sweet potato & beef chili
keep calm, stay warm, and eat chili.
Last weekend everyone around here was all aflutter that maybe we’d get our first snow day in several years. The flakes starting coming down on Friday night just as Sawyer (our 3-year old) was going to bed, and he was rearing to get outside as soon as he woke up on Saturday morning. Turns out we got more ice than snow, but hey, it was good enough for us! You better believe Sawyer was out there slipping and sliding around on his tractor, living his absolute best life.
In other news, the majority of farm is still in full hibernation mode, but I’m VERY thankful for my past-self, who was thinking ahead and planted tons of greens in our tunnels earlier this fall. Because even though it’s a frozen tundra outside, inside our (warm-ish) tunnels we’ve got 200+ feet of lettuce, spinach, kale, and arugula. So while I did in fact eat a frozen pizza for dinner last night, I paired that (freaking delicious) pizza with a massive salad made from our own freshly harvested lettuce (because #balance).
Looking ahead at the weather forecast next week, it’s going to be COLD around here, and it looks like much of the US is getting blasted with arctic temps… so if you need a cozy chili recipe, keep reading for my all time favorite sweet potato & beef chili. :)
ps - last call for reader survey + giveaway!
Big thanks for the awesome response to my 2025 reader survey last week! I loved hearing from so many of you, and it really is so incredibly helpful. There’s still time to take the survey… and a reminder that everyone who fills it out is automatically entered in a giveaway, and the winner gets a snazzy farmers market tote bag + an herbal healing salve! Just fill out the survey by this Sunday, Jan 19th (open to free and paid subscribers).
Everyone needs a trusty chili recipe, and this is mine!
I know people are very particular about their chili (beans vs. no beans, ground meat vs. chunks, super spicy vs. mild, etc etc), but *just in case* you don’t have a go-to chili recipe on file, then I highly suggest adding this one to your repertoire. It’s a pretty classic chili, but with a few untraditional ingredients that really make it special and totally crave-worthy.
A few of the things I particularly love about this chili…
It’s super straightforward. Nothing fancy or complicated here – you’re basically browning some ground beef, adding a bunch of fragrant spices and aromatics, then stir in your veggies + beans + broth and simmer everything together for 30-40 minutes until you’ve got a giant pot of chili ready for your favorite toppings.
Sweet potatoes. I know sweet potatoes are not a typical chili ingredient, but you know the farmer in me had to sneak in some veggies, and I love the subtle sweetness they add to balance out some of the spice.
Cinnamon. Once again, not a traditional spice for chili, but I think cinnamon is the real secret to what makes this recipe so good. It gives the chili a bit of warmth and unexpected complexity, and I promise it pairs exceptionally well with the sweet potatoes.
Keep reading for the full recipe (and a handy 1-page PDF for easy printing).
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Sweet Potato & Beef Chili
Serves 8