Heat the oil into a large pot and add the garlic and onion. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5-10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
Incorporate the chili powder, cumin, and salt, stir, and cook for 1-2 more minutes, stirring frequently.
Add all the remaining ingredients, stir, and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are soft.
Serve your sweet potato black bean chili immediately with some tortilla chips and vegan sour cream.
Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
This recipe calls for traditional American chili powder, not cayenne pepper. Cayenne and international chili powders are usually incredibly spicy. So if you live outside of the United States, please keep that in mind. If you can only find cayenne, add it to taste until the chili is okay for you, but not too spicy. You could also use chipotle powder, but please add it slowly and try your chili before adding more.
Omit the chili powder if you’re not into spicy food.
Feel free to customize this sweet potato black bean chili with your favorite spices, veggies like pepper, or herbs like cilantro.
Use any type of oil, salt, or beans you have on hand.