These hearty, healthy, and flavor-packed sweet potato and black bean bowls are perfect for meal prep or a quick weeknight dinner. This recipe combines roasted sweet potatoes, a savory black bean mixture, and a base of your choice to create a bowl that’s as satisfying as it is nutritious.
I’ll admit, I love a good bowl recipe and I’ve shared a few recently, like my jerk chicken bowl and my salmon rice bowl. But, I wanted to make a meatless bowl option, and whipped up this sweet potato and black bean bowl.
Inspired by my sweet potato and black bean nachos, I decided to convert that recipe into this bowl. Rather than chips, I use brown rice as the base, and I top it with various toppings, like sliced avocado and a sour cream drizzle. The flavor of this bowl is just incredible.
A Quick Look at the Ingredients
Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- For the Base: Brown Rice. I like to use brown rice for my base, but feel free to use your favorite. Quinoa and Farro are good options.
- For the Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Sweet Potatoes, Olive Oil, salt and pepper.
- For the Black Bean Mixture: olive oil, onion, garlic, poblano peppers, jalapeño peppers, canned black beans, diced tomatoes with green chilies, chili powder, and salt and pepper.
- Optional Toppings: Sour Cream, Avocado, Shredded Cheese, Squeeze of Lime
How to Make Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowls
Step 1: Cook the Base
Cook your chosen grain according to the package instructions. Once cooked, fluff it with a fork and set it aside.
Step 2: Roast the Sweet Potatoes
Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Toss the diced sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them evenly on a baking sheet.
Roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the sweet potatoes are tender and lightly caramelized. In the alternative, you can air fry the sweet potatoes. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Check for doneness by piercing with a fork; the sweet potatoes should be tender and slightly caramelized on the edges. Set aside.
Step 3: Prepare the Black Bean Mixture
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, poblano pepper, and jalapeño pepper for about 5 minutes, until softened.
Add the black beans, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together and cook for another 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
Step 4: Assemble the Bowls
Divide the cooked grain into four bowls. Add a generous portion of roasted sweet potatoes to each bowl. Top with the black bean mixture. Finish with your favorite toppings: avocado slices, a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, shredded cheese (if using), cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
Optional Additions and Variations
- Egg: Add a fried or poached egg for extra protein.
- Crunch: Sprinkle some toasted pumpkin seeds for a nutty bite.
- Heat: Drizzle your favorite hot sauce over the top for an extra fiery touch.
- Use black beans made from scratch rather than canned.
Make Ahead and Reheating Instructions
Make Ahead:
You can cook the grains and roast the sweet potatoes up to 4 days in advance. Store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator. The black bean mixture can also be prepared ahead and reheated when ready to assemble.
Reheating:
Reheat the grains, sweet potatoes, and black bean mixture in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through. Add fresh toppings just before serving.
Tanya's Top Tip
If you want to add a bit of crunch to these bowls, try adding fried onions or tortilla strips.
I hope you love these sweet potato bowls as much as we do. Looking for other recipes using sweet potatoes? Try these out:
If you have tried this or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowl
Ingredients
For the Base
- 1 ½ cups uncooked brown rice yields ~3 cups cooked
For the Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Black Bean Mixture
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 poblano pepper seeds and stem removed, and chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper chopped (adjust for spice preference)
- 15.5 oz can of black beans rinsed and drained
- 10 oz can of diced tomatoes with green chilies drained
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Toppings
- 1 avocado sliced
- ¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
Cook the Base
- Cook brown rice according to package instructions. Fluff and set aside.
Roast the Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Toss diced sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until tender and lightly caramelized.
- As an alternative, you can air fry sweet potatoes. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Prepare the Black Bean Mixture
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic, poblano, and jalapeño peppers until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in black beans, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 5-7 minutes until heated through and flavors meld together.
Assemble the Bowls
- Divide the cooked brown rice evenly among 4 bowls. Add a portion of roasted sweet potatoes. Top with the black bean mixture.
- Garnish each bowl with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, shredded cheese (if using), and fresh cilantro. Serve with lime if desired.
