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Home » Recipes » Main Dish

Mexican Sweet Potato Bowl with Cilantro-Lime Cream

Sep 27, 2015 by Kaitlin · 10 Comments

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This easy Mexican Sweet Potato Bowl features brown rice, hearty black beans, and colorful veggies. Then it's topped with a deliciously creamy cilantro-lime sauce! It's immensely satisfying and great for family dinners. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)

Overhead view of Mexican sweet potato black bean and rice bowl topped with a creamy cashew cilantro-lime sauce

This Mexican-inspired sweet potato rice bowl is immensely satisfying and filled with plant-based goodness.

It features seasoned roasted sweet potatoes, fluffy brown rice, hearty black beans, and colorful veggies. Then it's topped with a creamy cilantro-lime sauce!

It's so great for a hearty lunch, dinner, or even meal prep. Plus it's a beautiful family-friendly meal that you can customize however you'd like!

Black beans, avocado, tomato, green onions, sweet corn, brown rice, and spice ingredients laid out on a metal tray

Ingredients for Mexican Sweet Potato Bowl

For this recipe you will need:

  • Brown rice: I use organic brown long-grain basmati rice, but use your own favorite. Use white rice, cauliflower rice, or this tasty Cilantro Lime Rice.
  • 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 are 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!
A metal spatula lifting up diced sweet potatoes after roasting in the oven

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.

Overhead view of preparing sweet potato black bean rice bowl with creamy cilantro sauce on the side

Serving

Garnish with any extra toppings before serving! A few ideas include:

  • Salsa or hot sauce
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Crumbled tortilla chips
  • Loaded Guacamole
  • Lime wedges
  • Dairy-free sour cream
  • Cashew Queso

Family-style meal: Rice bowls are a great family-style dinner! Simply set out all the prepared ingredients on the counter, then let everyone assemble their own bowl with the toppings they enjoy!

Close up view of a sweet potato bowl with brown rice, black beans, veggies, and a cilantro lime cashew sauce

For more inspiration, also browse all black bean recipes or Mexican-inspired recipes.

Overhead view of Mexican sweet potato black bean and rice bowl topped with a creamy cashew cilantro-lime sauce

Mexican Sweet Potato Bowl with Cilantro-Lime Cream

This easy Mexican-style rice bowl is immensely satisfying. It features roasted sweet potatoes, fresh veggies, hearty black beans, and a creamy cilantro-lime cashew sauce!
5 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Mexican-inspired, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings: 4 large bowls

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

*Soaking cashews: In a heat-safe bowl, cover the raw cashews with hot water (just under boiling) until they are submerged. Set aside and let sit for about 10 minutes. Then drain and rinse before adding to the blender. This makes them easier to blend.
Cashew cream: Expand this however you see fit! Add garlic, a splash of vinegar, more cilantro, or your favorite sweetener for a hint of sweetness. (It's also great made ahead of time because the flavors enhance as it sits in the fridge.)

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Nutrition Facts
Mexican Sweet Potato Bowl with Cilantro-Lime Cream
Amount per Serving
Calories
700
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
25
g
38
%
Saturated Fat
 
4
g
25
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
4
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
14
g
Potassium
 
1574
mg
45
%
Carbohydrates
 
107
g
36
%
Fiber
 
19
g
79
%
Sugar
 
11
g
12
%
Protein
 
21
g
42
%
Vitamin A
 
16933
IU
339
%
Vitamin C
 
26
mg
32
%
Calcium
 
125
mg
13
%
Iron
 
7
mg
39
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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.

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If you're enjoying this Mexican-inspired 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

Follow The Garden Grazer on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, or Facebook for more updates and inspiration.

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Comments

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    Recipe Rating:




  1. Jennifer says

    June 08, 2024 at 7:56 pm

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      June 11, 2024 at 7:30 am

      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!

      Reply
  2. Krista says

    May 02, 2023 at 7:49 pm

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      May 03, 2023 at 7:48 am

      Hello, Krista! So glad you all enjoyed this. What a great idea substituting with parsley! Thanks for sharing your kind and helpful feedback.

      Reply
  3. Caroline says

    July 06, 2021 at 11:23 am

    5 stars
    One of my favorites! The sauce is so creamy and tasty. It's good on fajitas too!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      July 06, 2021 at 12:09 pm

      Wonderful! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
  4. Annie K says

    July 26, 2017 at 3:00 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      August 18, 2017 at 8:35 pm

      So great to hear everyone enjoyed it and went back for seconds! Thanks for sharing, Annie!

      Reply
  5. Caroline Beauclair says

    October 24, 2015 at 1:41 am

    Loved it! This bowl made me so full! And it's so healthy. Will definitely make again!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      October 24, 2015 at 9:35 pm

      Great to hear you enjoyed, Caroline! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

Hello, I'm Kaitlin!
I live in Montana and share vegan recipes that are easy and healthy. About Me →

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