweet potatoes, beans and their liquid, beer, and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the liquid is at a gentle simmer, cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste, and season with more salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper as desired. Ladle the chili into bowls and serve hot, with sour cream, shredded cheese and sliced scallions.

Nutritional information per serving (1 1/2 cups), based on 4: 497 calories, 16 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 52 g carbohydrates, 809 mg sodium, 74 mg cholesterol, 33 g protein, 14 g fiber, 12 g sugar.

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.