Healthy & Light Vegan

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Bowls

Name: Black Bean & Sweet Potato Bowls
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Latin American
Ingredients: 2 large sweet potatoes, diced into 2 cm cubes; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 2 x 400 g tins black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 x 400 g tin chopped tomatoes; 1 red onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 lime, juiced; Fresh coriander, to serve; Cooked rice, to serve

Black beans can taste muddy without enough acid and spice.

By Dana Reyes

Tested at least twice · Updated September 2026

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Bowls — Cumin, lime and coriander turn beans and potato into something far more than the sum of its parts.

10 min

Prep time

25 min

Cook time

Serves

4.7

1,128 RATINGS

Why cumin and lime are non-negotiable

Black beans can taste muddy without enough acid and spice. Lime juice and cumin fix that — the lime brightens, the cumin gives a smoky base, and the coriander ties it together.

Roasting the sweet potato separately keeps it from disintegrating into the beans. You want distinct chunks that hold their shape over rice.

Instructions

About 35 min from start to finish

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Toss the sweet potato with the olive oil, cumin, paprika and a pinch of salt. Roast for 25 minutes until tender and slightly charred.

While the potato roasts, soften the onion and garlic in a large pan over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and beans and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice and season well. Add the roasted sweet potato and fold gently so the cubes stay intact.

Serve over rice with plenty of fresh coriander on top.

Testing notes & substitutions

Three rounds of testing turned up three things worth knowing before you start cooking.

Make it smoky

Add a chopped chipotle in adobo for extra heat and a deeper smoky note.

Canned bean quality

Rinse tinned beans well to remove the starchy liquid, which can make the stew taste tinny.

Meal prep

This keeps for 4 days and reheats well. The lime juice keeps the flavour bright even after chilling.

Questions we get a lot

Can I use dried beans?

Yes — cook them fully first. The stew base is too quick to cook dried beans from scratch.

Is this spicy?

It is mild as written. Add chilli flakes or chipotle for heat.

What rice works best?

Long-grain white or brown rice. Cauliflower rice keeps it lighter and lower-carb.

Dana Reyes

Dana has cooked professionally for eleven years and has been testing recipes for Hearth & Thyme since 2019. She writes about weeknight cooking, slow breads, and the small techniques that quietly change a dish. Every recipe she publishes is cooked at least twice, in an ordinary home oven.