This easy Mexican Sweet Potato Bowl recipe is loaded with roasted sweet potatoes, fluffy rice, black beans, fresh veggies, and a creamy cilantro-lime sauce! A colorful, satisfying, build-your-own meal that's perfect for quick dinners, lunches, or meal prep. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)
This easy Mexican Sweet Potato Bowl is so hearty, colorful, and satisfying. It packs layers of flavor and nourishing plant-based goodness into every bite.
It starts with seasoned roasted sweet potatoes and fluffy rice, then adds hearty black beans and crisp, fresh vegetables. Finally, it's topped with a drizzle of creamy cilantro-lime sauce that ties everything together. I love the contrasting flavors and textures of warm, savory, sweet, and fresh that makes each bowl both comforting and vibrant!
It's perfect for a filling lunch, easy weeknight dinner, or even make-ahead meal prep. And because everything is served in build-your-own style, it's naturally family friendly and super customizable with your favorite veggies, beans, and toppings. So I encourage you to make it your own!
Ingredients for Mexican Sweet Potato Bowl
For this recipe you'll need:
- Rice: Most often I use organic brown long-grain basmati rice, but swap in your own favorite! Try white rice, cauliflower rice, or this tasty Cilantro Lime Rice instead.
- Sweet potatoes: We'll dice these into medium chunks, toss them with warm spices, then roast in the oven until fork tender. (I roast mine without oil on a sheet of parchment paper, but feel free to drizzle your potatoes with a tablespoon of good quality extra virgin olive oil if preferred.)
- Black beans: Or you can substitute pinto beans or even vegan ground beef crumbles if desired.
- Green onion (scallion)
- Sweet corn: Most often I use canned organic corn for convenience. But you can use fire-roasted, frozen corn, or freshly cooked corn on the cob.
- Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes: I like these because they're the most flavorful and sweet, but you can use roma tomatoes or other garden tomatoes if desired.
- Avocado
- Ground cumin
- Smoked paprika
- Cilantro-Lime Cashew Cream: For this simple blender sauce, you'll need raw cashews, dairy-free milk (or water), fresh cilantro, lime juice, and salt. (Plus you can add the optional jalapeno pepper for a little spice.) Feel free to make this ahead of time and store in the fridge until ready, because I find the flavors only enhance with time!
Need a nut-free sauce? Swap in this delicious Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing instead (using a nut-free vegan yogurt like oat or soy).
Customizing
Sauce: Instead of the homemade cashew cream, use your own favorite southwestern-style creamy dressing, Chipotle Crema, or simply top it with fresh guacamole and Blender Salsa!
Spices and seasoning: I flavor the roasted sweet potatoes with cumin and smoked paprika. However change it up with a Taco Seasoning mixture, chili powder, dried oregano, garlic powder, or your own favorite flavors.
Veggies: Stir in other vegetables to this bowl like red bell pepper, red onion, zucchini, yellow summer squash, etc.
Make it spicy: This sweet potato bowl is mild as written. For a little heat, roast your sweet potatoes with a pinch of dry chipotle powder, cayenne pepper, or simply top your bowl with hot sauce to taste.
Serving
Family-style meal: Rice bowls are a great family-style dinner! Set out all of the prepared ingredients on the counter, then let everyone assemble their own bowl with the toppings they enjoy! A few ideas include:
- Salsa or hot sauce
- Fresh cilantro
- Crumbled tortilla chips
- Loaded Guacamole
- Lime wedges
- Dairy-free sour cream
- Cashew Queso
For more inspiration, also browse all vegan black bean recipes or Mexican-inspired recipes.
Mexican Sweet Potato Bowl (Vegan!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown basmati rice
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 15 oz. can black beans
- 3-4 green onions
- 1 1/2 cups cooked sweet corn
- 1 cup grape tomatoes (or roma)
- 1 large avocado
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
For the cilantro-lime cashew cream:
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked*
- 1/2 cup plant milk, plain & unsweetened (or water)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- Optional: jalapeño pepper
Instructions
- Cook rice: Rinse and cook rice according to package instructions.
- Roast sweet potatoes: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Peel and dice sweet potatoes into about 3/4″ cubes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss potatoes with cumin, smoked paprika, and salt to taste. Spread on lined baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until tender, stirring halfway through.
- Make the cilantro-lime cream: Place all cream ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. (I use a small NutriBullet.) Add a splash more water if needed to thin to your desired consistency. Taste and adjust flavors if needed. (More salt, cilantro, lime juice, etc.) Set aside.
- Prepare ingredients: Rinse and drain black beans. Slice green onion, dice tomatoes, and dice the avocado.
- Assemble: Assemble your bowls (or set out the toppings like a "burrito bowl bar" to let others assemble their own). Spoon cooked rice on the bottom, then top with roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, veggies, and desired toppings. Drizzle sauce on top.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
If you're enjoying this Mexican Black Bean Sweet Potato Bowl recipe, also check out:
- Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl
- Mexican Fiesta Baked Potato
- Black Bean Tacos with Avocado Cilantro Sauce
- Vegan Burrito Bowls with Creamy Chipotle Sauce
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Jennifer says
Made this tonight, and it was delicious! We did do a couple substitutions as per your suggestions, based on what we had: cauliflower rice and Pinto beans instead of brown rice and black beans. And the sauce!! Sooooo yummy!! We will definitely be making this again. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome recipe!
Kaitlin says
Yes, Jennifer! Thrilled to hear it. Swapping in cauliflower rice and pinto beans sounds like a winner! I'm glad you made it your own with what you had on hand. Versatile meals are the best. Always appreciate you sharing your thoughtful, helpful feedback - thank you!
Krista says
This was delicious! Even my teenage daughters loved it! None of us like cilantro, so I put parsley in for the sauce. Still, very delicious!
Kaitlin says
Hello, Krista! So glad you all enjoyed this. What a great idea substituting with parsley! Thanks for sharing your kind and helpful feedback.
Caroline says
One of my favorites! The sauce is so creamy and tasty. It's good on fajitas too!
Kaitlin says
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing.
Annie K says
Made this for supper tonight and it is FANTASTIC! We set up the ingredients buffet-style to accommodate our pickier eaters, but everyone has gone back for seconds...love this! Thanks for sharing this recipe — I'll be sharing it all over.
Kaitlin says
So great to hear everyone enjoyed it and went back for seconds! Thanks for sharing, Annie!
Caroline Beauclair says
Loved it! This bowl made me so full! And it's so healthy. Will definitely make again!
Kaitlin says
Great to hear you enjoyed, Caroline! Thanks for sharing!