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Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowls with chipotle yogurt sauce, quinoa, avocado, kale, and pumpkin seeds. This easy vegetarian meal is packed with flavor and nutrients for a high-impact lunch or dinner.
Looking for a stellar high-protein meatless meal that aims to please your taste buds and won’t make you miss the meat?
These Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowls check all of the boxes!
Ideal for work lunches or a light dinner, these easy bowls are simple and fun to toss together, are easy to pack up and take with you, and are full to the brim with nutrients.
You’re getting plenty of protein from the beans, quinoa, and yogurt sauce and a wide variety of Vitamins, minerals, complex carbs, and fiber.
For me, these sweet potato and black bean bowls are the ideal meal for those times I don’t feel like eating animal protein but I still want to take in plenty of variety and macronutrients.
Ingredient Notes:
Sweet Potato: One of the star ingredients in this easy recipe, sweet potatoes are a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, antioxidants, potassium, and complex carbohydrates. To me, they are one of nature’s superfoods, and they taste great in bowl recipes like this!
Black Beans: Loaded with fiber and amino acids, black beans are also a nutritional powerhouse. Plus, the black bean and sweet potato combo seems to just jive!
Kale: Here for some added micronutrients, fresh kale imparts more Vitamins, minerals, and some fiber. Swap it out for chopped romaine lettuce, spring mix, or spinach if you prefer a different green.
Quinoa: Loaded with plant-based protein, quinoa is considered a seed, not a grain. Its nutty flavor and texture make it an excellent lower carbohydrate base for bowl recipes. Swap it out for brown rice or white rice if you prefer. Make my Cilantro Lime Rice for tons of flavor!
Avocado: Fresh ripe avocado adds richness and creamy texture to these power bowls.
Pumpkin Seeds: Here for a little crunch, healthy fats, and protein.
Avocado Oil: Used to roast the sweet potato to crispy-soft perfection. Olive oil works too.
Chipotle Yogurt Sauce Ingredients:
Plain Greek Yogurt: The creamy base of our chipotle lime sauce. Low in fat and high in protein, the sauce acts as a source for flavor, moisture, and protein to tie all of the healthy ingredients together.
Canned Chipotle Chilis in Adobo Sauce: Adds spice and smoky flavor to the sauce. Adjust the amount you use to your own personal spice preference.
Fresh Lime Juice: Brings tanginess to elevate the flavor profile at large and to complement the creaminess of the sauce. For extra lime, add in some lime zest too!
Fresh Garlic: A little garlic goes a long way in providing a fresh garlic punch.
Pure Maple Syrup (Optional): A little sweetener is entirely optional, and it is here to offset the spice. Skip it if you don’t find it necessary.
Sea Salt: Add it to your own personal taste.
Ways to Customize
- Extra Vegetables: Add more fresh or roasted vegetables to customize your meal. Cherry tomatoes, red onions, bell peppers, roasted broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, or sprouts are all great additions.
- Extra Protein: Looking for a high protein meal? Add rotisserie chicken, shredded beef, pork, or shrimp to these vegetarian bowls.
- Make it Mild: Omit the chipotle peppers and add more lime juice for a mild sauce.
- Season it Up: Season the sweet potatoes with chili powder, or add chili powder to the sauce for more of a Mexican flare.
- Swap the Dressing: Make my Cilantro Lime Dressing instead of the yogurt sauce if you prefer.
How to Make Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowls:
Prepare the Chipotle Yogurt Sauce:
Mix together all of the ingredients for the chipotle lime yogurt sauce in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate until ready to use.
Roast the Sweet Potato:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop the sweet potato into roughly equal sized chunks and transfer them to a large rimmed baking sheet.
Drizzle with avocado oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and use your hands to toss everything together until the potato chunks are coated in oil and seasoning. Spread the potatoes into an even layer on the sheet pan.
Roast for 20-30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are golden brown, slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Assemble the Bowls:
Heat the beans in a saucepan until they reach a boiling point.
Load up bowls with quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, chopped kale, avocado slices, and a dollop or drizzle of the yogurt sauce. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds (or other crunchies), and enjoy!
You can also douse it with salsa or hot sauce, regular sour cream or vegan sour cream, and enjoy the whole bowl with tortilla chips if you’re feeling frisky.
Storage Instructions:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container (or separate airtight containers) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Meal Prep: When meal prepping this recipe, store the individual ingredients in separate containers or meal prep containers until you’re ready to reheat and serve.
For your next vegetarian main squeeze, these sweet potato black bean bowls are extra handy! Make them the next time you desire a measles dinner or lunch, or are trying to add more plants to your diet.
If you love these bowls, try out some of my other vegetarian recipes!
More Vegetarian Recipes:
- Greek Chickpea Tuna Salad
- Wild Rice Salad
- Pinto Bean Salad
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad
- Roasted Garlic Kale Spaghetti Squash
- Quick and Easy Chana Saag
Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato, chopped into chunks
- 2 tsp avocado oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans
- 2-3 cups kale, chopped
- 2-3 cups cooked quinoa, or brown rice
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds
For the Chipotle Lime Yogurt Sauce
- 1 (5.3-oz) container plain Greek yogurt , (½ cup)
- 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- 2 tsp fresh lime juice
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp pure maple syrup, optional
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Chipotle Yogurt Sauce:
- Mix together all of the ingredients for the chipotle lime yogurt sauce in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate until ready to use.
Roast the Sweet Potato:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop the sweet potato into roughly equal sized chunks and transfer them to a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with avocado oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and use your hands to toss everything together until the potato chunks are coated in oil and seasoning. Spread the potatoes into an even layer on the sheet pan.
- Roast for 20-30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are golden brown, slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Assemble the Bowls:
- Heat the beans in a saucepan until they reach a boiling point.
- Load up bowls with quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, chopped kale, avocado slices, and a dollop or drizzle of the yogurt sauce. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds (or other crunchies), and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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