Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili Tortilla Bowls
In this recipe for Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili Tortilla Bowls you make your own delicious crispy taco bowls and then fill them up with vegetarian black bean and sweet potato chili. Top them off with tasty fixings like cilantro, cabbage, shredded cheese and salsa and they are vegetarian comfort food at its finest!
I originally shared this recipe on October 5, 2013. I have updated the images and some of the text today.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe For Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili Tortilla Bowls
Serve anything in a crispy taco bowl and I’m in! This savory chili is no exception. (And it’s probably the reason I love these Tacito Salads, which are like a mini vegetarian appetizer version of this recipe.) These vegetarian chili tortilla bowls are easy enough for a weeknight, but they’re fun too, so you may want to double the recipe and serve them for game day or some other gathering.
For a crockpot alternative check out my recipe for Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potato which I used it as inspiration to make the chili in this recipe.
Recipe Highlights
- Packed with high-fiber veggies
- Vegetarian comfort food
- Homemade bowls are healthier than the store bought alternative
- Make-ahead the chili
Key Ingredients For This Chili Tortilla Bowl Recipe
- Tortilla Bowls: Whole-wheat tortillas (soft taco or fajita size) and cooking spray.
- Vegetables: Sweet potato (peeled and cubed). Tomato, cabbage, lime (for topping).
- Staples & Seasonings: Canola oil, garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt.
- Canned goods: One can of diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted. Drained black beans.
- Cheese: Shredded Monterey jack or cheddar
- Salsa: Optional
How To Make Vegetarian Chili Bowls
Step 1: Make Tortilla Bowls
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Arrange 6 heat-proof ramekins on the prepared baking sheet, face down. Lightly coat the ramekins and baking sheet with cooking spray and then lay the tortillas out on your work surface.
Brush oil over the tortillas and drape them, oil side up, over the ramekins and pinch them to crease and create inverted bowls. Bake them until the shells are lightly golden and crispy, which should take 17 to 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them cook for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 2: Make Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
While the bowls bake and cool, heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring often until the onion is starting to soften and brown. This’ll take about 4 to 6 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and salt. Cook while stirring until the mixture is fragrant. About 30 seconds.
Stir in the canned tomatoes, sweet potato, black beans, and water, and then bring it to a simmer over high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally. As the chili cooks, add up to 1/2 a cup of water for a saucier consistency, or if the mixture thickens too much before the sweet potato is tender. Continue simmering until the sweet potato is softened, about 18 to 20 minutes.
Step 3: Assemble Chili Tortilla Bowls
Toss the cabbage, cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Place the burrito bowls on plates and ladle chili into the bowls. Divide the cheese among the bowls and top with chopped fresh tomato, salsa (if desired), and cabbage slaw.
FAQs and Expert Tips
These sweet potato burrito bowls would be great paired with Homemade Jalapeno Cornbread. I also like to make a simple coleslaw to serve with this kind of meal. This lime cilantro Mexican Coleslaw is great, but I also think a classic creamy (healthier) version is also stellar with these flavors.
We’re team edible bowls here at HSR! Check out my post on How to Make Wonton Cups to inspire more ways to enjoy edible bowls in your life.
You can make the chili up to one day in advance and then reheat it before assembling the bowl.
More Ways to Use Homemade Baked Tortilla Bowls
- Our Healthy Taco Salad has plenty of spice and flavors and would be excellent in these baked tortilla taco bowls.
- This Fajita Chicken Salad would also be amazing in these bowls.
- Serve steak fajitas in these bowls instead of with soft tortillas.
- Our Instant Pot Vegetarian Burrito Bowls will be amazing in these crispy shells.
- Try making a Southwestern-inspired buddha bowl with our Mexican Sauteed Peppers.
Additional Bowl Recipes To Try
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
PrintSweet Potato Black Bean Chili Tortilla Bowls
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
These Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili Tortilla Bowls are made with savory and spicy vegetarian black bean and sweet potato chili served up in a delicious crispy homemade taco bowl. This dish is vegetarian comfort food at its finest!
Ingredients
For the Tortilla Bowls
- 6 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas, soft taco or Fajita size
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
For the Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 14–ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
- 2 1/2 cups cubed Sweet Potato (peel first if desired), 14-15 ounces
- 1 cup canned drained black beans
- 1/2 cup water, plus 1/2 more if needed
To assemble and serve
- 1 cup finely shredded cabbage
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish if desired
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- pinch salt
- 2/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 3/4 cup purchased salsa (optional)
Instructions
Make Tortilla Bowls:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Arrange 6 heat-proof ramekins on the prepared baking sheet, face down. Lightly coat the ramekins and baking sheet with cooking spray. Lay tortillas out on work surface. Brush 2 teaspoons oil over the tortillas. Drape tortillas, oil side up over the ramekins and pinch to crease and create inverted bowls. Bake until the shells are lightly golden and crispy, 17 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili:
- While bowls bake and cool, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring often until the onion is starting to soften and brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and ½ teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in canned tomatoes, sweet potato, black beans and ½ cup water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally. As chili cooks add up to ½ cup more water for saucier consistency or if mixture thickens too much before the sweetpotato is tender. Continue simmering until the sweetpotato is softened, 18 to 20 minutes.
Assemble Chili Tortilla Bowls
- Toss cabbage, cilantro, lime juice and pinch salt in a medium bowl. Place burrito bowls on plates. Ladle chili into bowls, about ¾ cup per bowl. Divide cheese among the bowls. Top with chopped fresh tomato, salsa if using and the cabbage slaw.
Notes
The chili can be made up to one day in advance, reheat before assembling.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: entree
- Method: Oven/Stove top
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl, 3/4 cup chili, and toppings
- Calories: 288
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 471 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 17 mg
Yum! what a great way to use sweet potatoes!
Thank you Haley! Glad you like it.
Hi Katie, thanks so much for dropping by SBD and leaving a comment. Your compliment about my photos is extra special coming from someone whose photography is so amazing! I love black beans in anything and the addition of sweet potatoes in this dish is brilliant! Such a beautiful creation and I’m sure it’s just as delicious. Awesome post!
Thanks so much Bill. I am glad to know about your blog.
Katie,
What a lovely salad. The red cabbage makes it look stunning!
Thanks so much Mireya!
Thanks Elizabeth!
bowl idea is genius!!!!!!!! thank you!
what a very clever bowl! these look totally delicious… i’d love to sit down to this plate on a cool fall night!
Thanks Gretchen. Glad you stopped by.
Yum! I love the combo of black beans and sweet potatoes, whoops- I mean sweetpotatoes 🙂 The chili bowl looks so easy, great idea!
Thanks Alex! It was a a happy surprise that they turned out so crispy and looked just the way I wanted to. Thanks for coming by.
I too am a huge fan of sweetpotatoes. Love your recipe, especially how you made your own burrito bowls!
Thanks Jessica. I was just thinking that the burrito bowls would also be great for healthier taco salads.
Hahaha I totally feel you on spell check. 90% of the time it saves my life, and then it tells me stupid things like I spelled my name wrong because it just doesn’t know and refuses to learn! Anyway, these bowls? Amazing. Everything I love in one cute little bowl!
I don’t know what I’d do without it!
What a great looking dish, and I love the way you’re jazzing up the presentation! We are a huge chili household (it’s my specialty) and this one is definitely going to get tried out 🙂
Thanks Alexis. I have to admit, thinking about the presentation is often what I think about before I work out a lot of the other details for a post. We love chili too, especially at this time of year.
First of all, good luck! Your pics are beautiful and I love the sound of your recipe. Good call on the burrito bowl!
Diane, to you too:) Thank you so much. I’m loving checking out all the recipes on the circuit.
How gorgeous is that!!! Love the idea of burrito bowl…so fun!
Thanks so much Angie.
Yum! These burrito bowls look AMAZING, Katie! Mmm…I wish I could have some right now ;). Love the addition of red cabbage! Such a nice pop of color.
Thanks Min. I’m always thinking like a food-stylist:)
Your burritos look fantastic! I hate when spell checker won’t cooperate when you have an unusual spelling of a word. but, we can’t live without it.
Thanks Barb. Oh don’t even get me going on auto-correct. It can be so funny sometimes. Thanks for coming by and saying hello.
Hah – I kept wrestling with my spell checker too 🙂 LOVE these – especially on how to make your own burrito bowls (recently made my own whole wheat tortillas and am converted) I have a feeling I’ll be making this chili often this fall/winter!
I’m so glad you like them Deanna. I have to try making tortillas some time. We’ve been eating them a lot around here lately. The girls devour them (or anything I put in them.)