Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa

This easy to make, delicious Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa bowl is a hearty meatless meal loaded with flavourful and healthy ingredients.

Quinoa is one of my favourite ingredients to incorporate into my family's diet. It's full of complete proteins, a plethora of minerals as well as vitamins and fibre (read here for more on the health benefits of quinoa).

Quinoa is incredibly versatile and is delicious with so many different ingredients. I also love using quinoa flour and use it often to bake delicious muffins and cookies.

This savoury dish combines quinoa with aromatic ingredients such as onions, garlic, and jalapeño. Sweet potato and black beans get added to complete the dish and add texture, flavour and nutrition.

The result is a delicious, hearty and satisfying vegetarian meal (even vegan if you omit the cheese).

How to Make Quinoa with Sweet Potato and Black Beans

Though this recipe involves a bit of chopping, it comes together easily and quickly. If you chop the ingredients while you're cooking the quinoa you could have this meal ready in just over 30 minutes. In my book, that makes it perfect for a weeknight meal.

Ingredients Overview:

For the Quinoa:

• Quinoa
• Water
• Salt, cumin, coriander, chili powder

For the Sweet Potato and Black Beans:

• Olive oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Jalapeño. Deseeded and membrane removed.
• Pepper, salt, chili powder, coriander, cumin
• Sweet potato
• Water
• Black beans. For convenience, I use canned black beans. Make sure to rinse the beans well and drain them before adding them to the skillet.
• Lime (for serving on the side)
• Cilantro. If you like the taste of cilantro, you could sprinkle some roughly chopped leaves before serving.
• Goat or feta cheese (for serving on the side, optional)

Here's an overview of the cooking directions, for more thorough instructions please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Steps Overview:

1. Rinse the quinoa with cold water. Drain it and transfer to a medium saucepan. Add the water, salt, cumin, chili and coriander. Adding the spices to the water makes the quinoa even more flavourful and ensures that every bite is super tasty. Bring the quinoa to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the saucepan leaving the lid slightly ajar. Simmer until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is cooked.
2. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion, the garlic and jalapeño. Chop the sweet potato into a small-medium dice.
3. Over medium heat, cook the onion in a skillet until it begins to soften, add the garlic and jalapeño. Cook until softened and add the salt and spices.
4. Add the sweet potatoes and water to the skillet and simmer for about 12 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked thru.
5. Add the black beans to the skillet and toss with the sweet potatoes and onions.
6. To finish add the cooked quinoa and cilantro. Toss the ingredients well, taste and adjust the salt to your liking.

How to Serve it

This dish can easily be served as a main but is also great for serving as a side dish. It goes well with this Roast Chicken or this Easy Roast Turkey. Serve this quinoa dish with fresh lime wedges, extra chopped cilantro and some crumbled goat or feta cheese for added zing.

Leftovers can be warmed and enjoyed in tacos, or as tortilla wraps. You could also use this Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa as the filling for a burritos dish.

How to Store

Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

More Delicious Quinoa Recipes

• Southwestern Quinoa Salad
• Quinoa Breakfast Bowls
• Whole Wheat Quinoa Flour Pancakes
• Mini Chocolate Quinoa Crunch Cups
• Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa

Author: Adapted from Food Network Kitchen

This delicious Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa is a hearty meatless meal loaded with flavourful and healthy ingredients.

4.80 from 10 votes

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 362 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the Quinoa:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. cumin
• ¼ tsp. coriander
• ¼ tsp. chili powder

For the Sweet Potato and Black Beans:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small onion
• 1 clove medium garlic
• 1 jalapeño deseeded and membrane removed
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. chili powder
• ½ tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 ½ cups sweet potato cubed small to medium dice
• 1 ¼ cups water
• ¾ cup cooked black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 lime cut into wedges (for serving on the side)
• ⅓ cup chopped cilantro (plus extra for serving on the side, optional)
• Crumbled goat or feta cheese (for serving on the side optional)

Instructions

 

• Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander with cold water. Drain the quinoa and transfer to a medium saucepan. Add the water, salt, cumin, chili and coriander. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the saucepan leaving the lid slightly ajar and simmer until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is cooked, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from the heat but leave it covered.
• Meanwhile, finely chop the onion, the garlic and jalapeño.
• Chop the sweet potato into a small-medium dice.
• Over medium heat, heat the oil in a skillet, add the onion and cook a couple of minutes until the onions begin to soften, stir and add the garlic and jalapeño. Cook for a couple of minutes or until softened and add the salt and spices, give it all a good stir.
• Add the sweet potatoes and water to the skillet, simmer for about 12 to 15 minutes, keeping an eye on the water level in the skillet and the doneness of the sweet potatoes. If the water is absorbed before the potatoes are cooked to your liking add 1/4 cup of water and continue to simmer.
• Once the potatoes are cooked thru add the black beans to warm them.
• To finish add the cooked quinoa, cilantro and adjust the salt to your taste.
• Serve wedges of lime, crumbled goat or feta cheese and extra chopped cilantro on the side.

Notes

1. This dish will make 4 full servings or 6 side servings.
2. The cheese is optional and not included in the calculation of the nutrition facts.

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 11gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 438mgPotassium: 752mgFiber: 10gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 12264IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 5mg

Keyword Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa, Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowl, Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa

Tried this recipe? Have any questions, comments or suggestions? Leave a comment below!Mention @sweetandsavourypursuits or tag #sweetandsavourypursuits!

This post was originally published in January 2016. It has been updated with new content. Recipe remains unchanged.