Sweet, spicy, smokey and savoury – this Sweet Potato & Beef Chocolate Chili hits all the right marks in every bite! It’s the absolute BEST chili to warm you up on a chilly day. | Gluten Free + Paleo
Chocolate in chili?
Don’t hesitate – just say yes!
Chili is a wonderfully versatile dish. Beans or no beans? Beef or turkey? Make it meatless, add extra veggies or throw in a few pasta shapes? There are so many different ways to make it special, but if there’s one thing you need to try when it comes to sprucing up your next chili – it’s adding chocolate to chili.
Why add chocolate?
Chocolate transforms when added to chili. It becomes, rich, smooth and even a bit smokey. It’s everything you want and expect from chocolate and yet the flavour is somehow completely new.
If you’ve ever wanted to make a dish with a ‘secret’ ingredient to really wow friends and family then look no further than this Sweet Potato & Beef Chocolate Chili!
How to Make this Smokey Sweet Potato & Beef Chocolate Chili
- First things first: cook your bacon! Gently fry your chopped bacon pieces in a large pot until the bacon pieces are crispy and the fat is rendered. Once cooked, remove the bacon from the pot temporarily leaving behind the bacon fat for the veggies.
- Sautéed the aromatics: Add the onion, garlic and peppers to the bacon fat and cook 5-7 minutes until soft. Make sure to stir frequently to prevent the garlic from burning. If your pot ever starts to look a little dry, make sure to add a little olive oil to the pot to keep things moving.
- Brown the beef: Tip the ground beef in to the pot and cook until no pink remains. Use a wooden spoon to break up the beef as you cook.
- Add the sweet potato & spices: Mix in the potato, spices and tomato paste and cook 1-2 minutes. Cooking the tomato paste before adding the crushed tomatoes makes for a deeper, more intense tomato-y flavour.
- Stir in the liquids & simmer: Add the tomatoes, stock and maple syrup and bring the pot to a boil for a few minutes. Then reduce the temperature to maintain a simmer and let stew for at least 30 minutes to give the flavours time to really develop.
- Stir in the chocolate, season & enjoy: Just before serving, while the pot is still hot, stir in the chopped chocolate and mix into the chili. Your colour will deepen into a rich, reddish brown and your chili will take a smokey, earthy flavour from the chocolate. Taste, and season as you see fit then enjoy!
Questions & Tips
What kind of chocolate should I add?
- Make sure to use a semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate. It should be at least 70% dark chocolate and no sweeter than that. You can go for darker chocolate but you may need to increase the maple syrup slightly.
Can I use cocoa powder instead?
- I haven’t tried using cocoa powder for this chili yet (although I have made a chocolate chili using cocoa powder for one of my recipes in my Effortless Vegan Cookbook!). That being said, I do think it will still work. You should still get the deep, cocoa flavour from powder alone, but I do think using chocolate solids will make for a superior flavoured chili. I think the chocolate solids lends itself better to making a smoother, silkier chili.
Can I use a different type of meat?
- I usually like using beef mince with abut 10% fat however you can use a leaner or fattier type of ground beef. You can also use chicken, turkey or pork mince in place of the beef but keep in mind that you flavour will change based on what you use.
Can I freeze this?
- Yes! Leftovers that have been completely cooled can be stored in a freezer safe bag or container and kept in the fridge for up to three months.
Can I add beans?
- Absolutely! Black beans, pinto and kidney beans are all great options. I recommend adding cooked or canned beans at least minutes before removing the pot from the heat so they have time to fully warm through.
So what do you think? If you try this out I would LOVE to know what you think. I’d also love to know what essentials you include in your favourite chili recipes!
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Sweet Potato & Beef Chocolate Chili
Sweet, spicy, smokey and savoury - this Sweet Potato & Beef Chocolate Chili hits all the right marks in every bite! Dark chopped chocolate mixes in to the dish transforming it into an extra delicious, extra special Chocolate Chili - the absolute BEST chili to warm you up on a chilly day. | Gluten Free + Paleo
Ingredients
- 5 strips uncooked bacon
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- ginger
- 1 bell pepper, deseeded and diced - any colour
- 1 pound (455g) ground beef, aim for about 10% fat
- 1/4 cup (66 g) tomato paste
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cup (600 ml) beef stock
- 1 15 oz/400g can chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons (40 g) maple syrup
- 50 g dark chocolate, at least 70%
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lime juice
Instructions
- Dice the bacon strips into small pieces then add to a large, cooking pot and cook over a medium heat until crispy. Once cooked, remove the bacon from the pot and transfer to bowl or plate.
- Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper and chili pepper to the pot the bacon was cooking in. Cook 5-7 minutes to soften the veggies. If the pot is looking a little dry, add a tablespoon of oil. Make sure to stir often to keep the garlic from burning.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the beef to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to break up the beef as it cooks.
- Add the tomato paste, sweet potato, oregano, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder and salt. Stir, coating everything evenly in spice and tomato paste.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, beef stock, maple syrup and cooked bacon to the pot. Mix everything together and bring to a boil. Let boil 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for at least 30 minutes to let the flavours develop and the sauce thicken. Stir every so often.
- Turn off the heat, add the chopped chocolate and lime juice and stir until fully melted and mixed in. The chili should turn a darker red-brown colour. Taste and season as needed - adding more salt or a squeeze of lime juice as needed.
- Serve with your preferred sides and toppings: rice, tortilla chips, fresh herbs, cheese, guacamole, salsa, etc.
Notes
Substitutions:
- You can use brown sugar in place of the maple syrup.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes would be great in place of the regular chopped tomatoes.
- You can use a different type of ground meat, but keep in mind your final flavours will vary based on what you use.
What type of chocolate to use?
- Make sure to use a semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate. It should be at least 70% dark chocolate and no sweeter than that. You can go for darker chocolate but you may need to increase the maple syrup slightly.
Leftovers?
- Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Cal says
Great recipe! I’m a chocolate chilli convert now after trying this. I wasn’t sure about it at first but it certainly adds more depth of flavor. I didn’t have ancho child powder so I used the mild powder I had instead and it still tasted great.
Sarah Nevins says
I’m so happy to hear that! I know what you mean about the chocolate – it seems unusual at first bite but it really grows on you. Thanks so much for coming back to let me know what you thought!