Sweet Potato Black Bean Skillet

Estimated read time 6 min read


Quick and easy one-skillet meals are always my favorite and this Sweet Potato Black Bean skillet is no exception. It’s nutritious, veggie-packed, perfect for cleaning out the fridge or pantry, and of course it’s budget-friendly! It’s also great for meal prep. So grab some avocados, sour cream or greek yogurt, and your favorite salsa and get ready to enjoy this simple and delicious 25-minute meal!

Overhead view of sweet potatoes and black bean skillet with napkin and wooden spoon on the side.Overhead view of sweet potatoes and black bean skillet with napkin and wooden spoon on the side.

I was definitely going for more Southwest-inspired flavors for this recipe! So here’s everything that you’ll need:

  • Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes are super nutritious and just so happen to be one of my favorite foods. You’ll only need about 2 medium sized sweet potatoes for this recipe.
  • Black Beans: Black beans are packed with fiber and protein and are great paired with sweet potatoes. They also add lots of color and texture to the dish. 
  • Bell Pepper and Onion: I love the combination of peppers and onions in savory recipes. They both add wonderful flavor and aromatics.
  • Diced Tomatoes: I used petite diced tomatoes to roughly match the size of the rest of the chopped veggies in this recipe. Fire-roasted tomatoes would also taste great!
  • Kale: A couple handfuls of chopped kale adds color, texture, and extra vegetables to the dish. You can also substitute with baby spinach instead if that’s what you have in your fridge.
  • Spices: I used a mix of chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and garlic powder to create a bold Southwest-inspired flavor base for this skillet meal.

Recipe Tips!

  1. Try to dice the sweet potatoes and vegetables in a uniform size so they cook quickly and evenly in the skillet.
  2. Don’t worry about the sweet potatoes cooking all the way through in the first step. They will continue to cook with the rest of the ingredients. The goal is for them to not be too mushy and still have some bite to them when they’re done.
  3. Feel free to mix and match the ingredients based on what you have in your pantry or fridge. Fire-roasted tomatoes would be great and I always have an extra half bag of spinach in my fridge.

I topped this easy skillet dish with some fresh cilantro and served it with some brown rice. But there are so many other tasty options to choose from. Here are just a few suggestions:

Storing Leftovers

This recipe is perfect if you want to meal prep your lunch for a few days and it stores really well in the fridge. Just store the leftovers, minus any toppings, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you are serving it with some rice you can add the rice to the same container (see my picture below in the step-by-step photos). When you’re ready to enjoy, reheat in the microwave until warmed through. Then just top with your favorite toppings and lunch is served!

Overhead view of sweet potatoes and black bean skillet with brown rice on a white plate.Overhead view of sweet potatoes and black bean skillet with brown rice on a white plate.


Sweet Potato Black Bean Skillet

This Sweet Potato Black Bean skillet is a fun, budget-friendly, and veggie packed meal with lots of flavor and is perfect for meal prep!

Overhead view of sweet potatoes and black bean skillet with napkin and wooden spoon on the side.Overhead view of sweet potatoes and black bean skillet with napkin and wooden spoon on the side.

Prevent your screen from going dark

  • 1.5 lbs. sweet potatoes (about 2 medium) ($1.64)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced ($1.50)
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced ($0.42)
  • 1.5 Tbsp olive oil ($0.18)
  • 1 tsp chili powder ($0.10)
  • 1/2 tsp cumin ($0.05)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
  • 3/4 tsp salt ($0.05)
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
  • 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained ($1.25)
  • 1 14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes ($1.47)
  • 2 cups chopped kale ($0.56)
  • 1 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro ($0.10)
  • Wash, peel, and dice the sweet potatoes. Dice the red bell pepper and the onion.

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the diced sweet potatoes and cook for 8 minutes. Stir occasionally but not too often so the sweet potatoes have a chance to brown and caramelize. Don’t worry if the sweet potatoes are not fork tender during this time as they will continue to cook in the next step.

  • Now add the diced bell pepper, onion, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika to the skillet. Stir together with the sweet potatoes. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.

  • Add the black beans, diced tomatoes, and chopped kale to the skillet. Gently stir together and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Feel free to add 1-2 Tbsp of water if the skillet is getting too dry.

  • Now all that’s left to do is top with some fresh chopped cilantro and enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.


Serving: 1servingCalories: 220kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 4gFat: 6gSodium: 548mgFiber: 7g

Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.

How to Make Sweet Potato Black Bean Skillet – Step by Step Photos

Sweet potatoes cut into cubes on a cutting board.Sweet potatoes cut into cubes on a cutting board.

Wash, peel, and dice 1.5 lb. of sweet potatoes (about 2 medium). Also dice 1 red bell pepper and 1 yellow onion.

Chopped sweet potatoes added to a large skillet.Chopped sweet potatoes added to a large skillet.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1.5 Tbsp olive oil. Add the diced sweet potatoes and cook for 8 minutes.

Cooked sweet potatoes in a skillet.Cooked sweet potatoes in a skillet.

Stir occasionally but not too often so the sweet potatoes have a chance to brown and caramelize. Don’t worry if the sweet potatoes are not fork tender during this time as they will continue to cook in the next step.

Onion and bell pepper added to sweet potatoes in a skillet.Onion and bell pepper added to sweet potatoes in a skillet.

Now add the red bell pepper and diced onion to the skillet.

Spices added to sweet potatoes and veggies in a skillet.Spices added to sweet potatoes and veggies in a skillet.

Then add 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, and 1/4 tsp smoked paprika to the skillet. Stir together with the sweet potatoes. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Kale, black beans, and tomatoes added to sweet potatoes in a skillet.Kale, black beans, and tomatoes added to sweet potatoes in a skillet.

Add 1-15oz. can black beans (drained), 1-14oz. can petite diced tomatoes, and 2 cups chopped kale to the skillet. Stir together and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Feel free to add 1-2 Tbsp of water if the skillet is getting too dry.

Overhead view of cooked sweet potato and black bean skillet.Overhead view of cooked sweet potato and black bean skillet.

Now all that’s left to do is top with some fresh chopped cilantro (optional) and enjoy. That’s it! A quick, simple and filling meal! 😉

Sweet Potato and Black beans with rice in meal prep containers.Sweet Potato and Black beans with rice in meal prep containers.

Btw, this dish is absolutely perfect for meal prep! Here I decided to add the leftovers to meal prep containers with some cooked brown rice. So easy and sooo good!

Overhead view of sweet potatoes and black bean skillet with napkin and wooden spoon on the side.Overhead view of sweet potatoes and black bean skillet with napkin and wooden spoon on the side.



Source link

You May Also Like

More From Author

+ There are no comments

Add yours