Mexican · main

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls reads sweetness 6.3, citrus 5.2 and richness 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mexican main, about 1 hr 1 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.2 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 6.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.7 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.6 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sweetness 6.3 · Citrus 5.2 · Richness 4.9 · Sourness 4.8 · Salinity 3.8 · Earthy 3.4 · Allium 3.3 · Umami 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Heat 1.8 · Fruity 1.6 · Nutty 1.6 · Bitterness 1.5 · Funk & Ferment 0.8 · Floral 0.8

What's in it (14)

• red-skinned sweet potatoes — 680 g
• olive oil — 54 g
• cumin — 10 g
• chili powder — 5 g
• salt — 7 g
• long-grain white rice — 177 g
• lime — 65 g
• red onion — 110 g
• black beans — 851 g
• garlic — 9 g
• frozen corn kernels — 237 g
• cilantro — 15 g
• avocado — 150 g
• cotija cheese — 57 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 1 min (56 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 196.1 kcal, 9.8 g protein, 2.1 g fat, 36.2 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Heat the oven to 425 F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the sweet potato cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon cumin, the chili powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; spread in a single layer with space between pieces.
2. Roast the sweet potatoes until deeply caramelized at the edges and fork-tender, 25-28 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
3. Meanwhile, bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 16-18 minutes.
4. Remove the rice from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.
5. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the lime zest, half the lime juice, and half the cilantro; cover to keep warm.
6. While the rice cooks, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half the diced red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3-4 minutes.
7. Add the garlic and remaining 1 teaspoon cumin; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
8. Stir in the black beans, corn, remaining lime juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
9. Mash about a quarter of the beans against the skillet with a spoon to thicken the mixture, then cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and slightly thickened, 5-6 minutes; taste and season with more salt if needed.
10. Divide the lime rice among four bowls and top each with roasted sweet potatoes and the black bean mixture.
11. Finish each bowl with avocado slices, cotija cheese, the remaining diced red onion, and the remaining cilantro.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Chickpea and Butternut Squash Curry — Indian
• Skillet Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos — Tex-Mex
• Baked Sweet Potatoes with Black Bean Salsa and Lime Crema — Tex-Mex · Southwestern
• Southwest Quinoa Stuffed Peppers — Tex-Mex · Southwestern
• Spicy Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos — Mexican

Keep reading: what sweetness, citrus, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.