10/06/2026
You're going to want to save this recipe for your next trip! 🏕️🍂
October is when camp dinner moves from the grill to the pot, and this is the one to start with. Sausage, sweet potato and black beans simmer together into a thick, smoky chili with a hint of maple. Keep it mild for the whole crew or turn the heat up to your taste. It all happens in one pot and takes about 45 minutes.
🫘 What you need (feeds 4-6):
1 lb fresh chorizo, or mild Italian sausage if you'd rather skip the heat, casings removed
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 to 2 tbsp chili powder or a pinch of chili flakes (optional, for heat)
1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1½ cups chicken or beef broth
1 tbsp maple syrup
Salt, to taste
🧀 To serve: sour cream, sharp cheddar, sliced green onion, lime wedges and tortilla chips
🔥 How to make it:
1. Heat a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high on your camp stove, RV cooktop or a bed of coals. Brown the sausage for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks.
2. Add the onion and sweet potato and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion softens.
3. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin and chili powder (if you're using it), and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add the tomatoes, beans and broth. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sweet potato is tender.
5. Stir in the maple syrup, season with salt and a squeeze of lime, then simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes to thicken.
✨ Pro tip: Make a double batch. The next morning, reheat the leftovers in a skillet, make four wells, crack an egg into each and cover until the whites set. Breakfast is done in one pan, with nothing new to prep 🍳
