Sheet pan sweet potatoes and black bean bowls is an easy, healthy meal that's sure to become a new favorite! This dish is simple yet delightfully tasty. I love being able to roast everything on one baking sheet. It certainly makes for an easy clean up!
My friend Ashley gave me her recipe for this dish and thankfully gave me permission to write a blog post about it! Ashley is just as much of a foodie as I am, perhaps even more so because she has a degree from the Culinary Institute of America! If that doesn’t convince you how amazing this dish is, I don’t know what will.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It consists of simple healthy ingredients you’ll already find in your pantry!
- It’s super easy to modify with different variations of the recipe.
- Sheet pan recipes make for easy cooking and clean up!
- This is perfect for vegan or vegetarian meal-prep lunches!
- This delicious vegetarian meal is budget friendly!
Equipment
- Medium saucepan with a lid
- Kitchen towel - to dry the beans
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper (optional)
Ingredient Notes
- Brown rice - I like to use minute rice or parboiled brown rice to make this a quick meal!
- Sweet potatoes - you can also use regular potatoes.
- Black beans - they complement the sweet potatoes well.
- Red onion - they get nice a caramelized in the oven.
- Spices - cinnamon, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil - this helps get the vegetables roasted to perfection!
Optional Toppings
- Plant based sour cream - you can also use regular sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- Avocado - adds natural creaminess to the dish.
- Pickled jalapeños - adds some heat to the bowl.
- Pickled red onions - I like to use these quick picked red onions!
- Salsa - I highly recommend adding salad to this burrito bowl.
- Hot sauce - add some heat! Try using Franks red hot sauce.
- Cilantro - helps balance out the spicy flavors.
- Lime wedge - adds a hit of tartness to the bowl.
Substitutions and Variations
This recipe will work well with any grain of your choosing (farro, quinoa, barley, etc). White rice can also easily be substituted for brown rice. You can also make the grain of choice ahead of time.
Substitute black beans for your bean of choice such as cannellini beans, kidney beans, pinto beans or garbanzo beans! They will all yield slight flavor variations of this dish.
You can also turn this meal into a salad (substitute lettuces for the rice), tacos, burritos or even nachos (I would omit the rice for the nachos)!
Keep this recipe vegan by using a plant-based sour cream as a topping instead of regular sour cream. Alternatively, if you are not vegan, feel free to use the creamy topping of your choosing such as non-fat Greek yogurt!
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the rice according to package directions. Parboiled rice such as Minute rice or Uncle Ben’s is a great way to cut down on cooking times. You may also use regular brown rice.
Dry the black beans using a kitchen towel (just like you would for roasted crispy cannellini beans). Add the sweet potato, red onion, black beans, spices and olive oil to a large mixing bowl. Toss until they are evenly coated.
Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking.
Serve: layer the rice on the bottom of the bowl, pile it up with roasted potatoes and black beans, and add the optional toppings of your choice. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Keep the red onion in larger chunks so it doesn’t get too crispy!
- Remember to dry the black beans with a kitchen towel. This will ensure they get crispy when they are roasted!
- Look for parboiled rice in the grocery store to keep cooking times low. Parboiled rice such as minute rice only takes about 10 minutes to cook, while regular brown rice could take up to 40 minutes!
- If you choose to use regular brown rice, think about making it ahead of time so the meal is easier to put together during the week!
Storing and Reheating
Store any leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can always make extra rice and save it to make crispy fried rice later in the week!
Store the roasted veggies and beans in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
You can also meal-prep this dish by making individual portions and keeping them in separate containers for an easy grab and go lunch.
To reheat, simply microwave the leftovers in a microwave safe tupperware or bowl.
Frequently Asked Questions
Black beans and other vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts and cauliflower.
Sweet potatoes and black bean bowls are the perfect dish to make. You can also turn this dish into a salad, tacos, a burrito or nachos!
Black beans (also called turtle beans) are filled with essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They are also a great source of plant based protein!
Sheet Pan Sweet Potatoes and Black Bean Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice uncooked
- 3 cups sweet potatoes chopped into 1” pieces
- ½ red onion chopped into 1” pieces
- 1 15 oz can black beans, drained, rinsed and towel-dried
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Optional Toppings:
- Plant based sour cream regular sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Avocado
- Pickled jalapenos
- Pickled red onions
- Salsa
- Hot sauce
- Cilantro
- Lime wedge
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook the rice according to package directions
- Combine the sweet potato, red onion, black beans, olive oil and spices in a large mixing bowl. Gently toss together until evenly coated.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- To serve: place the roasted sweet potatoes and beans over a bed of brown rice. Top with any of the optional toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use parboiled rice such as minute rice when you are in a time crunch.
- Remember to dry the black beans using a kitchen towel. This helps them get crispy in the oven.
- This recipe is also delicious served as tacos or a burrito!
Michele C says
The recipe ingredients are tasty and the time to prepare easy. Overall it is a bit heavy -- all those starches - potatoes, beans, and rice! I enjoyed the roasted sweet potatoes with red onion and spices - nice sweetness and savory combo! The roasted black beans while mushy when blending with the other raw vegetables, ended up being a surprise flavorful crunch in the finished product. When I prepare again, I will not make the rice and generously add the toppings of avocado and sour cream.
Emily Toshiko says
Hi Michele, thank you so much for the comment! Your idea of using the sweet potatoes as a base instead of the rice sounds delicious. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
emily says
Andie Martin says
Not one to usually leave reviews but this came up in a Google search and I was trying to figure out what to do with a huge bag of sweet potatoes leftover from a previous dish.
This is crazy delicious and I’m not a huge fan of sweet potatoes.
Says it serves 4 but I’ve already eaten halve the tray. Will absolutely make this again.
Emily Toshiko says
Hi Andie! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this dish! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it.
Beth says
I loved the sweet potatoes with the black beans! This was delicious over the rice and by itself!
Emily Toshiko says
Thank you so much Beth! I'm happy to hear you enjoyed this meal. 🙂
Anonymous says
This was such an easy sheet pan dinner! I've been making it on repeat!
Adele says
I made this recipe for dinner last night and it was amazing! It was so quick and easy! The spices add just the right amount of flavor …. And my kitchen smelled wonderful! There are so many topping options. I used avocado, sour cream, and pickled red onions. My husband likes a little more heat, so he added some hot sauce. We both went back for seconds and have enough leftover for lunch today! This recipe is definitely going into my regular rotation !!!!!
Emily Toshiko says
I'm so happy you and your husband enjoyed this meal! The additional toppings really bring it to another level. I love pickled red onions! Thank you so much for leaving a comment and I appreciate you trying my recipes! 🙂