Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa Bowl

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Filled with flavorful, feel-good ingredients, this Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa Bowl is the ultimate plant-based lunch or dinner. Paired with deliciously tangy avocado dressing, this easy vegetarian grain bowl requires minimal prep work and is make-ahead friendly. Perfect if you need a healthy and satisfying lunch option to bring to work!

Quinoa bowl with roasted sweet potato and black beans served with avocado dressing.

Consider this quinoa bowl the queen of plant-based versatility. It works great for meal prep, especially if you need a make-ahead friendly lunch to bring to work or school. The combo is just as delicious for dinner, so don’t count it out for evenings. And it’s one of the best vegetarian freezer meals, too.

This is the type of colorful, feel-good, delicious meal you’re just going to want to eat over and over again. Luckily, this recipe is easy enough to do just that.

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Ingredients

As a dietitian, I’m always looking for interesting ways to combine plant-based protein with healthy fats and high-fiber grains and vegetables. These quinoa bowls are an excellent example. They have a complete and balanced mix of nutrients that will help you feel full and satisfied after eating them.

Labeled ingredients to make quinoa bowls.

Sweet potato
Canned black beans
Quinoa
Avocado
Lime
Fresh cilantro (optional)
Garlic
Olive oil or avocado oil
Chili powder
Ground cumin
Garlic powder
Salt
Black pepper

Optional ingredients for serving:

Pickled red onions – find my recipe for quick pickled red onions here.
Avocado
Cherry tomatoes – I like to use multicolor tomatoes for maximum visual appeal.

See recipe card below for exact quantities and preparation.

Instructions

Here’s a basic summary of how to make this quinoa bowl. You can find more detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Roasting sweet potato and black beans on a baking sheet. Labeled with a

Toss the sweet potato, beans, oil, and spices, and roast in a 425ºF oven until the sweet potato is tender.

Cooked quinoa in an orange pot. Labeled with a

Cook the quinoa.

Ingredients to make avocado dressing in a blender container. Labeled with a

Blend the avocado dressing until smooth and creamy.

Plated quinoa bowl with sweet potatoes, black beans, avocado dressing, and garnishes. Labeled with a

Combine the cooked sweet potato and beans with quinoa, avocado dressing, and optional garnishes.

Hint: If the avocado dressing is too thick, add another tablespoon of water and blend again. Repeat until you have the consistency you want. The dressing should be smooth and pourable but still creamy.

Substitutions

Need to make an ingredient substitution? Here are a few swaps that work well for this recipe.

Black beans – instead of black beans, you can substitute pinto beans or red kidney beans.
Spices – use taco seasoning instead of chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder.
Pickled red onion – substitute thinly sliced raw red onion.

Variations

Want to change up this recipe? Here are a few ways you can make it your own.

Spicy – add ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the bean and sweet potato mixture. You can also add a jalapeño pepper to the avocado dressing.
Burrito bowl – substitute rice for the quinoa—or try this vegetarian burrito bowl recipe from All the Healthy Things
Breakfast bowl – add eggs!

See this Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl for a similar meal idea.

Closeup of a Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa Bowl with avocado slices and avocado dressing.

Equipment

Knife and cutting board – to chop the vegetables.
Mixing bowl – for combining the sweet potato and black beans with seasoning.
Baking sheet – to roast the sweet potato and beans.
Pot with lid – for cooking the quinoa. If you don’t have one, buy pre-cooked quinoa instead and heat in the microwave.
Blender – needed to make the avocado dressing. A food processor will also work.

Storage

This recipe is great for making ahead of time. Store the cooked quinoa and sweet potato/black beans separately from the avocado dressing. Each can be stored in the fridge for up to five days.

You can also freeze the quinoa/sweet potato/black beans for up to three months and the avocado dressing for up to two months. Thaw each overnight in the refrigerator.

Reheat the quinoa and vegetables in the microwave by heating in 30 second intervals and stirring until warm. If the avocado dressing thickens in the fridge, stir in a little water until it thins out.

I recommend adding the garnishes (especially the sliced avocado and fresh cilantro) immediately before serving for the freshest flavor.

Top tip

You might need to adjust the cooking time for the sweet potato and black beans. If the sweet potato is chopped larger than ½-inch (about the size of a potato hash), they will take longer to cook. Instead of judging solely by the timer, try piercing one of the sweet potato cubes with a fork. If the fork goes through easily, it’s done!

FAQ

How do you flavor quinoa while cooking?

Start by adding ½ teaspoon salt for every cup of dry quinoa. You can also cook dry quinoa with broth instead of water for added flavor. Once cooked, taste the quinoa and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Can quinoa be eaten cold?

Yes! If you prefer not to reheat cooked quinoa, you can eat it cold. The result will be more like a grain salad.

Looking for more easy vegetarian meals? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with a quinoa bowl:

📖 Recipe

Grain bowl with sweet potato, black beans, quinoa, and avocado dressing.