Southwest Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Rice Skillet (2024)

by Danae · Published: Nov 22, 2021

This easy, one pan, Southwest Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Rice Skillet is a hearty and healthy vegetarian dinner the whole family will love! Made with brown rice, sweet potatoes, black beans, green chiles, spices and topped with melted cheese. On the table in 30 minutes and great for leftovers the next day!

If you’re looking to add more vegetarian meals to your weekly dinner plans, but are worried you’ll still be hungry because there’s no meat in the recipe, fear not! This Southwest Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Rice Skillet is so hearty and full of flavor you won’t think twice about it being vegetarian.

This easy one pan dinner was inspired by one of my most popular recipes, Mexican Chicken, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Skillet. It has many of the same flavors, but without the chicken and the addition of brown rice.

Ingredients For Southwest Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Rice Skillet

• sweet potato
• chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, garlic powder
• diced green chiles
• salsa or salsa verde
• brown rice
• black beans
• cilantro
• lime
• cheddar, Colby Jack or Monterey Jack cheese

How To Make Southwest Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Rice Skillet

Heat a some olive oil in a large skillet, preferably one with a lid. If you don’t have a skillet with a lid use a piece of foil or a large plate. Add in the diced sweet potato, salt and pepper, and sauté it over medium heat for about about 8 minutes. It won’t be completely soft at this point.

Add several tablespoons of water to the skillet and cover it with a lid so that the sweet potato steams and doesn’t get overly browned while it continues to cook. Once the sweet potato is fork tender add in the green chiles, black beans, rice, dried spices, salsa, cilantro, lime juice, and additional salt and pepper.

Stir everything together and let it heat through for a few minutes. Add the shredded cheese on top and cover the skillet with the lid. Let everything cook for another couple minutes until the cheese is melted and everything is warm.

See Also

Quick & Healthy Dinner IdeasBroccoli Cauliflower Cheese Soup with BaconShrimp Lo Mein RecipeKorean Baked Cauliflower

Time Saving Tips

1. Use leftover cooked brown rice, minute rice, microwaveable bagged rice, or frozen rice to save 40 minutes of cooking time.
2. If you have leftover roasted sweet potatoes those can be used instead.

Toppings For Southwest Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Rice Skillet

Avocado – Since this is a vegetarian meal, avocado is a great way to add healthy fat, fiber, and a little protein to make it more satiating.

Greek yogurt or sour cream – The added creaminess and tang of the Greek yogurt goes so well with the spices, green chiles, and salsa in this recipe. Greek yogurt is also a good way to add in additional protein.

Tomatoes – They add a nice bit of sweetness.

Black olives – briny, salty, and a great addition if you enjoy olives.

Crushed tortilla chips – If you want a crunchy element to this dish, add the crushed tortilla chips when you add on the cheese. Sort of like nachos on top! Be aware that they’ll soften and won’t be crunchy if you plan to have this for leftovers.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Skillet Dinners

• Stuffed Pepper Casserole
• Greek Meatballs and Orzo Skillet
• Turkey and Vegetable Skillet
• Skillet Enchilada Chicken with Black Beans and Corn
• Southwest Ground Beef Sweet Potato Skillet

Yield: 4 servings

Southwest Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Rice Skillet

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups peeled and diced sweet potato
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 ounces diced green chiles
• 1/2 cup salsa or salsa verde
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 15 ounce can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• Juice of a lime
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, Colby Jack, or Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add in the diced sweet potatoes, salt and pepper, and sauté over medium heat for about about 8 minutes. Add 3-4 tablespoons of water to the skillet and cover it with a lid. Let the sweet potatoes steam until they're fork tender, about another 4 minutes depending on the size.
2. Add the green chiles, black beans, rice, spices, salsa, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper to the skillet. Stir everything together until combined.
3. Add the shredded cheese to the top and cover the skillet with the lid. Let everything cook for another 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted and everything is warm. Serve topped with additional cilantro, avocado, and plain Greek yogurt or sour cream if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 378Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 540mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 13gSugar: 6gProtein: 14g

Nutritional information is an estimate. Please consult a registered dietician for the most accurate nutritional information.