The chipotle has got to be this decade’s sundried tomato. Barely glance a menu and you’ll catch it weaseling its way into soups, sauces, omelets, even desserts. But the chipotle’s pervasive stature is not unearned. Its smoky heat adds so much flavor to anything it touches you’d be hard pressed not to reach for it when you want to whip up something fast and tasty.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or in Sheepshead Bay), you’ll know that a chipotle is a smoked jalapeno. You can find them dried (just like their tomato predecessors), but more commonly they come stewed in a can with adobo, a vinegary tomato based sauce. I usually remove the seeds before using, that way you can use more chipotles without adding too much heat.
This is another one of those clean out my cupboard and fridge recipes. I had plenty of sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts left over from my holiday festivities and this was a flavorful and filling way to use them up. And no matter how many recipes I write I know deep in my heart that people just want to cook a handful of dishes. Pesto, “meatballs”, mashed potatoes, but above all, chili.
Chipotle Chili With Sweet Potatoes And Brussel Sprouts
Serves 6 to 8
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon coriander seed, crushed
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 chipotles, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes (2 average sized), peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
12 oz brussels sprouts, quartered lengthwise (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons new mexico chili powder (or other mild chili powder)
1 32 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 16 oz can pintos, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Fresh lime juice to taste (about one lime was good for me)
In a soup pot over medium heat, saute onion in olive oil for about 7 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic, coriander seeds, and oregano and saute a minute more. Add remaining ingredients (except for lime juice). Mix well. The sweet potatoes and brussel sprout will be peaking out of the tomato sauce, but don’t worry, they will cook down.
Cover pot and bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer for about half an hour, stirring often, until sweet potatoes and fork tender but not mushy. Squeeze in lime juice to taste and adjust any other seasonings. Let sit uncovered for at least 10 minutes before eating.
I never thought about taking the seeds out of a chipotle! Thanks for the tip, Isa.
This sound really good. I have everything except the chipotles…
oops, anonymous was me.
This looks and I’m sure tastes terrific, but I have to throw out there that there is at least one person (me) who is in love with your recipes because you go beyond the typical chili/pesto etc cliches! So by all means keep at your innovations.
This looks so hearty and satisfying, and generally warm and fuzzy like good old-fashioned comfort food 🙂 I always have such a hard time finding chipotle – I must try harder, clearly, as this just looks delicious.
Oh wow, this is my kinda soup! Just right for a cold, windy say when I can never seem to get warm no matter how many layers I have on. I’m getting warmed up just thinking about it.
This sounds awesome. I will definitely be trying it!
Yahoo. I get to eat something I like! this is sunday night supper for watching brothers and sisters.
sheepshead bay is a great neighborhood you douche bag
Yeah, GMoney, it truly is. It produces wonderful people like you and me and Andrew Dice Clay.
Hey Isa,
I’m usually a latecomer to well-loved hits like you, your show and your cookbooks. I’m really enjoying your website and this recipe looks great. I’ll definitely be trying it.
Not to be dim or anything, but you don’t say when the lime juice should be added. Could you clarify that for us?
Many, many thanks for sharing your creative cooking flair with us!
I fixed it Jmitz, thanks.
This was a fully yum recipe for dinner last night, thanks! I confess, I didn’t trouble to seed the chipotles?tinned peppers in adobo sauce are awfully messy to manhandle?but it turned out just fine by me. I’d never have thought to make a Brussels-sprout-sweet potato chili, but that’s why we buy your books 🙂
just made this today. really really awesome. at first i was cursing myself for putting in the coriander seeds, it was really overpowering when i first tasted it. but of course it ended up totally mellowing out and it’s perfect.
thanks for all the recipes posted lately!
Awesome, Isa! Thanks a million, I love chili!
yay, no cilantro!
chipotle sucks, its main stream taco bell abomination
Wow, you youngins just get stupider and stupider.
Wow, yeah, Taco Bell should not be commended for apparently artificially selecting the originally domesticated chile pepper to bring us the shittyshiity jalapeno. And THEN Taco Bell made it worse by smoking the damn thing, all while putting it in a tangy sauce!
How DARE they!
i had no clue taco bell was around in the 12th century.
the things you learn on foodblogs.
yeah and waz up wit putting brussel sproots in a bowl of chilli! LOL!
Sorry Isa. I love your cooking and all, but I’ll take a lukewarm bean burrito without the cheese any day over one of these newfangled “chipotle” things… 🙂
What’s with all the chipotle hate? I enjoy the smoky flavor, but don’t tend to use it that often in my cooking. I’ll look forward to trying this recipe on a grey chilly day.
OH…YUUUUUUUMMMM! Making this sooon! Thanks!
I love the smokiness of chipotle. And you know, I love sun-dried tomatoes from the 90s, and balsamic from the 80s. I just can’t let go.
I’m with you, kimmykokonut. I don’t get the chipoltle hate. Anyway, I’ll be trying this recipe tomorrow. Yay.
Tried this tonight, I didn’t care for the coriander or oregano in it, but with some tweaking I can make this good for my taste. Thanks 😉
Did I mention this is so so so good? I’m making it for family on Sunday!
This was so good, I need to make another batch! 🙂
Totally making this tomorrow to bring to family’s Christmas gathering!
Isa,
I love you. My mother loves you. My sister loves you too. We have all of your books, and we look at them almost every day for inspiration.
*rant over*
I made this tonight for my family and even my senile grandmother downed it, which is sayin’ something. My meat-loving dad enjoyed it as well.
I’m going to make it for all of my friends when i get back to school.
Yay!
It looks like the picture!
This was really good. I didn’t have all of the spices, and left out the chipotle. (See, it can be made without it for all you chipotle haters) But I think it came pretty close, and I liked it the way it came out.
This looks so delicious but I can’t live without my cilantro – I’ll throw some in mine!
I think that Jul was not referring to the chipotle pepper, but to the Chipotle restaurant chain (http://www.chipotle.com/), for which he or she should also be ridiculed.
I was a bit skeptical about the sweet potato and brussels sprouts combo, but they work together pretty well. I served this chili over top of some vegan corn bread and it was super tasty. Thanks for the different recipe, I will definitely make this again!
I used two chipotles and left the seeds in, so my chili has a most excellent kick to it. What a creative and delicious recipe, it’s another for the permanent collection, thank you!
This was excellent. When I visit home, I cook vegan for my omnivorous parents. They were dubious about a meat-less chili, but they’re both believers now. Thank you!!
I am currently in love with chipotle…but not a big fan of sweet potatoes or brussel sprouts. I made a few changes to the recipe since I lacked some ingredients. I used two cans of Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Chipotle Pepper diced tomatoes and one can of regular diced tomatoes instead of the fresh chipotle & 32 oz. crushed tomatoes. It WAS PERFECT!!! The sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts were even tasty! Thanks for the new Friday dinner recipe!
I made this yesterday. Any ideas for what to do with the leftover chipotle? I bought the can for this recipe and am unsure how to utilize the rest.
I always put mine in a plastic bag and freeze it, then use it for chilis or whatever in the next few months.
I use the leftover chipotle in a tofu scramble and then make the stew agin a few days later ( it’s THAT good! )
I used the whole can of chipotle. The coriander made a really unique depth to the flavor. My non-vegetarian children ate the whole damn pot! Brussell sprout chili…whodda thunk?! This was quite amazing and I am excited to spring it on extended family next time we have a soup get-together. We shall woo them to the healthy side with wonky meatless chili…bwahahahaha! Seriously, this was amazingly fantastic and officially has replaced my much-mourned round steak and ground beef filled chili recipe. That stuff was yummy: this is beyond imagination and an excellent food choice.
Isa – this is delicious! I was fascinated by this recipe a few weeks ago and am happy to welcome the fall weather with this scrumptious dish. On a side note, this website inspired me to buy Veganomicon and Appetite for Reduction. I’ve been cooking through them for a week and am in love. I wish you all the best in your career and hope you can take this all to the next level at some point – you deserve a bigger presence in the food world.
I’ve made this twice in two weeks (in half batches because I only have a small pot), once with cranberry beans and once with kidney beans. The cranberry beans were actually awesome. Also, just for yuks I used white-fleshed sweet potatoes and I added in some Field Roast Chipotle Sausage (www.fieldroast.com). REALLY good, and really healthy–warm, spicy, comforting, and just what I want to sit down to at the end of a chilly Seattle day.