Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos

Who doesn’t love burritos? Healthy meals don’t have to be complicated or take a super long time to prepare. This recipe is bursting with health benefits and is the perfect fuel for anyone from kids to athletes. Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos are packed with fiber-rich veggies and complex carbohydrates, a variety of healthy fats and plenty of herbs and spices for flavor, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory effects. 

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos are also a great meal prep meal. Do you meal prep? I find that it helps ensure I have healthy meals all throughout the week without the stress of trying to decide what to make. Meal prepping also saves money because you won’t be ordering takeout at the last minute – you’ll already have a nice meal waiting for you! Cook the sweet potatoes ahead of time to make this recipe come together in minutes. 

About My Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos 

These sweet potato black bean burritos are a balanced meal that is bursting with flavor. They have healthy complex carbohydrates to provide energy (sweet potato, beans, rice, and tortillas), healthy plant-based protein from the black beans, and healthy fat from the avocado and coconut oil. The lime juice, cilantro and minced garlic come together to make these burritos so flavorful. I find that this recipe doesn’t need cheese, sour cream, or any other toppings because it’s already packed with flavor – but you can add any additional toppings you’d like!

As you probably guessed from the title, sweet potatoes are the star of this recipe. I have always loved sweet potatoes, and they pair perfectly with black beans to make a satisfying meal. Sweet potatoes are very nutritious and add a lot of important vitamins and minerals to this dish. Sweet potatoes are packed with fiber that support your gut health. They are also an important source of beta-carotene that your body turns into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is an important antioxidant that protects our cells from damage, especially in our eyes. It also supports our immune system and may reduce the risk of certain cancers. Just ½ of a sweet potato contains more than 900% of our vitamin A needs.   

Brown rice is a complex carbohydrate that provides sustained energy. Brown rice is a whole grain that has not had the outer bran removed. This means it has more vitamins and minerals than some other more refined grains. Brown rice is a great source of B-vitamins that are important for maintaining energy levels. It is also a good source of trace minerals like magnesium which has anti-inflammatory benefits and can help lower blood pressure. Whole grains are helpful for healthy blood sugar control and heart health.  

This recipe has a dash of turmeric – one of my favorite spices to cook with. You can add it to a variety of foods such as grains, veggies, smoothies and even desserts. In this recipe, I suggest adding it as part of the garnish to add a little extra flavor with a lot of health benefits. Turmeric is versatile, easy to cook with and is a top anti-inflammatory spice that acts as a potent antioxidant in the body. 

Another key ingredient in this recipe that I use often is coconut oil. I especially cook high-heat items in coconut oil because it remains stable at higher temperatures than other oils (including olive oil). It’s a healthy plant-fat, easy to sauté with, and adds a rich flavor.

Making the Burritos 

The first step in making these burritos is cooking the sweet potatoes. We will use baked sweet potatoes for this recipe so that they will be really tender and caramelized. Start by preheating the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Then pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork and wrap them in aluminum foil. Depending on the size of your sweet potato, they will take approximately 30-40 minutes to cook. They should be soft. You can check my opening up the aluminum foil slightly and piercing them with a sharp knife. The knife should go in very smoothly when the sweet potatoes are fully cooked.

The Rice

Next it’s time to cook the brown rice. Brown rice can take a long time to cook so I like to use brown rice that has already been prepared. This can be found in the frozen section, or they may be found in a rice bowl container in the packaged grains section. If using premade brown rice, simply cook it according to the package directions. No worry if you only have regular brown rice on hand, simply cook on the stove top or in a rice cooker.

The Spices

Next it’s time to cook the aromatics. Place one teaspoon of coconut oil in a large skillet and add the chopped red onions and garlic. Cook until the onions are soft and start to brown. Then drain a can of black beans, rinse, and add it into the skillet along with the cooked rice. Mix all of the ingredients together and heat until warmed through. Once everything is warm, remove from heat. 

The Potatoes

To check if the sweet potatoes are done, insert a sharp knife into the center. The knife should glide easily all the way through. If not, cook for a little longer until soft. Once the sweet potatoes are fully cooked, carefully remove them from the oven. Set on the counter until cool enough to handle.

Once cooled, carefully remove the aluminum foil and peel and slice the sweet potatoes into large circles or coins. In a separate skillet, heat the remaining teaspoon of coconut oil. Cook the sweet potato coins on both sides until browned, about one to two minutes on each side. Sprinkle with salt for taste if desired. Then set them aside.

Putting it all Together

Finally, warm the tortillas in aluminum foil in the oven. Once warm, begin assembling your burrito. I like to use the rice, bean and onion mixture as the base, followed by the sweet potato coins but you can make it however you like! Add the avocado, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime for garnish. Top it off with any additional toppings that you like. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this simple, savory recipe for Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos. Looking for other simple meals, try Vegan Mushroom Tacos, Simple Enchilada Casserole, and Corn Chowder with Potatoes and Basil. 

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Americana, TexMex

Keyword: burrito, easy burrito, healthy burrito, vegetarian burrito

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 2

Calories:

Author: Ginger Hultin

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 large sweet potatoes
• ▢ 2 teaspoons coconut oil, divided
• ▢ 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ▢ 3/4 cup diced red onion
• ▢ 1 cup frozen brown rice
• ▢ 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• ▢ 2 12-inch whole wheat tortillas

Garnish

• ▢ 1 medium ripe avocado, sliced
• ▢ 1 lime, cut into wedges
• ▢ 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, freshly ground

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork then wrap them in aluminum foil and place them in the oven for 30-40 minutes (until soft).
• While the potatoes and rice are cooking, place 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in a large stove top skillet and add the garlic and chopped red onions, cooking until onions are soft and begin to turn slightly brown.
• Add the drained can of black beans and cooked rice to the garlic and onion, cook until all ingredients are warmed through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Once the sweet potatoes are done, remove them from the oven. Remove the aluminum foil and let cool enough to handle. Peel and slice the sweet potatoes into large circles or coins.
• In a separate skillet, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. Cook the sweet potato coins on both sides until lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with sea salt for taste if desired. Set aside.
• Warm the tortillas in aluminum foil in the oven. Once all ingredients are warm you can make your burrito! Use rice, bean and onion mixture as the base followed by the sweet potato coins, and garnish with fresh cilantro, avocado, a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a dash of turmeric spice. Enjoy!

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