Sweet Potato Black Bean Buddha Bowls with Mango Tahini Sauce

This post is sponsored by National Mango Board. Sweet Potato Black Bean Buddha Bowls with Mango Tahini Sauce make a colorful and tasty plant-powered, nutrition-packed meal! Vegan and gluten-free.

We're makin' bowls for dinnaaaa! Or lunch.

How colorful are these? My mood is elevated by simply looking at them! As we come into fall and everything slowly turns into varying hues of orange and beige, fear not. We're feasting on yellow and green and all the plant colors galore. So purty!

The idea for this recipe came from its sister recipes, my Buddha Bowls with Peanut Sauce and Curried Cauliflower Chickpea Buddha Bowls. 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.

What you can't swap out is...the mango! Yep, she's the star today. Did you know these luscious stone fruits have been cultivated for over 5,000 years and are the world’s most popular fruit? Truth, I tell you.

When is mango in season, you ask? Since the six common varieties of mangos have staggered growth seasons, you can actually enjoy mango year-round.

Fresh, juicy, vibrant mango brings all the lovely flavors of this bowl together. For the sauce, we're pairing mango with simple ingredients you likely have in your pantry like creamy tahini, tangy apple cider vinegar, a splash of velvety olive oil, and curry powder. Hungry yet?

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.

Potential health benefits of mangos

With over thirteen grams of protein and fiber per serving, these buddha bowls are a wholesome and filling answer to the "what's for dinner?" question.

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!

How to slice mango

Mango is a stellar addition to sauces and dressings thanks to not only the sweet and bright flavor, but also the creamy texture it lends.

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.

Sometimes when I buy mangos at the store, they're pretty hard so I let them sit on my counter for a few days to get softer and sweeter. Once they're ripe, if I'm not using or eating them right away, I'll store them in the refrigerator for up to five days. There's nothing like cold mango right out of the fridge!

I know that cutting into a mango can be a bit intimidating, but after you try it once, I promise you'll be a pro. It's much easier than it looks! You can scroll down on this post for step by step photos and slicing tips.

1. Rinse the outside of the mango before cutting into it.
2. 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!
3. Slice the flesh vertically, being careful not to cut through the skin.
4. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh.

Fun fact: Historically, mangos have been revered as symbols of life, love and happiness. Talk about happy food!

Recipe tips and substitutions

I love the combination of caramelized sweet potatoes, black beans, and kale for a hearty, Cuban-esque vibe, but feel free to use what you have on hand.

• Use chickpeas if you don't have black beans on hand.
• 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, almond butter may work instead.

If you make this recipe and love it, please come back and leave a star rating and/or comment letting me know! Your feedback is super helpful for me as well as other readers.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Buddha Bowls with Mango Tahini Sauce

★★★★★ 5 from 14 reviews

• Author: Alexis Joseph | Hummusapien
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Main Meals
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Sweet Potato Black Bean Buddha Bowls with Mango Tahini Sauce make a colorful and tasty plant-powered dinner packed with nutrition! Vegan and gluten-free.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

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

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silipat.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

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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.