Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
Dehydrated sweet potato and instant beans, rebuilt in one pot at camp.
- calories
- 620
- weight
- 5.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 113
- protein
- 22 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 5 min
- cook
- 15 min
- total time
- 20 min
- water
- 600 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Liquid fuel
- Campfire coals
- Backpacking
- Basecamp
- Car camping
- Winter / snow
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Dehydrate ahead
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Dehydrated sweet potato | 1/2 cup | diced small at home and dried until hard |
|---|---|---|
| Instant black bean flakes | 1/2 cup | canned beans do not travel; flakes rehydrate in minutes |
| Dried corn | 3 tbsp | |
| Dried onion flakes | 2 tbsp | |
| Tomato powder | 3 tbsp | stands in for both cans of tomatoes |
| Dried green chilis | 1 tbsp | or a pinch of chipotle powder |
| Chili powder | 1 tbsp | |
| Cumin | 2 tsp | |
| Garlic powder | 1 tsp | |
| Salt | 1/4 tsp | |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | dropper bottle |
Method
- Pour the sweet potato, corn, and onion into the pot with 600 ml of water. Bring it to a boil.
- Hold a low boil for about eight minutes. The sweet potato dice should give when you press one against the side of the pot.
- Cut the heat. Stir in the bean flakes, tomato powder, chilis, and spices all at once.
- Cover and let it sit five minutes. It thickens a lot in that window.
- Stir in the oil and adjust with a splash of water if it went past chili into paste.
The original is a stovetop chili built on cans, which is the wrong shape for a pack. Cans are mostly water and the sweet potatoes take forty minutes of simmering. Dehydrating the potatoes at home fixes both problems at once: diced small and dried hard, they come back in eight minutes of boiling instead of a long simmer, and they weigh almost nothing.
Bean flakes and tomato powder go in off the heat because they thicken instantly and will scorch on a canister stove if they sit over flame. The oil is added last for the same reason and because it is where a third of the calories come from. Two tablespoons of chili powder per serving would be closer to the source ratio; one is enough unless you like the burn.
Packing
Everything dry except the oil goes in one bag. Keep the bean flakes and tomato powder together with the rest; they only cause trouble if they hit water early.
Variations
- A crushed handful of corn chips on top adds fat and salt.
- Instant refried beans work if you cannot find black bean flakes, but cut the water by 100 ml.
https://mealswithmaria.site/this-sweet-potato-black-bean-chili-is-a-pantry-friendly-recipe-you-need-to-try