Sweet Potato Black Bean Rice Bowl
A healthy sweet potato black bean rice bowl recipe that's so warm, cozy, and flavorful you'll think you're eating comfort food!
Equipment
- Small saucepan or rice cooker
- Large sauté pan with lid
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup brown rice dry
- 2 sweet potatoes peeled and diced into 1/4-inch cubes
- 4 tsp olive oil
- 1 med poblano (pasilla) pepper thinly sliced into 1.5-inch long strips
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced
- ½ tsp chipotle powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp ground red cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp cumin
- 15 oz canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 lime juiced
- 4 pinches sea salt
- ½ bunch cilantro chopped
- 1 medium avocado sliced
- 2 oz goat cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Then stir in the brown rice, cover and turn heat to low. Steam until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid, about 25 minutes. Set aside.
- While the rice cooks, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add cubed sweet potatoes and season with about 3 pinches of salt. Cook until potatoes are lightly caramelized, stirring infrequently, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Cover the sweet potatoes and lower heat to medium. Cook until just tender, about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice if needed to prevent them from sticking to the pan.
- Remove the lid and lower heat to medium-low. Add the sliced pasilla pepper and onion, then season with chipotle powder, paprika, cayenne, chili powder, and cumin. Add about 1 tsp of olive oil and stir to combine. Cook until peppers and onions are softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Next, stir in the black beans. Cook for just 2 to 3 more minutes until the beans are warmed through, then remove from heat. Season with juice from half a lime and a pinch of salt, stirring to combine.
- Season brown rice with juice from half a lime and chopped cilantro, stirring to combine.
- Serve a scoop of rice topped with the sweet potato, black bean, and veggies. Top with slices of fresh avocado and crumbled goat cheese and enjoy!
Notes
Timing: To make this meal a breeze, first cube your potatoes and get your water boiling. Then start cooking the rice and the sweet potatoes at about the same time. While the sweet potatoes cook, prep your pepper, onion, black beans, spices, and toppings. You can even wash a few dishes if you have time to spare, saving time on cleanup later!
Cooking the sweet potato: Cut the sweet potato into equal-sized cubes (about 1/4-inch) so they cook evenly. You'll want to let them sit relatively undisturbed for about 15 minutes so that they get lightly crisped and caramelized on the outside. Give the pan a shake or turn them about with a spatula every 5 minutes or so to make sure the cubes brown on all sides. Then, cover and steam them for about 5 minutes until they're tender (you should be able to dent them with the edge of your spatula).
Serving suggestions: This vegetarian sweet potato bowl recipe is so delicious for lunch or dinner. Eat it alone or serve with a side of corn tortilla chips and salsa.
Storing & reheating: You can meal prep these healthy rice bowls for the week by storing portioned meals in the fridge. Add brown rice and the sweet potato black bean veggie mix to microwave-safe containers and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you're ready to eat, simply microwave uncovered for about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with fresh avocado and goat cheese and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 903mg | Potassium: 983mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 9795IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 4mg