Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowls with Creamy Chipotle Sauce

Bowl dinners are one of my favorite! They are so good for customizing to everyone’s preferences, and they make a very balanced, filling meal.

Some of my favorite bowl meals are these ones:

Sushi Bowls with Spicy Mayo

Copycat Chipotle Bowls

Yumm Bowls with Yumm Sauce

Mediterranean Nourish Bowls

Cauliflower Burrito Bowls with Cilantro Chimichurri

And this one is another delicious one with an incredible sauce! First you start with rice or quinoa, beans, roasted sweet potato and broccoli, and optional added tofu.

Then you drizzle it abundantly with the super-easy sauce.

This sauce is:

nut-free

doesn’t need a high-speed blender

so creamy

Tahini is like a magic potion for your health! Packed with essential nutrients, this creamy sesame seed paste is rich in healthy fats, which can help keep your heart in tip-top shape (don’t forget that “nuts and seeds melt heart disease!”). It’s also loaded with protein, iron, and calcium, making it a great choice for us plant-based eaters or anyone looking to boost their nutrient intake. Plus, tahini is full of antioxidants and vitamins, which can give your immune system a nice little boost and help keep your skin glowing.

I usually get mine from the grocery store, but sometimes I order this Soom brand. It’s really about the same price as it is anywhere else, and is less bitter and super smooth!

I don’t love the bitter undertone of tahini, but it’s really creamy and easy since you don’t have to blend up nuts or seeds yourself. With the right additions, you can’t taste the bitterness of the tahini, and it may even complement the flavors really well.

This is a hearty bowl that will leave you feeling amazing and healthy! The components keep well for leftovers.

Customize it for the Family

I roast a pan of broccoli, sweet potatoes and tofu really often because my kids love those foods. Kids could simply eat that part, or eat some rice with it, and more adventurous or sophisticated eaters and make it into a bowl with the sauce.

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Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowls with Creamy Chipotle Sauce

A packed grain bowl loaded with plant protein and dripping in a lucious smoky-spicy sauce.

Course dinner

Keyword buddha bowl, chipotle sauce, quinoa, Vegetables

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 bowls

Author Faith Ralphs

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry quinoa or brown rice
• 2 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1 lb frozen broccoli florets
• 3 medium orange sweet potatoes
• 1 14-oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed (use two cans if you want more beans per bowl)
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 2 avocados, chopped

Optional Tofu

• 16 oz super firm tofu (optional)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Chipotle Sauce

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 small clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 TBSP sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, (see note), or 1 use chipotle pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Place on a baking sheet and toss with a little olive oil, if desired, and salt and pepper.
• If making the tofu, cut the block into cubes, and toss in a bowl with the soy sauce and nutritional yeast. Place on half of the other baking sheet, with the broccoli on the other side. Toss the broccoli with a little oil and salt and pepper, too.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then stir broccoli and bake again for 15 more minutes, until sweet potatoes and broccoli are fork tender and tofu is golden brown.

• Meanwhile, add the quinoa to a pot with the water or vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and turn to low heat, then set the timer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it rest and finish cooking, until it's fluffy.
• Next, make the sauce by combining all the ingredients into a food processor and running it until it's smooth. Taste and add more chipotle sauce/ another pepper if you want it hotter/spicier.
• Prepare the kale. Wash it and run your fingers down the stem to take the leaves off. Chop it, and set it in a skillet on the stove. Add a couple tablespoons of water, and cook it for just a couple minutes until it's bright green and starting to shrink. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Make the bowls by assembling quinoa, kale, tofu, broccoli, black beans, avocados, and sweet potato and drizzling with delicious creamy chipotle sauce! Add chopped cilantro on top if you'd like.

Notes

You can find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the Hispanic foods section of a grocery store. They have a delicious smoky, sweet, spicy flavor. You only need to use a little bit of the sauce from the can. Lay the rest of the chipotle peppers on a plate and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a zip-top bag and keep in the freezer to use one pepper at a time for recipes.