Combining grains with other foods in a single dish has been around since ancient times. Gladiators consumed barley mash, a thick porridge of barley and beans. Other grain based traditional meals are thali (rice, lentils, and vegetables) in India, bibimbap (rice, vegetables, a protein, and an egg) in Korea, and koshari (rice, lentils, chickpeas, and tomato sauce) in Egypt. The modern trend in grain bowls was influenced by the return to healthier eating movement of the 2010s.
I’ve always been a fan of all-in-one type dishes. I like getting a taste of all the different components in each bite. Grain bowls deliver that taste of all the components with every mouthful. I also love that current versions of bowl meals can be made with seasonal foods and are infinitely customizable.
The recipe I am sharing today is a brown rice based one using a superstar of Fall produce. Sweet potatoes are roasted and combined with cooked rice and beans. Chipotle chilis, avocado, cherry tomatoes, pickled onions, and Green Goddess dressing spice up and enhance the dish for a delicious, customizable, and well-rounded meal.
Sweet Potato, Black Bean, Rice & Avocado Bowl
Sweet Potato, Black Bean, & Avocado Bowls (a mashup of recipes from today.com, thekitchn.com and Vegetables Unleashed: A Cookbook by José Andrés & Matt Goulding) Total Time Required: 1 hour, Prep Time: 25 minutes, Cook Time: 35 minutes, Makes: 3 – 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 cup long-grain brown rice
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- salt and pepper
- 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 1 lime, half juiced, half cut into wedges for serving
- 1 – 2 avocados, pitted and cubed
- 1/4 cup salted pepitas, toasted
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
- Green Goddess dressing, cherry tomatoes, and pickled onions for serving
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a medium saucepan, combine the rice with 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until tender, about 35 minutes. Take the pan off the heat when cooked and cover it to keep the rice warm.
Cook the brown rice.
While the rice is cooking, toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the paprika in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Season the cubed sweet potatoes.
Roast the potatoes on a baking sheet until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Cover them to keep them warm once cooked.
Roast the sweet potatoes.
Meanwhile, make the chipotle black beans. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it is shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is softened and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Sauté the onion.
Add the beans, 1/4 cup water, the chipotle chile, and the adobo sauce to the skillet. Cover the pan and reduce the heat. Simmer the bean mixture for 5 minutes. Uncover the pan and if there is any remaining water in the pan, simmer the mixture uncovered until the excess liquid has evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat, squeeze in the juice of half a lime, and stir to combine. Cover to keep the beans warm.
Add the beans, water, chili, and adobo sauce to the onion.
When everything is cooked and ready, divide the rice, sweet potatoes, and black beans among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with avocado, pepitas, cilantro, chopped cherry tomatoes, pickled onions, and Green Goddess dressing, if desired. Serve with lime wedges.
Assemble the grain bowls and enjoy!
Customize the basic elements to suit your own particular tastes! ~Linda
Sweet Potato, Black Bean, & Avocado Bowls (a mashup of recipes from today.com, thekitchn.com and Vegetables Unleashed: A Cookbook by José Andrés & Matt Goulding) Total Time Required: 1 hour, Prep Time: 25 minutes, Cook Time: 35 minutes, Makes: 3 – 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 cup long-grain brown rice
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- salt and pepper
- 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 1 lime, half juiced, half cut into wedges for serving
- 1 – 2 avocados, pitted and cubed
- 1/4 cup salted pepitas, toasted
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
- Green Goddess dressing, cherry tomatoes, and pickled onions for serving
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a medium saucepan, combine the rice with 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until tender, about 35 minutes. Take the pan off the heat when cooked and cover it to keep the rice warm.
While the rice is cooking, toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the paprika in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast the potatoes on a baking sheet until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Cover them to keep them warm once cooked.
Meanwhile, make the chipotle black beans. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it is shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is softened and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Add the beans, 1/4 cup water, the chipotle chile, and the adobo sauce to the skillet. Cover the pan and reduce the heat. Simmer the bean mixture for 5 minutes. Uncover the pan and if there is any remaining water in the pan, simmer the mixture uncovered until the excess liquid has evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat, squeeze in the juice of half a lime, and stir to combine. Cover to keep the beans warm.
When everything is cooked and ready, divide the rice, sweet potatoes, and black beans among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with avocado, pepitas, cilantro, chopped cherry tomatoes, pickled onions, and Green Goddess dressing, if desired. Serve with lime wedges.