Vibrant Black Bean Bowls complete with roasted sweet potatoes, kale, rice and creamy mango tahini sauce make a healthy and fun meal with flavors you'll actually get excited about! Bursting with color and packed with whole grains, greens, and plant protein. I love these for a filling mid-week lunch. Vegan and gluten free!
We're makin' bowls for dinnaaaa! Or lunch.
How colorful are these beauts? Sweet and tangy mango tahini sauce slathered on roasted veggies and beans...you really can do no wrong here.
It's no shock that we love our bowls. The idea for this gem came from its sister bowl recipes, my Chickpea Glow Bowls, Roasted Veggie Bowl, and Buddha Bowls with Peanut Sauce. Welcome to the fam!
I absolutely love doing sheet pan build-your-own-bowl situations for weeknight meals because you can throw in whatever veggies and grains you have on hand and make it your own. Be chill or be fancy!
Ingredients
- Black beans: I use drained and rinsed canned beans to help aid in digestion. You could also use homemade beans!
- Sweet potatoes: I just love these sweet, roasty spuds paired with beans, greens, and sauce.
- Brown rice: I love rice as the base of this bowl, and I'm known to use microwave kind for convenience. No shame! Quinoa or farro would be fab, too.
- Kale: A hearty veg addition for a nice nutrient boost and pop of green.
- Mango tahini sauce: Fresh, juicy mango brings all the lovely flavors of this bowl together and adds creamy texture. For the sauce, we're pairing mango with simple ingredients including creamy tahini, tangy apple cider vinegar, a splash of velvety olive oil, and curry powder. It's a seriously tasty (and unique) combo!
What makes this nourishing
Fun fact: Historically, mangos have been revered as symbols of life, love and happiness. Talk about happy food!
- Over thirteen grams of protein and fiber per serving, hello!
- A meal in a bowl with complex carbohydrates, plant protein, and veggies
- Mangos are also an excellent source of vitamin C, offering 50% of the daily value per 3⁄4 cup serving. They’re also a good source of folate and copper, at 15% of the daily value per serving
- Mangos contain polyphenols like beta-carotene, lutein and other carotenoids that account for the mango’s yellow hue
- Anthocyanins contribute to the red color in some varieties. Emerging research suggests that mangos may have an impact on gut health, too!
Substitution ideas
I love the combination of caramelized sweet potatoes, black beans, and kale for a hearty, Cuban-inspired vibe, but feel free to use what you have on hand.
- Try chickpeas if you don't have black beans.
- Swap the brown rice for quinoa or farro. Frozen grains work great here, too.
- Use butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes.
- Omit the kale and add veggies like roasted cauliflower or Brussels sprouts.
- If you don't have tahini, try almond butter!
How to cut mango
Cutting into a mango can be a tad intimidating, but after you try it once, I promise you'll be a pro. It's much easier than it looks!
To ensure your mango is just ripe, give it a gentle squeeze. It should give slightly when pressed. Each mango variety has a slightly different color, so don’t use color as an indicator for ripeness. I know that
- Rinse the outside of the mango before cutting into it.
- Use a cutting board and a sharp knife to slice each side along the pit. If your knife keeps hitting the seed without getting a good chunk of fruit, you’re on the wrong side!
- Slice the flesh vertically, being careful not to cut through the skin.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh.
Typing this is making me hangry.
If you happen to be blessed with leftover sauce, it's absolutely delish drizzled on just about anything savory, like fish, tofu, raw vegetables and beyond.
PrintBlack Bean Bowls with Sweet Potatoes and Mango Tahini Sauce
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowls with Mango Tahini Sauce make a colorful and tasty plant-powered dinner packed with nutrition! Vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
For the bowls:
- 1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- ½ tsp fine sea salt + freshly ground pepper
- 4 cups chopped and de-stemmed kale, packed (about 5oz)
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- ⅓ cup chopped green onions, for garnish
For the mango tahini sauce:
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ripe mango, diced or 1 cup defrosted from frozen mango*
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp water
- 1 ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp mild curry powder
- ½ tsp fine sea salt + freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or a Silipat.
- Place black beans and sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Toss with coconut oil, ½ tsp salt and several grinds of pepper. Spread onto baking sheet and arrange in an even layer. Roast for 25 minutes (or until sweet potatoes are tender), tossing halfway through.
- Meanwhile, place tahini, olive oil, mango, ½ cup of the water, apple cider vinegar, curry powder, salt and a few grinds of pepper in a blender (I use my Nutribullet). Blend until smooth, adding more water as needed (I did another 2 tbsp). You may need to add more water depending on how thick your tahini is. You should be able to drizzle the sauce with a spoon. Season to taste with another pinch of salt or a splash of maple syrup if needed to balance the flavors.
- Place kale in the bowl you used for the beans and sweet potatoes. Massage ¼ cup of the mango sauce and a good pinch of salt and pepper into the leaves, until slightly wilted.
- Assemble bowls by placing a scoop of rice in the bottom of the bowl followed by a handful of the dressed kale, then the bean and sweet potato mixture. Top liberally with mango sauce and garnish with green onion, if desired. Dig in!
Notes
*If using frozen mango, be sure to fully defrost it in the microwave or over the stove prior to blending.
INSTANT POT: Place 1 cup brown rice, 1 ¼ cups water, and ½ tsp salt in the pot. Cook on Manual/High Pressure for 10 minutes and then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release any additional steam, open lid, and fluff with fork.
STORAGE: Store leftovers separately in the fridge in air-tight containers for up to three days. Assemble right before serving.
JANE GARVEY says
THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST (AND BEST!) RECIPES I TRIED WHEN MAKING A SIGNIFICANT DIETARY CHANGE. EVEN MY HUSBAND THOUGHT IT WAS DELISH! THANK YOU!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
You made my day, Jane!! Thanks so much!
Barbara watson says
Five stars for the mango tahini curry sauce alone! 😍 OMG delish. It WILL find its way into other bowls.
This bowl is SO delish, great if you want to meal prep or customize a bit. I already had some roasted sweet potato’s so that part was done. My husband wanted extra protein so I added some smoky tempeh ‘bacon’ that I’d made and threw it into the warmed black beans. Also threw on some hunks of avo. I made it last night and after lots of “Mmmm” he said “THIS goes in the rotation”! High praise!
Alexis Joseph says
Oh wow, smoky tempeh bacon has me drooling! Thank you SO much, Barbara!
Hailee says
I love the name of your blog LOL it is so clever! Also need to try this recipe for dinner tonight!
Sarah says
I have been loving all of hummusapien's recipes. Love her ingredient lists and always ends with a delicious meal that the whole family loves!
Alexis says
Thank you so much, Sarah!!
Melanie says
Love this recipe! So easy and quick. Also healthy and filling!
Alexis Joseph says
Yayyy thank you tons!
Amy says
This recipe is amazing and so easy! You have the best combinations of spices/flavors. Can’t wait to eat the leftovers.
Alexis Joseph says
I’m thrilled you loved this one, Amy!
Heather says
This dish is so yummy and fresh. I adore the sauce so much and leftovers are just as good! This one has been in our monthly rotation.
Alexis Joseph says
Thanks a ton Heather!! So glad you loved this one.
Viktoriya says
That mango sauce makes my taste buds dance. I'm saving this recipe. So good. I defrosted some frozen mango in the fridge overnight and added less water to make it a thicker sauce.
Alexis Joseph says
Ok now THAT is the ultimate compliment!! So glad you loved it!!!
Ro says
This sauce was delicious! And the recipe so customizable. Just a question- what would you suggest if we wanted the rice to have some flavor (besides salt?) on it’s own?
Alexis Joseph says
Yes, salt and garlic powder, or some chopped cilantro folded in would be good!
Jennifer says
It was SO good - tasted like we got carry-out from a healthy bowl place. The mango sauce was so fun and different. Re-do list for sure!
Alexis Joseph says
Amazing, so glad you loved this one, Jennifer! Thanks a ton for reviewing.
Erin says
This turned out so good!!
Alexis Joseph says
I'm so glad, thanks Erin!
Marlies says
Totally delicious! Definitely improvised on the bowl ingredients a bit based on what we had on hand (only one sweet potato, so added some red potatoes and broccoli, spinach instead of kale). All delicious ingredients so can't go wrong either way, but the sauce stole the show for sure! I just wanted to drink it straight from the blender hahaha
Alexis Joseph says
That's the best part--how much it can be customized! You have my full permission to drink from the blender 🙂 Thanks so much for the glowing review, Marlies!
Alexis Joseph says
I'm so glad you loved it!
Shristi Patni says
I'm drooling! How do you come with such great recipes?! <3
Iliana says
This recipe is delicious! I made it last night and it was a huge hit with everyone not to mention that it was easy to make and I already had all the ingredients in the house! Will definitely be making this one again!
Alexis Joseph says
I'm SO thrilled to hear that, Iliana! How fab that it went over well with everyone. Thanks for letting me know!
Kori says
This looks and sounds so amazing and creative! I love the sound of that dressing, and Buddah bowls are my favorite for a quick meal or to use up leftover vegetables, grains, and protein. Thank you for sharing this; cannot wait to make it!
Alexis Joseph says
Yayyy, thank you Kori! I'm so excited for you to try this one 🙂
Dylan says
Yummm so fresh!!!
Alexis Joseph says
Right?! Like sunshine in a bowl!