Easy Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa Bowl with Crema

What Makes This My Favorite Quinoa Bowl Recipe

• Zesty Tex-Mex flavors. The spiced roasted sweet potatoes add so much flavor and pair perfectly with the earthy black beans, corn, roasted red pepper, and creamy avocado. But the kicker is totally the cilantro lime crema, it ties everything together and completes the dish.
• 100% vegetarian. I’m so used to picking up a protein and making a side to go with it that I sometimes struggle putting together vegetarian meals. These sweet potato quinoa bowls make it easy! Load all sorts of tasty, seasoned veggies onto a bed of fluffy quinoa, and enjoy.
• Customize it any way you’d like. Aside from black beans and sweet potatoes, I load up my quinoa bowls with sweet roasted red peppers, juicy corn, and toppings like avocado, lime, and jalapeños. You can really get creative with these bowls, though, and adapt the recipe with your favorite ingredients.

Black Bean Quinoa Bowls Ingredients

No matter the recipe, I tend to follow a sort of “formula” when it comes to assembling the ultimate quinoa bowl. I’ll share it here:

• Quinoa – You’ll find red, white, black, and tri-colored quinoa. Most dried quinoa you’ll find in stores comes pre-rinsed. If not, you’ll need to rinse it before cooking to avoid a bitter flavor.
• Vegetables – I like to add roasted vegetables to my quinoa bowls. In this case, that’s roasted sweet potatoes, jarred roasted bell peppers, red onion, and sweet corn (which is technically a grain, but you get my drift!).
• Seasoning – I season the sweet potatoes with a mix of cumin, sweet or smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. You can substitute the individual spices with taco or fajita seasoning or chili powder.
• Protein – In this vegetarian recipe, I use black beans. You can add different proteins in the form of white beans, pinto beans, roasted chickpeas, and meat-based options like chicken, grilled steak, and pan-seared shrimp.
• Dressing – For this bowl, I make an easy Mexican lime crema that I think brightens up the Tex-Mex flavors perfectly. Other tasty dressing options are a simple lemon vinaigrette, this spicy poblano dressing, or a Thai-inspired peanut dressing.
• Extras – Like lime wedges, sliced avocado, and jalapeños. I love adding other garnishes like roasted nuts, fresh herbs, pickled onions, or fresh citrus to my quinoa bowls for that extra “pop” of flavor.

What Does Quinoa Taste Like?

Well, if you’re my husband, you’d say it tastes like nothing (lol). And while quinoa does have a mild flavor, to me, the best way to describe the taste and texture of quinoa is that it’s like brown rice and oats had a baby. Quinoa is fluffy, crunchy, and nutty, all rolled into one. It’s very versatile and can be prepared several ways, including quinoa bowls!

How to Cook Quinoa

Preparing quinoa is a lot like cooking rice. Remember to rinse it before use. Then, add 1 cup of quinoa to a small saucepan along with 2 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes, covered. Once water is absorbed, fluff your quinoa with a fork, and it’s ready to use.

Assemble Your Black Bean Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl

If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ll know that I’m all about Tex-Mex recipes. This recipe packs all those smoky, spicy Southwestern flavors that I love into a satisfying meal bowl. Here’s how to put your cooked quinoa together with the rest of the ingredients:

1. First, roast the sweet potatoes. Toss the diced sweet potatoes in a bowl with olive oil, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Spread the seasoned potatoes out on a baking sheet and roast at 400ºF for 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime, make the crema. Add fresh cilantro, Greek yogurt, vinegar, lime juice, and the other crema ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend that to make a smooth, creamy dressing.
3. Assemble the quinoa bowls. Divide the quinoa between bowls, then layer on the roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, red peppers, onions, corn kernels, and any toppings. Spoon the crema over your bowls, and dig in.

Recipe Tips

• Drain and rinse canned beans. If you’re using canned black beans, be sure to rinse and drain them well before you add them to the quinoa bowls. This goes for canned corn kernels, too.
• Substitute the sweet potato. If you don’t have sweet potatoes, make this quinoa bowl with roasted butternut squash instead.
• Meal prep these bowls. You can prepare the individual components, like cooking the quinoa, roasting the sweet potatoes, chopping the veggies, blending the dressing, etc., 1-2 days in advance. Keep everything airtight in the fridge so it’s ready to assemble for quick and easy lunches.

Proper Storage

Store leftovers covered in the fridge for 2-3 days. Whenever possible, try to store the individual ingredients separately, and leave off fresh toppings, like avocado, until it’s time to serve. The lime crema can be refrigerated in an airtight jar for up to 1 week.

Everything about these sweet potato quinoa bowls is dreamy! I guarantee that you’ll fall in love with this bowl and won’t even miss the meat. Bon appétit, friends!

More Quinoa Recipes

• Mexican Quinoa Salad
• Southwestern Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
• Crock Pot Quinoa Vegetarian Chili
• Quinoa Taco Skillet