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Halloween Chili in a big green pot getting scooped out by a white ladle on a wooden table with a striped napkin and wooden spoon
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5 from 17 votes

Halloween Chili

Classic chili dresses up for Halloween! Black cocoa and sweet potatoes make for a black and orange chili that's hearty and healthy.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 443kcal
Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or other cooking oil
  • 1 medium / large onion
  • 5 cloves garlic, peeled (see notes)
  • 1.5 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided, plus more as needed
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne (optional, use more or less for preference)
  • 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
  • 2 lbs. ground beef, divided (85%, 93% or a combo of both; preferably grass-fed)
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
  • ¼ cup black cocoa powder
  • 1-1.5 lbs. sweet potatoes (1 large or 2 medium)

Instructions

  • Add the oil to a large pot over medium heat until shimmering.
  • Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion into a medium dice. Mince the garlic cloves. Add both to the hot oil with 1/2 tsp. fine seal salt and saute until soft and translucent, about 8-10 minutes (it's fine if they start to turn golden).
  • Scoot the onions to the sides of the pan. Add the chili powder, cumin and cinnamon to the center of the pot and saute for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly (this will "bloom" the spices to draw out their flavor). Stir into the onions, then scoot them again to the sides of the pan.
  • Scoop the tomato paste onto the center of the pot and saute for 1-2 minutes, until slightly darker in color. Stir into the onions.
  • Add one pound of ground beef and break it up into smaller and smaller chunks as it browns, flipping them around to brown on all sides, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Add roughly 1/2 cup of the beef broth and use the liquid to scrape up any brown bits off the bottom of the pot (they add a lot of flavor). Add the rest of the broth, the tomato sauce, the black cocoa and 1 tsp. fine sea salt. Turn the heat up to bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot.
  • Add the second pound of ground beef and break it up as much as you can while stirring it around in the chili. As it cooks it will disintegrate more. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot. If it looks like it's reducing too much and getting too thick, add a bit of water to thin it out.
  • Meanwhile, peel and dice the sweet potatoes. Stir into the chili and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Once a fork easily slides into a piece, the chili is ready. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
  • Serve with your favorite toppings!

Notes

Topping ideas:
  • sliced avocado
  • sliced fresh or pickled jalapenos
  • crushed tortilla chips (omit for Paleo/Whole30)
  • sour cream (dairy-free if necessary, omit for Paleo/Whole30)
  • shredded cheese (dairy-free if necessary, omit for Paleo/Whole30)
If you don't have black cocoa, you can use regular unsweetened cocoa powder, either natural or Dutch-processed. The chili won't be as dark, obviously, but will still be delicious.
No fresh garlic? Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder to the chili powder, cumin and cinnamon mixture.
For a slow cooker, follow the recipe using a large skillet on the stove until the first pound of meat is browned and add everything to a slow cooker. Add 1.5 cups beef broth, tomato sauce, black cocoa, salt and crumble in the second pound of ground beef. Stir to combine. Cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8. If cooking on high, add the sweet potatoes when the chili has 30 minutes left. If cooking on low, add the sweet potatoes when the chili has 60 minutes left. If chili is too thick, add remaining 1/2 cup broth.
For an electric pressure cooker/Instant Pot, using the sauté function, heat the oil until shimmering. Proceed with the recipe through adding 1.5 cups broth, tomato sauce, black cocoa and salt. Add the second pound of ground beef right away and break it up into small pieces as you stir it around. Lock on the lid and make sure the seal is closed. Press the chili button (usually sets it to 35 minutes) and then manually reduce the time by 5 minutes. Once it's finished, press Keep Warm/Cancel. Quick release, add the sweet potatoes, and manually set the time for 5 more minutes. Once finished, press Keep Warm/Cancel and quick release. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. If it's too watery, press the Sauté button and let it heat up until it's simmering. Once it's reduced to your desired thickness, press the Keep Warm/Cancel button and serve. If it's too thick, add remaining 1/2 cup broth.
This sweet potato chili will keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days.
To freeze, portion into resealable bags (be sure to press out the air) or freezer-safe containers (fill all the way so there's no air inside) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheat on the stove over medium heat, adding more water or broth if necessary. Or thaw in the microwave, stirring every 5 minutes until it's hot/warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 1069mg | Potassium: 892mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 11534IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 5mg